BaneIvanovic

We'll probably sign a home grown keeper that's a backup from within the Prem, I'd guess. (and have Blackman as #3)

Why would Essien be a guaranteed starter ahead of Mikel?

Two different types of players, so they aren't easily comparable but Isco's the better player atm, though we've got Mata so not really needed I guess.

Historically they may be (Inter and Milan), but they are pretty much non-entities currently. Yes, Inter won it in 2010 but that's a clear anomaly to their general trend in the CL, heck they're not even in Europe this season so I don't see how they can be considered an elite European side other than in name only.

Well he was. I am baffled as to how he's gone from best RM in the Prem to a parody of a Sunday League player. Nani is probably, currently, their best winger but seems to be overlooked for whatever reason. I don't think he'd be a bad addition, but given we're getting Schurrle and that the quoted price for him is £35, it seems an unneccessary buy to stock up in a positions where we're fairly stacked (as opposed to say central midfield). Erm, I don't actually know. Guess I forgot to log into here for a while (only remembered about this place when I was going through my emails a while back).

Inter, Milan and Arsenal aren't elite European sides. He wouldn't walk into Chelsea or United either, btw.

I disagree. I think that Ballack did bloody well and managed to play alongside Lampard (unlike Gerrard, he had the tactical intelligence and versatility to play with Lampard), making it look easier in the process. Don't think he got the credit he deserved in a Chelsea shirt because he was employed in a different role than what he did at Bayern and he provided a control in midfield that we've not had in years.

I don't think it is, it's clear that Dortmund want an attacking mid/#10 and it wouldn't surprise me if KdB was on their shortlist (along with others mentioned like Eriksen, Bernard, Son)

Regardless, that's a horrfic return for a forward/winger or however you want to put it.

I was never condoning their disgraceful behaviour. I personally think he's nothing more than an above big fish in a small pond (in Portugal) and now probably an average fish in an medium side pond. He's not a player that would walk into elite European clubs.

I'd agree with the 'beat what's put in front of you' if you're free scoring and scoring against all sides but the fact of the matter is that he's only scored once against a better side in Russia (one goal vs Spartak Moscow) and the rest of his goals have been against bottom half/third sides (think of it like Torres, his goalscoring record this season looks alright - 1 in 3 - but when you see the teams he's scored against you'd think again). He's also played a fair amount of games up front this season but I understand you're point about his goalscoring record even though I don't think it's actually means he's anything more than an average player. The Zenit supporters is a weird one as they're against signing black players in general so it's not as if it wasn't because Hulk was signed that they all of the sudden decided that they suddenly don't want players due to skin colour, it's a long unofficial thing amongst their supporters' groups. I agree that it's a bad thing what happend but it's not as if he gets bombarded with abuse every game or gets whistled every time he gets the ball etc.

His goal tally is skewed because he scored a hattrick against the worst side in the Russian league a month or so ago and hasn't scored since then. The racial abuse thing is blown out of proportion too. Luiz is nowhere near being world class, btw.

If the fee was reasonable, probably.

Yeah, swap his an Torres' wages around (before obviously showing Torres the door)

That can't be true because it would mean that Navas is taking a hefty paycut and the papers (Guardian, I believe) mentioned that he'd nearly doubled his Sevilla salary.

Phenomenal player, model pro and true gent. I loved watching Ballack at Chelsea and the void left when he moved back to Bayer has never been replaced.

I highly doubt this will happen, however, if Mata gets sold then Mourinho has lost the plot.

Didn't realise that 8 is a bigger number than 14 doe.

Don't we all. Well, last year there was much more 'concrete' rumours (tweets from his agent saying he'd complete the move after his holiday etc) and nothing came of it so I doubt the oracle of knowledge that is Keys means that this will happen. Oh, and just the small fact that he's been exposed for the overrated player that he is.

At the time, he was comfortably the best striker in Germany and amongst the top 10 in the world, ergo he was world class. Granted, everyone has their different definitons of the meaning of the word so it is a bit subjective.

Dzeko is an upgrade on all of our current options. Was world class at a pretty average Wolfsburg side and has got a good scoring record at City despite being criminally underused.

I don't even think that it's all their signings that will make them a massive threat, moreso the fact that they actually have a competant manager at the helm now in Pellegrini who actually knows what he's doing.

Not really, because Adam Johnson is a mediocre, overhyped player whereas Navas is actually very good and his attributes will provide what City have been missing this season (pace on the wings and that added directness as they play so narrow when they lineup with Nasri-Tevez-Silva as their trio). Also, Johnson has a limited set of moves on the left wing - 99% of the time, it's him cutting in on his left foot and rarely does it result in anything of use.

He's amongst the best DMs in the world. £30m is too much but buying him for, say, €25m would be fair enough.

No thanks. Has been on a steady decline since 2011 (doing well in a tinpot league like Turkey doesn't prove you're not declining) and shunting Mata out wide to accomodate an inferior player is just silly stuff - or even worse if he plays deeper at the 2. It won't happen, though, so I'm not losing any sleep over it.