Fabian Ruiz

Eplel

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It's quite surprising we aren't after a DM for this coming season, given our problems with conceding so many goals.
We're conceding mostly because we cannot control the game, because mcfred cannot dictate the tempo to save their lives.
 

King Eric 7

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We're conceding mostly because we cannot control the game, because mcfred cannot dictate the tempo to save their lives.
Yes but when the opposition do have the ball, it's easy to run through our midfield. Not sure if a Ruiz or a FDJ will solve that particular issue, as good as they are with their ball progression.
 

Samid

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If that's our criteria, we could sign a lot of midfielders who'd be much cheaper!

Put it this way. Ceballos was twice the player he was when they were at Betis, and is still better today, and how did he do at Arsenal?
Cheaper than €30m and available and attainable this late in the window? Who are those?

Betis is a long time ago. Caps for Spain is more interesting. A top manager like Enrique has preferred Ruiz over Ceballos in recent years.
 

Skills

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It's quite surprising we aren't after a DM for this coming season, given our problems with conceding so many goals.
Just sticking another player in the defensive half is a poor way of addressing your defensive issues.
 

Yagami

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Who would be your Frenkie alternative?
There aren't many cms who play like him. Midfielders who drop into the cb position, have mastered "la pausa", la pelopina turn and shield the ball under pressure.

There are only two like-for-like. Verratti who's a no go, and Arthur who's available but we have no interest in.

Then there are lesser player like Lobotka, Sofyan Amrabat, Matheus Henrique, Sergi Darder who are of similar style but not as accomplished.

Galbraith in the academy plays the same but ten Hag seemingly isn't a fan.
 

DWelbz19

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Arthur who's available but we have no interest in.
Tad bit ironic going on about lightweight players in Fabian and then championing Arthur Melo!
 

King Eric 7

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Just sticking another player in the defensive half is a poor way of addressing your defensive issues.
Someone has to play as a 6. Better to have someone who can actually put a tackle in as well as distribute the ball.
 

Yagami

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Cheaper than €30m and available and attainable this late in the window? Who are those?

Betis is a long time ago. Caps for Spain is more interesting. A top manager like Enrique has preferred Ruiz over Ceballos in recent years.
Ceballos hasn't played consistently since his first Arsenal stint, right? Injuries, benched by Arsenal and Madrid. Once Ceballos leaves to a lesser team in a weaker league, he'll look as impressive as Ruiz does to most now.

Signing Ruiz won't solve anything because we have 8s. We need a 6.
 

Yagami

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Tad bit ironic going on about lightweight players in Fabian and then championing Arthur Melo!
Arthur is one of the strongest players there is on the ball. The only way to get it off of him is by fouling him. One of the best players I've seen under pressure.
 

DWelbz19

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Who would be your Frenkie alternative?
I also like the look of Ismaël Bennacer who’s more of a defensive midfielder and has similar strengths to Frenkie (dribbling capacities). No idea on his availability this window, mind. Bruno G at Newcastle was another one we should’ve been looking to snap up - they’ve got a proper gem there.
 

Yagami

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I also like the look of Ismaël Bennacer who’s more of a defensive midfielder and has similar strengths to Frenkie (dribbling capacities). No idea on his availability this window, mind. Bruno G at Newcastle was another one we should’ve been looking to snap up - they’ve got a proper gem there.
Yes, add him to my list. Bennacer, that is.

He's not as good under pressure as those I listed as he's incredibly one-footed (his left), and has tunnel vision when dribbling, but is a beast defensively.

A smaller, younger Matic.
 

izec

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Arthur is one of the strongest players there is on the ball. The only way to get it off of him is by fouling him. One of the best players I've seen under pressure.
Arthur has other issues, off the field/injuries/rest of his game just not up to it. Yeah he is very good at shielding the ball and can make a pass or two sometimes if he is not afraid of taking the risk, that's about it. Getting linked with Valencia, tells all you need to know about his level. He just could never kick on from his early promise. He is washed up by now and is not the player we should be looking at. I would take Ruiz over him if we bring in another 6 to play next to him.

You raved about Lobotka in the past as well. Another player that is good at keeping the ball, can dribble a bit if needed and playing it safe. But the rest of the game is not there. I am not sure we want this type only. Frenkie has much more to his game.
 

Rolaholic

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Ruiz and Laimer were my favourite CM pair for next season.
Seems as though RB really don't want to sell to Bayern, maybe that could open the door for us?

Would imagine it would've been likelier had Ralf stuck around though, not sure if he's near ETH's target lost.
 

Yagami

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Arthur has other issues, off the field/injuries/rest of his game just not up to it. Yeah he is very good at shielding the ball and can make a pass or two sometimes if he is not afraid of taking the risk, that's about it. Getting linked with Valencia, tells all you need to know about his level. He just could never kick on from his early promise. He is washed up by now and is not the player we should be looking at. I would take Ruiz over him if we bring in another 6 to play next to him.
You are right, but sometimes things change. As he's available, like-for-like to de Jong, and we need a 6 not an 8, I'd be happy to sign him with the hope that he's matured.

He'd probably be at Arsenal now if they didn't have a disagreement about the fee. Being at Valencia isn't terrible either. I'd say, in the past decade, Parejo has been one of the better midfielders in Europe and he spent his prime there.
 

devilish

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Seems as though RB really don't want to sell to Bayern, maybe that could open the door for us?

Would imagine it would've been likelier had Ralf stuck around though, not sure if he's near ETH's target lost.
I don't know about that. United needed to search for bargains and act quick on the transfer market. Ruiz-Laimer would have been the perfect base for our midfield. I would have also signed Scamacca for upfront.
 

sullydnl

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As it stands we're using Fred in the connector role earmarked for FDJ. And while it is true that it's hard to find players with the same profile as FDJ, it's probably not that hard to find players who can perform some version of that function better than Fred. If it ends up being a different profile of player to Frenkie then ETH will likely just alter the specifics of how the midfield sets up.

Basically whatever the precise profile of midfielder we get or whatever way they perform the role, ETH's job will be made a lot easier by introducing a higher level of ability in possession in that deeper midfield area.
 

CallyRed

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Chelsea will be in for him no doubt. Think Joel Glazer must be leaking targets in the American EPL owners WhatsApp group.
 

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Weird thread. Judging from the first two pages, I am not even sure we are talking about the same player.
 

Oly Francis

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Apparently the source I mentionned isn't tier 1, we'll see what happens.