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Player João Palhinha

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His first post after the season ended seemed like a goodbye and the story was he wanted to go back to PT. If he's happy with that, I am too.

He's got HUGE credibility for his efforts towards the end of the season and wouldn't not deserve to be kicked out, but he is too old to pay serious money for (£30m? No way! 10 maybe). If RDZ wants him then fine, but head says no, heart says yes.

It's probably just Paulie's agent driving the price up.
 
If Palhinha is not joining permanently its a shame in many ways as he's been important to us under Roberto with a couple of key goals.

But its maybe simplified our midfield squad building if he is not coming, Bissouma off at end of contract and I think Sarr will be sold

That leaves us with Bentancur, Gallagher, Gray and Bergvall plus Maddison as AM, and in turn allows us to bring in one or two players (or promote experienced youth) to give us a creative midfield player and cover for Maddison, whilst we need to figure out who plays the DM role which we need in say 20% of games (mainly v top sides).
 
I really like him, but I don’t think he’s worth £30m at his age.
I’ve seen posts elsewhere saying that he wants to go back to Portugal anyway and would take a pay cut if needed. Returning to Sporting makes sense as he joined them when he was 18 and apparently has a lot of love for the club.
 
Spursidol said:
If Palhinha is not joining permanently its a shame in many ways as he's been important to us under Roberto with a couple of key goals.

But its maybe simplified our midfield squad building if he is not coming, Bissouma off at end of contract and I think Sarr will be sold

That leaves us with Bentancur, Gallagher, Gray and Bergvall plus Maddison as AM, and in turn allows us to bring in one or two players (or promote experienced youth) to give us a creative midfield player and cover for Maddison, whilst we need to figure out who plays the DM role which we need in say 20% of games (mainly v top sides).
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By that thinking JP would have been perfect.

However; I'm not down with the idea of ripping up our style of play for big games. Our plan A ought to be solid enough to go toe to toe in those games.

(Much like the idea of Maddison & Gallagher alternating at #10 betrays the need for a creativity in all games.)



We need a DM who's also good with the ball.
 
TottsAmazeballs said:
His first post after the season ended seemed like a goodbye and the story was he wanted to go back to PT. If he's happy with that, I am too.

He's got HUGE credibility for his efforts towards the end of the season and wouldn't not deserve to be kicked out, but he is too old to pay serious money for (£30m? No way! 10 maybe). If RDZ wants him then fine, but head says no, heart says yes.

It's probably just Paulie's agent driving the price up.
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I think that you are spot on with comparing return from a player on the likely cost of transfer (an no i am not a fucking bean counter).

If he's going to cost thirty million then I would sooner use that money and put towards a younger, more influential player. The end of the day if we spend thirty million now we will still need to spend possibly double that in two seasons time replacing him.

As good as he has been, and scoring the goal that kept us up De Zerbi has to take the sentimentality out of any decision and use the transfer money carefully.
 
Spursidol said:
If Palhinha is not joining permanently its a shame in many ways as he's been important to us under Roberto with a couple of key goals.

But its maybe simplified our midfield squad building if he is not coming, Bissouma off at end of contract and I think Sarr will be sold

That leaves us with Bentancur, Gallagher, Gray and Bergvall plus Maddison as AM, and in turn allows us to bring in one or two players (or promote experienced youth) to give us a creative midfield player and cover for Maddison, whilst we need to figure out who plays the DM role which we need in say 20% of games (mainly v top sides).
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I am torn between keeping Sarr or selling.

Flatters to deceive, and appears to lose the ball too easily, but plays well in others. I just don't see him ever dominating a midfield anytime soon.
 
I like and rate the player but we just have to be hard-headed about this.

We have too many CM's and a squad-wide crisis of passing ability. He's the wrong profile for our needs and with proper backing and Father Time, Archie Gray should be a better player in a year or so.

It's not "is this player good?", it's "does this acquisition work towards the squad we need to achieve our goals?"
 
JP through his passion and commitment had become a bit of a cult hero.

I’d have liked to see him stay, but it’s what the manager wants that needs to take priority.

Deserves a hero’s welcome should he ever return.
 
Spursidol said:
If Palhinha is not joining permanently its a shame in many ways as he's been important to us under Roberto with a couple of key goals.

But its maybe simplified our midfield squad building if he is not coming, Bissouma off at end of contract and I think Sarr will be sold

That leaves us with Bentancur, Gallagher, Gray and Bergvall plus Maddison as AM, and in turn allows us to bring in one or two players (or promote experienced youth) to give us a creative midfield player and cover for Maddison, whilst we need to figure out who plays the DM role which we need in say 20% of games (mainly v top sides).
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That’s still a pretty poor midfield though. One of those youngsters will have to go out on loan.
 
Harrier said:
JP through his passion and commitment had become a bit of a cult hero.

I’d have liked to see him stay, but it’s what the manager wants that needs to take priority.

Deserves a hero’s welcome should he ever return.
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Unless he scores a winner against us in a match of material importance.

I think the key to whether we had continued interest will be revealed by any comments made by De Zerbi.

We are presuming quite a bit here.
 
ThePreacher said:
I am torn between keeping Sarr or selling.

Flatters to deceive, and appears to lose the ball too easily, but plays well in others. I just don't see him ever dominating a midfield anytime soon.
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Sarr will be gone im sure of it.

He is by far the least suitable for how RDZ likes to play. He can barely control the ball most of the time and short sharp passing is not his game.

Don't pay the 30m for palhinha, sell sarr and put it towards a DM who can also play. Im sure RDZ will want baleba.
 
If it's a reasonable fee I'd like to keep him. He's good off the ball in winning headers and winning the ball back in general for the team and can chip in with goals, both important things for a midfielder.

Obviously he isn't good on the ball but De Zerbi passing patterns can make him look better on the ball and turn into a decent passer on top of the goals and off the ball work he provides.

That being said if it's too high I don't think he would be impossible to replace either. But you'd have to replace his goals and off the ball work. If you replace him with someone who's only technical then it can weaken the midfield next season.
 
JackJones’Locker said:
Is it me?
Every time I watched Brighton this season I thought Baleba was bang average and was simply overhyped because he was the Calceido replacement
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Its true he had an average season. But I know RDZ rated him very highly and felt he could fill caicedos shoes in time (he was thrown in the deep end).
We need a player in that exact profile to compete in the middle of the park and dominate games. All top PL teams have them ball winning monsters and we need that. Also ideally somebody who can hit the ground running with PL experience 'first level' as Roberto put it.

Im putting 2+2 together of course but I can't think of anybody that would be put higher on the list. RDZ will k ow what he can get out of him and he was excellent before last season.
 
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