Pizy

We need a tall, powerful, commanding CB who can dominate in the air and has a no-nonsense approach to defending. Someone who doesn't make silly mistakes. I put Ake in the same category as AC & Tomori. Short for a CB, good on the ball, good mobility. But they aren't the Terry/VVD/Ferdinand on-pitch General we need. Ake is the type of CB you buy when you have that sort of CB next to him. Clearly if we wanted him back we could've done so. Which tells you Frank is looking for a CB like the ones I mentioned instead.

I think we can do better than Ake. If you've already got a great partner for him than he's a good signing. We need someone who's better than what we already have not on the same level. I don't think Ake is an upgrade. Perfect Pep CB, though.

I wonder which transfer saga will take longer, Havertz or Sancho...

I just think back to us with Hazard. From everything I've seen and read Havertz seems like a quiet, shy, and reserved dude. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who will pull a Diego Costa or Courtois and refuse to turn up and train or kick up a massive fuss. Like Eden, I think if Bayer says they will not sell him this summer he'd just get his head down and play the next season knowing he'll move next summer. He's not nearing 30 with one last big move before he starts to wane. There's no real pressure for him to have to move now.

The unhappy player thing is always overblown I think. Especially with a player so young and especially when he'll only have a year on his contract if he is made to stay. Bayer forcing him to stay just fucks them. They will get nowhere near what we can offer now and they'd probably be watching their crown jewel moving to Bayern where he'd haunt them for a decade or more.

Falk now saying the same thing. Bayer are telling him to play EL (as you would expect them to). Again, if you're Havertz why do you play? Tell the club you want to go and come to an agreeable fee. I've got so invested in this saga now that I'll be seriously let down if it doesn't happen. Looks like it'll drag on for a few more weeks at least.

We pulling an Arsenal here offering amounts we know they won't accept?

Pretty familiar pattern emerging. Every couple of days we get a news dump suggesting everything is close. Then we get news saying not so fast and it isn't that close. If he's as keen to come here as many journalists have reported I don't know why he is agreeing to play in the EL. He should be telling Bayer that he wants everything sorted ASAP and leave like Werner did.

If we can only afford one between Chilwell and Rice this summer I think Rice would be more useful. The other LB options we're linked with cost a third of Chilwell and may even be better than he is currently.

There's a reason he is sought after by literally every big club in Europe. If COVID never happened Real Madrid, Liverpool, United, everyone would be gunning hard for him. He just turned 21 years old and is already one of the best players in Germany.

Yeah, pretty weird how there was an explosion of news making it sound like it was only a matter of time and now not a single peep for 2 days. If personal terms have been agreed for weeks now I wonder what the big hold up is.

Keep in mind that he has been playing in a solid team with decent teammates. Nothing like the talent he'd be playing with here. So I can imagine him being even more effective with the likes of Werner, Ziyech, Pulisic etc.

Telles for me.

Ideally, yes. But how are we going to afford all this? Both Chilwell and Rice will cost Maguire money. Havertz is between 70-80m. Who knows how much a keeper is going to cost if it isn't Onana. Unless we have a big time sale or multiple big sales I can't see it.

I don't think we're going to bring in a LB at this point. Not if we spend big on Havertz and a keeper. If we do it won't be Chilwell. Maybe a cheap option like Gosens. If you listen to the rumors Chelsea is basically buying an entirely new first XI! Havertz, new keeper, and maybe a CB. The likes of Rice and Chilwell will surely have to wait until next summer.

Yesterday was hot days, today it's crickets. Im like an addict who needs his Havertz update fix! 😬

AC is a complete lightweight who gets bullied way too frequently. Ginter looks much more sturdy and assertive.

I think Ginter would be a very smart buy. Just the type of CB that we need. Calm, steady, commanding, good with the ball, good in the air. He would cost a fraction of what these big name CB's are going for and is at the perfect age. Would also be pretty cool to have a bunch of German players who are all very familiar with one another.

Great for a few seasons in a brilliant City team. Then as soon as he left his career was basically over. Haven't heard from him since, really.

I just wonder if Henderson is actually the real deal or if he's just made to look good due to Chris Wilder's defensive setup in front of him. Pickford and Joe Hart were the last English keepers to get hyped to hell and back and they both turned out to be shit. Wonder if Henderson will fare better.

Does he? Is he out of contract soon? Because otherwise, why would Man United strengthen us?

That's the issue. Rice is seen as their next captain and talisman. He will cost a kings ransom. Even if he is desperate to leave and hands in a transfer request West Ham have no reason to sell since he's got years left on his deal. Very, very hard to see it happening but I hope we try.

Athletic, Telegraph, Guardian, Sky in Germany etc. All the solid outlets all saying things are at a pretty advanced stage. Surely only a matter of time now.

I.....actually don't mind it. We will have a squad that rivals City's in terms of outstanding depth. Being able to completely rotate the attack and still having Willian, Giroud, CHO, RLC, and Barkley to bring in would be insane. Though surely 1 midfielder will have to be sold.

If or when we secure Havertz with the help of Agents Werner & Rüdiger, we need Agent Mount to start the campaign to tap up Declan Rice. They interact on Twitter and Insta all the time so you know they're in constant contact as best mates. Havertz, Rice, plus a new keeper and I think we're title contenders even without addressing LB and CB this summer. We can perhaps wait and asses options in January for those two positions.