Alphonso Davies | Verbally agreed to join Real Madrid

[Zehner]

Yeah, but very rarely are the guilty ones announced to the world . I'm just being half-facetious. Madrid basically telling Bayern: either sell him for a reasonable (or cheap) price this summer, or we'll wait if you're being unreasonable....

Tasting their own medicine I mean, has any other club attempted that strategy as often as Bayern?

 

[Orange Tree]

Is he going on a gardening leave?

 

[Ish]

Tasting their own medicine I mean, has any other club attempted that strategy as often as Bayern?

good point

 

[GhastlyHun]

So they approached the player without talking to his club first? Bayern should be proper pissed off by that

I don't get the fuss when we do it and not in this case. That's just how it works.
Of course i wish everything to end in flames and tears for Real, but that's unrelated to current dealings.

 

[giorno]

Doesn’t that make it tapping up? He’s still under contract after all.

It's only tapping up if Bayern take issue with it

 

[Plant0x84]

It's only tapping up if Bayern take issue with it

If anybody will take issue with something, it’s Bayern!

 

[giorno]

If anybody will take issue with something, it’s Bayern!

They won't in this case though

 

[B. Munich]

He has stagnated for us, it will be maddening when he goes to the royal bastards and starts killing it again.

Absolutely. He never reached his highs of 2020 and is pretty injury prone too.

Sell him in summer and get Theo Hernandez in. All parties will be happy.

 

[ThierryHenry14]

Theo Hernandez is definitely a great alternative. I just wonder if Lucas's experience in Bayern will affect his willingness to join, if he has other of course.

 

[Red Pumpkin]

I can absolutely understand why Real want him, unfortunate for us supporting Bayern. Davies is like Roberto Carlos or Maicon, absolutely rapid and can own a whole wing on his own.

On a personal level I believe this will be good for him. He has mentioned being quite alone, almost depressed, and I don't think it got better when his girlfriend at PSG dumped him. Madrid is a lovely city and it seems like all is well there while there is chaos at Bayern.

Truth be told Bayern are one of the 5 biggest clubs in the world - Real is #1 with no club coming close. Especially since Barcelona lost all glamour they had from 2006-2016. Davies has of course seen Alaba and Bellingham - Bundesliga alumni - kill it at Real. And he knows of Kroos, Özil, Khedira previously. No doubts he has the ability to be a starter and a star in his own right.

 

[carvajal]

Happy with the signing, I guess, although the injuries worries me a bit.
On the other hand I love Mendy and I imagine that means he will be sold, although ideally he should renew and be turned into CB as @giorno said a few days ago.

 

[NoPace]

He should fit nicely with Camavinga covering for him out left. Feels like Madrid will look for a RB who can pass, as they are moving towards having a very powerful midfield and getting their playmaking elsewhere, bit like Klopp's Liverpool:


Vinicius-------------------------Mbappe
----------------Bellingham----------------
------Camavinga--------Valverde-----
Davies-----Tchouameni-------------RB
-------------Alaba-----Militao------------
-----------------Courtois--------------------

or if Endrick (or Guler) is the business then he's probably on the right, Bellingham is in the 3 and one of Camavinga or Valverde comes off the bench. Wouldn't rule out a year of Valverde at RB if there's no obvious RB to buy and I'm not sure there really is one. Real shortage of world-class RBs apart from Hakimi out there. If Porro had less than 4 years left on his contract I'd say him, but maybe in 2 years.

They really are annoyingly well-run. I know it's easy when everyone good wants to go there, but still.

 

[simonhch]

At a minimum they are getting Davies, Mbappe and Endrick in the summer, I suspect. Pretty fecking unreal, when you can add it to the young, and world class, core they have in Camavinga, Tchouameni, Bellingham, Vinicius, and Rodrygo. And that’s before you even mention a host of other quality, seasoned players.

 

[giorno]

Happy with the signing, I guess, although the injuries worries me a bit.
On the other hand I love Mendy and I imagine that means he will be sold, although ideally he should renew and be turned into CB as @giorno said a few days ago.

Ancelotti wants to keep him and honestly, if he weren't so injury prone I don't think we'd be considering letting him go either. Great defender

And yes, we 100% should consider converting him into a CB, especially given Nacho appears to be done. Tchouameni as well. Alaba/Mendy, Militao/Tchou, Rudiger as CBs, Davies/Cama as LWB, Carvajal/Lucas/Fede at RWB, Fede/Kroos/Cama/Tchou/Modric at CM, Vini/Bellingham/Mbappé/Rodrygo/Endrick/Guler/Brahim/Joselu up top

Mmm, that's a lot of players admittedly, and that's not even counting the academy kids we might want to include in the first team like Nico Paz...

Might make sense to send Guler and Endrick out on loan actually

Let Nacho go and sell Fran Garcia. Ceballos as well. Basically anybody I didn't mention above should go

 

[eire-red]

At a minimum they are getting Davies, Mbappe and Endrick in the summer, I suspect. Pretty fecking unreal, when you can add it to the young, and world class, core they have in Camavinga, Tchouameni, Bellingham, Vinicius, and Rodrygo. And that’s before you even mention a host of other quality, seasoned players.

It's ridiculous, and you'd imagine they'll all be peaking or about to peak in the next couple of seasons.

Xabi Alonso is assumed the heir to the throne at Liverpool, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay on another season or two with Leverkusen and gain some Champions League experience, with a view to taking over Real in a couple seasons.

The amazing thing for those youngsters is being managed by a top guy like Ancelotti and learning from pros like Modric and Kross.

The way they have managed the transition and squad building post Ronaldo, Benzema, Ramos, and soon to be post Modric and Kroos, is really the epitome of how a top club should be run and really shows the absolute mediocrity and mismanagement that has been allowed to fester at United.

 

[carvajal]

Ancelotti wants to keep him and honestly, if he weren't so injury prone I don't think we'd be considering letting him go either. Great defender

And yes, we 100% should consider converting him into a CB, especially given Nacho appears to be done. Tchouameni as well. Alaba/Mendy, Militao/Tchou, Rudiger as CBs, Davies/Cama as LWB, Carvajal/Lucas/Fede at RWB, Fede/Kroos/Cama/Tchou/Modric at CM, Vini/Bellingham/Mbappé/Rodrygo/Endrick/Guler/Brahim/Joselu up top

Mmm, that's a lot of players admittedly, and that's not even counting the academy kids we might want to include in the first team like Nico Paz...

Might make sense to send Guler and Endrick out on loan actually

Let Nacho go and sell Fran Garcia. Ceballos as well. Basically anybody I didn't mention above should go

Endrick is untouchable. He will surely be the president's new darling. He is not going on loan in any way.
Couto, from Girona, might be the right back from what I read.
Yes, too many players.
Lucas Vázquez and Fran García are club players, lower middle level Spaniards who accept their role, the problem is that there are too many high status players.
As I said the other day the midfield doesn't convince me. It sounds great on the counter, like a herd of bulls but bad in other circumstances.
Tchouameni needs a night like Casemiro in Dortmund, Cama in the 14th or that succession of games that made Valverde a starter.
And Rodrygo more of the same, we must put pressure on him, some good whistles, to prove it or be sold. He continues with his shots without strength and disappearing as he did three years ago.

 

[Rojofiam]

It's ridiculous, and you'd imagine they'll all be peaking or about to peak in the next couple of seasons.

Xabi Alonso is assumed the heir to the throne at Liverpool, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay on another season or two with Leverkusen and gain some Champions League experience, with a view to taking over Real in a couple seasons.

The amazing thing for those youngsters is being managed by a top guy like Ancelotti and learning from pros like Modric and Kross.

The way they have managed the transition and squad building post Ronaldo, Benzema, Ramos, and soon to be post Modric and Kroos, is really the epitome of how a top club should be run and really shows the absolute mediocrity and mismanagement that has been allowed to fester at United.

Not defending the Glazers here but it's significantly more difficult for PL clubs to just "transition" from winning team to winning team without a big drop off.

 

[tentan]

How many left backs do they need?

 

[simonhch]

Next season wil probably be:

courtois
Couto
Militao
Alaba
Davies
Tchouameni
Camavinga
Valverde
Bellingham
Vinicius
Mbappe

Subs: Lunin, Carvajal, Rudiger, Mendy, Kroos, Diaz, Rodrigo, Endrick

Others: Fran García, Ceballos, Guler, Vazquez, Nacho, Joselu, Paz

Incredible squad. And it wouldn’t surprise me if they signed another rising star midfielder to give them more depth in midfield after Modric leaves.

There’s so much energy, pace, and quality throughout their team.

 

[atkar83]

Its kind of crazy seeing this kid come out of the Vancouver Whitecaps system and make it all the way up to Madrid

 

[Bondi77]

Its kind of crazy seeing this kid come out of the Vancouver Whitecaps system and make it all the way up to Madrid

Not a patch on Bebe.

 

[LARulz]

How is this not tapping up if he doesn't join till next year?

I get it happens but how have Bayern not kicked off about this at Madrid?

 

[The Corinthian]

How is this not tapping up if he doesn't join till next year?

I get it happens but how have Bayern not kicked off about this at Madrid?

The pot called the kettle black.

 

[HTG]

How is this not tapping up if he doesn't join till next year?

I get it happens but how have Bayern not kicked off about this at Madrid?

Because it’s business as usual and we do it all the time ourselves.

 

[kouroux]

The pace in their team will be frightening

 

[Rossa]

He should fit nicely with Camavinga covering for him out left. Feels like Madrid will look for a RB who can pass, as they are moving towards having a very powerful midfield and getting their playmaking elsewhere, bit like Klopp's Liverpool:


Vinicius-------------------------Mbappe
----------------Bellingham----------------
------Camavinga--------Valverde-----
Davies-----Tchouameni-------------RB
-------------Alaba-----Militao------------
-----------------Courtois--------------------

or if Endrick (or Guler) is the business then he's probably on the right, Bellingham is in the 3 and one of Camavinga or Valverde comes off the bench. Wouldn't rule out a year of Valverde at RB if there's no obvious RB to buy and I'm not sure there really is one. Real shortage of world-class RBs apart from Hakimi out there. If Porro had less than 4 years left on his contract I'd say him, but maybe in 2 years.

They really are annoyingly well-run. I know it's easy when everyone good wants to go there, but still.

I have a feeling Dalot would actually be a very good addition for RM. He has the engine and the pace to cove a lot of ground, and he is surprisingly good playing out from the back.

 

[AndySmith1990]

The way they continue to build world class teams is incredible. Already light years ahead of us as it is, then they add Mbappe and Davies for next season and we're still in Feb. It'll be August before we've signed our first flop and it'll take until September to find a new home to loan Van Beek to

 

[Rossa]

The pace in their team will be frightening

RM have always been a fairly fast team, as long as I can remember, at least. Their defense, with Davies and a new RB, will be blistering - not easy to counter for sure. Then you have Valverde in the middle who is rapid, and their attack, if they get Mbappe must be one of the fastest in the world that I can think of. Mbappe, Vinicius and Rodrygo (not quite at the other two's level).

 

[B. Munich]

Of course it helps tremendously almost all players want to play for them.

Luckily there are many more than just 25 top players, so they can't buy them all.
Real did the same thing in between 2002 and 2010 with the galacticos. Many thought they were unbeatable and guaranteed CL success. We all know they actually won feck all during that time.

 

[2 man midfield]

I can absolutely understand why Real want him, unfortunate for us supporting Bayern. Davies is like Roberto Carlos or Maicon, absolutely rapid and can own a whole wing on his own.

On a personal level I believe this will be good for him. He has mentioned being quite alone, almost depressed, and I don't think it got better when his girlfriend at PSG dumped him. Madrid is a lovely city and it seems like all is well there while there is chaos at Bayern.

Truth be told Bayern are one of the 5 biggest clubs in the world - Real is #1 with no club coming close. Especially since Barcelona lost all glamour they had from 2006-2016. Davies has of course seen Alaba and Bellingham - Bundesliga alumni - kill it at Real. And he knows of Kroos, Özil, Khedira previously. No doubts he has the ability to be a starter and a star in his own right.

I’d forgotten what that’s like

 

[kouroux]

Of course it helps tremendously almost all players want to play for them.

Luckily there are many more than just 25 top players, so they can't buy them all.
Real did the same thing in between 2002 and 2010 with the galacticos. Many thought they were unbeatable and guaranteed CL success. We all know they actually won feck all during that time.

This is different, this current and projected team will be much more balanced all over the pitch. The galacticos invested too much in attacking talent

 

[saivet]

I have a feeling Dalot would actually be a very good addition for RM. He has the engine and the pace to cove a lot of ground, and he is surprisingly good playing out from the back.

This was actually my initial thought too. He signed a new contract recently though, so I think it won't happen. One year left and I could have seen them making a move.

 

[B. Munich]

This is different, this current and projected team will be much more balanced all over the pitch. The galacticos invested too much in attacking talent

Davies strengths are his speed and attacking quality. Defensively he has several weaknesses which his speed often cover up.
That's why Bayern isn't really putting up a fight to keep him. He asked to more than double his wages to sign an extension.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

I'm astounded anyone has ANY serious worries about Real Madrid's midfield post Modric and Kroos. Those boys are young, talented enough yet inexperienced. By the time Modric and Kroos are done they would have gathered the requisite experience in play and the added know how from them to be true successors. Valverde for example has already become as reliable as Casemiro was, thanks to playing often whilst he was still around. Albeit further forward than the Brazilian did

Whilst a Tchoucmeni is getting a crash course in deep midfield dictation as a pivot from Kroos and positional defending from the center defenders.

Camavinga has been allowed to under study Kroos and Modric in rotation as a play maker whilst also honing defensive skill at left back.

Honestly Real's future planning and player development is currently other worldly....

 

[RoyH1]

I'm astounded anyone has ANY serious worries about Real Madrid's midfield post Modric and Kroos. Those boys are young, talented enough yet inexperienced. By the time Modric and Kroos are done they would have gathered the requisite experience in play and the added know how from them to be true successors. Valverde for example has already become as reliable as Casemiro was, thanks to playing often whilst he was still around. Albeit further forward than the Brazilian did

Whilst a Tchoucmeni is getting a crash course in deep midfield dictation as a pivot from Kroos and positional defending from the center defenders.

Camavinga has been allowed to under study Kroos and Modric in rotation as a play maker whilst also honing defensive skill at left back.

Honestly Real's future planning and player development is currently other worldly....

I honestly think their midfield will struggle in the future against teams sitting back. In transitions and a back and forth kind of game, they will outrun, outmuscle and outhustle anyone. But against a team that's comfortable sitting back and is happy with a 0-0? I don't know. They need to bring in another more technical, ball-controlling midfielder once both Kroos and Modric are gone.

Davies and Vinicius are a terrifying force down the left. But their team seems a bit misbalanced to me with no real right wing specialist there. Valverde can play anywhere but he's best being a box to box guy.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

I honestly think their midfield will struggle in the future against teams sitting back. In transitions and a back and forth kind of game, they will outrun, outmuscle and outhustle anyone. But against a team that's comfortable sitting back and is happy with a 0-0? I don't know. They need to bring in another more technical, ball-controlling midfielder once both Kroos and Modric are gone.

Davies and Vinicius are a terrifying force down the left. But their team seems a bit misbalanced to me with no real right wing specialist there. Valverde can play anywhere but he's best being a box to box guy.

This will be their planed shape in attack:

---------------------Courtois------------------------
--------Militao---Tchoumeni-----------Alaba----

-------------Valverde---------------Camavinga----

---nrb------------------------------------------------Davies
-----------------------Bellingham---------------------

--------------Mbappe -------------Vini Jr-------------:


Honestly I don't see how you hit it easily on the counter. If they press high, Tchoumeni can sweep up behind the front 7 whilst Militao and Alaba are comfortable one on one and wide defending. He can even straight up be come a 3rd cb after delaying an opposing attack.

As for Valverde and Camavinga, they will operate on the same line either side of thd diamond. Basically like a box to box pivot pairing adept at defending and attacking with the legs to both. Even Better, even though a Bellingham is in the highest part of the attack he will also harrass anyone trying to start up attacks in the opposition half. Because that's his natural game.


IMO your argument would be true if they still operated a 4-3-3. But with the diamond 4-4-2. It doesn't fit. Real will be very well balanced. Plus they can even make it more defensively sound by pushing Militao rwb and starting Rudiger at cb. Plus the alternate on the other flank with Alaba. Honestly Real in a years time is gonna be scaey if they bag the targets they are currently after...

 

[Rossa]

I’d forgotten what that’s like

Dalot is getting there - he's also rapid and has a great engine. The last time, however, must have been when Valencia transitioned into a fullback. Before that we had Evra at his prime, but it's definitely been a while...

 

[Rossa]

I'm astounded anyone has ANY serious worries about Real Madrid's midfield post Modric and Kroos. Those boys are young, talented enough yet inexperienced. By the time Modric and Kroos are done they would have gathered the requisite experience in play and the added know how from them to be true successors. Valverde for example has already become as reliable as Casemiro was, thanks to playing often whilst he was still around. Albeit further forward than the Brazilian did

Whilst a Tchoucmeni is getting a crash course in deep midfield dictation as a pivot from Kroos and positional defending from the center defenders.

Camavinga has been allowed to under study Kroos and Modric in rotation as a play maker whilst also honing defensive skill at left back.

Honestly Real's future planning and player development is currently other worldly....

Agree 101%. Has there ever been a better example of future planning? They had arguably the best midfield for a decade, and then they sweep up the best talents around and groom them into their team ready for when Kroos and Modric leaves. It's unprecedented. Then they have been able to buy young players for their attack whilst they have a very solid defense that still have years left in their tank. They need a need RB, but I'm sure they will get that as well.

 

[Rossa]

This was actually my initial thought too. He signed a new contract recently though, so I think it won't happen. One year left and I could have seen them making a move.

At least we could fetch proper money for him if they went for him... maybe they'll target TAA if they are going for a wingback role...

 

[BabySinclair]

Theo Hernandez is so much better than Davies.