İlkay Gündoğan 2023 - going to Barcelona

[Trex]

They have no Europe next season you don’t think that benefits them? They still have a talented team. The last time they had no Europe was the last time they won the league with 95 points. Not hard to say they’d be favourites.

I’m not afraid to say United, but I’d still say Chelsea are favourites without Europe distractions.

They have gotten worse with every new signing and every new manager. They're selling their more sure players in the hope that their new arrivals will come good. The club is quite unsettled. You can make a case for Liverpool but Chelsea stand no chance.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Going to city used to be for the money.. but now sadly i think even if they pay less players would still go there for money and pure enjoyment playing in a well functional team

Politics aside.

Even United in our pomp struggled with the location of Manchester with a lot of players from western Europe and Latin America. If you look at salary reports (even ignoring the fact the PL believes they have lied about some player/manager wages) it's hard to argue money is not a factor even now, United had to overpay a lot for this reason as well - lots of players have spoken about this openly, families and partners often complain/want London and so the only thing you can really do is line the agent's pockets and throw money at the player.

 

[OleGunnar20]

Barca, I'm sure would prefer to sell even though they signed him on a free, but yeah, seems a little more suited to a direct brand of football. Could do as a "Rabiot" alternative to add squad depth and competition to midfield, assuming we move on both Fred and McT.

Rabiot alternative exactly. One of those two alongside Caicedo, a striker and a keeper and we'd be laughing.

Does feel a little ambitious mind you.

 

[Ish]

Rabiot alternative exactly. One of those two alongside Caicedo, a striker and a keeper and we'd be laughing.

Does feel a little ambitious mind you.

Ambitious is exactly what we should be and if we're able to sell well (yeah, i know!), no reason we shouldn't be able to deliver on those, so i guess we'll see.

 

[golden_blunder]

Good luck to him. A main stay of FF teams gone

 

[Von Mistelroum]

Wouldn’t surprise me if he turned to shit or a shadow of his former self.

He’ll probably become injury-prone again now after leaving peps magic doctors.

Genuinely would expect this if he was going anywhere else, but Barca aren't above the same 'magic'.

 

[OleGunnar20]

Ambitious is exactly what we should be and if we're able to sell well (yeah, i know!), no reason we shouldn't be able to deliver on those, so i guess we'll see.

We live in hope !

 

[united_99]

Had his contract expired? Why is it a free transfer?

 

[elmo]

Weren’t the Barcelona cult members on here saying that Messi can’t sign for Barcelona because La Liga didn’t allow them to register players?

 

[miked99]

Good luck to him. A main stay of FF teams gone

Blimey, really? You must have a high sanity threshold if you put him, or any citeh midfielder, in your FF teams. It's like trying to play pin the tail on the donkey after you've had eight pints

 

[DWelbz19]

Had his contract expired? Why is it a free transfer?

Tends to be how free transfers work!

 

[united_99]

Tends to be how free transfers work!

I mean he is a wonderful player. Not young any longer, but would still have moved for a good fee.
I thought City are letting him move / cancelling his contract to make it easy for him and their sister club Barcelona.

 

[golden_blunder]

Blimey, really? You must have a high sanity threshold if you put him, or any citeh midfielder, in your FF teams. It's like trying to play pin the tail on the donkey after you've had eight pints

Got a lot of points for me the season just ended but yeah take your point. It’s why I rarely choose Foden etc