Summer transfer thread!

[Hazy2]

Higuain would be beter partner for Kun than anyone.

[Ted Hughes]

Garcia was shite last season but he was not a poor player before he signed for City, he was a very very good player indeed & lots of top clubs were looking at him, including the rags.

The pace of the game has proved too much for him, but in a well organised team which was suited to him, playing regularly, he would still be very good at his job imo. That could yet still be City, he would only need to pick up a yard or so of pace, mostly just by reacting more quickly than he did last season. But City don't cover for each other well at all in that area & every small mistake is a potential catastrophe. We have seen the same happen to Rodwell & he is fast. Mistakes which should not neccessarily have ended in goals.

That's why Barry has been so good & so much better than some people realise, to be able to play in there with so few disasters when nobody picks up runners etc & you sometimes have half a pitch to patrol on your own.

Regarding the age of most players we were looking at, I recon the answer to this is simple enough; they are leaving space for the academy players. It's not a lie, they really are going to bring through young players over the next few seasons.

A team full of 23 year old signings leaves no future for them unless we sell to make room. A balanced squad leaves spaces for young players to take over some positions & mix with experienced players.

Then the wage bill for squad players would drop & the transfer kitty would end up huge. The big wages would be for very big players.

[Alioune DVToure]

I take it you didn't watch Garcia much last year did you? He was one footed, one paced, incredibly soft in the tackle for a guy his size, gave the ball away or lost it for fun and looked about 3 yards off the pace. When the pre-requisite job of the holding/deep central midfielder is to win the ball and maintain possession, he failed in just about every criteria. De Jong was/is a superior player.

In regards to the players we have signed, in the past year we have aimed for RVP, Javi Martinez, De Rossi, Hazard, Isco & Cavani and come up empty on each one. The players we have signed, are those that we were not competing with another elite CL team for; granted they may turn in to diamonds, but we are not buying guaranteed finished articles here.

When we won the Prem in 2012, we had a great opportunity to strengthen and move forwards by making the squad even better - we plainly haven't done that. If you are waiting for the likes of Scott Sinclair to come good, it'll be a wasted exercise.

As for the "we should have won the league last year" argument - we finished umpteen points back and weren't even close, that's the plain fact of it. Wouldve/could've/should've doesn't apply when you finish 10 plus points south of the title winner.

Every criterion/all the criteria.

Sorry for being an arsehole, it's just a pet annoyance of mine.

Reasonable post otherwise.

[Hazy2]

Garcia, was lacking a pre season. never a good start, he then got injured, At Benfica he was very good. Have seen his best, I doubt it. Barry was a go to player for Mancini, Pelli might change that.

[Blue Blood]

This. Absolutely hits the nail on the head.

Seen Negredo play 6 or 7 times over the past couple of years, admittedly mostly against Barca or Real, but anyone with a Sky box in the UK has the potential to have seen quite a bit of him, and he hasn't exactly sprung to mind at any time as a guy I thought/hoped we would chase. Soldado looks a better all round striker from what Ive seen, and Negredo is a 2nd tier level of playing. He looks like a back-up for Dzeko to me.

In 2012 we had Aguero, Dzeko, Balo & Tevez - that quartet is far superior to Aguero, Dzeko, Negredo & the eternal sicknote and "Bojinov style" legendary tales of the skills of Mr Guidetti.

Similarly in midfield the swap of De Jong for Javi Garcia, and Adam Johnson for Sinclair has also weakended our hand. I had hoped the lessons of last summer, and our failings in both the CL & Prem last season had persuaded our powers that be that top top quality was what we lacked, not the 2nd tier guys we seem to be settling for.

The new quartet is weaker.. on paper. In practise however how many times did Balo ever do the business? Dzeko never really suited Bobs system either. On paper, with the squad we have we should have won the league again last year.. but it's just on paper. If Pelle can bring together a group of forwards who compliment either other and get the best out of them, i'd rather that, than have a bench of stellar names.

As for the De Jong / Garcia thing, it is an utter myth De Jong was leagues better than Garcia, honestly I think Garcia has a ton more to his game. De Jong was an out and out destroyer, he did it well but offered nothing else. His sideways passing used to annoy the hell out of me.

And as for Johnson for Sinclair, well tbh I can't judge that. 5-10mins at the end of the odd game isn't enough to say Sinclair is shit. He was not even close to given a chance to show himself last year, feel sorry for the lad.

This "2nd tier player" mentality is staggering to me, people like Negredo are not second tier, they just aren't the "world class level" of which there are only 10 players, at best in the world of that level and they all come at a massive premium, with massive baggage.

Football is about how a team plays, not about how it looks on paper. Compiling the best players doesn't mean you have a winning team. Look squarely at Real Madrid for evidence of that!

I take it you didn't watch Garcia much last year did you? He was one footed, one paced, incredibly soft in the tackle for a guy his size, gave the ball away or lost it for fun and looked about 3 yards off the pace. When the pre-requisite job of the holding/deep central midfielder is to win the ball and maintain possession, he failed in just about every criteria. De Jong was/is a superior player.

In regards to the players we have signed, in the past year we have aimed for RVP, Javi Martinez, De Rossi, Hazard, Isco & Cavani and come up empty on each one. The players we have signed, are those that we were not competing with another elite CL team for; granted they may turn in to diamonds, but we are not buying guaranteed finished articles here.

When we won the Prem in 2012, we had a great opportunity to strengthen and move forwards by making the squad even better - we plainly haven't done that. If you are waiting for the likes of Scott Sinclair to come good, it'll be a wasted exercise.

As for the "we should have won the league last year" argument - we finished umpteen points back and weren't even close, that's the plain fact of it. Wouldve/could've/should've doesn't apply when you finish 10 plus points south of the title winner.

I watched every minute of Garcia (well close to, if not every) and I like him. Granted he looked out of sorts often but there is a player in there, he had the odd game where he looked showed flashes of ability and aerially I rate him as the best at the club. Pelle, a notorious man manager, the arrival of the busy box to box Fernandinho and the new system could drag a decent player out of him. Only time will tell on that though. He has a year to show it.

On De Jong, perhaps I was harsh, he was good. Very good. Just a one job man is all, I just feel with the right training, Garcia could develop a more rounded game and contribute to more phases of play than De Jong did.

Onto your comments on missed targets, It is true we have missed many big names however to say we are not buying finished articles is untrue and guaranteed great buys are anything but. We could sign Cavani and he could flop hard, every transfer is a gamble. I think City are now operating in a more shrewd way though, trying to drag back the power from agents and pay sensible fees to players and clubs alike, this is defining our transfer thinking. We have the funds to break the bank for a player but will only do it if we absolutely need to. Of all the names linked can you really say they represent £15-30+ million extra fee + 200k per week added value on the targets we signed/will sign.

Cavani is a prime example of this, to bag him will cost £50+ million pounds. He will be on £250,000+ per week. Add in image rights, bonuses, ect and the deal grows to a massive size. Now take Negredo, he at most will cost us £20 million, total. His wage will be below £100k per week. Image rights and bonuses will be average to low.

Now take these players to the pitch, Cavani will be 20 goals a season, Negredo will bag 20 goals a season. Undoubtedly Cavani will be the better player to watch but the goals tally at the end of the season will (based on each players previous seasons tallys) be very similar.

City are doing the right thing in my book.

And in closing, we didn't get it right in last summer, that is annoying but it doesn't mean the generally more sensible approach to transfers is flawed. We are still learning, still growing as a club, there are bound to be errors. Just give it time.

[Ted Hughes]

Garcia, was lacking a pre season. never a good start, he then got injured, At Benfica he was very good. Have seen his best, I doubt it. Barry was a go to player for Mancini, Pelli might change that.

He is also no slower or less able to keep the ball than DeJong & is miles better in the air, so technically he is an upgrade, just not performing like it.

My own gripe with such players is that we shouldn't be signing plodders for Premier League football. When Barry goes, he should be replaced by someone who can do the same intelligent job but is yards quicker & more creative imo.

That is the kind of upgrade we should be aiming at in that area.

[Blue Blood]

Garcia, was lacking a pre season. never a good start, he then got injured, At Benfica he was very good. Have seen his best, I doubt it. Barry was a go to player for Mancini, Pelli might change that.

He is also no slower or less able to keep the ball than DeJong & is miles better in the air, so technically he is an upgrade, just not performing like it.

My own gripe with such players is that we shouldn't be signing plodders for Premier League football. When Barry goes, he should be replaced by someone who can do the same intelligent job but is yards quicker & more creative imo.

That is the kind of upgrade we should be aiming at in that area.

I think the Barry replacement is already in, in the form of Fernandinho. Exactly the right upgrade imo.

[Hazy2]

Garcia, was lacking a pre season. never a good start, he then got injured, At Benfica he was very good. Have seen his best, I doubt it. Barry was a go to player for Mancini, Pelli might change that.

He is also no slower or less able to keep the ball than DeJong & is miles better in the air, so technically he is an upgrade, just not performing like it.

My own gripe with such players is that we shouldn't be signing plodders for Premier League football. When Barry goes, he should be replaced by someone who can do the same intelligent job but is yards quicker & more creative imo.

That is the kind of upgrade we should be aiming at in that area.

Garcia for me was New, Ted and almost bullied by his own players at times, Wigan away Yaya was taking the ball of him from a foot away, he then misplaced a couple of passes, Head went down, if we look to play him as he played at Benfica with the Belgian kidd he will be fine, otherwise he is gone. Pelli is more of players man, if that saves him not sure the Madrid thing might be to cruel to do twice. But Pelli has to make a mark, Negredo btw is a good player better than what we have or gonna lead us past RVP lead scum not sure about that, but teamwork will be the main thing so lets see. A cheeky bid for Torres would be a sure-fire 25 goals.

[PeterParker]

He was mediocre, but that was not the thing, he showed some really really good moments when he looked like Paddy, but still i am convinced we paid way to much.

The problem i have with Garcia is that it looked like a transfer we made without thinking, paying them a lot, just because the De Rossi saga didn"t end well. Same with Sinclair and Maicon. Transfers that we made without thinking, making us look desperate and this might be the case imho with Negredo.

With 15 mil, we can get Huntelaar, a player that can bag us 20 goals per season.

[Blue Blood]

He was mediocre, but that was not the thing, he showed some really really good moments when he looked like Paddy, but still i am convinced we paid way to much.

The problem i have with Garcia is that it looked like a transfer we made without thinking, paying them a lot, just because the De Rossi saga didn"t end well. Same with Sinclair and Maicon. Transfer that we made without thinking, making us look desperate.

I think last year Marwood pushed for a great deal too much and it backfired.

Lesson learnt, we won't make that error again. However Garcia was a top target of ours, second only to De Rossi, the mad last day rush likely did bump the price up a bit though.

[PeterParker]

He was mediocre, but that was not the thing, he showed some really really good moments when he looked like Paddy, but still i am convinced we paid way to much.

The problem i have with Garcia is that it looked like a transfer we made without thinking, paying them a lot, just because the De Rossi saga didn"t end well. Same with Sinclair and Maicon. Transfer that we made without thinking, making us look desperate.

I think last year Marwood pushed for a great deal too much and it backfired.

Lesson learnt, we won't make that error again. However Garcia was a top target of ours, second only to De Rossi, the mad last day rush likely did bump the price up a bit though.

I really hope that is the case, but the forward problem that we have looks that way. We missed Falcao and maybe Cavani, our top targets and we don"t really have a backup plan. I hope "Cheeky" and Soriano are doing something behind our back that will be something what a champion team will do.

Not Fred or Negredo.

[Hazy2]

He was mediocre, but that was not the thing, he showed some really really good moments when he looked like Paddy, but still i am convinced we paid way to much.

The problem i have with Garcia is that it looked like a transfer we made without thinking, paying them a lot, just because the De Rossi saga didn"t end well. Same with Sinclair and Maicon. Transfers that we made without thinking, making us look desperate and this might be the case imho with Negredo.

With 15 mil, we can get Huntelaar, a player that can bag us 20 goals per season.

Gundogen was less than that last year now double, as some have said looking out of the box..

[Blue Blood]

He was mediocre, but that was not the thing, he showed some really really good moments when he looked like Paddy, but still i am convinced we paid way to much.

The problem i have with Garcia is that it looked like a transfer we made without thinking, paying them a lot, just because the De Rossi saga didn"t end well. Same with Sinclair and Maicon. Transfer that we made without thinking, making us look desperate.

I think last year Marwood pushed for a great deal too much and it backfired.

Lesson learnt, we won't make that error again. However Garcia was a top target of ours, second only to De Rossi, the mad last day rush likely did bump the price up a bit though.

I really hope that is the case, but the forward problem that we have looks that way. We missed Falcao and maybe Cavani, our top targets and we don"t really have a backup plan. I hope "Cheeky" and Soriano are doing something behind our back that will be something what a champion team will do.

Not Fred or Negredo.

The thing is with the stellar names, i'd imagine they are top targets for every top club and as such all big clubs are in for them, trying to get a deal that is right for them. When it goes beyond that they back off and the last one standing is the victor.

I don't think its that we couldn't bag these guys, its that we won't go beyond a point. A sensible point. Some clubs are willing to go further if they believe it something they desperately need to do. That is all there is to it.

Negredo isn't a step down, just a side step, he'd still do a fine enough job. It's all part of Citys plan, can't believe we would design a transfer plan of Falcao/Cavani or panic buy. We are too sensible a club for that to be the case.

Have faith.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

Garcia isn't a busted flush quite yet. His performance at Arsenal was excellent where he bossed the midfield.
People talking about not replacing Balo are wide of the mark, he rarely rose above average. Maybe five or six good games for us. Never worth the money or the trouble.
Dzeko may well do better with a better run in the side, it's what always seemed to be denied him.

[Ted Hughes]

Garcia, was lacking a pre season. never a good start, he then got injured, At Benfica he was very good. Have seen his best, I doubt it. Barry was a go to player for Mancini, Pelli might change that.

He is also no slower or less able to keep the ball than DeJong & is miles better in the air, so technically he is an upgrade, just not performing like it.

My own gripe with such players is that we shouldn't be signing plodders for Premier League football. When Barry goes, he should be replaced by someone who can do the same intelligent job but is yards quicker & more creative imo.

That is the kind of upgrade we should be aiming at in that area.

I think the Barry replacement is already in, in the form of Fernandinho. Exactly the right upgrade imo.

Fernandinho is more like Yaya than Barry.

Only Garcia is an option to replace Barry.

[Blue Blood]

Garcia, was lacking a pre season. never a good start, he then got injured, At Benfica he was very good. Have seen his best, I doubt it. Barry was a go to player for Mancini, Pelli might change that.

He is also no slower or less able to keep the ball than DeJong & is miles better in the air, so technically he is an upgrade, just not performing like it.

My own gripe with such players is that we shouldn't be signing plodders for Premier League football. When Barry goes, he should be replaced by someone who can do the same intelligent job but is yards quicker & more creative imo.

That is the kind of upgrade we should be aiming at in that area.

I think the Barry replacement is already in, in the form of Fernandinho. Exactly the right upgrade imo.

Fernandinho is more like Yaya than Barry.

Only Garcia is an option to replace Barry.

Actually, thinking about it, Fernandinho doesn't really have a comparison player. He is something a bit new.

Part Barry, part Nasri, part Yaya. A definite upgrade to the CM position Barry currently occupies regardless.

Looking forward to seeing him in action.

[Stannaz1988]

Osvaldo €20 from Roma reported from sky italia and this won't stop the negredo transfer either, so 4 main strikers plus guidetti

[Ted Hughes]

He was mediocre, but that was not the thing, he showed some really really good moments when he looked like Paddy, but still i am convinced we paid way to much.

The problem i have with Garcia is that it looked like a transfer we made without thinking, paying them a lot, just because the De Rossi saga didn"t end well. Same with Sinclair and Maicon. Transfer that we made without thinking, making us look desperate.

I think last year Marwood pushed for a great deal too much and it backfired.

Lesson learnt, we won't make that error again. However Garcia was a top target of ours, second only to De Rossi, the mad last day rush likely did bump the price up a bit though.

I really hope that is the case, but the forward problem that we have looks that way. We missed Falcao and maybe Cavani, our top targets and we don"t really have a backup plan. I hope "Cheeky" and Soriano are doing something behind our back that will be something what a champion team will do.

Not Fred or Negredo.

The thing is with the stellar names, i'd imagine they are top targets for every top club and as such all big clubs are in for them, trying to get a deal that is right for them. When it goes beyond that they back off and the last one standing is the victor.

I don't think its that we couldn't bag these guys, its that we won't go beyond a point. A sensible point. Some clubs are willing to go further if they believe it something they desperately need to do. That is all there is to it.

Negredo isn't a step down, just a side step, he'd still do a fine enough job. It's all part of Citys plan, can't believe we would design a transfer plan of Falcao/Cavani or panic buy. We are too sensible a club for that to be the case.

Have faith.

There is hardly any difference between the goalscoring of Cavani and Negredo from last season.

Personally, I wouldn't sign Cavani for much more than it would cost for Negredo, as he isn't that much better, but I probably wouldn't sign either as first choice. Both would be a huge upgrade on what Balotelli did for City though & would play alongside our other forwards much better than he did.

Tevez is irreplaceable but when we won the league, we only had a few games worth of Tevez.

If we can replace that amount of Tevez' input by a combination of Guidetti, & perhaps some more kids, then we will have a much stronger outfit than the one which won the league, because we now have a supercharged midfield with Fernandinho & Navas, plus (potentially) a genuine 3rd striker.

Interesting that Mancini is today claiming Fernandinho was his choice. Especially interesting, as he apparently had no choice.

[Mike J]

Osvaldo €20 from Roma reported from sky italia and this won't stop the negredo transfer either, so 4 main strikers plus guidetti

Urgh, everytime (about 4 times admittedly) i have seen this guy play he has been no more than average.

Cannot we just not attract the likes of cavani, lewendowski etc?

Also not sure why we arent in for higuain.

[Blue Blood]

Osvaldo €20 from Roma reported from sky italia and this won't stop the negredo transfer either, so 4 main strikers plus guidetti

Urgh, everytime (about 4 times admittedly) i have seen this guy play he has been no more than average.

Cannot we just not attract the likes of cavani, lewendowski etc?

Also not sure why we arent in for higuain.

*sigh*

We have Aguero and Dzeko. Argueably 2 of Europes best forwards.

If we are not selling either of them, we just can't expect to be buying Cavani or Lewondowski or Higuian. We are in the market for 3rd choice strikers, not key men, we have them already.

Negredo, Osvaldo would be more than adequate as rotation options.

We just can't buy all the best players in the world guys and expect them to be ok with being benched.....