The Summer 2024 scouting thread

[Ghost Hardware]

On another note, there’s a few reports going round that Juve are potentially open to selling Chiesa as his contracts running down.

I’ve been watching a tonne of Serie A this year, but the one team I actively avoid is Juve because Allegri’s football is so poor.

So, in your opinion, has it seemed like he’s managed to fully recover from his injuries or does he still look slightly laboured like he did last year? Because a rejuvenated Chiesa would be a game changer

Ah man Chiesa is like a massive weakness for me. I remember watching him at La Viola and just being blown away by his raw power, he was one of those players you knew could come to the PL and tear it up.

Tbh I think you could get very different answers to your question depending who you ask, even amongst Juve fans. Irony is I’m actually an Inter fan but I end up watching Juve a good amount because I like a lot of their players- Chiesa, Yildiz, Vlahović, Miretti, Weah etc. They really have a lot of very exciting players.

Some Juve fans will say he’s washed and should be moved on asap, others say he is returning to his best. For me it’s a bit of both. This season I have seen him at times almost his old self, driving at defenders, pressing high and hard, creating chances and running none stop. Electric. But then two games later he will pick up a knock or a strain and miss 1/2/3 games which sort of throws him off his stride. This has been going on all season.

So, yes I think he might consistently be able to get back to his best or at least near it. I’ve certainly seen him put in motm displays ether from the start or coming on from the bench and changing a game. But the little knocks really concern me. It could be that his body is still adjusting post injury but it would be a risk.

I love him as a player but i don’t know if I’d take him. He’d be an excellent fit for the system mind. When fully fit. Like you say, he will likely leave summer, Juve don’t have the money to renew his contract and won’t want a repeat of the Dybala situation.

Tbh if I was looking at Juve i would be giving very strong thought to moving for Yildiz. I think he is a young wide player that would suit the role of a WF in our system very well. Hard buy tho.

As for Chiesa, I’m not gonna lie, if we bought him id be elated as i still rate him. And I do think he’d put in some great performances for us. But underneath that id be concerned. Head says no, heart says yes.

 

[joey55]

Gyokeres showed a real turn of pace to score tonight. He really looks ideal for the Prem.

 

[HarryKane]

For a Hojbjerg replacement/Bissouma competition Mats Wieffer is a good shout. Can play as a shielding defensive midfielder and is comfortable playing more front foot, drive with the ball down the pitch box to box type, decent vision and passing range and he's done well in their CL games. Looks like a good versatile midfielder that fits what Ange wants in that role

LBs:
Bradley Locko, Sergi Cardona and Maximilian Mittelstädt might be worth keeping an eye on

Another vote for Archie Gray and Chiesa on top of that

 

[spurs9]

Not that he is a particularly hidden gem and has been mentioned on here quite a bit but personally I think Archie Grey should be one of the very top names on our list come summer. I know it would be extremely hard to do as he is so incredibly highly rated, has a contract until 2028 and many big teams are tracking him but he looks like a world class talent in the making. Every time i see him I am honestly gobsmacked he's only 17. And if we somehow managed to snag Bergvall then who knows. Grey I think would be perfect for the DM role in our system long term but he would also be able to cover CM and RB considering he has actually played there most this season. His versatility is incredible. Fast, very good running with the ball, calm collecting the ball under pressure, good vision, good at reading the game, good in the tackle... i mean he pretty much has it all. Obv that being said he is still raw and needs development but the natural ability is incredible. Like @djhotspur pointed out in the Gallagher thread he was the best CM on the pitch in the game against Chelsea last night.

Like I said, not a new name, he has been mentioned several times here but after last nights impressive performance its worth just reiterating the point. I would really love for us to try and get him. Maybe we could try and work Rodon into the deal. Would be difficult and potentially expensive but would fit our system perfectly I feel.

Edit: adding a youtube highlights vid for anyone who hasn't seen him

You can forget about Archie Gray unfortunately. Leeds wanted 50m for him before he signed a long term contract in January.

He is also Leeds through and through (his Dad, Grandad and great Uncle all, not only played for Leeds, but came through their academy), so he will be in no rush to leave.

 

[JamieSpursCommunityUser]

I mean he’s certainly a two way dribbler and capable of going on the outside when needed. Frosenone do play WB hence him drifting more central at times as the WB are tasked with holding the width but he does go to the byline when necessary. You’re right that he isn’t the fastest at full pelt, he isn’t a Neto, but he does have very good acceleration from a standing position which allows him move past players. He is very good at changing direction at pace which allows him to slalom between players and he will often move back out wide rather then steadily moving central which is often the case with those that are overly reliant on one foot.

Statistically he is one of the best dribblers in Europe and he has the most successful dribbles in the league with 75 followed by Kvaratskhelia with 69 then Leao with 48 so even if he relies more heavily on one foot it certainly doesn’t effect his ability running with the ball. Incidentally he’s also second in the league for chance creation with 56 and his ability on the ball coupled with his vision and passing ability is what makes him so dangerous. I’m fairly sure at one point he was leading the stats for most successful through balls in Europe which again suggest how dangerous he is in the final third.

In regards to your concern, yes he isn’t strong with his right but he does attempt to use it from time to time and he’s certainly more willing to now then he was a few years ago. Also he doesn’t let his weakness on his right limit him to repeatedly cutting along the box which is often the case with one footed WF’s, Kulu being a perfect example of someone who is very easy to defend against because of this repeated action.

Soulé is an expert at disorienting a defence by his quick feet, vision, passing range and very good shooting ability from range. He’s also exceptional in tight spaces and often able to wriggle out of pressure with the ball at his feet.

As I’ve said before I think Neto is who we should be going for out of those currently available (Kvaratskhelia would probably be my unrealistic dream signing) but I certainly think Soulé could also add a lot to the team. After all he is very effective when up against teams that sit deep and pack the box which is something we really struggle against. In general I think Soulé has an incredible amount of potential and is already the key player for Frosenone in his first season as a starter. The fact he is putting up the numbers he is for a team that only just got promoted is incredible really.

Regardless if he is someone we target or not, and I could understand why we might or might not, I think he is a very exciting talent who has a very bright if he continues to develop how he has been.

Cheers for that.

I think the bottom line is Soule will develop into a 10.

And personally I'd rather leave that pathway clear for Donley and Moore, and go all out for what we don't have which is a profile more like Williams or Neto as you say.

 

[spurs9]

Here’s a list of players for each position we apparently want, that we haven’t yet been linked to. (As far as I’m aware)

Winger 1v1 specialist
This one I struggled with as I feel its a position where we'll be targeting a top level player so they're all already known or have been linked. So instead I'll just name a younger player that I think would suit perfectly if we opt to bring in a second younger option i.e. Nusa or Bardghji.

Brajan Gruda-Mainz
He's a super talented right winger with a cannon of a left foot and that loves to take on his man.


On a side note though, a player that has been mentioned here very often but hasn't actually been linked yet that I would love is Matias Soule. The kids a cheat code when it comes to beating low blocks.. He would honestly be top of my list ahead of Neto and Williams as I think he's perfect for what we need. He has the 1v1 dribbling ability that's obviously a necessity, but he's also a super incisive and creative passer as well. We're currently far too reliant on Maddison to break down teams as he's literally the only incisive final third passer in our team. Soule would relieve a lot of the creative pressure on Maddison in this respect and would also help balance out our creativity between the left and right side of the field as he'd be able to supplement the lack of creativity in the final third of say a Pape Matar Sarr or a Gallagher.


Deep lying playmaker
This is another slightly tough one as we seem to be in a period where there is very little elite single pivots out there in world football. The Zubimendi link definitely makes sense as he's one of the only players currently playing the role to a very high level. Because of this I've opted for a player that hasn't played as a single pivot before but I think could potentially strive there.

Teun Koopmeiners
Probably one of my favourite players in world football atm. He can just do everything to such a high level and does so with a certain finesse that I love. Would be perfect at taking the ball off the defence and beating the press, both through dribbling and passing. He has a wicked long shot which would be massively beneficial against low-block teams, similar to how Rodri massively helps City in this respect. Defensively his stats dont pop off the screen, but that's what you'd expect of a player playing for Gasperini's Atalanta and so its no surprise that before moving to Atalanta, Koopmeiners was a defensive monster in the Eredivisie and has actually even filled in at CB a few times over his career. He has a never ending engine and is a leader on the pitch, being made captain at Az Alkmaar at only 22 I believe. Although I'd admit that Zubimendi definitely has the higher floor of the two players, having already shown his ability to play as a single pivot, I think that Koopmeiners 100% has a higher floor and could potentially be transformative for the team.



Super fit , box crashing 8 (Gallagher role)
Not sure if this is still viewed as important having signed Bergvall, but we're still being linked to Gallagher so I imagine it is.

Lewis Ferguson-Bologna
Not too much to say here as the role describes him well, he's super fit and is very dangerous making runs into the box and is very capable at putting those chances away. Plays with that typical scottish determination and grit too. Funnily, FBRef has his two closest player comparisons being Pape Matar Sarr and John McGinn. I personally don't rate FBRef's player comparisons as much as I used to, but in this case I think a mix of Pape and McGinn is actually very accurate.



Will rattle off a few more positions later tonight if I get a chance

Edit: Apologies for some of the shocking music in the compilations

Soule reminds me of Lamela when at Roma and I think he is lacking the pace/explosiveness to take advantage of his dribbling skills in the EPL. I also don't think his style fits what we need, unless we changed to have 1 inverted WB & winger on 1 side and 1 wide WB and inside forward on the other.

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

Gyokeres showed a real turn of pace to score tonight. He really looks ideal for the Prem.

Looking like a crazy miss that no PL clubs went all out for him last summer. He looks immense for Sporting and as you say unlike a lot of 9s he seems to have a turn of pace too.

Personally if we could sell Richarlison and bring Gyokeres in I’d do it in a heartbeat.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Cheers for that.

I think the bottom line is Soule will develop into a 10.

And personally I'd rather leave that pathway clear for Donley and Moore, and go all out for what we don't have which is a profile more like Williams or Neto as you say.

I think in the end of the day Soulé is only 20 and it is his first season as a starter. He’s still raw. For what it’s worth I’d take him In heartbeat as I think he’d add something we don’t have and has a lot of potential BUT we really should be targeting someone more established as our primary WF signing.

Regardless if one rates Soulé or not, at this point we should be bringing in someone further along in their development who we know will straight away slot in and elevate the first team. Soulé, whilst more developed than Nusa or Roony, would still be a project signing all be it one that would likely be able to contribute from the start. With that in mind as a secondary WF purchase I’d love him but as a primary I’d really hope we would be looking at the likes of Neto and Kvara etc.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Looking like a crazy miss that no PL clubs went all out for him last summer. He looks immense for Sporting and as you say unlike a lot of 9s he seems to have a turn of pace too.

Personally if we could sell Richarlison and bring Gyokeres in I’d do it in a heartbeat.

Crazy isn’t it. Don’t Sporting want something like 100 mil for him tho? I think our chance of getting him are zero. I’d love him or Sesko but neither are financially feasible I don’t think. Still one can certainly hope.

 

[rabbikeane]

Crazy isn’t it. Don’t Sporting want something like 100 mil for him tho? I think our chance of getting him are zero. I’d love him or Sesko but neither are financially feasible I don’t think. Still one can certainly hope.

Sesko apparently has release clause around 40+

 

[Nine while nine]

If I were Ines Aguiar, which I'm not, as if I were, I'd currently be looking at myself admiringly in the mirror rather than posting in here. Anyway, sorry, where was I, ah yes, if I were Ines Aguiar, the Portuguese actress currently going out with Viktor Gyökeres, I wouldn't be allowing him to

a) consider leaving Portugal where I have a decent job doing actressy things
b) consider going to England where I'll have no family, no friends, shit weather etc.

and I absolutely, definitely, certainly wouldn't be allowing him to

c) consider going to Tottenham where his ex plays for the women's team

Now I appreciate that Viktor may wear the big boy pants in that relationship and so Ines may have little sway, and admittedly Amanda Nilden is only on loan and may yet return to Juventus, but, even still, it would look a tiny bit dodge to his current squeeze, don't you think, if he were to express an interest in going to the one team in the world where his ex of many years currently plays.

I'm not saying that we had two hopes and that Bob just rode out of town, but I am saying that, if Ines has half the wiles you'd expect a Portuguese actress to have, then Bob is, at the very least, sat on his horse.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Sesko apparently has release clause around 40+

I’m sure someone will pick him up for that I just don’t see us paying a €50 mil release fee as it would require us paying the full amount in one go.

 

[bceej]

I’m sure someone will pick him up for that I just don’t see us paying a €50 mil release fee as it would require us paying the full amount in one go.

With the expected outs are we one of the teams that could pay in full?

 

[rabbikeane]

It's a lot of money to pay in full, we already owe more than 200m on transfers which is paid down continually. However, if we're after a striker there's a good chance it's because Saudi clubs have followed up on their interest in ours - they are also likely to pay in full.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

With the expected outs are we one of the teams that could pay in full?

I think we could pay in full even if we didn't sell but I don't think its something Levy will do. Most deals are spread out over multiple years and paying a large lump sum in our case would probably significantly effect the rest of our business. Same reason why even if he was hypothetically open to leaving Spain this window that I couldn't see us paying Nico's release fee. I think it would be preferable to buy someone like Neto for a larger fee as long as we can spread the costs over several years. Obviously teams sometimes offer above a release fee in order to spread the costs over a longer period but then its down to the club to decide if they want to accept it or not. Considering the current market I could see Leipzig preferring the upfront fee.

 

[djhotspur]

Looking like a crazy miss that no PL clubs went all out for him last summer. He looks immense for Sporting and as you say unlike a lot of 9s he seems to have a turn of pace too.

Personally if we could sell Richarlison and bring Gyokeres in I’d do it in a heartbeat.

But didnt he flop At brighton? Its strange for a side like brighten to get rid of a big talent for cheap....

 

[Enzo]

If I were Ines Aguiar, which I'm not, as if I were, I'd currently be looking at myself admiringly in the mirror rather than posting in here. Anyway, sorry, where was I, ah yes, if I were Ines Aguiar, the Portuguese actress currently going out with Viktor Gyökeres, I wouldn't be allowing him to

a) consider leaving Portugal where I have a decent job doing actressy things
b) consider going to England where I'll have no family, no friends, shit weather etc.

and I absolutely, definitely, certainly wouldn't be allowing him to

c) consider going to Tottenham where his ex plays for the women's team

Now I appreciate that Viktor may wear the big boy pants in that relationship and so Ines may have little sway, and admittedly Amanda Nilden is only on loan and may yet return to Juventus, but, even still, it would look a tiny bit dodge to his current squeeze, don't you think, if he were to express an interest in going to the one team in the world where his ex of many years currently plays.

I'm not saying that we had two hopes and that Bob just rode out of town, but I am saying that, if Ines has half the wiles you'd expect a Portuguese actress to have, then Bob is, at the very least, sat on his horse.

Clearly you are her, I bet you smell lovely.

Sorry, just an Ines-scent observation.

 

[spurs9]

But didnt he flop At brighton? Its strange for a side like brighten to get rid of a big talent for cheap....

He was 20 when he left Brighton. Brighton aren't perfect, no team is, so I wouldn't let that deter us. Personally, I think he is Solanke's level and Sporting will want too much for him.

 

[felmani26]

Anyone know much about Denkey? Seemingly having a prolific season at Cercle Brugge.

 

[rabbikeane]

Only thing I know about him is that he better not flop with that name