Potential Centre-Back Signings

When was the last time we made 100m in outgoings in one summer?

Think we did the summer we sold Di Maria which I also think is our second biggest outgoing transfer ever still after Ronaldo in 2009 but this summer we’ve got Greenwood, Sancho, Lindelof, Casemiro, Eriksen, VDB, Malacia, Bayinidir, Williams, Fernandez, Hannibal and Pellestri all pretty much certain to go so you’d expect us to easily raise £100+ million there not to mention Varane and Martial off the wage bill which is £600K a week.
 
A decent alternative to Todibo could be Maxence Laxroix (24) of Wolfsburg. He is a tall (1.90) RCB, good overall center back. His contract ends in 2025, so he'd be available for less than 30m.
 
A decent alternative to Todibo could be Maxence Laxroix (24) of Wolfsburg. He is a tall (1.90) RCB, good overall center back. His contract ends in 2025, so he'd be available for less than 30m.


I think he’s more a backup RCB than a starter for us. solid and consistent but I don’t get anything other than that from him. If we had a bigger budget and went for him instead of Tosin as a backup RCB, I wouldn’t be against that. Though I would keep Varane for one more year, loan out Kambwala for a year then have him back as the backup RCB in 2026.
 
We need a bastard. I'm talking a peak Nemanja Vidic type bastard.
 
Think we did the summer we sold Di Maria which I also think is our second biggest outgoing transfer ever still after Ronaldo in 2009 but this summer we’ve got Greenwood, Sancho, Lindelof, Casemiro, Eriksen, VDB, Malacia, Bayinidir, Williams, Fernandez, Hannibal and Pellestri all pretty much certain to go so you’d expect us to easily raise £100+ million there not to mention Varane and Martial off the wage bill which is £600K a week.
We're not about to sell Bayindir or Malacia, and we'll probably let Eriksen leave for free or for peanuts. Otherwise yes, there is potential for £100m but I've hoped for a big clear out for many summers and it has never happened, and probably too early for SJR & co.

Sadly, one thing is for certain, we can only attract the T2/T3 players.
 
We can probably get 70-80 mil from this

Sancho: 35-40m
Greenwood: 30m
Casemiro: 15m

Coupled with Varane/ Martial freeing up the wage bill
We won’t get those fees. Greenwood likely won’t be sold to a PL side and no foreign club will offer that much, aside from maybe Barcelona/Atletico who I cannot see being interested. He’s also going to be entering last year of his contract. Sanche is on massive wages so you’d need to offer him at a much reduced price or subside his salary for a while, and Casemiro you’ll be lucky if any team even takes on his contract given how far off pace he’s looked this year. Best case scenario we may fetch £50m for all of them combined and shed quite a bit off our wage bill.

I could see us getting some fees for Lindelof and Hannibal but those won’t be very high either. The biggest upside of getting rid of all these players is wages, we still spend a ton of money on players every week and it’s bad for our FFP.
 
So apparently there’s lots of viable cbs on the market this summer

Todibo
Tah
Upamecano
Tosin
Hincapie
Lucumi
Lukeba
Branthwaite

surely we can pick a good one….surely right?
 
So apparently there’s lots of viable cbs on the market this summer

Todibo
Tah
Upamecano
Tosin
Hincapie
Lucumi
Lukeba
Branthwaite

surely we can pick a good one….surely right?


Our track record suggests surely Not!

We will end up with Phil Jagielka. Most Likely.
 
Didn't realise Leverkusen were looking to sell Hincapie. That would be a very logical move to make. I like Branthwaite and Kilman too but they would probably cost more.

I don't think Tosin is good enough for Utd personally but I suppose as a squad option on a free he'd be acceptable.

Todibo has always seemed the logical and easy one to get done. We can sort out the fee in whatever way suits us financially too.

Feels like Yoro is unrealistic even though I think he's excellent.

Expecting Varane, Lindelof and Evans to leave in the summer.
 
Didn't realise Leverkusen were looking to sell Hincapie. That would be a very logical move to make. I like Branthwaite and Kilman too but they would probably cost more.

I don't think Tosin is good enough for Utd personally but I suppose as a squad option on a free he'd be acceptable.

Todibo has always seemed the logical and easy one to get done. We can sort out the fee in whatever way suits us financially too.

Feels like Yoro is unrealistic even though I think he's excellent.

Expecting Varane, Lindelof and Evans to leave in the summer.

For me the logic of signing Tosin is that he’s as good / better than Lindelof, so selling Lindelof for a small fee (eg. £15m) and bringing in Tosin on a free whilst potentially reducing wages and bringing an extra HG figure into the squad makes so much sense.
 
For me the logic of signing Tosin is that he’s as good / better than Lindelof, so selling Lindelof for a small fee (eg. £15m) and bringing in Tosin on a free whilst potentially reducing wages and bringing an extra HG figure into the squad makes so much sense.
I don't think he's as good as Lindelof tbh, but I get the saving on wages argument
 
For me the logic of signing Tosin is that he’s as good / better than Lindelof, so selling Lindelof for a small fee (eg. £15m) and bringing in Tosin on a free whilst potentially reducing wages and bringing an extra HG figure into the squad makes so much sense.
More importantly Jason Wilcox coached at City under 18’s and knows him well, makes too much sense?
 
We won’t get those fees. Greenwood likely won’t be sold to a PL side and no foreign club will offer that much, aside from maybe Barcelona/Atletico who I cannot see being interested. He’s also going to be entering last year of his contract. Sanche is on massive wages so you’d need to offer him at a much reduced price or subside his salary for a while, and Casemiro you’ll be lucky if any team even takes on his contract given how far off pace he’s looked this year. Best case scenario we may fetch £50m for all of them combined and shed quite a bit off our wage bill.

I could see us getting some fees for Lindelof and Hannibal but those won’t be very high either. The biggest upside of getting rid of all these players is wages, we still spend a ton of money on players every week and it’s bad for our FFP.
I agree to your point that Sancho’s wage needs to be subsidised and maybe 30m + add ons is a more realistic figure, but Greenwood can be sold at a Better price, if the management will negotiate well.

There would be many teams that’ll take him even for what went down for him personally, he’s young and in a top half club can perform well with goal contributions.

Just hoping the new negotiators are not as bad as the last one, we can probably achieve a better number in sales.
 
David Hancko would be a good signing. He played all the games this season without injuries and is an excellent CB.
 
Best case is Bastoni and Todibo for around 110/120 Mill which can be funded by players leaving.

Ahh, i would be delighted with Bastoni and Todibo plus Tosin on a free.

LCB
Martinez
Bastoni
Maguire
Shaw

RCB
Todibo
Varane
Tosin
Kwambala

We’d be settled.
 
Inacio and Silva. Let’s just spend the money, get LCB and RCB sorted, portuguese connection, great age profiles etc. Think we also have to be all over Tosin on a free and then of course keep Martinez and Kambwala.
 
Inacio and Silva. Let’s just spend the money, get LCB and RCB sorted, portuguese connection, great age profiles etc. Think we also have to be all over Tosin on a free and then of course keep Martinez and Kambwala.
Depending on what the vision the club decides to adopt will determine the centre backs we should sign. Inacio will be perfect if the club is going after a progressive style of play, and especially if the club is interested in a manager such as Amorim. But if its Tuchel they're after, then we'd be better off with Silva.

Once we know the direction of the club, it will make things so much easier.
 
Ahh, i would be delighted with Bastoni and Todibo plus Tosin on a free.

LCB
Martinez
Bastoni
Maguire
Shaw

RCB
Todibo
Varane
Tosin
Kwambala

We’d be settled.
This wouldnt be feasible. You want Martinez/Bastoni, Maguire, Varane and Tosin to warm the bench?
 
This wouldnt be feasible. You want Martinez/Bastoni, Maguire, Varane and Tosin to warm the bench?

We're not getting Bastoni, but I believe Inter fans are far higher on him as an LCB in a back 3, but I guess we could buy an RCB and play like this, and let's assume Varane is gone due to wages:

3/5 at the back:
Shaw-/Malacia-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dalot/RWB
----------------Bastoni/Lisandro-----Lisandro/Maguire-------RCB/Kambwalla-----------------------

4 at the back:
Shaw/Bastoni------------------------------------------------------Dalot/RCB
----------------------Lisandro/Bastoni----RCB/Maguire----

But yeah I don't see it unless we somehow steal Inzaghi away and move to 3 at the back. Could probably get those right-sided defenders pretty cheap, maybe Lucas Vazquez on a free to rotate with Dalot and I have no idea about RCB.

Though having 2 of Lisandro, Bastoni and Shaw on the left and a guy who can play RCB or RCB (like Kounde for Barca or Militato for Madrid do), Maguire and Dalot on the right might just about work if everyone is miraculously healthy, with the 7th-9th guys being Evans, Kambwalla and Malacia all pretty different players.
 
Need 2 minimum.

Varane is away.

Martinez fitness record since he joined is suspect.

Maguire & Lindelof I imagine well hope to get offers for, although I suspect Maguire stays.

Evans legs have gone. He should retire.

Kambwala shouldn’t be anymore than 4th choice yet.
 
Cuti Romero, or Araujo with Lisandro, Micky van de Ven, Senesi or Bastoni

Any sort of those combinations would work. Lots of quality, agressive defending and big personalities
Spurs is a smaller club and Barca and Inter aren't swimmimng in money, migh be possible to grab some of them.

PD: I forgot that Bastoni was left footed
 
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Did you not watch this season? Its actually just 5 if we dont count Kwambala who isn’t quite ready yet. :)

I did and it was a shitshow - but if we don’t sort our medical and conditioning issues, we could sign 17 centre backs and still have the same issues.

You’ve listed Bastoni, Martinez, Maguire, Todibo, Varane, Tosin and Kambwala in that post.
 
I did and it was a shitshow - but if we don’t sort our medical and conditioning issues, we could sign 17 centre backs and still have the same issues.

You’ve listed Bastoni, Martinez, Maguire, Todibo, Varane, Tosin and Kambwala in that post.
Varane has already left… On another note, Mario Hermoso is a free agent this summer, so that could be a cheaper option?

LCB
Martinez
Hermoso
Maguire

RCB
Todibo
Tosin
Kwambala
 
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Bastoni could be the one, has the right age profile and should make a nice partnership with martinez.

He's the type of player that would have never moved abroad in serie a's hay day but Italian player seem much more willing to test the water these days.

Inter will probably ask for an astronomical fee however, don't think they would want to sell.
 
Bastoni could be the one, has the right age profile and should make a nice partnership with martinez.

He's the type of player that would have never moved abroad in serie a's hay day but Italian player seem much more willing to test the water these days.

Inter will probably ask for an astronomical fee however, don't think they would want to sell.

Bastoni is left footed, plays on the left of a back three and never wants to leave Inter. If we were ever going to go after an Italian centre back then Scalvini is the one but outside of Zola we never see Italians doing well here as it’s a completely different game in Serie A.

With Varane gone, Lindelof likely to go, Evans likely to retire and Maguire playing predominantly on the left it’s right sided centre backs we need of which there’s Diomande, Silva, Todibo, Yoro, Romero and Araujo that could all most likely be got.
 
Bastoni is left footed, plays on the left of a back three and never wants to leave Inter. If we were ever going to go after an Italian centre back then Scalvini is the one but outside of Zola we never see Italians doing well here as it’s a completely different game in Serie A.

With Varane gone, Lindelof likely to go, Evans likely to retire and Maguire playing predominantly on the left it’s right sided centre backs we need of which there’s Diomande, Silva, Todibo, Yoro, Romero and Araujo that could all most likely be got.

I agree with this. Would like to see us get a starting RCB and a young backup this summer. LCB is well stocked with Martinez, Maguire and Shaw in a pinch.
 
Bastoni is left footed, plays on the left of a back three and never wants to leave Inter. If we were ever going to go after an Italian centre back then Scalvini is the one but outside of Zola we never see Italians doing well here as it’s a completely different game in Serie A.

With Varane gone, Lindelof likely to go, Evans likely to retire and Maguire playing predominantly on the left it’s right sided centre backs we need of which there’s Diomande, Silva, Todibo, Yoro, Romero and Araujo that could all most likely be got.
Yeah you're right, forgot about his position.

Disagree about Italians not doing well however, it's mostly a case of their best never moving abroad I feel.
 
Yeah you're right, forgot about his position.

Disagree about Italians not doing well however, it's mostly a case of their best never moving abroad I feel.

It’s why I also don’t want Branthwaite as we’ve got Martinez, Maguire and Shaw for the left side so I’d much rather let Lindelof go along with Varane then bring in one of Diomande, Silva, Todibo or Yoro as first choice then a cheap option as back up and Kambwala as fifth choice.

If we went into next season hypothetically with Diomande, Adarabiyio, Martinez, Maguire, Kambwala and Shaw I’d be happy with that but we’d also need a left back so let’s say hypothetically Gutierrez at Girona so our left back options for next season were Shaw, Gutierrez, Malacia and Amass then I’d also be happy with that but it’s about looking sensibly at it all which is where we’ve struggled for over a decade.
 
It’s why I also don’t want Branthwaite as we’ve got Martinez, Maguire and Shaw for the left side so I’d much rather let Lindelof go along with Varane then bring in one of Diomande, Silva, Todibo or Yoro as first choice then a cheap option as back up and Kambwala as fifth choice.

If we went into next season hypothetically with Diomande, Adarabiyio, Martinez, Maguire, Kambwala and Shaw I’d be happy with that but we’d also need a left back so let’s say hypothetically Gutierrez at Girona so our left back options for next season were Shaw, Gutierrez, Malacia and Amass then I’d also be happy with that but it’s about looking sensibly at it all which is where we’ve struggled for over a decade.
Will be annoying to let him go to the Afcon every 2 years, so I'd prefer Todibo or Yoro.
 
Will be annoying to let him go to the Afcon every 2 years, so I'd prefer Todibo or Yoro.

I agree fully but I think Diomande is the best out of the group already and only Yoro has a ceiling as high, I genuinely think he’ll be the best centre back in the world in a few years.
 
I like Scalvini. Tall, strong, still 20, composed on the ball, and already regular international centre back.