"World class goalscorer"

OK.

Haterz gonna hate (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Hate what? That you just called a second fiddle player a world class goalscorer? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Hm.

La Liga: 15 in 30

UCL: 3 in 9.

Serie A 14 goals/assists in 32

UCL 4 in 8

Serie A 8 in 29

Spain 7 in 12.

If that's not good enough to be classed as world class, then the standard of world class has gone into space.

But..I am now absolutely bored of this. I'm done discussing this topic with you as it isn't going to go anywhere.

Diego Costa is to be sold by chelsea apparently

Let me rephrase that for you.

For Juventus:
2014/15 - 15 goals in 46 appearances
2015/16 - 12 goals in 47 appearances

For Madrid:
2015/16 - 20 goals in 43 appearances

How is that good enough to label someone world class? The stats with Juventus are pathetic, and scoring 20 goals for Madrid, a machine that's scored 173 goals in the entire season, is hardly an amazing thing to be proud of. It's good, but not great.

Those are not world class stats, simple as.

C'mon man, appearances include Subs. So that's a bit unfair. But yes, if you consider world class to be the stratospheric heights of Ibra, Messi, Ronaldo, Auba etc. then I completely understand.

Regarding Belotti vs Morata - I guess Danny and I just feel Morata is the more technically flexible player and the one who'll suit us better compared to Belotti. That is under the assumption, we play the exact same way we did this season (replacing Kucka with Kessie or our defenders for the new ones etc.) . If so I don't think a penalty box striker is what we lacked this season, but more of a modern forward, especially once we lost Jack.

My theory is that Jack was our only real goalscoring threat once Niang tapered off. Suso was more of a creator type. So once teams doubled up on Suso, we were stuck. Mati Fernandez was injured and the coach wouldn't play Honda.

So all-in-all a penalty box striker was getting no service nor were defenders distracted since he(Bacca) was all they had to focus on in the box giving him no chance to find any space.

I think this sort of explains our slump through some of the winter months.


And I don't see how Belotti can improve on this honestly X-Off. I've not watched Torino. I did watch all his skill comps on YT though, and all of it is when he is in space in the penalty box. Something I don't think he will get unless we change the way we play. - Which of course could happen, in which case I'm happy to have Belotti. I like his personality, I like that he's a young Italian player and was a Milan fan. I just have concerns over tactical fitment.

Basically paying 120% more than the cost for our existing striker to get a 20% improvement is bad business right?

Can we agree on Costa?

We're in talks. I'd take him quicker than you can say 'absolute c*nt'.

Agreed. With the current crop of players we have Belotti would not have a significant impact. By significant I mean, it'd be difficult for him to score more than 20 goals for Milan. The last time we had 20+ a season goalscorers were Ibrahimovic and Shevchenko in the past decade or so. Ibra and Shevchenko were not penalty-box type strikers.

No way. He's absolute c*nt.

We're giving him a **** load of cash too. 5m per year is almost as much as Buffon makes FFS and would put him in the top 5-10 earners among keepers in the world. And he'd be one of our highest earners as well considering he's our lowest earner now

I personally think they've already agreed on a new deal and he'll sign when he's done with NT duty. The trouble was always Raiola and his clauses.


Agreed about Raiola's clauses

The CL clause is that if we don't make CL next season his release clause would be lower than the one he seems intent on slapping on him. Example, if the release clause is set at 100m, if we don't get into the CL that is slashed down to 50m.


Agreed on that front about Raiolo, I think the general consensus on wage has been agreed, it's the clauses Raiolo wants to insert that are causing problems since Fassone doesn't want to agree to a Pogba style clause which really fucked Juve over imo. So As long as we come out on top in this case, I don't care how long it takes them to agree to sign on the dotted line, I personally think that Donna has already agreed to his bit, now it's just technicalities with Raiola


Agreed

Raiola is just trying to get a good deal for himself now that he's secured a mega wage packet for his client


I'm personally confident about this because I know we're offering him a very good deal (more than he deserves at this point in his career imo). No one can really offer him what Milan have, which is a sure 1st team spot, great wages and all the support he needs to continue to improve. So personally, I'm not at all concerned about Donna's renewal as I'm 99.99% sure it's already agreed upon


Cagliari's Luca Crosta is also ours, he looked great when we played against them in the last match day of the season

Still, I think Donna will definitely be staying and signing on this summer. Either way, we still have options.


Agreed about Fassone and Mirabelli. Can't stress enough on how great I think they're doing so far.

I also admire how Mirabelli is seemingly setting up multiple very good targets for the same position so he's never caught flat footed. Morata was a bust, then we move on to the next target on the list.

As for sending players to Toro, I keep reading Niang's and Zapata's names as the ones which could go in the other direction to soften Cairo. Poli is off to Bologna, we're actually making 3m from his sale (another reason why I'm so impressed, Galliani would have probably sent him for free and paid half his wages for a year (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) )

Also, I don't want us to sell Calabria, he should be sent out on loan with Locatelli (preferably to the same team as well)


Belotti is a powerhouse, Morata might be considered a more "complete" forward, but Belotti is no simple penalty box poacher either


We're being linked with Tolisso a lot, he's a great talent imo, but I agree we're missing a creator in midfield even if we get Biglia and Tolisso (long shot, he wants a CL team) who are both very good on the ball imo


Auba is off to PSG and considering his age, reliance on speed, transfer sum and requested wages I think it would have been a much bigger gamble than either Belotti or Morata.

And sure Belotti has a big transfer sum attached to his head, but I think people are forgetting that we'd only be paying him a third of what the other two would demand in wages.

So in the long run, Belotti would be a smaller risk imo.

We definitely won't go for a 2 striker system imo. We might switch around to a 3-5-2 during the season but I personally don't think it will be our go to formation.

I think Montella will either go 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 depending on who we sign for midfield and wings


Looks like this week will be decisive for Conti as well. Great piece of business, probably one of the best FBs/WBs in the league this season


Nah, please no more Bacca. I've had enough of his lazy b!tch @ss attitude. Plus I think it's obvious that he's going to be sold imo

The Real rumours are just that, I don't think they're really after him or any other keeper for that matter


These deadlines are just guesses by the press, we'll know when we'll know, but as I said, I'm pretty sure they've already agreed terms and are just waiting for Donna to finish up with the NT and U-21s


Torino won't hold out for 100m, It's already being reported that they lowered the asking price to 70m + Zapata and Niang. I'm sure we can get them to agree for something a bit lower and those mentioned players. Maybe throw in Kucka as well


Disagree with that sentiment completely. Belotti is nothing like Gila. He might not be as skilful as Morata but he's not a poacher either


Great news all round


Noooo. Can't stand this idiot. And how old is he these days anyway?

For the wages he'd demand and how much Chelsea want for him it wouldn't make any sense. At to that he is an "absolute c*nt" as you put it and I don't want him disgracing this shirt. Not now that we're getting a new start


This thinking would still be flawed even if you put Belotti in the team we had last season. Belotti plays for Toro and he still managed to bang in the goals this season, even without an amazing supporting cast behind him. Now put him in the team we had last season instead of they whiney, lazy Bacca who kept missing sitters. He'd still get you a good number of goals

Now instead of last season's Milan put him in this new Milan. Just look at the FBs we'll most likely have next season. Rodirguez and Conti are both great going forward. Rodriguez being one of the best crossers in the Bundesliga and Conti being a great attacking threat as well. Now add to that a much improved midfield instead of the likes of Kucka and Pasalic and Suso next to him who can rack up a decent amount of assists if he has a good supporting cast.

I personally think Belotti would be a great addition and he'd thrive here, especially considering that playing for Milan would be an absolute honour for him since Milan is the club he's always supported


Btw, sorry for the long posts guys, I've just been catching up and wanted to reply to all the good points being thrown around here

Bologna have reached an agreement with Poli on the basis of a four-year deal. No details about the transfer formula yet. [Gazzetta]

@Squawka Ricardo Rodríguez has registered more assists (24) in the Bundesliga since joining Wolfsburg than any other defender.

@SkySportsNewsHQ BREAKING: AC Milan are in talks with Diego Costa’s agent about a possible deal for the Chelsea striker - Sky sources #SSNHQ

BREAKING: Milan have reached an agreement with Lazio for Keita Balde [Sky].

Keita and his agent are evaluating whether to accept joining Milan or wait for Juventus [Di Marzio].

The potential Biglia-Keita transfer to Milan could potentially be worth €50m+bonuses [Di Marzio].

Il Messaggero reports Lazio president will not allow Keita to leave for Juve, especially after an insulting offer of €12M.

Keita's agent does have an agreement with Juve. [Il Messaggero]

Lotito has told Keita: Sign with Milan, renew with Lazio or sit in the stands for a year. Milan have an agreement for Biglia + Keita at €45M

Lazio met with Keita's agent to inform him they have an agreement with Milan for both Biglia and Keita. Its all in Keita's hands now. [Sky]

The player and the agent are evaluating whether they should wait for Juventus or join Milan now. [Sky]

Keita's agent will meet with Milan management later today. @MilanNewsit

@SkyKaveh Where next for Diego Costa? His agent Jorge Mendes is due to meet AC Milan today. Mendes also represents James Rodriguez

In the coming hours Milan will meet Jorge Mendes for Andre Silva, Diego Costa and James Rodriguez [Di Marzio].

Jorge Mendes could arrive in Milan tomorrow [Sky] --- This is today as it was posted about 14 hours ago

Milan will meet with Andrea Conti's agent tomorrow afternoon in Casa Milan. Inter are also interested [Di Marzio].

Milan are considering PSG midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak [SportItalia].

Marseille are interested in signing Paletta. [SportItalia]

Looks like they're keeping all their options open for the striker position and they'll strike at the first good opportunity they get

This is why I don't buy into the Costa rumours, I think the meeting with Mendes is about James or Andre Silva