How much do we reckon he will cost? I wouldn't be surprised if it's around the 50m mark, what a waste of money.

19 minutes ago, Munkworth said:

He doesn’t have the positional awareness to play there for me. The difference between him & Jorginho playing there are night and day. 

I think Kovacic is slightly better than Jorginho in a defensive aspect - IMHO he gets more interceptions than Jorginho - also sometimes I think when Kovacic has the ball I think it's Hazard - ok maybe it's because he wears #17

 

He'd be okay as a squad player to fill in for Kante and sometimes Jorginho, but I think he will cost a lot of money and I'm not sure he's really good enough to warrant it. Unless we can recoup some decent money from selling the deadwood.

23 minutes ago, robdog said:

I think Kovacic is slightly better than Jorginho in a defensive aspect - IMHO he gets more interceptions than Jorginho - also sometimes I think when Kovacic has the ball I think it's Hazard - ok maybe it's because he wears #17

 

No, it is not just you. Me and my brother always get confused too. Kovacic is also one of the best close ball dribblers in the league as well hence why they look familiar when they are running.

20 hours ago, Hazard STAY said:

Danny Drinkwater is safely the worst transfer in the last 10 years. 

Caudrado says hello! 

50 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

Caudrado says hello! 

If we can go back 10 years, how about this "dream" team in a 4-4-2 ?

 

Turnbull

Wallace, Djilobodhi, Hector, Rahman

Cuadrado, Bakayoko, Drinkwater, Marin

Pato, Falcao

 

Top 6 easy ... LOL

5 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

If we can go back 10 years, how about this "dream" team in a 4-4-2 ?

 

Turnbull

Wallace, Djilobodhi, Hector, Rahman

Cuadrado, Bakayoko, Drinkwater, Marin

Pato, Falcao

 

Top 6 easy ... LOL

Poor Steve Sidwell can’t even get in the sh*t XI 

1 minute ago, Munkworth said:

Poor Steve Sidwell can’t even get in the sh*t XI 

hahaha - well he was signed more than 10 years ago ... but good old ginger Sid !

1 minute ago, Munkworth said:

Poor Steve Sidwell can’t even get in the sh*t XI 

Believe it or not, it’s been over a decade since Sidwell pulled on the legendary number 9 shirt for the blues. 

Just now, ForeverCarefree said:

Believe it or not, it’s been over a decade since Sidwell pulled on the legendary number 9 shirt for the blues. 

Which he took from another legendary #9 ... Khalid "The Cannibal" Boulahrouz ... in .. er ... central defence ?

1 minute ago, Sexyfootball said:

Which he took from another legendary #9 ... Khalid "The Cannibal" Boulahrouz ... in .. er ... central defence ?

I’m sure we could build a sh*t #9 XI next seeing as strikers are scared of the shirt here. 

2 minutes ago, Munkworth said:

I’m sure we could build a sh*t #9 XI next seeing as strikers are scared of the shirt here. 

Sutton, Boulahrouz

Sidwell

Torres, Falcao, Higuain, Morata, Kezman

That’s what I've got off the top of my head... any more?

3 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

Sutton, Boulahrouz

Sidwell

Torres, Falcao, Higuain, Morata, Kezman

That’s what I've got off the top of my head... any more?

Franco Di Santo. 

If we're talking value for money then Zappacosta as well.

13 hours ago, Zeta said:

He'd be okay as a squad player to fill in for Kante and sometimes Jorginho, but I think he will cost a lot of money and I'm not sure he's really good enough to warrant it. Unless we can recoup some decent money from selling the deadwood.

We can easily sell Drinkwater and Bakayoko for the amount it would cost to pay for Kovacic and probably still have a small amount left over. 

He's a good squad player, if he's happy being on the bench then we should definitely sign him.

14 minutes ago, Remodez said:

We can easily sell Drinkwater and Bakayoko for the amount it would cost to pay for Kovacic and probably still have a small amount left over. 

He's a good squad player, if he's happy being on the bench then we should definitely sign him.

Transfer ban permitting we could sell Drinkwater and Bakayoko and easily buy a much better player than Kovacic. Or give one of the youths a chance.

Edited May 7, 20197 yr by just

I’d keep Kovacic as a squad player. He’s only 25, there’s still room for improvement.

If he doesn’t make any improvements then he’s still a decent squad player. I think it’s a miminal risk signing and it would avoid us signing another Bakayoko or Drinkwater.

I can also imagine him flourishing when we get our footballing style right. He has all the tools, great at dribbling & carrying the ball, and he’s pretty good at passing too. Capable of defence splitting passes.

I don’t see the harm if he’s involved in Hazard deal. £100m + Kovacic.

Literally no point to buying him. Doesn't fulfill any role good enough to be a back-up and there so many midfielders that a transfer budget could go to -- Man City have big for 

Fernandes from Sporting for 50m for example. Adding Kovacic to our side just leaves us in the same sort of position that we've been trying to advance from in the past few seasons 

12 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

If we can go back 10 years, how about this "dream" team in a 4-4-2 ?

 

Turnbull

Wallace, Djilobodhi, Hector, Rahman

Cuadrado, Bakayoko, Drinkwater, Marin

Pato, Falcao

 

Top 6 easy ... LOL

One of the best bits of business we've ever done. 

1 hour ago, MANoWAR said:

Literally no point to buying him. Doesn't fulfill any role good enough to be a back-up and there so many midfielders that a transfer budget could go to -- Man City have big for 

Fernandes from Sporting for 50m for example. Adding Kovacic to our side just leaves us in the same sort of position that we've been trying to advance from in the past few seasons 

You’re at least 50m short in your estimation of Fernandes’s price there my friend.  But otherwise I agree with your point.

1 hour ago, just said:

Transfer ban permitting we could sell Drinkwater and Bakayoko and easily buy a much better player than Kovacic. Or give one of the youths a chance.

I was thinking with the transfer ban in mind to be honest. I believe we already have an option to purchase Kovacic so we should be able to do it even with the ban.

However even without the ban, it might be worth going with the safe option in Kovacic as I believe it would be beneficial in the long run when you are also trying to blood in the likes of Mason Mount as well. 

21 minutes ago, mwblue10 said:

You’re at least 50m short in your estimation of Fernandes’s price there my friend.  But otherwise I agree with your point.

 

Nah, their most reliable reporter has said so - others saying similar 

Edited May 7, 20197 yr by MANoWAR

37 minutes ago, Remodez said:

I was thinking with the transfer ban in mind to be honest. I believe we already have an option to purchase Kovacic so we should be able to do it even with the ban.

Apparently not. We have no option to buy with Kovacic so if the ban is upheld we cannot sign him. 

Higuain’s loan includes the option for a second year or outright purchase so can still be triggered with the ban. 

Are we allowed to take in loan players if the ban is upheld or is that not allowed either? Haven't been keeping up to date much with the arbitrary laws of UEFA

Just now, RMCM said:

Are we allowed to take in loan players if the ban is upheld or is that not allowed either? Haven't been keeping up to date much with the arbitrary laws of UEFA

We’re not allowed to register new players. 

So we could theoretically sign new players but we cannot register them to play for us until the ban is over. 

So, no, we cannot sign players on loan either but we can use our own players returning from loan at other clubs such as Zouma and Tammy Abraham.