This was the subject of a post I did yesterday.
Azpi is the best (or 2nd best, if you rate Kimmich above) DEFENSIVE RB in the world, but is very limited it seems in Sarriball on the offensive end.
His one main outstanding contribution over the past 2 years has been hs crosses to Morata, but just like Morata's entire game, these have dried up as well.
He quite possibly could start to fuck up the entire system, as the weak right side (especially when it is Willian or Moses) allows team to fuck up our strong left with hedge marking favouring an overload defensively on the left
Options at RB are really thin. Zappacosta is not anywhere near shit, but also not the final solution (he would have to be German to be that, lolol). He also is not happy and wants to go back to Italy, AND there are like 5 teams who really want him there. Lazio (2nd best fit for him) Fiorentina (they REALLY need him, best fit for him), Inter Milan, Torino (who we bought him from,and who now have Ola Aina from us on loan at RB), and Atalanta
We could try Ampadu there, I REALLY am intrigued by that, and it gets the lad some playing time
that all said...........
Here are the best (in order) buy options,some of them VERY hard, if not impossible pulls,the market availability overall for RB is SHIT now
1. Sergi Roberto - Barca, 2nd best RB in the world, IMHO, after Kimmich, with Carvajal 3rd. We fucked this up in multiple windows, especially 2 years ago. By far the best option, but would cost crazy money, probably £70m to £80m, maybe more, to get Barca to give him up
2. Elseid Hysaj - Napoli Poison dwarf will do all he can to block this, Sarri wants him badly, and he has yet to renew
3. Wild card - Benjamin Pavard - Stuttgart He is always on my CB want lists, near top, BUT he (like Azpi) is a great RB too (see France WC) and he is also more offensive than Azpi
4. Djibril Sidibé - Monaco I am shocked he is still there, but I also must say I am not sure if he is a Sarriball RB, very solid player, although the entire team is slumping badly this season
5. Nélson Semedo - Barca Has not been the superstar Barca thought, but does have offensive skills, worth looking into,and deffo an upgrade on Zappa at least
6. Valentino Lazaro - Hertha Berlin 22yo fast, great passer in short lik-up game, has exploded since he was switched to RB from AMF/RW
7. Achraf Hakimi - Borussia Dortmund (on loan from Real Madrid) 19yo potential star, Real will probably not EVEN remotely sell him,but who knows
8. Kevin Mbabu Young Boys another wild card, he is the best athlete by far on this list, insanely fast, he looked a world beater v Manure in the CL, but he did not do well at Newcastle, Rangers, etc. he is still only 23, not a good passer, so Sarri may go nutter over that
9. Almamy Touré - Monaco (was an academy player they have raised up)
10. Davide Calabria AC Milan (only 21)
11. Mattia De Sciglio Juventus 25yo, 26 in October
12. Andrea Conti AC Milan, 24yo
Thomas Meunier PSG, not really an upgrade at all
We (our shit board) fucked on
1. João Cancelo - Juventus now (perfect Sarriball RB, insane we didn't make a move this summer and let Juve had a free go at him, madness) <<<<<<<<< other than Sergi Roberto , I would take him over all the rest I have typed in thsi entire reply, except maybe Pavard (and that would more for his CB play than as a RB)
2. Benjamin Henrichs - Monaco Emenalo stole him from Bayer Leverkusen on 3rd to last day of window for only £18m, he is only 21 and a multiyear starter
3. Álvaro Odriozola - Real Madrid Another great young (22) RB, we never even enquired, and Real took him for only £27m
4. Sime Vrsaljko A bomber down the sides (see Croatia WC), Inter got him on loan from Atletico Madrid with option to buy for only £21m
5. Nordi Mukiele - RB Leipzig We never even made an offer on this great young (20yo, 21 in November) player, RB stole him for only £14m from Montpellier, really pissed we did even TRY