ENygma

Already been added to one on here automatically (assuming from last year?) Is that the right one?

Very valid point. I have no problem keeping him on as a sub or backup CB, but as far as relying on him to be the starting CB? Definitely not good enough in my eyes.

Kepa Azpi, Christensen, Luiz, Emerson Jorginho, Kovacic Pulisic, Barkley, Willian Tammy I think this is the most likely at this stage, given how much preseason game time they had and taking into account injuries

Simple fact is that the injury has derailed and pretty much ruined his career. Hes not the player he once was and the older he gets (already 24) the less chance hes going to live up to his initial potential. Im sure he'll still be a great player, but only for a mid table side. Dont think he has a place here in a top side that'll be in the champions league. Our defence really needs to get sorted out. If Christensen and Rudiger can both step up this season then that will be a massive plus.

underwhelmed by his pre-seaason, but he is still young and has plenty of time to improve.

Pretty insane to think that both him and Mbappe were Chelsea fans... Just imagine they were both here. We should definitely try and sign him next summer, we would have the funds no doubt.

Most liekly that stingy Marina trying to haggle down the pennies

Dybala literally crying online that he doesnt want to go Utd tbf ? Also, am I the only one who's not as worried as the majority? I think the transfer ban was somewhat of a blessing in disguise. Its made us take a step back and really look at the way we do transfers and how we integrate youth. The FA making the new rules about the loans were also fantastic if you ask me. We have made 30m+ just from selling bitpart loan players that were never going to play for us anyway. Given the Hazard money we got, and the Morata money we are getting next summer, not to mention we still have some pricey players that are yet to be sold (Bakayoko, Drinkwater and potentially Zouma/Bats as well perhaps?) we're gonna be rolling with money next summer, and I feel we are going to go in big and replace the likes of Willian/Pedro and have a defensive overhaul. Bring in a striker too even. Also, the fact we are actually loaning out potential players that could be playing for us soon (okay, maybe not ALL of them) like Ampadu, Clarke-Salter, Musonda, Sterling, which is definitely FAR better than how we used to deal with loaned players before and the caliber of the loan players. Really think this season is the beginning of a big change in how we deal with things in the future. This season may not be the prettiest, but I have a strong feeling we will get through it pretty well, and go in big the following season!

I know this is only preseason but jesus.... Kovacic and Barkley both looked superb.. I mean who'd have thought we'd be saying that after how they were for the majority of last season? Where they play now, is clearly where they should be playing this season. Barkley seems sublime as a number 10, without having to much to worry about defensively. And Kovacic as part of a double pivot, being kind of a "box to box" dribbling forward with powerful runs... ALmost Hazardesque the way he goes forward sometimes. Pulisic looks very promising, at least we know there's someone who's got an eye for goal! Abraham wasnt too impressive in all honesty, but hes still very young and got plenty of chances to learn. Defence is looking atrocious, but then again 3 of our probable starting XI weren't playing. Id cash in on Zouma and Alonso tbh, not worth them taking up the foreign player quota when they simply arent good enough. Would rather wait this season out until we can buy players again, and go in big for defence next season. On the whole, everything is looking up I'd say! Really intrigued to see what our starting XI will be come the season. Assuming RLC and James are still injured, I'd say this: Kepa Azpi-Rudiger-Luiz/Christensen-Emerson Kante-Jorginho Pulisic-Barkley-CHO Abraham/Giroud Gonna be tough for Frank to see who to play as Kovacic has been really impressive in his role, and Barkley has been great as a number 10. With Kante coming back into the fray, Frank's got tough decisions to be made..

Sterling could be white and he'll still be a twat. Doesn't make you racist for simply hating someone that happens to be of another color. In fact I'd argue that the real racists are probably the black people who are calling the white man a racist with no evidence.

Can Zaha play on the other wing? If so, then potential replacement for Willian.

Would love to see him crack into the first team properly this season. Honestly, I already have him ahead of Barkley, Bakayoko and Stinkwater. Jorg/Kante/RLC with Kovacic and Mount in rotation (and getting regular games) would be the best option for me. By the end of the season, he could even potentially become a starter given RLC's injury problems and Kovacic not always playing his best.

Joined a very good Bundesliga side. Now please oh please Im praying he gets regular playtime. He just absolutely cannot go down the route of a talented youngster who wastes several years on the bench on loan, and comes back with confidence low and a poor player. Players like Abraham and RLC did well on loan simply because they had plenty of time to play. Then you got players like Baker, who was barely given a chance and has gone to complete waste. Ill be happy if Ampadu pretty much becomes a starting member in the team, or at least a first choice sub. As long as he gets plenty of minutes and a lot of chances to play, cant complain about this loan deal at all. Definitely better than shipping him off to some dross team in dross league like Vitesse, or even worse - to a struggling team in the championship/league 1

Embarrassing tbh. Could have been given to CHO or Pulisic, instead we've given to a bum player who's been terrible for at least 3 years

shambolic to be honest. terrible performance all round. Only saving grace is that its pre-season

Couldnt agree more mate, the potential is insane! Just a case of whether these youngsters can live up to the hype

Do definitely agree there, he was actually good for us. But the point is, that we dont tend to buy young and upcoming strikers and instead always go for people past their prime, Anelka included. Costa and Drogba being the sole exceptions.

I hope not... I detest that boring formation

He was benched towards the end of the season for having a spat with Gattuso. But in terms of the way he performed, he was probably one of their best players last season and one of the main reasons they finished as high as they did

I mean, i seriously doubt he's going to reach KDB level, but lets be honest that season he had at monaco he was great for them, and is the reason we even went onto sign him. Last season at Milan he was also great for the vast majority of the season and actually one of the stand out players in that milan team. The potential is definitely there. I think that if he were just played in the role hes best at (the destroyer role) instead of trying to make fancy passes and all that, he'd actually play well. He's certainly built strong and has the physical attributes

Yeah thats a very good point. Even if he doesnt play every game, having someone of that caliber in rotation is what we need to compete with the top clubs

Would much rather him go to PSG than Utd tbh. Can't have another player that was terrible for us, flourishing at yet another premier league club.. (KDB, Salah, and some would say even Lukaku) But in all honesty, I think based on last season with Milan, he's earned himself another season with us, at least in preseason to show what he can do. Words I thought id never say, given how he performed for us when we still had him. But if PSG come in offering over 40/50m for him, then id bite their hand off. Its just if he goes for that price at Utd, whilst he still has potential.. Then it could be another KDB situation.

The rumours are that we have. Hes going for at least 50m, and in some reports ive seen that its 60-65m. Either way I have to admit, great piece of business offloading him for pretty much the same price we bought him. If we can just sell off a few more dead wood, our war chest will be looking incredible come next summer, where we can go in hard on the transfers

He clearly does have the potential to be a great player, the europa league final is proof of that. its just now whether Frank and the coaching staff can get the best out of him. If he can play even 50% of games this season like how he was against Arsenal, then that would easily justify the 40m. Especially considering last season he had maybe 5 "good" performances all season

Hasnt he already confirmed he wants to sign? Pretty sure they're just going through the contract and discussing terms at this point.