And we'd overpay. In my book a fair talent, but that's about it. Wouldn't go after him for that kind of money.

Hmm. Apparently Miha is the one that wants him...

We're also being linked with Jovetic and Salah, both imo would be better options especially after what you just said about him

Jovetic, on talent alone would be the obvious choice but his injury issues are a huge negative.

@ x-off, having watched some youtube vids, I still see him as a more defensively inclined player rather than an attacking one, some of his tackles/interceptions are top class and completely what I'd expect of a DM. But like I said, he has a better range of passing and isn't afraid to make a driving run unlike De Jong, which is why he can play the position you're saying, but still for a regular run of the mill Serie A game, I think he'd be enough as the DM in the formation

Frigging hell, Inter seem very serious about Kondogbia as well. They just met with Monaco's management and now they're meeting the player's agents. Bugger off, you nerazzurri scum!

Havn't been on in a while but all this nay-saying has summoned me back. There's a lot of Ligue 1 games played here in MTL (common language and so on..) and i can state unblinkingly that Kondogbia is absolutely sensational and the only players we got close his level are Diego Lopez and Mini Mastour (with one being much too young and the other being much too old). He's closer to a Vidal than a Pogba. All you guys (and girls?) snickering about whether we need him or not have only to look at the other names linked to us to see he is head and shoulders more WC than any other player giving us the light of day. He is absolutely compatible with NDJ and basically gives us a tremendous ball-winner and a large, abled-body for runs into the box.

Oh, so MTL means Montreal. For some reason that never crossed my mind. /offtopic

Looking like we're about to lose out on Kondogbia, can't believe that we could lose him to Inter, a team who's not even in the CL and are almost as sh!tty as us

what did you think it meant? hehe

Not yet. But anyway, who knows what the decisive factor can/could be.

I'd add Montolivo to the bunch as well. I think he adds up to nothing and also isn't the kind of player you put in from the bench to change something. He's completely useless and unless we don't sign a proper creator, he should really be sold. I'd also think about what to do with Zapata and Gabriel. But yes, a lot of work to do.

Yes, yes, and yes! I expected him to put in a lot more effort than Aquilani, and instead, he only showed up for half a dozen matches up until now. The rest of them he just strolls around in the midfield, doing nothing in particular, showing nothing in particular. But I'm afraid, they'd keep him.

Hopefully not as a starter, if we get some quality reinforcements.

I don't think we should play this game. I really doubt Kondogbia is that good, even if you guys are convinced.

Oh, he is good, extremely good. But yeah, at these prices he and Monaco can f*ck off.

It's reportedly done, and at the figures being quoted, I'm not that sorry. 35m + 4m with bonuses in wages? Total rip off. We could get someone of real top class quality for that same amount with slightly higher wages.

And if he's willing to choose Inter over Milan that says it all.

Still losing out to them is the epitome of a sad sad situation for us


Agreed on Monto, I've always said that he's good enough for this Milan we currently find ourselves supporting nowadays, but if our ambitions are higher than fighting for 3rd, then no, Monto has no place in the team, but sadly, they view him as the captain and someone who'll be an automatic starter, which is bad for us as that means one less player that could be brought in for the starting 11

Let's be realistic here, Kondogbia looks like he can be good, but for that kind of money, I'd add another 10m and try to go for Verratti or go all out for Gundogan/Alcantara

Looks like Kondogbia to Inter is a done deal.

it really really hurts

ehhh, really can't blame Galliani this time around. He's clearly been active, and trying out all the possibilities..but luck just hasn't been on our side. :/

Hopefully, he keeps looking. And, doesn't regress to mediocre signings.

Well, at least he didn't go to Juventus. I'd actually look at Dnipro, they have some talent in their midfield, which we probably can sign without much trouble. But man, if Inter make a couple more good signings, with their coach, they can easily end up second, or even with the league this season.

It does.

Meh, Im happy to be honest. 40m for him is crazy. I think we should go after Gundogan (shouldnt be that expensive since he has only 6 months left on in contract). If we really want to revenge to Inter, just bid 40m for Isco he is worth that. Also Xhaka would be nice to have in the midfield.

*36 million

Yes, it's a lot. But I really wanted him, and the fact he's going to Inter instead makes it even worse.

https://scontent-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...amp;oe=562F9680

Jackson Martinez agent no longer answering Galliani's phone calls! Galliani to go for Sevilla's Bacca. 30 million buy clause. [Mediaset]

Should have got rid of Galliani too, these new shareholders. He just has too much baggage in the football world, what with all his shady transfer deals in the past. Maybe he is having trouble convincing others to join? Anyway, I'd look at some other strikers, beyond Bacca.

Seriously, the f*ck is going on? We're going from Ancelotti+Ibra+Jackson+Kondogbia to no-one at all. What a travesty!

I think having been crap for quite a while and finishing 10th last season is what's really making a difference here. Players nowadays don't give a crap about club appeal. They just care about money and competitiveness.

Oh I'm not doubting that. It's without doubt the biggest reason, but man, Inter aren't that much better than us in terms of performance last season. The only thing they've got going is a good solid coach, and a squad that is more well rounded than us when it comes to big names.

But brand appeal and history, we've got it miles better than Inter. We've also got the Galliani baggage, and something tells me with a new face doing these transactions, we'd probably be in with a much better chance. I mean, we offered both Monaco and Porto what they wanted, along with healthy wage offers to both players.

I'm still hopeful, but this could be a long summer. As you said, what a travesty!

Point being Inter ended up 8th, just 3 points ahead of us. And they've signed a true talent in Miranda and a potential one in Kondogbia without blinking an eye. Plus they've got a great goalkeeper, and a better midfield than us. Factor in their coach, and they could be in for a ride this season.

While we're having trouble attracting real talent, even with (apparent) funding at hand.

I think you guys simply enjoy blaming everything on Galliani. Yes, he's fucked up multiple times in the past, and he's one of the reasons we are where we are today, but you can't blame him for being active on the market. He's traveled to Madrid, Porto and Monaco multiple times these past weeks. It's not his fault if Carlo wanted to take a break. It's not his fault if Jackson changes his mind despite having an agreement with us, and it's not his fault if Inter offer more money to both Monaco and Kondogbia. Because that seems to be the case.

Agreed.

But we can blame him if we have 150m and dont spend them wisely, or if we dont spend them at all.

Problem is that we're trying to conduct business with a man who's a fossil in today's football. He simply isn't good enough anymore. He might have still been considered a transfer guru a decade ago, but these days Galliani is a clown

Sure it can be attributed to the fact that Milan's lustre has been diminished these past few years (who's fault is that anyway?) but the fact is that we lost out on Kondogbia to a team that's pretty much in the same situation we're in.

We've been a day away from signing Kondogbia for nearly 2 weeks now, but didn't do anything, Inter swoop in and within 2 days they have the club's okay and the player's approval. The saying "Either sh!t or get off the pot" couldn't be anymore better placed than in this case.

Also, the Italian media is saying that Mancini had a huge role in convincing Kondogbia as he called him after Galliani had his meeting with him. We have Mihajlovic, while Inter have a high profile coach who's actually won titles before

His past shenanigans? Yeah, he's, from where I see it, is the only reason why we are where we are today. Berlusconi stopped the inflow of cash, but whatever resources Galliani had, he mismanaged them like no one else could. Galliani is old enough to know better, yet stupid enough to do it anyway. Again and again.

But that's up until this last season. Now with money in his pocket, if he can't make the best possible moves, we're going to waste another year or two. And I'm not talking about his mismanagement of resources here, but how he conducts his deals. Playing Aquilani for 24.5 matches, not having 700,000 to make the Rami deal happen.

It's things like these that may be stopping players from making their decisions. We're looking at the proceedings as fans, but players, their agents, and clubs they know the inside dealings. And I'm not sure Galliani has an iota of credibility left to convince players enough to sign on the dotted line.

The Carlo deal was just smokescreen from the coach, he'd never have come anyway. But when you have funds and you start your play by signing another nobody as coach, then that will again put doubts into the minds of the players. They'll have doubts about the project, unlike Inter who seem to be making all the right moves.

Problem with Galliani is, as I've said before, that he's still stuck in the 80s and 90s. And he has made the same mistakes two or three times. As the executive power at the club, he's got little credibility left in world football. My fear is that this may (or may not) come to bit us this season now that we seem to have the funds.

If they handed out certificates for liers, Galliani would be the first recipient.


Oh that will happen, I'm sure. Only thing that would surprise me is if Galliani goes in and conducts a perfect market campaign in these next two months, and then back it up with a couple of needed signings in the winter. With no Europe, and a 150m or 200m transfer kitty, a Serie A title ought to be the agenda for the season.

But as I said, that would be a surprise, because the last time Galliani tried his hands at such a thing, he undid all his good work of nabbing Ibra by signing losers like Robinho and friends left and right. Spending whatever amount we have wisely is the key here, and I'd be much more comfortable had we a sensible person writing the checks.

Still the funny thing about the future is that it hasn't happened yet. So maybe we'll do well enough in this summer transfer season. The appointment of a loser coach, though, despite his credible run this season, does not inspire much confidence. Not when other good choices where there to lead this project.

Yes, yes, yes, and yes! All four points that I've made above, and again, all the jokers that we signed as coaches these past few years are down to one person only. The one who is put in charge of (what could possibly be) the most high profile transfer campaign of this season in world football.

Still, there's the overpaying part that Fillipo drove home yesterday. So as long as we sign the necessary quality players in the midfield this window, the Kondogbia miss might not hurt as much. Again, I'll only judge the man for this season after the transfer window closes, and we have made all our moves.

Yeah, I said that too about Kondogbia.

35m for a player who's not even at the top of his game for me is too much. And same can be said for Martinez if we even manage to conclude that deal

I'd personally prefer to sink that 70m into 2 top class CMs. Gundogan/Alcantara

Cabaye could be available as well and I personally rate him highly

And 1 all action box-to-box who can do it all.

Now they're saying Jackson to Atletico is almost a done deal as well.

Un-fucking-believable! We've become a joke. Everyone is laughing at us. I feel so, so embarrassed.

The window has yet to open and there are an abundance of options on the market. There could be an unnamed player we are after that has not hit the media yet.

We have lots of time. Even the bee deal is yet to happen (sometime before the market opens).

This transfer window is turning into a bigger travesty than any of the ones preceding it in the last 5 years or so. This is more embarrassing than the Mr. X saga, than Cissokho and Suazo, than begging Real to give us Kaka and Chelsea to give us Torres for free. More embarrassing than having the Sao Paolo president saying that we'll pay with bananas.

Just absolutely ridiculous that it's barely the end of June and we've already reached new heights of embarrassment. And what makes it worse is that we were all hopeful, even me who was sceptical, I still was partly hopeful that this would be a summer of change, it would have been better to stay as we were, grovelling to clubs for their wastoids and scouring the bosman market. At least then things would have been the norm and expected. Rather than making a spectacle of our selves and then having pie thrown in our face

All I have to say is that Galliani better have a plan B up his sleeve, and he better throw that money he was willing to shell out for those 2 players on top talent. And not waste it on the wrong players (striker). Get us a top CB, 2 quality midfielders or else there is no recovering for him after this summer

What's really pissing me off is that we had agreements with both Jackson and Kondogbia, yet for some reason ($$$) they both changed their minds afterwards. What a bunch of fuckers!

The problem is that Galliani didn't close the deals and put both players on lock as soon as he had the okays.

Jackson has been supposedly done for over 2 weeks now, yet nothing happened. It was clear that he didn't want to come but was keeping us as a back up while he baited other clubs to come get him before he had to sign on the dotted line

Kondogbia turned into a fiasco, he should have gone for him 2 weeks ago after coming back from Portugal and he should have closed it out as well knowing that Monaco were willing to sell

Waiting things out only allowed Inter to step in and hence the bidding war ensued. And sorry, but he's not worth the money Inter will be paying for him. He was already valued too highly at 35m with 3.5m wages when he's not even a top class player.

Point is, had Galliani closed both deals out as soon as he could we would have locked both players down, especially Kondogbia before his price could escalate to a point where it was not worth it anymore

You are right. There was no point in waiting around. Inter signed Kondogbia in less than 24 hours, whereas Galliani had to travel to Montecarlo 2-3 times and in the end he signed jackshit. If anything, Monaco and Kondogbia used us as a trampoline to boost prices.

Same with Jackson. We reached an agreement, but we didn't have the player sign before he underwent the medical. And bam, now Atletico got him. We're too reluctant and conservative in our actions. These days you gotta move in quick and act quick, otherwise other clubs will sniff around and snatch your pray before you know it.

I hope Galliani has some equally good objective in mind now. Don't wanna end up with Bacca and frigging Bertolacci instead.

Galliani: "If we save €40m from Kondogbia and €35m from Jackson, then we'll have €75m to spend wisely in the rest of the transfer window."

I dont know if I should be crying or laughing. What a mentality.

Yep, Galliani still thinks this is the 80s.

It's not how things work anymore, he wastes too much time trying to swindle clubs and agents.

You want someone, you go in hard for him. You find out what the player and club wants and give it to them because there are other clubs who are not only willing to match that, but go above it.

For me to believe that there's a clear plan Galliani has to abandon this striker BS. Imo that should be last priority., Fix the disaster we call a midfield and bring in a good CB.

We apparently have money but it seems like we do not want to spend it

He better use it wisely!!

No Serie A fodder, no free agents, no last minute hail Mary's for club rejects.

With that money I'd take Verratti and Ibra. And they'd both be better choices than Jackson and Kondogbia

I doubt PSG want to sell Verratti. I'd rather go for Witsel or Gündogan.

Mediaset says now we're interested in Cavani, with Dzeko being the alternative.

I like Cavani more than Martinez.

They won't sell Cavani either

And really?? Again with the f@cking strikers when that's the least of our worries!

Dzeko is doable and much more cheaper than Martinez.

Still it's the same problem of having a finisher without supply

I'd take Gudogan and Witsel over Kondogbia any day of the week, I just have a soft spot for Verratti.

Least of our worries? You do realize that with Destro back to Roma and Pazzini leaving we basically have no strikers, right? What's the point in having a quality midfield if you don't have the capacity to finalize the supply?

We need to make signings in every area, and that includes attack.

Mediaset now saying we're interested in Witsel, with Gündogan as the alternative.