[Albion] Marc Cucurella *Signed For Chelsea 05/08/2022*

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I heard an interesting podcast recently with the guy who is something like the Head of Football at Southampton.

He was explaining how they have to strike the balance between getting the best possible price for their players but also not to be seen as a club who make it difficult for players to move on to better things by holding out for ridiculous sums.

The reason this is so key is that the young talent would never join them in the first place if Soton were seen as a club who make it difficult to move onto that next step.

I have no doubt we play it similarly. We must approach people like Biss, Trossard, Cucurella with the idea of "look, come to us, we play good football, you will get noticed and if a sensilble offer comes in you can go with our best wishes".

With that in mind, although he is OUR asset, and we obviously won't let him go for peanuts, there is no way in my opinion that we are going to make do a Daniel Levy and say "It's 80m or no deal".

Agree that clubs like Spurs, Palace don't always help themselves. Agree also that a sale after one season to Man City to play under Pep and likely to go to a world cup would form part of the prospectus for the next generation of signings.

We've got to look at replaceability as well though. It took us a very long time to find a quality left back

 

[GT49er]

Just as an aside, reading this thread it seems that everyone is of the opinion that Tony Bloom is our chief negotiator in all of these deals? I reckon he gives sign off but surely all the negotiating is done between chief execs? I cannot imagine the Sheik picking up the phone to Tony and kicking off a tight poker game to see who blinks first.

It'll be Barber vs Begiristain. Winner takes all.

I suspect TB is rather more hands-on than the Sheikh. Probably not at the negotiations, no, but I'm sure he'll have given PB a brief, or some guidelines at least. And I doubt if any deal of any size is signed off without TB's approval.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Promise him he can move there next year and sort the deal now. Needs to be big though! Can’t see it being huge enough to tempt TB this summer.

 

[JBizzle]

I suspect TB is rather more hands-on than the Sheikh. Probably not at the negotiations, no, but I'm sure he'll have given PB a brief, or some guidelines at least. And I doubt if any deal of any size is signed off without TB's approval.

Oh 100%. My point is that I don't see Tony actively negotiating. There seems to be a perception that other clubs "don't know who they're dealing with" accompanied by the picture of Bloom playing poker. I just think it's more realistic that Barber is the front man for the negotiations. He works hand in glove with Bloom and it's widely known that it's a symbiotic relationship, but you're right, I'd be shocked if Bloom didn't sign it off at the close

 

[The Optimist]

There seems to be a perception that other clubs "don't know who they're dealing with" accompanied by the picture of Bloom playing poker.

And the other half of this image is that the billionaire owners of the club we are dealing with are not shrewd individuals used to negotiating, but fools who won’t know how to deal with someone as clever as Tony Bloom.

 

[The Wookiee]

If he does go then we should go and buy Maxwel Cornet - can play in a number of positions

 

[Clive Walker]

And the other half of this image is that the billionaire owners of the club we are dealing with are not shrewd individuals used to negotiating, but fools who won’t know how to deal with someone as clever as Tony Bloom.

im willing to put my neck out on the line here and say owners such as the sheikh are shrewd enough to take on bloom but guess they have even shrewder people to do it for them. if they want him they will get him but might cost more than they first wanted to part money with.

Bloom is a successful businessman but we do put him up on a pedestal without really knowing the facts. Being a good card shark doesn't automatically mean he wins at every transfer dealing.

 

[Stat Brother]

Just as an aside, reading this thread it seems that everyone is of the opinion that Tony Bloom is our chief negotiator in all of these deals? I reckon he gives sign off but surely all the negotiating is done between chief execs? I cannot imagine the Sheik picking up the phone to Tony and kicking off a tight poker game to see who blinks first.

It'll be Barber vs Begiristain. Winner takes all.

Or to put it another, more succinct way:-

All good news = Mr Bloom.
All bad news = Barber-out.

 

[Icy Gull]

If he does go then we should go and buy Maxwel Cornet - can play in a number of positions

Didn’t Burnley track Cucurella and sign Cornet when it became clear that he was going to sign for us? Or did I just make that up

No it seems I didn’t

https://onefootball.com/en/news/bur...lbion-in-race-to-sign-marc-cucurella-33550933

 

[Pavilionaire]

I'm surprised that Cornet's £17.5 million release clause hasn't yet been met. I think he would be perfect for the Albion, either as LWB or competition as LW / striker.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I'm surprised that Cornet's £17.5 million release clause hasn't yet been met. I think he would be perfect for the Albion, either as LWB or competition as LW / striker.

I suppose it's that he probably wouldn't make a very good LWB. He would be good in the attacking line, but we've now put our eggs in other baskets

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Or to put it another, more succinct way:-

All good news = Mr Bloom.
All bad news = Barber-out.

Ah, but he's paid handsomely to take the flak

 

[dwayne]

Interesting

I wondered why there was all this stuff on twitter about cuccu and racism

https://twitter.com/InfiniteMadrid/status/1213520276014669824?s=20&t=8H48FXedlUx2B0ynQE1Ivw



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[Live by the sea]

Ah, but he's paid handsomely to take the flak

He is approx £2.5 M .

 

[saafend_seagull]

Interesting

I wondered why there was all this stuff on twitter about cuccu and racism

https://twitter.com/InfiniteMadrid/status/1213520276014669824?s=20&t=8H48FXedlUx2B0ynQE1Ivw



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Had reputation of a total head case in Spain


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[The Wizard]

Interesting

I wondered why there was all this stuff on twitter about cuccu and racism

https://twitter.com/InfiniteMadrid/status/1213520276014669824?s=20&t=8H48FXedlUx2B0ynQE1Ivw



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Pretty sure it was proven he didn’t say that afterwards, but as per usual mud sticks, even if it’s a lie.

 

[chaileyjem]

Marc Cucurella *SINGS on a five-year contract*

Interesting

I wondered why there was all this stuff on twitter about Cucurella …

Not long enough to Google (took me 10 seconds ) abd find this complete and utter denial

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...er-militao-real-madrid-denies-racist-language

 

[Swansman]

Pretty sure it was proven he didn’t say that afterwards, but as per usual mud sticks, even if it’s a lie.

Proven and proven... no one except Cucurella will ever be certain if he said "callate, puto mico" or "cierra el puto pico".

 

[dwayne]

Not long enough to Google (took me 10 seconds ) abd find this complete and utter denial

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...er-militao-real-madrid-denies-racist-language

I doubt he was ever gonna admit it !!

But innocent until proven guilty obviously.

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[jcdenton08]

As far as defences go (in the legal sense) it's a bloody good one, isn't it?