Tbf most players looked average at the Euros, can't really judge them on a single tournament.

He's been class in Italy for 3 seasons now, he won't mind the physical side as he is a big guy and remember he's been involved in English football from a young age albeit at a lower level.

With De Gea, Pogba and Ibra they have a really strong spine for next season, I actually wouldn't be that surprised for them to win it in all honesty.

They should challenge no doubt, but Cuadrado and Salah look good in Italy :)

From the Sunday Telegraph. About BT's broadcasting of Champions League Football.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/08/06/bt-and-sky-get-in-training-for-their-big-champions-league-rematc/

Stones was named in the Man City squad for Champions League qualifier, deadline was last night. £42m plus add ons deal is imminent according to SSN

How that works I don't know given he hasn't even signed yet

Edited August 9, 20169 yr by Chelsbear

So if Everton are outraged by our pursuit of Lukaku, be interested to see how outraged they are about this...of course they're not...it's all bollox

I don't think United fans will care about the price paid, it's not their money.

I fully get not everyone rates him, but I 100% wish it was us that bought him.

Now Citeh have announced Stones.

Edited August 9, 20169 yr by EdinburghBlue

I don't think United fans will care about the price paid, it's not their money.

I fully get not everyone rates him, but I 100% wish it was us that bought him.

Now Citeh have announced Stones.

Money isn't really a big deal for United like it would be for us. They are a money printing machine, that's why these fee's won't really matter to them.

Money isn't really a big deal for United like it would be for us. They are a money printing machine, that's why these fee's won't really matter to them.

True mate, but £30m a season if that is indeed what it is, isn't really that bad and I don't think would have been beyond us either.

Just a bit disappointing that two players that we were linked really heavily with last year have now signed for two of our major title rivals.

Also hope Sunderland fleece Everton for Kone if they're going to sell.

47.5M for Stones

No doubt Stones will be pretty useful in Guardiola's system, in that he'll be instrumental in getting the ball out from the back and getting the attack started. Still doesn't hide the fact he often holds onto the ball for too long and as a defender, he's pretty catastrophic. Hope it goes horribly

Seems the 2 Manchester clubs are determined to win the league this year, pumping the money in.

 

Whereas our starting 11 looks the same as last year, Kante aside.

What's that about £400m spent between the two Manchester clubs now? 

 

Blimey! 

Mourinho made great transfers, he bought the right players for the right places. 

 

Striker (Ibrahimovic), CB ( Bailly), CM (Pogba).

Edited August 9, 20169 yr by IliyaKrostin

Gonna be a great season, win or lose. Lots of big teams being built and all the top managers coming to the premier league, its the place to be!

If these managers stick around for a season or two expect more top name players to come to the UK

So City have spent just shy of £150m on centre backs in two years and we're set to go into the new season with same back 4 we've had for years now. 

 

Not going to lie, I'm more than a little envious of their level of investment for their managers. 

Seems the 2 Manchester clubs are determined to win the league this year, pumping the money in.

Whereas our starting 11 looks the same as last year, Kante aside.

Yeah it's quite worrying that they have improved their squads by quite a bit but we have in large stayed the same.

Not looking good with the season days away.

We have to have a few lean, sensible years, Roman has a stadium to build, that is going to be super expensive.

The players we have should be challenging, they've done it before. Maybe we can add one or two more, but Conte seems happy to work with these guys. We've less games as well, so he can work with them all week and get the best from them.

Yeah it's quite worrying that they have improved their squads by quite a bit but we have in large stayed the same.

Not looking good with the season days away.

 

Hmmm, for us, this could be one of those "Transitional Seasons"!!

 

To be honest, although I am concerned about our defence, I'm still fairly optimistic. I want to see how good Conte is at getting the best out of the players and that wouldn't be proved by signing the likes of Pogba for £90M. As long as we get one decent additional defender before the window closes, I'm confident we can be there or there abouts.

 

This is gonna be one hell of a season - I bet Sky are getting a massive hard-on at what they can be charging for adverts, especially in the Big Games.

Edited August 9, 20169 yr by Nibs

Hmmm, for us, this could be one of those "Transitional Seasons"!!

To be honest, although I am concerned about our defence, I'm still fairly optimistic. I want to see how good Conte is at getting the best out of the players and that wouldn't be proved by signing the likes of Pogba for £90M. As long as we get one decent additional defender before the window closes, I'm confident we can be there or there abouts.

This is gonna be one hell of a season - I bet Sky are getting a massive hard-on at what they can be charging for adverts, especially in the Big Games.

The defence really worries me if I’m being honest.

I mean we sold our only top flight experienced left back cover and have not replaced them. Then we have Ivan on the right hand side who has been in a steady decline the past 12 months to the point where he was making big errors on a gamely basis last season, I can’t imagine we will challenge with him playing that role this season as he was ripped to shreds last season. That leaves us with the CB area where we have had issues all pre season and doesn’t look remotely solid…Zouma will be back but we can’t rush him so that leaves JT and Cahill who don’t fill me with confidence at all.

Middle to front we look more than capable (Ideally another midfielder to give us more options) but that back line give me the fear.

So City have spent just shy of £150m on centre backs in two years and we're set to go into the new season with same back 4 we've had for years now. 

 

Not going to lie, I'm more than a little envious of their level of investment for their managers. 

Sometimes stability works in your favor though.  Having spent £150M, i would say our best two centre backs are still better than theirs.

So City have spent just shy of £150m on centre backs in two years and we're set to go into the new season with same back 4 we've had for years now. 

 

Not going to lie, I'm more than a little envious of their level of investment for their managers. 

 

I am very jealous of their willingness to heavily invest, however i am not jealous of who they invest the large sums of money on. Mangala and Otamendi have both been disappointing in the middle and we saw last season how cold John Stones can blow. 

Sometimes stability works in your favor though.  Having spent £150M, i would say our best two centre backs are still better than theirs.

 

Considering we conceded 12 goals more than they did last season it's hard to agree right now.  

 

Mangala isn't a great granted but Stones, Otamendi and Kompany is a very good set of centre backs to choose from. 

 

I'm not suggesting for the sake of spending but City to their credit have tried to address what they feel is a weakness in their squad. 

 

We've had issues with quality depth in our fullbacks for a few years now and have failed to address it. Meanwhile we've spent somewhere in the region of £80m on right wingers in the same period. 

So City have spent just shy of £150m on centre backs in two years and we're set to go into the new season with same back 4 we've had for years now.

Not going to lie, I'm more than a little envious of their level of investment for their managers.

I'll probably get slated for this but I genuinely think we have very little chance in the league & will be battling Arsenal/Spurs for 3rd & 4th.

Obviously hope I'm wrong but with our back four, I don't think I will be.

Kante us class but he can't cover for 3 players at the back that are slower than my nan.

Edited August 9, 20169 yr by EdinburghBlue

I'll probably get slated for this but I genuinely think we have very little chance in the league & will be battling Arsenal for 3rd.

 

Right now I would say it's between the two Manchester clubs for the title. 

 

Both managers have been heavily backed in the transfer market and both teams have strengthened all areas of their squads. 

 

Us, without having yet addressed what is clearly a very rickety backline have got to be viewed as massive outsiders, especially after the season we had last year. 

 

Top four, not the title is what I'll be hoping for.