City sign Costel Pantilimon ?!? (update)

[PeterParker]

He received the work permit. According to his agent thursday or friday the transfer will be announced, but it will be only a loan.

[Wooders]

sounds like someone from a phillip pullman novel

[Rag_hater]

Seems getting someone like Costel is about as good as we can hope for.To me it seems unrealistic to think that anybody with a half decent reputation or prospects is going to want to sit on a bench.Anybody as good as Shay is as we have seen is gonna want to play.

[john@staustell]

Seems getting someone like Costel is about as good as we can hope for.To me it seems unrealistic to think that anybody with a half decent reputation or prospects is going to want to sit on a bench.Anybody as good as Shay is as we have seen is gonna want to play.

It's a good gamble for a younger keeper though. Hart breaks a leg and you may end up winning the Champions league.

[Ted Hughes]

He received the work permit. According to his agent thursday or friday the transfer will be announced, but it will be only a loan.

If it's short term 'til we find someone better then that's a bit more acceptable, I can put up with that.

I see me standing a loan.

[PeterParker]

He received the work permit. According to his agent thursday or friday the transfer will be announced, but it will be only a loan.

If it's short term 'til we find someone better then that's a bit more acceptable, I can put up with that.

I see me standing a loan.

As i said, for me this is an odd transfer. Wba wanted him as a first choice, but then collapsed and then Udinese and us made an offer for him, as a backup, and he accepted City because there were more money involved. Imagine that at his age, he has this concept about football. Strange lad.

As i said, according to his agent, City has him for a season, for about 400.000 euros and then if we want him, we will pay about 3.8 mil. He is a 100% a done deal.

[tchumatu]

Here are the terms of the loan, according to romanian newspapers:

£300.000 for the first year, City has the option of buying him for £2.7 million until December 31st. After that, we have the option of buying him for £3.4 million, but also the option of loaning him for a second year, for an additional 300.000. His wage is around £10.000/week

From a financial point of view, this looks like a very good deal for the club. However, I am really not sure about Pantilimon's ability as serious back-up/challenger for Hart. When we drew Timisoara in the Europa League last summer, I started the presentation of their team with "Sh*t GK, though he's a tall sh*t GK", and I still stand by that impression. I always wished for a Romanian player to play for us, now I know I should have wished for a good Romanian player. This is a guy that will take one of the 17 non HG places in the 25 man squad.

Nevertheless, welcome to Manchester, Costel, I really hope you prove me wrong.

A rather good article from a romanian scout is available here http://scoutingromania.com/2011/08/07/it%E2%80%99s-all-in-pantilimon%E2%80%99s-hands-now-not-a-bad-situation-for-a-goalkeeper-right/

A short quote for those that don't want to click on it:

So, does Pantilimon really have a chance to impress and earn Timisoara more money in his one season loan with an undisclosed buying clause? I guess not, but on a personal level he should definitely benefit, training with the best and entering a regime that will do him more good than 100 more official appearances in Liga I.

He still needs to improve his ability to deal with high balls, yes, at 2,02 m, Pantilimon has “a short leash” and his focus needs to be a lot better, which is something a bit different than his desire to deliver in the big games – see the excellent performances for Romania on “Parc des Princes” or for Timisoara in the European ties against Shakthar Donetsk and, no coincidence, Manchester City. He wasn’t always convincing for Timisoara in Liga I, which lead to a lost battle with Steaua’s Ciprian Tatarusanu for the number one spot in Romania’s national team in the last year, so this transfer comes at a possibly critical moment of his development. If he goes up or down from here, it’s all up to him, but I reckon the decent/hard working goalie will keep his feet on the ground, the eyes on the ball and catch this big chance, not palm it away.

[Mark (Blue Army)]

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[steveo_88]

No risk signing on loan, good move by the staff. Should get a few games in the League Cup, FA Cup and Europe. Gives Joe a night off every once and a while, I can't see him being much worse than Taylor.

Also gives the scouts some more time to look for a backup goalie if it doesn't work out.

[sandman]

I just saw on soccer AM that Hahnemann is available on a free. I dont think he is too bad and has a lot more games under his belt than Taylor.

[Dameerto]

I noticed 'The Sun' were doing their usual high quality journalism towards the end of the week, they had a piece previewing the new season with the spending so far for each club - and to put us ahead of the RAGs in spending they'd counted this transfer as a £5m move, rather than a one year loan which is written ON OUR OFFICIAL SITE.