Aymeric Laporte

[floydiohead]

People gave this funny ratings, but in terms of hoovering up talent it could well be the case.

In the space of about 3 months the Saudi League has signed more big names than there are now in Serie A, La Liga and the Bundesliga combined. Give it a year or two and they could be ahead of the PL and La Liga too.

The league itself may be shite to watch and a bit of a joke as a product, but in terms of big name talent it probably will be the best in the world within 2 years.

Not sure what the long term consequences are but I think this could really fuck up European football long term if they never stop throwing money at it and the players keep going there.

I do hope so. I think it is more likely to have a levelling effect and return European football to older days where more clubs were able to attract players and scouting becomes more important with clubs being more patient and taking longer term views on players, rather than paying £50m+ for highly rated 'superstars' who have spent a single year somewhere. What we have now is a very small handful of european clubs who throw fucking ridiculous money at players, and this creates this rippling effect that leads to massive inflation of the price of players in the tiers below, and the ridiculous short-termism the moment a young player looks good. If it continues the Saudis will effectively create a second market for players; and good luck to them all.

 

[Timberwolf]

I do hope so. I think it is more likely to have a levelling effect and return European football to older days where more clubs were able to attract players and scouting becomes more important with clubs being more patient and taking longer term views on players, rather than paying £50m+ for highly rated 'superstars' who have spent a single year somewhere. What we have now is a very small handful of european clubs who throw fucking ridiculous money at players, and this creates this rippling effect that leads to massive inflation of the price of players in the tiers below, and the ridiculous short-termism the moment a young player looks good. If it continues the Saudis will effectively create a second market for players; and good luck to them all.

I think there will be an element of this and it will certainly become the case for all of the non super-clubs across Europe.

However, if you basically imagine the Saudi League are new collective batch of super clubs, within a year or two they will have taken 100-200 of the most talented players out of Europe. This dilutes the quality of football across the continent and means all of the talent left in Europe will be even more concentrated within the European super clubs since they'll be the only ones capable of competing with the Saudis for wages, etc.

My sense is this will make the European leagues even more predictable and make the gap between the haves and the have-nots even bigger.

You can kind of see it reflected in how we're doing business right now tbh - taking more punts on potential as there are simply less available options in the market. Someone like Laporte might've come to us this summer but instead he's off to Saudi.

 

[soflapaul]

The heat will be a factor in curbing the popularity of the league - the game yesterday with Henderson and Mane was played not far off a walking pace with 4 drinks breaks in the first half alone.

36 degrees at kick off and the humidity on the pitch was meant to be ridiculous.

Nahh. they'll be able to install air conditioning just like they did for the Summer World Cup.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

but in terms of big name talent it probably will be the best in the world within 2 years.

Surely that's a huge exaggeration - no way could they do it in anything like that time frame

 

[Timberwolf]

Surely that's a huge exaggeration - no way could they do it in anything like that time frame

Just look at the list of players already there:

Ronaldo
Neymar
Mahrez
Benzema
Milinkovic-Savic
Neves
Fabinho
Kante
Brozovic
Koulibaly
Henderson
Saint-Maximan
Mendy
Ibanez
Kessie
Firmino

More big name talent already than any European league except the PL and maybe La Liga by my book.

3 more windows of that type of investment with more younger and more talented players going there as the league gains credibility.

...is it really a huge exaggeration?

Salah will very likely be off there next summer and he's one of the genuine stars of the PL.

 

[neogenisis]

Just look at the list of players already there:

Ronaldo
Neymar
Mahrez
Benzema
Milinkovic-Savic
Neves
Fabinho
Kante
Brozovic
Koulibably
Henderson
Saint-Maximan
Mendy
Ibanez
Kessie
Firmino


3 more windows of that type of investment with more younger and more talented players going there as the league gains credibility.

...is it really a huge exaggeration?

Salah will almost certainly be off there next summer and he's one of the genuine stars of the PL.

And ofc they are after Laporte, Mitrovic, Alisson and I think Mancini is about to become the National Team coach.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Just look at the list of players already there:

Ronaldo
Neymar
Mahrez
Benzema
Milinkovic-Savic
Neves
Fabinho
Kante
Brozovic
Koulibably
Henderson
Saint-Maximan
Mendy
Ibanez
Kessie
Firmino

More big name talent already than any European league except the PL and maybe La Liga by my book.

3 more windows of that type of investment with more younger and more talented players going there as the league gains credibility.

...is it really a huge exaggeration?

Salah will almost certainly be off there next summer and he's one of the genuine stars of the PL.

Fair challenge - I would say that most of the big names are very much winding down though.

It's either big names on the way down, or second rate players in their prime.

I wouldn't want Spurs to go after many of them, for instance

 

[robotsonic]

Just look at the list of players already there:

Ronaldo
Neymar
Mahrez
Benzema
Milinkovic-Savic
Neves
Fabinho
Kante
Brozovic
Koulibably
Henderson
Saint-Maximan
Mendy
Ibanez
Kessie
Firmino


3 more windows of that type of investment with more younger and more talented players going there as the league gains credibility.

...is it really a huge exaggeration?

Salah will almost certainly be off there next summer and he's one of the genuine stars of the PL.

Very much dependent I think on transitioning to younger players that are actually going to go on and be something, as more than half of this list are players at the very last knockings of their careers, or otherwise winding them down for the payday. Ronaldo and Neymar are the two biggest names there but they're only there because nobody else wants them!

 

[Timberwolf]

Fair challenge - I would say that most of the big names are very much winding down though.

It's either big names on the way down, or second rate players in their prime.

I wouldn't want Spurs to go after many of them, for instance

Yeah true, but beyond Ronaldo they're not proper geriatrics like the MLS tends to attract. I'd say about 70-80% of those players would still do a solid job at a top European team (and would be doing so if it wasn't for the Saudis).

 

[Chris Flynn]

worked for New York Cosmos, dont seen why it wont work here

 

[maplepapi]

I don't think many ambitious young players will want to move to Saudi, but the ones who want the payday will, and at that point they're not trying to benefit their development. I still think it's a long way from becoming a serious league.

 

[Spursmatty87]

Cheers bud, figured there must be something I was missing. I presume that FIFA doesn’t give a toss either then.

FIFA hate uefa and the power so I guess they would be really pleased with this happening

 

[wrd]

People gave this funny ratings, but in terms of hoovering up talent it could well be the case.

In the space of about 3 months the Saudi League has signed more big names than there are now in Serie A, La Liga and the Bundesliga combined. Give it a year or two and they could be ahead of the PL and La Liga too.

The league itself may be shite to watch and a bit of a joke as a product, but in terms of big name talent it probably will be the best in the world within 2 years.

Not sure what the long term consequences are but I think this could really fuck up European football long term if they never stop throwing money at it and the players keep going there.

Whatever the Saudi's are attempting to accomplish with the league has already moved along far enough to where it's succeeded. Most people like to ignore thing's just right until the moment where it's too late for anything to be done. The wheels are in motion and the ignorance people showcase on that motion shows the inevitability.

As far as I can see though, there's nothing particularly wrong or immoral with what they're doing within the context of the league, I do have concerns for the wider context but they're not doing anything different to what the prem has done for years, any complaining I think is simply about us wanting our league to the best.

 

[robotsonic]

As far as I can see though, there's nothing particularly wrong or immoral with what they're doing within the context of the league, I do have concerns for the wider context but they're not doing anything different to what the prem has done for years, any complaining I think is simply about us wanting our league to the best.

What's wrong and distasteful about it is the same thing that's wrong with City, Chelsea, Newcastle, PSG etc, in that the football pyramid works on the basis of...earning its own money. It sells a product to the public, gets the cash, spends the cash on the club, players and such, and tried to use that income to be successful and sell a better product to get more money. Yadda, yadda, yadda. And the football industry on each continent works on that basis and sustains itself.

This is a nation state taking money that they have on a tap in the ground, and artificially propping up an industry with it, and distorting the market for the rest of the globe. Money specifically hoarded away from the people doing the hard yards to generate it to be used and squatted on by the few, I might add. It's not comparable to the Prem at all any more than the way that City have become a success is comparable to the way that we have to operate our club to try and have success.

 

[wrd]

What's wrong and distasteful about it is the same thing that's wrong with City, Chelsea, Newcastle, PSG etc, in that the football pyramid works on the basis of...earning its own money. It sells a product to the public, gets the cash, spends the cash on the club, players and such, and tried to use that income to be successful and sell a better product to get more money. Yadda, yadda, yadda. And the football industry on each continent works on that basis and sustains itself.

This is a nation state taking money that they have on a tap in the ground, and artificially propping up an industry with it, and distorting the market for the rest of the globe. Money specifically hoarded away from the people doing the hard yards to generate it to be used and squatted on by the few, I might add. It's not comparable to the Prem at all any more than the way that City have become a success is comparable to the way that we have to operate our club to try and have success.

Yeah I agree and appreciate your points, I meant purely in terms of throwing their money around to attract the biggest talents and wasn't specific enough. I agree with you though, I've always respected United and they earnt the ability to sign the big players through generating money through footballing means in comparison with the teams you mention. Those teams you mention are exactly why I said, I'm concerned about the wider context though and would like to know the purpose of the league.

 

[Erm33]

But who actually watches the Saudi league? I know I have 0 interest in it. I live in Orlando and I wouldn't even bother to drive 20 mins to see Messi play out here when Miami play Orlando.

 

[GutBucket]

But who actually watches the Saudi league? I know I have 0 interest in it. I live in Orlando and I wouldn't even bother to drive 20 mins to see Messi play out here when Miami play Orlando.

Die-hard Ronaldo fans. I think that plenty of new fans follow a player rather than team, so there is always potential for them if they can keep getting superstars. Neymar is also huge for them. I'll never ever watch it but I guess some people will.

 

[spursyido1]

From @cityreport_

𝘽𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙆𝙄𝙉𝙂: Al Nassr’s bid for Aymeric Laporte that has been accepted by #ManCity is in the region of £16m, but the player is stalling over a move, as per @meejoo_19.
https://twitter.com/cityreport_/status/1691804233098535010/photo/1
Supposedly Madrid want him ater Militao's injury... £16m is mad though if they've accepted that

 

[soflapaul]

Well, it doesn't matter how many starts it has. Messi, Kane and Bale could join and I won't watch it. Ever. It doesn't matter how many stars. Would rather watch u10 rec league or some obscure, weird sport like cricket before watching this.

 

[Frozen_Waffles]

Well, it doesn't matter how many starts it has. Messi, Kane and Bale could join and I won't watch it. Ever. It doesn't matter how many stars. Would rather watch u10 rec league or some obscure, weird sport like cricket before watching this.

Can I ask why you wouldn't watch it?