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Master of the Universe
The talk back then was that he was on board for the move himself.Originally Posted by reddownunder
In addition to almost triplping his current wages, he was potentially going to play under his former manager from the Portuguese league who essentially brought him up in European football after his move from South America, and under whom he's experienced his most success as a player.
I could see why a player would want to go back to playing with a manager under whom they were most successful - even if it means going to play in the Siberia of Football leagues.
(and the extra dosh probably wouldn't hurt).
It's doubtful that they (Al Hilal) are going to come back for him since they essentially got Dhuran from Villa instead once we turned down their offer for Darwin. And Dhuran has worked a treat for them so far, gelling nicely and quickly with Ronaldo and hitting the ground running scoring goals for them.
I think it was a massive mistake for the club not to take the offer and let him go, because the end result is a further diminishment in the player's confidence as he continues to struggle here. Plus, there's absolutely no other club that will offer us anywhere near the reported 70-75 million they were offering which would have gone a long way in recouping a large part of that 85 Milion we spent to get him. Hell, we'll be lucky to get 50-60 from anyone come this transfer window unless he goes on a tear in these last 9 games.
And the exucse they gave at the time for turning down the deal - that they didn't want to be left without cover for the position with no possible replacement available that they could get before the transfer window closed, or at least one that they liked - seems to be undermined by the fact that they then let the likes of Danns go out on loan (who could have worked as just "cover" if that's all you wanted), and then not really use Darwin as much as a direct cover or alternate for the position - even going as far as playing Szobo and Jones as false 10's ahead of choosing him.
By the way, a lot of people asked the same question about Dhuran and whether it would be good for his career to move there so early in his career, and I think a lot of people miss the important points of why it's different for players like himself and Darwin.
He was in essentially the same situation at Villa as Darwin is with us - basically seen by Emery as at best cover for the starter or an impact sub, even while he feels he should be starting regularly.
He was going to get a guaranteed starting spot playing alongside a legend of the game, while making more money in whatever short span his career there lasts for, than he'll ever make in an entire career here in Europe. And they're both young enough that they could realistically still have a second act in European football and come back a bit later on (less likely but still possible).
First Team
I actually wouldn't be entirely shocked if we got close to £60m for him from Atletico Madrid.
I think we would thrive under Diego. Not in a 30-goals-per-season sort of way, but I could see him chipping in (15 or so in La Liga, a few Champion's League goals) with the goals and generally being a waspish nuisance for opposition centre-backs that facilitates space for other attackers.
First Team
40m plus Nunez = Alvarez.
I'd buy that for a dollar.
First Team
Ornstein tweeted that if Diaz became available this summer there's many suitors and City would be back in for him.
Confirms that they were interested,maybe that Diaz swap for Alvarez rumour was true?
Master of the Universe
And it would be good value for money for them and a decent return for us.
And while on the surface it might seem like a £25m loss from the £85m we bought him for, if we're really honest, that £85m was a criminal over-valuation of what he should have cost at the time.
Did anyone actually think he was worth £30m more than Haaland? (or 15 million more if you take away the add-ons)?
Even knowing whatever little we knew of him back then?
This club does get taken for mugs in the transfer market far too often sometimes.
You can just see Benfica laughing all the way to the bank.
He's not a terrible player per se.
Just not worth anywhere near what we paid for him, and clearly not suited for this league, which is why I continue to bemoan the club's decision not to sell him when they had a chance and potentially to a situation that would benefit him and if nothing else revive his confidence playing with his former gaffer.
Simeone probably could get more out of him - but more to the point, I believe La Liga as a league and with the playing style the have there would lend itself better to his raw talents and abilities than the Premier League ever did.
First Team
https://www.empireofthekop.com/2025/03/19/james-pearce-liverpool-summer-spending/
Like a lot of us already believe. We ain’t having no massive summer war chest. Next couple of seasons, we’re going to be browsing the middle aisle of Lidl. Looking for the next Mane Salah Firmino to play 50-60 games every season until they’re run into the ground and break. Going to be yet another painful watch during the summer of very little action in the transfer market.
First Team
Back to fighting for top 4 soon, that's the truth
Maybe we'll get close again next season, if we're lucky after that, hapyp with top 4 again.
First Team
Wait and see - can go either way.
Lads like Matip and Milner were free transfers and Robertson didn't cost the Earth - plus lads like Wijnaldum, Firmino, Salah, Mane, Mac Allister all had fees that were under £40m - and we don't yet know if we may take out a loan to get a deal over the line (as we did for Szoboszlai) that can be paid off later - nor indeed have info on which players we'll sell, or for how much.
A couple of signings in key areas combined with (hopefully) Slot learning lessons about rotation (which we'll need to do a little more of whether he rates players fully or not) and we're perfectly capable of another good season.
People didn't rate our chances of winning anything in 24/25 and we're massive favourites to win the League.
Besides, in terms of what the club will (or won't) leak, they're hardly going to do what Man United used to and declare "we can buy whoever we want" and leave ourselves in a crap negotiating position from the get-go.
First Team
Bacjetic has been getting good reports from his Las Palmas performances. I'd like to see him come back, he could be a rotation option for Gravenburch.
Rowdy Yates
Yes IF he is happy to come back to Blighty - he is a class act who was thrown in too soon - with ageing players.
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