01 Nov 2024 18:00:42
Ed now Ten Hag has gone are we still going to be interested in going for Frenkie De Jong?
{Ed002's Note - Perhaps.}
01 Nov 2024 22:46:18
At least now we can read stories of us being linked to every Past or present Sporting or anyone Portugese. Will make a change.
03 Nov 2024 10:00:03
Amorim had said in a press conference that he will not look to sign any Sporting players in the January transfer window.
He seems like a man of his word, so any media outlet linking us to Sporting players in January are almost certainly talking out their rear end.
I'll be honest there are probably only a 4 or 5 players that might be worth getting from Sporting. Players like Inacio, Diomande, Debast or Quaresma obviously know the system and we will need at least one CB.
We've been linked with Hjulmand in the past (last summer), but if I'm honest I don't see us going for him after we've signed Ugarte. He isn't quite the profile of midfielder we need in my opinion, and he'll cost a premium.
Gyökeres is probably the big one that'll be linked. Mostly because we lack goals and strikers are sexy players to link clubs with and articles linking strikers get the most clicks. Yet I cannot see a world where we go for him. Not after spending 100m on Højlund and Zirkzee in the last two windows and when you consider that Gyökeres will cost a bare minimum 80m but more than likely north of 100m. I can't see us blowing 50-70% of our summer budget on a player for a position that we have good options in. Not when there are other areas of greater need.
Marcus Edwards will probably be linked, especially as he's English. I'm not sure he's at the level we need and we probably have enough options in the wide forward positions for Amorim to try and get something out of them. Players like Bruno, Mount, Amad, Garnacho and Rashford. Even Zirkzee could play in one of those positions. While we have some interesting youth players coming through like Shea Lacey, Jack Fletcher, Amir Ibragimov, Bendito Mantato, Ethan Williams and Samuel Lusale who could all end up playing in those roles and might offer some more depth. So I don't see us needing to sign a player in this position.
The final one I could see us maybe looking at is Geovany Quenda the 17 year old right wingback that has broken through this season. He fits the profile of player the club are looking at under the new ownership. But with us having both Dalot and Mazraoui at the club I think if we were to look at Quenda it would be in 2-3 years. Let him get a few seasons under his belt, see how he develops and then if we need a new RWB look to bring him in when he's still very young at 20 or 21.
Overall I doubt we'll go for Gyökeres or Hjulmand, as both would be expensive and while they are probably amongst Sporting 3 or 4 best players neither are profile of player that is of greatest need.
Quenda is someone who I expect we'll keep an eye on over the next couple of seasons, but not someone to pursue right now.
Really just leaving one of the CB's who could be a realistic target as they are all good enough, know the manager and the system, play in a position of need and fit the clubs profile of transfer targets. Also if Sporting's new manager moves away from the 343 shape then Sporting could probably afford to sell at least one of their CB's without it really hurting their squad.
One of Inacio, Diomande, Debast or Quaresma are the most likely possible signing we could look to get from Sporting next summer.
Although with the new structure at the club, of actual football experts
in key management positions, I doubt we'll see the club pursue former players of he current manager as a transfer strategy moving forward.
04 Nov 2024 15:17:26
Amorin needs to start the job and assess what he will be working with first.
There will certainly be a keep and sell list. Hopefully he is able to promote and develop a few youngsters aswell, as it is always great to see a few academy players come through.
Personally, he will have to hit the ground running. Hopefully Ruud can get 2 more wins before he hands the reigns over.
05 Nov 2024 05:08:00
A lot of the players have 7 months to convince him they deserve to be here next year imo. It will be a busy summer and depending on our financials we may see quite a few gone. Quite a few are out of contract anyway so we will need to buy many players if they are let go or bring some kids from the academy through.
I watch the academy games to cheer myself up and they are a really good bunch. No idea if any are ready for first team.
I watched Amorim's press conference for their CL game and some British reporter's behavior was appalling and really disrespectful and insisting he speaks in English which he declined. It was very strange behavior by the reporter. Need to block out the noise.
05 Nov 2024 08:34:45
Bom trabalho Ahmad!
05 Nov 2024 18:01:22
Hardly disgraceful behaviour lol, playful at worst.
05 Nov 2024 18:53:11
Spenno have you seen it? It was actually pretty bad. Insistent and entitled, and the reporter came across like a bell end.
I thought Amorim handled it well, and came across classy and unruffled.
The reporter has previous for trying to harass managers.
He did a similar thing with EtH while he was still Ajax manager but was agreed to join United. He chased him and tried sticking a microphone in his face, demanding he answer questions about Manchester United while he was preparing for a game with Ajax.
He's a clown and should be banned from all future press conferences.
05 Nov 2024 20:36:02
Of course I’ve seen it, or I wouldn’t have an opinion :p
You’d think he’d commited murder from the reaction.
06 Nov 2024 18:59:48
Amorin was ready for it and he and the Sporting media team were totally prepared and dealt with. He was sending out the message he was solely focused on the City game and not being distracted and it worked.
I rather fancy the reporter fell into his trap, an English reporter at a press conference deliberately held in Portugese, the reported got played here.