S-Clarke

Good in the know info on this so...is Clyne staying?

Yes, very true. Toby was actually bought in as our backup RB last year, as well as a CB, so safe to assume we will need a RB whatever Clyne's situation. I heard an interview on Sky from Toby, he seems to think he'll know more about his future after the internationals. He said he is going back to Spain to start with and he will then weigh up what's on offer. So pretty much confirmation that At.Madrid have bought out our clause and will try to sell to the highest bidder.

It really doesn't feel much of a break this year. The domestic season only really ended on Saturday. They've only got a couple of weeks until they're all back in pre-season!

They want to loan him to a La Liga club. Nothing to see here.

To be honest, from what I've read up on him - mainly when I saw the stoke links - he sounds like a bit of a player. He's apparently attracted the attention of major club scouts this season, and Leverkusen were interested to a point. For what would be £3.5m, it's a bit of a snip to be honest. Not entirely sure what level his defending is, but he's a very good attacking full back, which is why all the top clubs have been sniffing - seeing as that's the way to play now. When i was reading articles on him re: Stoke's interest, it was described as quite a coup for them, due to his rising profile in club and international football (he's only 22). The deal to Stoke did seem done and dusted at some point, but we've obviously come in at the last hour with a counter offer out of the blue - which makes me wonder if the club know something else is about to happen. But I still remember Reed saying we need 2 RB's, so who knows. But this guy can also play right wing, so could add versatility in that sense.

Yep, Bestikas player. Probably one of their best players, and was decent for them in the EL games against Liverpool. Very direct, quick, can play left, right or just behind. We were linked with him last year, so he's probably ''on the list''.

He's a centre back though. He can play RB if required in emergency, but he's progressing into a CB. Not sure the club see him as backup right back to be honest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1Ut3PVlESY Obligatory youtube video time, but this kid can play.

If it does, then we have ourselves an incredibly good replacement. Nothing to worry about either way. This kid was looked at by Barca as well, but they opted for the Vidal guy.

Cédric leaves Alvalade and goes to the Premier League The right-back Sporting is about to leave Cédric Soares is very close to moving arms and baggage to Southampton. The right-back of Sporting is preparing to leave the club to which is tied for 17 years and get into the Premier League, having been given as very likely at Stoke City, which offered five million euros. The 23 years should see the transfer announced by a higher amount in the coming hours. If the operation goes ahead, as it seems, the No.41 will become teammate of Jose Fonte, beside which is now the work of the National Team, Georgia. This was posted in the Clyne thread, but this is the (translated) report from Portgual. Sounds like it's happening, and for what it's worth, he is very, very highly rated.

Who knows, Les Reed said we will be getting a 2nd RB whatever happens.

Would be a good loan if we can sort it out. That would finish off the Maarten Stekenlburg rumours I'd have thought. I guess we'd then push for that young GK at Newcastle. I just remember Les saying that we wanted a loan to cover for Fraser and a young keeper, probably to replace Davis/Gazzaniga/Cropper etc.

It's slightly different qualifying for the CL and winning it. Qualifying for the CL is pretty hard for us, a freak season may achieve it, but we'll never get far in it. Of course we're a million miles from that level, we always will be. There's no discussion here, it's just obvious.

I don't really see what we're discussing here to be honest? What's the relevance of this? Juventus are a huge club, a hell of a lot bigger than we will, ever, ever, ever be. So, yeah.

Well, they got to the final a few days ago. 2001 - Champions League 1st Round 2002 - Champions League 2nd Round 2003 - Champions League Runner-Up 2004 - Champions League 2nd Round 2005 - Champions League Quarter-Final 2006 - Champions League Quarter-Final 2009 - Champions League 2nd Round 2010 - Champions League 1st Round/Europa League 3rd Round 2011 - Europa League 2nd Round 2012 - 2013 - Champions League Quarter-Final 2014 - Champions League 1st Round/Europa League Semi-Final 2015 - Champions League runner-up

What do you mean in that they haven't been brilliant lately? They've won the last 4 Serie A titles by some distance.

It has been said that Real want to loan him to a La Liga club, not abroad.

My thread is better

Not sure if anyone has seen this, but our brand value has grown 89% in the last year. We're now above clubs such as Inter Milan, At. Madrid, Napoli. Southampton, thanks in part to their recent successes under Mauricio Pochettino and Ronald Koeman, are this year's fastest growing brand. The Saints' brand value is up 89% to $183million (£120million). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3115064/Manchester-United-world-s-billion-dollar-brand-Red-Devils-beat-Real-Madrid-Bayern-Munich-Barcelona-surge-past-mega-money-milestone.html

How's everyone getting on with this now? There are some fantastic players you can pickup early on, and they become £30-40m players easily. Ladisslav Krejci - left winger/amc Romagnoli - you can get him from Roma's U20's team at the start of the game. Within 2/3 years he is the best defender in the game. Carrasco - Belgian attacking player from Monaco. Absolute talent. Can pick him up for £10m and he is Gareth Bale-esque in his ability. Oliver - You can grab him on loan from At.Madrid. I managed to negotiate a £14m purchase fee. Well worth doing it, top player in the AMC role. Thomas Partey - Another At.Madrid player which you can pickup for loan with a view to buy. He's basically Wanyama, so when Wanyama does leave he's a pretty sound replacement. Gaston Gil Romero - Got him for under £10m. He's Morgan basically, just Argentinian. I sold Morgan in the 2nd season for about £29m, got this kid for £10m. He's only 21 and is based at an Argentinian club - you have to get in there kind of early in the window, as some Italian clubs are sniffing. Alan Noym - Great replacement for Clyne if you sell him. He's very quick, very strong, has a terrific delivery on him. Costs about £6m. Another RB worth looking at is (another!) at. madrid player, Silvio. They don't want him any more and you can pick him up for £1m. Portuguese international, 27 years old. He's rock solid Sold Wanyama, Morgan, Clyne for a combined 60 odd million I think, got the replacements with plenty of cash left over. I ended up with this team by season 3, finished on 72 pts in the Top 4: Forster Silvio - Fonte - Romagnoli - Bertrand Gaston Gil-Romero JWP Carrasco - Oliver - Quintero Rodriguez Subs - Stekenberg, Partey, Nyom, Austin, Sims, McCarthy, Reed

Markovic was actually bought as an attacking wide player, but Brendan Rogers, being the tactical genius that he is, played him at right or left wing back. They've also got Aspas, who is out on loan this season. They have a proper stock-pile of strikers not good enough for them, quite odd.

Bit of a reality check for Liverpool I think. Linked with the likes of Higuain, Lacazzette, Vieto etc.....but end up with Ings. Good player, not denying that, wouldn't have said no to him here.....but he's not the sort of signing which is going to propel Liverpool back into contenders.

Stop trying to pretend you're ITK.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/chelsea-transfers-loic-remy-chase-5840461