Summer mercato thread 2025-26 (104 Viewers)
- Thread starter Mark
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The biggest problem we have is trying to spend our way out of our Banter Era.
Instead, we should NOT be dropping +60m on these players and be investing in 20 year olds, 21 year old up-and-coming players that Leipzig and Dortmund and other clubs build off of. We should be grabbing players who are about to hit that next level in their development, not the 25-27 guy.
You can win with 20-23 year old who are about to become good players and just need that one last development cycle.
Instead, we double down on debt and expensive purchases where if they fail we're fucked. Koopmeiners should've never happened.
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If we had invested in 3-4 strong young players who need 1-2 year experience to mold together 3-4 years ago we'd have a functional, strong midfield of players hitting their peak window. Instead we buy the flavor of the month player off our rivals at a premium, strengthening THEM to buy the young players needing 1-2 years of development (i'm looking at you, Atalanta) while also risking this 1-2 GOOD SEASON 27 year old doesn't fit with us and we're fucked to the tune of 60-70m.
Instead, we should NOT be dropping +60m on these players and be investing in 20 year olds, 21 year old up-and-coming players that Leipzig and Dortmund and other clubs build off of. We should be grabbing players who are about to hit that next level in their development, not the 25-27 guy.
You can win with 20-23 year old who are about to become good players and just need that one last development cycle.
Instead, we double down on debt and expensive purchases where if they fail we're fucked. Koopmeiners should've never happened.
- - - Updated - - -
If we had invested in 3-4 strong young players who need 1-2 year experience to mold together 3-4 years ago we'd have a functional, strong midfield of players hitting their peak window. Instead we buy the flavor of the month player off our rivals at a premium, strengthening THEM to buy the young players needing 1-2 years of development (i'm looking at you, Atalanta) while also risking this 1-2 GOOD SEASON 27 year old doesn't fit with us and we're fucked to the tune of 60-70m.
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Here's my problem with that.
Giuntoli wasn't like this at Napoli. He spotted talent, he bought low with the intent to develop (besides Osi) and grow their value. Sure, you supplement your roster with older veterans hoping they're durable enough to contribute some experience and skill. His entire time at Napoli, they were making smart buys.
It's like he came here, saw he had an open checkbook with limitless funds to finally play Football Manager and he did it. This should NEVER be the case. I'd argue at ANY club, not even Manchester City. Not even the biggest, richest clubs just spend like crazy like this. We should doubled down on the youth we saw we had developed.
I get the feeling Giuntoli is the type of director who likes "his guys" and so he saw Huijsen as "not his guy" and was willing sacrifice him because its not his success story. Same with Soule. These weren't his buys, his handpicked guys and so they were expendable to carry out his vision.
That is so fucking shortsighted and is perhaps the worst case scenario for a Director's mentality in my opinion.
Giuntoli wasn't like this at Napoli. He spotted talent, he bought low with the intent to develop (besides Osi) and grow their value. Sure, you supplement your roster with older veterans hoping they're durable enough to contribute some experience and skill. His entire time at Napoli, they were making smart buys.
It's like he came here, saw he had an open checkbook with limitless funds to finally play Football Manager and he did it. This should NEVER be the case. I'd argue at ANY club, not even Manchester City. Not even the biggest, richest clubs just spend like crazy like this. We should doubled down on the youth we saw we had developed.
I get the feeling Giuntoli is the type of director who likes "his guys" and so he saw Huijsen as "not his guy" and was willing sacrifice him because its not his success story. Same with Soule. These weren't his buys, his handpicked guys and so they were expendable to carry out his vision.
That is so fucking shortsighted and is perhaps the worst case scenario for a Director's mentality in my opinion.
❗️ Gutierrez is a full-back that Juventus is following. Even in midfield the Bianconeri are following many. Tonali is very complicated, Newcastle is holding firm and does not need to sell. Jashari? I have no news. The only true thing that we know are these contacts with Osimhen. [Romeo Agresti - ilBianconero YT]
I dont think this can be considered a realistic transfer policy for a club like JJ
Marotta has the most balanced transfer policy in Serie A which focuses on the present with one eye on the future
A combination of experienced players(bought for reasonable sums) + young potential is needed.
We will have a 10 year plan of winning trophies like Arsenal if we stack up the team with young potential
I do agree with your general point about avoiding flavor of the month players but we need a combination of youth and experience
Marotta has the most balanced transfer policy in Serie A which focuses on the present with one eye on the future
A combination of experienced players(bought for reasonable sums) + young potential is needed.
We will have a 10 year plan of winning trophies like Arsenal if we stack up the team with young potential
I do agree with your general point about avoiding flavor of the month players but we need a combination of youth and experience
A club only fighting for CL spot for the last 4-5 years?
Times have changed, we're not winning the league 9 times in a row right now. We're trying to win the Scudetto for the first time in half a decade at this point.
And that half a decade would've been a helluva lot shorter if we had planned shit out and not tried so hard every year to one-and-done a rebuild.
Times have changed, we're not winning the league 9 times in a row right now. We're trying to win the Scudetto for the first time in half a decade at this point.
And that half a decade would've been a helluva lot shorter if we had planned shit out and not tried so hard every year to one-and-done a rebuild.
Was thinking the same but there is also the possibility Conte didnt want to work with him at Napoli due to the rapport with the fans, and the club in general.
He might not object coaching him at another place but wouldnt it be a waste in terms of how many positions need to be strengthened and 85M (reported) seem like most of our budget which will not allow us to change properly?
I mean Conte can probably think of some names if he comes here and I bet they would all be way cheaper to get.
He might not object coaching him at another place but wouldnt it be a waste in terms of how many positions need to be strengthened and 85M (reported) seem like most of our budget which will not allow us to change properly?
I mean Conte can probably think of some names if he comes here and I bet they would all be way cheaper to get.
