The Skipper

Sorry have I missed something? Few? Are Brazilians bad footballers now? A lot of Brazilians are good enough to play for a top team like ourselves, hence why they do anyway. Real, us, PSG, Barcelona, City all have Brazilians, and they are obviously all top teams.

I disagree with this, because Luiz was showing that consistency in the second half of last season (something a lot of people seem to overlook), and also carried on this form into the Confederations Cup for Brazil. He was just very unfortunate when he came back - injured, no real rest over the summer and no pre season whatsoever... That set him back a bit this season because he was well on his way to really establishing himself as a top CB this season.It's not that he isn't suited to the PL, it really just depends in what system he plays, as with any player. For example, I think he would've been great at Man City, especially next to Kompany, or maybe even Liverpool or Arsenal. He just isn't as useful in the system that Mourinho implemented. But that happens - same way how JT was barely used by Benitez last year and looked pretty much done as a top CB... It doesn't mean that he suddenly lost it all - just that it took a different system to bring out his strengths again and that's why he's been magnificent in general this time around. As I said before, in the right system he'll be invaluable to any team especially if he has a good season. He does obviously have the ability to play for a team in the stature of ours, hence why clubs like Bayern, Barca and PSG were after him.

How...

Kalas won't be HG for us, he hasn't spent 3 years in England.

You're right in saying that there are cheaper options about but the only one in that list that I would get over Shaw is RR and even then he'll cost around £20m himself, but the other options aren't bad - just that I prefer spending a bit more on a player that could secure that position for 10+ years for us. I understand that Shaw is overpriced but that's what happens when you're negotiating with a club that doesn't really need money and obviously have high regards for said player (plus the "English tax") but I think over the long run that it'll be more than worth it. It's a risk but the rewards could potentially be fantastic. Shaw's pros are that he's English - will be homegrown AND club trained if he signs soon - something we do need since the likes of JT and Lampard are leaving very soon, already has PL experience, will link up very well with Hazard, and obviously has the potential to be the best English LB since Cole. The cons are mostly his huge transfer fee. If we can offset some of that by including Bertrand (who doesn't seem to have a future here to begin with) in the deal I think it would be a deal worth doing. We only need to sign two more players (assuming Costa has pretty much signed) and we have a pretty big budget left over so if we can afford to do a deal for Shaw we should go for it.

He always had good games against United. Last year when Mata scored the winner he was impervious at the back, kept RVP in his pocket.

Le Parisian and L'Equipe and BBC have him at £40m so I'm inclined to believe those figures.

£30m is OTT to begin with so...

I laugh at those on here that are sort of ridiculing Luiz's talent. Bayern, Barcelona and PSG (all top teams that were interested in him) are not stupid. The price might be over excessive but an on form Luiz will be a special player for PSG. PSG had to blow the competition away with a huge bid to ensure that they got him over the other teams involved, coupled with the fact that he was pretty highly regarded here and us not truly being a selling club... It's easy to understand why the price for him was this high. The same way Cahill has benefitted and improved due to playing in a system that favours his strengths is the same way Luiz will improve and benefit at PSG. All the best David.

Going to have a big role to play next season IMO.

Hope Jose, Emenalo and co get it right this transfer window because if they do we're set for years... We have a lot of money to spend now - January's left overs. Luiz's transfer, other players like Ba, Mikel etc. being sold... He has a real chance to put his imprint on the squad now.

Pogba would be an immense signing, he's Yaya esque. Him next to Matic would be ridiculous.

Bertrand and £20m please. Sign him up.

Good luck David, will always be underrated by a lot of CFC fans. Hope you go on to fully fulfil your potential at PSG. We have no excuses now though in regards to finding a top CM and LB. Money to burn.

I don't think Kalas is ahead of Zouma... Zouma has played more first team football at a higher level than Kalas. It's more the other way around.

Independent saying it's £50m.

Because Fabregas is responsible for how Arsene Wenger sets up his team and is the only player on the pitch when he did play for Arsenal... His best position is as a DLP/B2B type player similarly to how he played like at Arsenal. That's when he produced his best sort of football. But fair enough, that's your opinion and I can understand that. They're valid arguments but I just personally really like Fabregas as a player and think he'd do very well here next to Matic, main reasons being that I think they compliment each other well and that he'd be a world class signing especially if he recaptures his Arsenal form which I do think he's capable of.

Robben would be an awful signing simply because he's ageing now. Griezmann and Sanchez are not in Hazard's class. Mata and Gotze are predominantly number 10s. Real don't need to sell Di Maria and Hazard is better than him out wide anyway. Selling Hazard and replacing him for any of these would be a downgrade.

Please name these players? And don't say Reus because we all know if Reus didn't have that supposed release clause in his contract he'd be going for well over £50m too.

Yes, the same Fabregas that was probably up there as the best midfielder in the PL alongside players like Lamps when he was at Arsenal. As I've said before, I strongly believe Barcelona aren't using him correctly at all and that the system over there strongly prohibits his performances but still, you obviously just have a very big dislike for him so there's no point in discussing his abilities with you.

I can understand why anyone would say that, but I personally just think Fabregas is a very fine CM and could easily be in the same class as the Toures, Vidals and Iniestas of this world if used properly but then again, I just really rate Fab as a player and I can perfectly understand why others don't.

In the same way, Fabregas is also slightly faster than Schweini - so you could say that counteracts that. Besides - if we need speed in midfield (in the bigger games) we could always just hypothetically field a midfield three of Fabregas, Ramires and Matic, which is a very balanced three. I don't think we'd necessarily need speed in midfield against the sides that sit deep against us - which is where a player in the ilk of Fabregas could become very useful if you get what I mean.

And probably vice versa lol. I'm not saying there isn't bad blood between CFC, Mou and Fabregas, just merely stating that he would fit in here very well based on his abilities as a footballer.

Kroos, Rakitic etc. aren't exactly known for their speed either. I think a Fabregas - Matic midfield would be identical to the Schweinsteiger - Martinez midfield Bayern had in 12/13.

Should go to Everton, would be a hit there IMO.