Only if Rio leaves. And if Rio leaves, it'll be to retire in my opinion, I just don't see him playing for another club in this country. But it's beyond my comprehension that he would retire. I still think he's got so much to offer still.
Ezequiel Garay
- Thread starter moses
- Start date
I wouldn't be surprised to see Rio go to America.
Rio has been fantastic recently. Not sure why he'd want to leave when he can still play a vital role for us.
Hodgson surely felt clever watching Rio and Cahill yesterday. Only sporting reasons.
Would be surprised if either Garay or Matic are worth big money.
Seems to be a trend in Portugal that if someone plays well for a little bit, they're suddenly a £20-30 million player. Realistically those players need to move to one of the better leagues and prove their value over time before a club pays that kind of money
Who are recent examples of players in Portugal being bought for big money and proving themselves in a top league to have been worth the fuss and price tag? Off the top of my head I can only think of Di Maria from a recent time. Thats one example, but a good three or four players are mentioned each season. So a single successful case is very concerning
Seems to be a trend in Portugal that if someone plays well for a little bit, they're suddenly a £20-30 million player. Realistically those players need to move to one of the better leagues and prove their value over time before a club pays that kind of money
Who are recent examples of players in Portugal being bought for big money and proving themselves in a top league to have been worth the fuss and price tag? Off the top of my head I can only think of Di Maria from a recent time. Thats one example, but a good three or four players are mentioned each season. So a single successful case is very concerning
That Falcao chap hasn't done too badly.
There we go! I knew I must have been missing one. Yes perfect example. Had a very good reputation before moving to Portugal too though, only continued at Porto. Meanwhile others like Garay and Matic have a decent rep, move clubs, fail for whatever reason, then find themselves in Portugal with a good reputation. I think Falcao might join Di Maria in making it a two-off.
Non-sense ignorance.
Why don't you list the unsuccessful ones as well, so we can compare? Let me guess... Quaresma? I know there are more bad examples, but it's up to the buying clubs to be smart and don't become victims of marketing. David Luiz wasn't ever really rated as a top defender around here. Just loads of potential (technique, strength, speed) and several flaws (intelligence, positional sense, maturity), which he unfortunately hasn't ironed out. He wasn't worth 30m but if Chelsea was willing to be dumb about it, why wouldn't Benfica take the chance? Javi García isn't a bad player as a midfield destroyer, but he would never work in a midfield two. He's an advanced CB. He never showed more than that around here. It's not Benfica's fault that City doesn't study their prospective players properly.
What we have, is loads of players anxious to get more money than what they can get here, and clubs that need to sell to balance the books. So a lot of them end up going to the likes of Russia where we'll never hear of them again. Bruno Alves, Witsel, Hulk, are all good players nevertheless. They just go unnoticed. Hulk didn't went there because he had no place in better leagues, it's just that the Russians were willing to pay more.
Pepe, however people hate him, is first choice for Real since he got there. Coentrão also got a place. Lisandro was good for Lyon for a few seasons. Guarin and Alvaro Pereira are both regular starters at Inter, probably worth the money (€15m and €11m).
Travelling further back, Carvalho was one of the best CB's in the world. Paulo Ferreira was probably a bit overpriced, but he was a reliable defender at the time, for some reason Mourinho wanted to take him with him. Deco was voted the best midfielder for Barcelona and for two seasons, before Xavi's ascension, and he could very well claim being their second best player after Ronaldinho.
Garay was so bad that Real demanded to keep 50% of his re-sale value, something they don't usually do. He simply had no place and didn't want to be a back-up. Matic never got a chance at Chelsea. He'd walk into United's midfield right now.
What sort of player is Matic ?
Anyway, we were linked with Garay quite a bit before he moved to Real even.
Anyway, we were linked with Garay quite a bit before he moved to Real even.
I've discussed him in the previous page. Post #109 and onwards.
So 2 recent ones. Thats what I thought
Javi Garcia
Pereira who Chelsea were told would cost £20-30 million
Javi Garcia
Pereira who Chelsea were told would cost £20-30 million
Ramires has been good for Chelsea IMO.
Not sure. If I remember correctly he's slow as feck. Better off with Scholes if we're going for two midfielders and movement isn't a big issue.
Yeah his rapping career could take off there also
brap brap, rio and plech should start a duo.Yeah his rapping career could take off there also
if drake is a massive hit being black and jewish, rio and plech as a group should do fine.
@_GoncaloLopes 13s
Benfica and mufc agreed terms to garay's transfer, says Record. Good info, and mufc will pay 20m€.
Benfica and mufc agreed terms to garay's transfer, says Record. Good info, and mufc will pay 20m€.
Hopefully this will be a similar deal to the Gaitan one.
http://www.record.xl.pt/Futebol/Nacional/1a_liga/Benfica/interior_premium.aspx?content_id=811233
That's the only information they're giving. The full information appears on their premium site.
We are defo doing something in Portugal with the increased activity there being reported for whole of this season now. Won't be surprised if this is true.
This would mean that Rio was more or less off right?
I mean that said even with international centre backs on the books we still manage to find ourselves fielding Carrick there a couple of times a season anyway.
I mean that said even with international centre backs on the books we still manage to find ourselves fielding Carrick there a couple of times a season anyway.
If this happens then one of Rio/Vida is off. With Rio shunning England for us, think it's Vida.
oh dear god
Nice to have strength in depth, but surely we have too much at centre back? Maybe Jones is now classed as a midfielder by SAF? Of course we are bound to have injuries at some point, but when everyone is fit, there's going to be some quality centre halves sitting on the bench.
Rio is still a class defender with so much to offer and experience to pass down to the younger defenders, I can't understand why we would let him leave on a free transfer, it makes no sense.
Vidic
Garay
Smalling
Evans
Jones
Rio
too many for me.
Rio is still a class defender with so much to offer and experience to pass down to the younger defenders, I can't understand why we would let him leave on a free transfer, it makes no sense.
Vidic
Garay
Smalling
Evans
Jones
Rio
too many for me.
Yes we'll have six center backs for us next season(again if this is true).oh dear god
We will sell him you mean ?
Don't see it happening tbh. He's pretty much our only leader and Club captain plus once Scholes/Giggs/Rio go we'll need some experience along with Carrick.
Rio is doing more and more TV gigs and SAF said that he has to sign a contract before the season ends, if he is going too.
We might keep them both too and use Jones more in midfield. Will still leave us with 5 CB's like this season and Smalling can cover RB.
They seem sure of themselves,how reputable is this source.
Agreed.
It's useless speculation but I can't see six center backs for us in the squad next season. Doesn't make sense. Garay is an established center back so he won't come here to be a backup. Then again this could be agent talk.
If this happens then like people said Rio will be off. Shame because Rio has shown he's still one of the best defenders in Europe and has been brilliant this year. With around 2 months left on his contract it was always looking likely to be honest.
Garay is a very good defender though and he's at a decent age being 26. It will be interesting to see if there's any truth to this story.
On a side note, if it's true we have spent around 35m on another defender and winger, he fookin loves em doesn't he.
Garay is a very good defender though and he's at a decent age being 26. It will be interesting to see if there's any truth to this story.
On a side note, if it's true we have spent around 35m on another defender and winger, he fookin loves em doesn't he.
We are being linked with all sorts of CB's, and the big/good in the air types. Somebody's agent said that we are looking to buy a CB too IIRC.
So, i think we are in for one but signing a experienced and established one will be interesting.
I don't like the idea of this happening.
We don't have much luck with Argentines either.
Makes sense to me to bring in a CB
We are grand at the minute but how many times over the last 2 years have we had to have Carrick or Valencia in defensive positions
We've been lucky of late with Rio/Vidic but they need to be played sparingly
Could indicate where he sees Jones' future
We are grand at the minute but how many times over the last 2 years have we had to have Carrick or Valencia in defensive positions
We've been lucky of late with Rio/Vidic but they need to be played sparingly
Could indicate where he sees Jones' future
How credible is that paper does anybody know?
Thought he said this season that Jones position is CB in the long term.
Still could be
Jones did a good job against Madrid and he's still very very young so I could see him and Smalling being back up to the first team at right back, centre back and with Jones getting the odd game in midfield
I think centre halves are a bit like goalkeepers in the sense that they mature into top players in their mid to late 20s
Of course I'm just thinking out loud
He did ? Can remember him comparing him to Bryan Robson recently for some reason.
Jones himself has said time and again that he wants to be a CB though. And said it recently that he sees himself as a Long term England CB.
Seem fine having another CB as Rio and Vidic could not play every game, Jones can be used just as much in midfield as defence, Smalling can play RB.
Apparently his wife Tamarra gorro. NSFW.