The Skipper

Interesting that Sterling isn't even worth £20-25m to you. Fair enough, but the 40m would be based on his potential more than anything. A 20 year old Englishman who is one of the best in the league in his position (winger) will always be priced nearer to that.

It really isn't that absurd when the likes of Cuadrado and Willian are going for £30m.

I know plenty of Liverpool fans that think that if it wasn't for his contract, he'd be going for close to Bale money.

11/12 is definitely one of my favourite seasons, the amount of turmoil and glory was incredible. Proper football season that.

£50m might be slightly excessive but I would go for it. His true value is closer to £40m though (considering his potential and HG status). To answer your question earlier as well - yeah, IMO a attacking midfield strata of Hazard - Willian - Sterling is very exciting and would probably be our best if we did sign Raheem.

Sterling tracks back adequately though. So does Hazard.

Hazard and Sterling on both wings would be magnificent.

Madness.

He can't play against us.

Cesc ~> KDB ~> Hazard... What could've been.

Easily better than both IMO.

I mean we paid around £30m for Willian and Cuadrado, if Bale goes for around £50m I'd 100% snap him up.

But buying Messi doesn't automatically mean we don't care about our home grown players and won't be able develop our English/home grown youngsters at all... Might as well say we should stop buying foreign players completely. (Btw, I've followed Bamford's progress quite closely so you don't have to tell me how good he is or isn't or what he's doing for Middlesbrough, I'm fully aware.)

Don't forget the kid is 18, so he's still growing. He looks a lot taller than 1.80.

He can be a bit sloppy sometimes but the underlying technical ability is definitely there. Hes a great dribbler, has a good touch and an eye to produce the right pass and obviously has great technique when it comes to finishing. He's not Ibra level technical but I'd say he's close to someone like Aguero I suppose. He's actually my favourite youth prospect because if he brings everything together he has all the possibilities to be one of the most complete strikers out there. Very exciting talent.

IIRC he's actually taller than Costa and Remy. Plus he's pretty well built already. He's actually the complete striker in the making - doesn't lack anything physically or technically.

The Bamford stuff is bizarre simply because if Messi did come here he would play on the right and not up front, so Messi would not even hamper his progress. If anything, according to your reasoning, we need to sell Costa and Remy because they're the ones truly blocking Bamford's path. Bamford is hardly the future of English football either. He isn't even the most talented young English striker on our ranks.

He really is. I'd go as far as saying he's our quickest defender (lateral speed of course).

Come on now Choo Choo. You know there's no hard feelings right?

He's on 30 goals this season IIRC, another ridiculous campaign by this young man.

That's why many people are so huge on RLC. A big man that's that quick and agile and has such great feet and composure is a rarity. He does have the potential to be a huge, huge player for us, I really hope he makes it. By far the most exciting talent in our academy, alongside Boga and Solanke. Those three have all the talent to make it here IMO.

How do you know I'm rating him based on one season Choulo? And why does it matter that he's 30? Great, so because Jose thinks such everyone else's opinion is void? Interesting that you think so Choulo. Like I said, we get that you don't rate him as many others here do but to use Jose's opinion as the reason why is very weak IMO.

Kolarov and Coentrao? You're having a laugh. Luis would easily start over both. Only two better left backs are Alaba and Lahm when he does play there. You clearly don't rate Luis, that's been made very clear. You don't have to pretend you do.

Well? We've got to work with what we've got atm. JT's positional game is world class. Sure, he won't be as comfortable but his natural ability as a defender should shine through. Plus having a pace merchant like Zouma covering him shouldn't be discounted either.

Early indications (from when Jose put him on against Sporting(?)) seem to illustrate that Jose will play him further forward.