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On December 09 2025 06:09 Bacillus wrote:Show nested quote +On December 09 2025 02:08 WombaT wrote:
As an aside how on Earth did Man City get Rayan Cherki for 35 million Euros plus potential add-ons?
I think the most important thing with a huge bankroll isn't so much about how you can buy the one top player (that'll happen sometimes too, for example with Haaland), but how many times you can gamble on some promising players. If you look at the cost of starting 11s on most top teams, they're often not that dramatically different from the biggest spenders. The difference comes in more when your big investment hits a slump or doesn't fit into some situation. City is going to bring in another equally good (and well rested) player from bench whereas most other clubs start to run out quality or at least have to live with some pieces not operating in their best form or role.
That is a really good point. City can make a "gamble buy" like 10 times a season while other clubs can only do two. So the chances of some of those gambles paying off big time is quite a lot higher
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51506 Posts
seems like the call for xabi alonso out at real madrid is growing by the day - seems like the perfect replacement for slot at liverpool if they both get sacked lol
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Marca said that the Real Madrid-Man City is a decider for Alonso. I wouldn't be so hasty, but who knows with Real and its board & dressing room politics.
I'd definitely put my money on City on that matchup, the current Pep iteration can be pretty pragmatic to shut down individuals like Mbabbe and then you've got the cheat code in Haaland to get a goal or two even with a bit more defensive lineup. I looked at some of the Celta game on the weekend and Real didn't look very convincing there.
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Alonso going to Liverpool would be great. :D
His biggest problem was fighting the huge egos of Real Madrid dressing room
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Northern Ireland26208 Posts
On December 09 2025 06:09 Bacillus wrote:Show nested quote +On December 09 2025 02:08 WombaT wrote:
As an aside how on Earth did Man City get Rayan Cherki for 35 million Euros plus potential add-ons?
I think the most important thing with a huge bankroll isn't so much about how you can buy the one top player (that'll happen sometimes too, for example with Haaland), but how many times you can gamble on some promising players. If you look at the cost of starting 11s on most top teams, they're often not that dramatically different from the biggest spenders. The difference comes in more when your big investment hits a slump or doesn't fit into some situation. City is going to bring in another equally good (and well rested) player from bench whereas most other clubs start to run out quality or at least have to live with some pieces not operating in their best form or role.
The lad was the top assist provider in Ligue Une and the Europa League last season. It’s more the price he’s gone for surprised me, also that City kind of just went and got him, I don’t recall many other clubs being linked.
36 million is almost the going rate for a merely good Premier League player these days! It’s crazy
Point taken as to what you said too. I think it’s long characterised City that they don’t tend to spend absolutely crazy money on singular players, but they’ll happily spend pretty big on two. Both for depth and insurance, but also if one doesn’t come off, they’re somewhat covered. And I think Arsenal now have a pretty similar approach that’s working well for them.
It made Liverpool under Klopp keeping competitive with City all those years all the more remarkable. They spent a fair whack of money, but mostly on core players, they didn’t have that buffer a City had/have, they needed almost all of their signings to fire, and fire they mostly all did.
You’re really starting to see the financial dominance of the Prem come into play nowadays. It’s moved from expensive first 11s into the squads.
A player like Cherki, perhaps say Odegaard/Eze when they’re both fit would be main men for many a side, even top CL sides, but Prem teams have such depth they can afford to rotate even elite players, because they’ll often have more than one.
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EPT
