It's too big

Sandro hasn't really stood out this season, so you never know, Telles could come in and excel here.

I just don't see us spending a €100m or more on one player, let alone two or three. I don't know the minutiae of our finances, but It doesn't seem likely. I think it's also quite difficult to actually acquire so called "elite" players because most of them are playing for very good clubs and they're very important to those clubs. It's fine to say get in this player or that player, and they have to be world class, but it's easy said than done. On the flipside, if a club wants to sign one of our best players we're not going to let go unless the player desperately wants to leave or a club offers eye watering money for them. That's why I think people need to be more realistic in their expectations. Very few clubs in this country, or even across Europe have world class players in various positions. We certainly aren't the first choice for the elite of the elite either, so our choices will be limited there.

I think people need to get real. You have posters talking about us needing to sign elite level players to accompany Hazard LOL, I swear people live in dream land and not the real world. I would like to take a toke on whatever you're smoking. Comparing our back up/squad players to world class first team attackers is laughable. How many clubs, big ones at that, have elite level talent all over the field? Please tell me. PSG and City are the anomaly, not the norm and even PSG. Real Madrid have Ronaldo and who else? Bale is a crock and not elite any longer, Benzema is shot, who else? Barcelona have Messi and Suarez, and are bringing in Dembele only because they sold Neymar for 200m. Man Utd don't have elite players all over the field and even Bayern's once elite players are aging and diminishing in ability and even they don't spend like crazy. Some fans expect us to go out and spend 100m on one player, and another 80m on another player, and 100m on another etc, it just doesn't work like that. No matter how many times people are educated on a club's finances, they still can't get it through their heads that almost zero clubs spend like that without selling big. Unless a club uncovers a gem from their youth academy or in the market for cheap/free, it's impossible to spend those numbers. This is not Fifa, and the sooner people realise that the better. Although I wouldn't hold my breath on that smh.

Two contrasting statements there. One says he sees himself at Real, the other says he's open to options and is waiting to extend contract. Hmm, this is why twitter is unreliable.

Two contrasting statements there. One says he sees himself at Real, the other says he's open to options and is waiting to extend contract. Hmm, this is why twitter is unreliable.

Liverpool are no better than Spurs, and slightly behind Chelsea and Utd. This is how the league should be, better competition. I certainly wouldn't say their ambitions are better than ours because they signed Keita (still an unknown quantity) and VVD (decent defender). I wouldn't say there's much in it at the top, City have a game changer in KDB who is playing the best football of his life at the moment. Our squad is still bloody good, we just need to strengthen a couple weak areas and we will be even stronger and more effective.

"One of" being the key words there. If he is worth £75m, what would the legit top defenders (which are still quite slim) be worth?

Rudiger is looking like a steal. Christensen was free. Ampadu coming through who is another freebie. At least we are getting the defensive options right.

With a solid window, we should go into the new year in position to really push for a 2nd place finish. The league is done, over, it's not a target any longer.

Are we actually linked to him? If not this is pointless.

It's inconsistency, not so much quality. Pedro and Willian do have the quality and attributes needed to be incredibly useful to this side, it's just one game either of them will have a fantastic game and contribute massively, or the next game their passing is off and they run down blind alleys.

Bonucci. Sandro. Nainggolan. Koulibaly. Two of those targets were never going to leave Italy, and Juventus and Napoli were being hardheaded about selling the other two at the time. When I say unattainable, I am also including the selling clubs refusal to sell. You could probably add Lukaku to that list as he, by all accounts, wanted to join his mate Pogba at Utd.

Well he did mention in the presser about his targets having to be approved by the club first. The jury is still out on some of Conte's supposed targets and taste in players. My thought is Conte wants players who are either highly unattainable or average.

Prefer Dries Mertens

Marcotti is about as knowledgeable of Italian transfers as Ballague is of Spanish transfers. Both don't know their ass from their elbow.

The more the great form he's in, the more his price goes up. Leicester certainly won't be willing to let him go now, not without a lot of resistance.

He is a left footed attacker which would be ideal for us. The thing is, I am not sure I would replace Willian or Pedro for him, and certainly not for £80 million. I don't think he's worth €80 million, let alone £'s. I would spend that money on a LWB which is the position that needs filling the most.

Was thinking this the other day, we need a left footed attacker and he's left footed isn't he? Haha @ liverpool and another attacking player.

Mourinho went into those games way too conservative. If I remember rightly, we sat back too much and invited the pressure. That is what I hate about that style of play, you have nothing on the offense. I hope Conte goes into the next round with a more offensive strategy. I believe Conte has that in him more than Jose does.

Problem with drawing Besiktas is there's a chance the lads take it too easy, and against a team like that you can get beat. It's why Barca are my preferred choice because I believe the lads will show up against a big club like that, and Conte will have them up for it. We have, for the most part, always shown up in these big CL games. They haven't always gone our way, but we've always shown that fighting spirit to win.

That's the spirit mate

Gotta love a cheeky tie with Barca

I don't see us signing a wide attacker when we already have Willian and Pedro, and include Musonda in that.

Isn't that what some Chelsea fans have decided to do with Bakayoko too? The problem is, it's hard to judge how good a player is going to be when every next potentially good player gets overhyped and ultimately haven't lived up to their potential. We've seen this with R.Sanches, Joao Mario, Krychowiak, Andre Gomes, Andre Silva etc. It is why I can no longer get excited about players who are touted as having "potential" or look good for one season, because more often than not they have made moves elsewhere and not done a whole lot.

What would be the point though? Is he even fit? How would he suit LWB?