Football: The summer of selling (out)

[Whiskeyjack]

Not sure I understand the Balogun situation.

Alexander Isak went for something like 70 million euros plus add-ons.

Rasmus Hojlund cost 75 million plus add-ons.

But Inter wants to get Balogun for less than 30 million?  And he's mad at Arsenal for wanting more? 

I get that the situation isn't necessarily exactly the same.  He's got 2 years on his contract, he's pushing to leave, and Inter doesn't have a ton of money.  And maybe the biggest factor is that it doesn't seem like the top Premier League teams are in for him (and/or that Arsenal doesn't want to sell to them). 

But given the Gabriel Jesus injury situation (and the fact that its something related to his injury last year - so nobody can confidently say this will be the end of it), I feel like the options here should be either to sell him for an amount that's comparable to other young up-and-coming strikers (i.e. 70+ million) or to just keep him to make sure there's enough talent up front.  Accepting something like 25-40 million only makes sense if they're desperate to move him, but in this situation, making sure that the squad is deep enough to contend for a title should matter more than securing a fee.  Plus - if the fee is that low, then can't he just be sold for a similar amount next summer, even if he just has 1 year left on his deal at that point? 

I know things are complicated by Balogun wanting a move.  And normally I'm very heavy on the side of player rights.  But at some point, the club has to say sorry, this doesn't make any sense.

[Raja]

7 minutes ago, Whiskeyjack said:

Alexander Isak went for something like 70 million euros plus add-ons.

Rasmus Hojlund cost 75 million plus add-ons.

English clubs bought those players, which makes a big difference. Relatively speak, the italian clubs have no money.

 

Edited August 5, 2023 by Raja

[Whiskeyjack]

3 minutes ago, Raja said:

English clubs bought those players, which makes a big difference. Relatively speak, the italian clubs have no money.

 

Yeah, totally understand that and mentioned it in my post.

But if that's the case, and there aren't any English clubs (or other clubs with comparable budgets) in for Balogun (and/or Arsenal doesn't want to sell to them), then feel like the answer is to just keep him.

Edited August 5, 2023 by Whiskeyjack

[ljkeane]

5 minutes ago, Whiskeyjack said:

And maybe the biggest factor is that it doesn't seem like the top Premier League teams are in for him

That’s the key point I think. It’s only Premier League teams, PSG and Real who’re going to throw that kind of money at a young prospect. If none of them are interested then the market just isn’t there. Also I think Balogun is more of the general forward type rather than the quick version of the old school 9 which is en vogue at the moment with teams trying to find their own Haaland.

[Raja]

1 minute ago, Whiskeyjack said:

Yeah, totally understand that and mentioned it in my post.

But if that's the case, and there aren't any English clubs (or other clubs with comparable budgets) in for Balogun (and/or Arsenal doesn't want to sell to them), then feel like the answer is to just keep him.

Yeah, I get arguements from both sides but we've spent a decent amount of money and probably need to make some back. 30 million euros seems very little though, agree with that

[Raja]

53 minutes ago, ljkeane said:

Japan look pretty clearly the best team at the World Cup. I think the question is whether they’re going to get caught out by individual mismatches (set pieces seems like it’s going to be a problem against either Sweden or the US in the next round).

yeah seems like an excellent WC so far but have missed all of it cause of timezones & work

[Raja]

Looks like this one will be happening - ornstein or someone was reporting about 27m?

 

[Consigliere]

Brentford definitely overplayed their hand on that one. Spurs had offered £30m for him which Brentford rejected and it now looks like Arsenal are going to land him for less than that.

[Raja]

Fabio Silva is back at Wolves?

Finally a reason to watch them again

[The Sunland Lord]

The offer will be 35m€ plus bonuses. 

[Consigliere]

2 hours ago, BigFatCoward said:

Wrexham's return to the football league hasn't started well.  

Ben Foster had a shocker.

5 goals conceded from 6 shots on target with a combined xG of 0.7.

[Consigliere]

 

 

[Raja]

 

[Wilbur]

The Italian league has been interesting to watch.

Once upon a time, in the mid-80s through the turn of the century, they could pay for and sustain the best players in the world, and they were seen as the premier league competing in Europe.  Yet watching the games, the stadia would very often be half-empty.  If you were town for a match, even a big match at the San Siro, tickets were never difficult to obtain.  I would always wonder how they could afford the top echelon of players.

And now, all the teams in Italy seem to be operating on a shoestring budget.  Perhaps they spent all their cash on bribing refs, who knows.  Yet if you watch a game today, the stands are more often than not full.  So you would think that they ought to have actual cash, if only from gate receipts.

What happened to Italy to make them so rich then, and so poor now?

[A Horse Named Stranger]

Overspending on salaries plays a huge part.

Quite a few of the stadia in dire need of repairs/modernization.

[The Sunland Lord]

4 hours ago, Wilbur said:

The Italian league has been interesting to watch.

Once upon a time, in the mid-80s through the turn of the century, they could pay for and sustain the best players in the world, and they were seen as the premier league competing in Europe.  Yet watching the games, the stadia would very often be half-empty.  If you were town for a match, even a big match at the San Siro, tickets were never difficult to obtain.  I would always wonder how they could afford the top echelon of players.

And now, all the teams in Italy seem to be operating on a shoestring budget.  Perhaps they spent all their cash on bribing refs, who knows.  Yet if you watch a game today, the stands are more often than not full.  So you would think that they ought to have actual cash, if only from gate receipts.

What happened to Italy to make them so rich then, and so poor now?

They had rich owners who could spend, cover their losses and not care about FFP at the same time. They're stuck with old stadiums that can't be modernized, and it's pain in the ass to build new ones. The red tape typical for Italy put off foreign investors as well. 
 

Staveley, the intermediary between PIF and Newcastle (now she's on their board), said PIF also considered buying Inter but that Serie A "being a mess" put them off. Personally though, I don't mind they backed off. 

[ljkeane]

I think that might have been the weirdest penalty shootout I’ve ever seen. Five class penalties to start it, a bunch of rubbish ones, the US keeper taking the 6th penalty, O’Hara getting subbed on for penalties and then missing, and the last penalty needing a VAR check. 

Anyway, the US out.

[Corvinus85]

Indeed a really weird penalty shootout. And for two of the most experienced US players and their young, promising strikers to fluff theirs, definitely disappointing. The US played better, had more chances, but lacked precision again. In all fairness, the Swedish keeper was strong during the match, she should be the MVP.

I'm sure the right-wingers in the US will eviscerate Rapinoe after this for bullshit reasons, but to be fair she has shown poor form in all the matches she played all the way up to her penalty kick. Might be time to retire.

Edited August 6, 2023 by Corvinus85

[A Horse Named Stranger]

You could've made it more Bruce Springsteenish.

Out are the USA. Out are the USA.

Anyway, also wanted to say, that we will get a new World Cup winner by the end of the tournament. Sweden eliminating the US was always a distinct possibility, but the US were still one of the favorites to win it.

Japan probably the new frontrunner now. England presumably with smooth sailing until the semi-final, with one of France/Australia/Denmark being the first real test for them.

Japan will now get to play Sweden and then the winner of Spain/Netherlands (probably Spain).

[A Horse Named Stranger]

3 minutes ago, Corvinus85 said:

I'm sure the right-wingers in the US will eviscerate Rapinoe after this for bullshit reasons, but to be fair she has shown poor form in all the matches she played all the way up to her penalty kick. Might be time to retire.

It is, and I think she already said she will.