Player Watch Player Watch: Giovani Lo Celso

[mil1lion]

My belief was it was going to be Ndombele and Lo Celso effectively replacing Dembele and Eriksen, that’s why we went so clearly after both.
I think the fact Eriksen is now looking like staying is what’s out the brakes on things. We can’t justify that sort of outlay without recouping some somewhere.
The most logical thing for me would be to shift Lamela and then bring Lo Celso in, as I’m not sure Lamela has the dynamism and goal threat to mix it with Son, Alli, Moura etc in that attacking bank of players, equally he’s not really a CM in the way Eriksen can sit deeper. Throw in the stories yesterday about Bale or Zaha, who’d be a better fit than Lamela.
But the ITK suggests Lamela is wanted by Poch.

Dier, Sissoko, Wanyama
Ndombele, Eriksen, Lo Celso, Winks
Bale/Zaha, Moura, Alli, Son, Kane

Can we juggle that many?



Maybe with Eriksen staying Elimas may be a project alternative to Lo Celso with the extra funds going to Bale/Zaha instead.

I doubt we would have bid on Lo Celso if that were the case. I'm sure we have the money without the need to sell Eriksen. Otherwise we would only bid on him if we were sure Eriksen was leaving.

We made no signings last summer, we're playing regular Champions League football and now the stadium is built we have a massive money generator. I could certainly see us putting the money together for another big money signing.

I'm sure the delay is more to do with getting other deals done. This one can wait because he's away with Argentina anyway so it will have to wait regardless. The Ndombele deal picked up after his international games and holiday. No need to rush this one just yet and it also gives Betis time to bring players in first in the meantime.

 

[fortworthspur]

Eriksen, Winks, Dele, Dier, Sissoko, Ndombele and Lo Celso - we'd be spoiled for choice.

 

[Dirtysanchez6]

Eriksen, Winks, Dele, Dier, Sissoko, Ndombele and Lo Celso - we'd be spoiled for choice.

And that’s how you win a title ?

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

Eriksen, Winks, Dele, Dier, Sissoko, Ndombele and Lo Celso - we'd be spoiled for choice.

I’ve love to see Dele raise his game in that company

 

[SpursSince1980]

I’ve love to see Dele raise his game in that company

So would I. But if he doesn't, that will present a rather unusual conundrum for both himself and Poch. He was (and maybe still is) considered as a young, up-and-coming superstar. Alas, last season he was played a bit out of position, but seemed to stall in terms of progress. If the likes of Ndombele and Lo Celso come in, Winks stays healthy, Eriksen re-ups and Sissoko carries on in the same vain, then it'll be harder and harder for him to play consistently week-in, week-out.

Don't get me wrong... I'm not disparaging the lad at all. I just think last year was a small step backwards in terms of his development. Perhaps with these new folks coming in, it'll galvanize him to step-up his game. We shall see...

 

[fortworthspur]

So would I. But if he doesn't, that will present a rather unusual conundrum for both himself and Poch. He was (and maybe still is) considered as a young, up-and-coming superstar. Alas, last season he was played a bit out of position, but seemed to stall in terms of progress. If the likes of Ndombele and Lo Celso come in, Winks stays healthy, Eriksen re-ups and Sissoko carries on in the same vain, then it'll be harder and harder for him to play consistently week-in, week-out.

Don't get me wrong... I'm not disparaging the lad at all. I just think last year was a small step backwards in terms of his development. Perhaps with these new folks coming in, it'll galvanize him to step-up his game. We shall see...

It'll be possible for him to play up top again where his true skills come out.

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

It'll be possible for him to play up top again where his true skills come out.

But only in a 4231 or a variant of 442

 

[fortworthspur]

But only in a 4231 or a variant of 442

2016 was the season Poch employed 3-4-3 often and Dele scored 22 goals. If you put him in the front 3 he can do the things that wowed us. If you drop him deeper to cover for injuries like this last season then he's a capable midfielder. Some people said he was poor but he was just doing the job asked of him. I think its a waste of his skill, though.

 

[TEESSIDE1]

Lo Celso poses us with a real dilemma in that we desperately need an alternative to Eriksen as we’re pretty much buggered with our current personnel when he’s missing.

If we revert to having like for like attack minded and quick full backs then playing any combination of our alternative central midfielders negates our dependence on Eriksen. The problem being is we currently have Rose (fitness issues) and Davies (good too bloody slow), and 2 clowns at right back.

Transfer wise Sessegnon x 2 appears to be on the cards but one would likely go in the development squad and the other may become a left back in time but certainly not at the moment. Whereas at right back we haven’t had any solid links to anyone. To further confuse matters we’ve had ITK that we may look to resolve the RB issue from within... that appears to be in the shape of Foyth which doesn’t fill me with any confidence. If we’re not bringing in a notable upgrade a right back then we need an alternative to Eriksen.

Lo Celso ticks all the boxes but Betis seem to be unwilling to budge on the circa £70-80m fee which in effect prices him outside of our market. Even if we did pay up, we’ve then got the problem of fitting all our star studded midfielders into the team and/or on the bench.

What’s the alternatives to Lo Celso? Ceballos, rumoured to be available for £40-50m... then there’s the young Macedonian kid that we keep getting linked to in Elif Elmas who may be available for under £30m. Elmas certainly looks hugely talented and he could be one of the young prospects ITK’s keep referring to... it would also be easier to keep the squad harmony by adding a hot prospect rather than a £70-80m star whom wouldn’t be guaranteed a starting spot despite being our record signing.

A midfield trio from:

N’Dombele, Sissoko, Wanyama
Winks, Eriksen, Alli, Lamela? and one other (Lo Celso, Ceballos, Elmas)

and we’d have both sufficient quality and depth to compete with Liverpool and City for the league and sufficient depth to pursue other silverware.

Whereas in attack/out wide we’re looking at:

Moura, Clarke, Son, Sessegnon, Kane, Parrott? I’d personally be looking to bring in an alternative to Kane.

 

[Jonboy]

Exactly it’s a squad game
Our midfield proved with injuries and out of form players to be very exposed towards the end of the season.We need to upgrade the quality and quantity of midfielders not potentially replace outgoings in midfield. We need n’dombele, GLC aswell as our current crop as we want success and trophies
With all respect teams with the strongest squads tend to on a whole, although not always win most trophies and that goes for every competition.
What if Eriksen stays and gets injured?
Ndombele gets injured?
We need a strong squad of versatile players to adapt to different positions to cover the inevitable injuries, suspensions and 2 games a week.
Get the players in and let Poch work his magic, plenty of games to go round.

 

[hellava_tough]

I wonder how long it'll be before we move onto our next target

£88m is a hell of a lot of money; we could pretty much buy any attacking midfielder in the world for that amount.

 

[coy-spurs1882]

I wonder how long it'll be before we move onto our next target

£88m is a hell of a lot of money; we could pretty much buy any attacking midfielder in the world for that amount.

we need GLC to put some pressure to Betis

 

[gavspur]

We should be aiming to add this kind of quality to the first team, it shows ambition. If it upsets other midfielders, then it’s simple, up your game! This sort of signing should lift the squad mentality as well as quality, not deflate it and cause internal problems. If we were linked to Pogba on £600k a week, I could see the problem, but not Lo Celso for £80-120k. I also think the sudden rumours that we have to sell before buying him, contradicting earlier ITK, is just so Betis play ball and re-think their asking price, hence the calming of this link.

Apples and onions etc etc

 

[rawhide]

And that’s how you win a title ?

Unfortunately it’s really not. Citeh have world class starters and top notch international rotation players, and they play football to win - keeping their foot on your neck until it’s over - yes it costs a fuckton of cash, but they spent wisely and play the right way.

 

[Dirtysanchez6]

Unfortunately it’s really not. Citeh have world class starters and top notch international rotation players, and they play football to win - keeping their foot on your neck until it’s over - yes it costs a fuckton of cash, but they spent wisely and play the right way.

Your saying it’s not, then basically saying exactly what I was saying ? Being spilt for choice is having world class players and international class players to rotate so essentially yes it does win you the league! Yes you need the right attitude and tactics etc but we already have that with poch, just not the tools needed ?

 

[Fidget]

I imagine it'll be Dier (£40m) and Wanyama (£10m) going to bring in another potential £50m. I'd bring in West Brom's Rekeem Harper or similar for £15m to replace Dier.

Aurier £12m (half price) / KWP £15m / Janssen £7 / Nkoudou £5 / Trippier £25m / Onomah £15m / CCV £5m / Demeble £11m

All that lot could bring in upto £145m, with the key sale being Dier rather than Eriksen.

Moura may be the one to make way for another £50m.

Just some thoughts.

Yeah well we’ve yet to sell one of them.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I don’t think transfer fees are the issue, as has been pointed out many times, a transfer free shouldn’t affect the balance sheet as the player becomes an asset, like a house.

It’s the wages.

Lamela
Nkoudou
Janssen
Aurier
Wanyama
Vorm

That alone is about £13m per year on players who’s contribution last season ranged from peripheral to non existent.

 

[Lilbaz]

I don’t think transfer fees are the issue, as has been pointed out many times, a transfer free shouldn’t affect the balance sheet as the player becomes an asset, like a house.

It’s the wages.

Lamela
Nkoudou
Janssen
Aurier
Wanyama
Vorm

That alone is about £13m per year on players who’s contribution last season ranged from peripheral to non existent.

Players are not considered an asset like a house in the financials. Their value is amortised over their contract and decreases as the contract runs down.
Our wages to turnover is the best in the prem.

 

[worcestersauce]

I guess one factor would be Poch wanting him in before pre season which adds to the pressure but as he is at the Copa America he'll probably have a break anyway so maybe we are prepared to go a bit longer on the negotiations for him.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Players are not considered an asset like a house in the financials. Their value is amortised over their contract and decreases as the contract runs down.
Our wages to turnover is the best in the prem.

Contract running down has an effect, but market forces (neymar to PSG for instance) and improving in ability and performance increase a players value. Dele signed for 5 million, one year later he was worth 10x that.