The Rumour Commode XXXVII: Mercato Dyspnea

[Storkness]

Was hoping to celebrate a signing with my first beer of the day today.. tried holding off, but noon came around so I couldn’t help myself. Hoping something happens today.

 

[Balo45]

I feel like the Milan-Inter rivalry is getting more... bitter?

Good they can get fucked lmao.

No but really it’s better for the league and us as fans. Fans will always hype up rivalries but a lot of modern ones, in all sports, are a little too friendly sometimes.

I can think of a few ones in recent times that were great to watch, early 2000s arsenal vs United, Mourinho vs Pep el clasico, maybe us vs Juve 2012. Fun stuff to watch. You can really tell the teams just don’t like each other. Theo lives rent free in inters head lmao

 

[Rossonero81]

I fear for the future of my firstborn if we lose CDK to Leeds.

Imagine that Ziyech stays at Chelsea as well. I fear for the whole of R&B if that happens. The meltdown will be enormous.

 

[Qaas]

I feel like the Milan-Inter rivalry is getting more... bitter?

Definitely, and this why we need a strong mercato to put these bitches in their place

Its all about that second star for next season

 

[ROSSONERI7]

I feel like the Milan-Inter rivalry is getting more... bitter?

There won’t even be a rivalry soon. It’ll become Liverpool-Everton.

 

[Rossonero81]

Hamik & Charles. RIP Juve and Inter.

 

[Curupira]

I know you aren't. You make sure to not advocate for anything--it's a hallmark. And a useful strategy for your party's platform.

Yes, different clubs can have different motivations, and I personally believe that all acquisitions should be motivated by wanting to win games, not headlines.

Some club owners just want to sell tickets.

We can laugh at them all they want but they are ultimately making bank (if they have financial power like EPL deal, if they depend on a sugar daddy, obviously it’s a bit more risky).

We have to take the “we are ran better than you” route because we are poor. Our brand is poor, our league is poor. It’s okay to admit that and carry forward with realities. These are hindrances to us achieving greatness but they can be overcame. But let’s not pretend Man U style spending without financial repercussions would not get everyone excited.

It’s like people laugh at the Asian exchange student. They have no taste and just have tons of cash and overpay for shit for clout. Sure you can get those items for cheaper elsewhere, but at least they got what they wanted and it gives them the dopamine rush. And they sure as hell aren’t wishing to be poor and having to work for their tuition while in school. If we are like Liverpool and not where we are right now, then perhaps our “we are ran better than you” scoffs could be taken more seriously. But we are not, and it’s ok to admit that.

So people from the other side is basically saying:

They do what they want, we do what we can. So let’s not laugh at them too early (at least until we achieve something in Europe).Just my take anyways.

 

[yungeddy]

Ziyech will come 100% .. (the slightly better rebic according to kojakscouting)

- Yungfreddy

 

[ROSSONERI7]

Was hoping to celebrate a signing with my first beer of the day today.. tried holding off, but noon came around so I couldn’t help myself. Hoping something happens today.

You can always open up another bottle/can..don’t underestimate yourself like that

 

[Qaas]

Never crossed my mind.

I'm a connoiseur of you.

min skandinaviske bror

 

[brk]

Nope, even if he does drift there sometimes.

View attachment 7147

He plays up front with Lang and they both drift all along the front line. CDK tends to prefer the right side and Lang the left but they alternate.

That transfermarkt positions table isn’t very clear about what actually happens on the pitch.

 

[Storkness]

You can always open up another bottle/can..don’t underestimate yourself like that

Oh trust me.. beers will be flowing the next 12 hours or so

I’d like to say it’s how I handle mercato stress, however.. that would be a lie.

 

[yungeddy]

Lets all go to juventus (i dont even know wich city that trash club is from) and beat everyone thr fuck up

 

[Storkness]

Lets all go to juventus (i dont even know wich city that trash club is from) and beat everyone thr fuck up

Pick me up in about twelve hours

 

[Master Smurf]

I think there's value in being more accommodating and patient with young players.

If Kaka was brought in a la Pato, instead of as an under-the-radar, cheap signing, with the presence of Rui Costa, maybe things would have been different for Kaka?

True but even before Kaka came to Milan he was already hearing he is the next big thing.

As Hitch said he entered a better project also Pato started messing with ownership which really puts his case on a totally different path. He had injuries and then he fell out with the team and didn't have much support.

I agree less pressure is usually better but life isn't fair and the strong ones can use adverse situations to come out better. If this kid has that much potential then what better place - ridiculous number of golden balls to emulate but also chart his own path.

 

[brk]

I feel like the Milan-Inter rivalry is getting more... bitter?

Uwe uwe uwe uwe…..

….Calhanoglu

 

[Hitchens]

Uwe uwe uwe uwe…..

….Calhanoglu

What's this uwe thing?

 

[brk]

Definitely, and this why we need a strong mercato to put these bitches in their place

Its all about that second star for next season

Lol, why?

We’ll just beat them same way we did last year. Why does a mercato ’win’ matter?

 

[Tantalis]

idc who does it but we need atleast one player in the starting 11 who will grow out long hair and wear a thin hair band.

 

[Master Smurf]

I know you aren't. You make sure to not advocate for anything--it's a hallmark. And a useful strategy for your party's platform.

Yes, different clubs can have different motivations, and I personally believe that all acquisitions should be motivated by wanting to win games, not headlines.

Now you are lost down your own rabbit hole

I have very much been on the side of Milan spending much more and going for players like Julian Alvarez and Darwin - I said Di Maria would be a great move if we could get him.

But OK - whatever

 

[Samaldinho]

Some club owners just want to sell tickets.

We can laugh at them all they want but they are ultimately making bank (if they have financial power like EPL deal, if they depend on a sugar daddy, obviously it’s a bit more risky).

We have to take the “we are ran better than you” route because we are poor. Our brand is poor, our league is poor. It’s okay to admit that and carry forward with realities. These are hindrances to us achieving greatness but they can be overcame. But let’s not pretend Man U style spending without financial repercussions would not get everyone excited.

It’s like people laugh at the Asian exchange student. They have no taste and just tons of cash and overpay for shit for clout. Sure you can get those items for cheaper elsewhere, but at least they got what they wanted and it gives them the dopamine rush. And they sure as hell aren’t wishing to be poor and having to work for their tuition while in school. If we are like Liverpool and not where we are right now, then perhaps our “we are ran better than you” scoffs could be taken more seriously. But we are not, and it’s ok to admit that.

So people from the other side is basically saying:

They do what they want, we do what we can. So let’s not laugh too early. Just my take anyways.

I think this is true of Real Madrid. They use that strategy, openly, and unlike most of the teams who have attempted to emulate this model, they've been successful with it. That's because they have been and are a state-backed club. To their credit, they have used this backing to ensure they maximize the money of the casual fan (I'll come back to this).

However, we are not (on the cusp) of losing CDK to Leeds because of money, or because of poverty, but because of strategy. Leeds make around 50% less than we do (based on projections) and there might be a significant gap in TV revenues, but... in overall revenues, we make a lot more than them.

This is where/why I disagree with you. If CDK goes to Leeds, it won't be because of financial power, it will be due to strategy choice. When Elliott first came here, with Leonardo in charge, he spent big money. He wasted all of it. We cannot compete, financially, with Real, Bayern, Juve, Man Utd, etc. If you run things smart, you don't have to, that's the point. We are not in financial competition with Leeds or West Ham, we just choose not to pay what they pay for CDK (reportedly) or Vlasic.

Fans complain about all sorts of things, unless you're winning. Winning cures all. Our revenue is exploding because we're winning, fans aren't wringing their hands saying: "well, shit, if we don't get this CDK deal done... that's humiliating." Casuals is where the money is, and they care very little about statement signings. It gets some people in, for sure. No doubt, but, what gets you the increased revenue, the crazy sponsorships, and all that, so you can go big, is winning.

If we were trying to compete for Camavinga, sure, I'd get what you're saying. We're not though. This isn't about our comparative poverty to Real, because, again, we make more money than Leeds, have more money than Leeds, this is about what we think a player is worth. And quite frankly, I think even when our revenues push 400-500, I don't think we will be deviating from this model very much--much like Liverpool spend comparatively far less than others in their income bracket.

 

[Longbowman]

Kaka was a good player without his speed but that was what made him a match winning player, it was his separating factor

Fernando Torres is in my opinion the player that declined to the maximum when he lost his pace. Kaka' was still pretty good till around 2012. His decline was a lot slower.
Torres once he lost his pace was unrecognisable

 

[omer486]

I don't think that there's a big pot of money that we distribute to each deal, and we take some from here to add to there. I've said this for years now and I still think it's true, we only evaluate deals based on our valuation of each player. Each deal is separate and we don't overpay over what we think the player is worth. If we think Messias is worth more then 4m and we can get him for 4m, then it's a good deal. If we think Ziyech is worth 20m and we can only get him for 25m+, then it's not a good deal and we'll pass. It's not like we can't offer more, we just don't want to.

We should be used to this by now.

I get the idea of not overpaying for players and in most cases it's the right thing to do. But what if in some cases it works out in the medium / long term after overpaying? Milan paid around 38 mil for Inzaghi when he was already 28 years old. That was a huge amount at the time and just two years earlier Milan had bought a much younger Shevchenko for 25 mil. Chelsea bought Drogba for around 39 mil when he was just considered a good striker but not a top striker. At that time 39 mil was a fee paid for top players. Drogba got them the CL!

If a player really fits a club's style of playing he can be worth more to the club then his market value. Top clubs need to have flexible transfer policies. Buy players for the right price but at times exceptions can be made. Note, I'm not saying that Milan should overpay for Ziyech. I'm just talking in general terms. Sometimes it can be worth it to overpay.

 

[brk]

What's this uwe thing?

Theo Hernandez.

 

[ROSSONERI7]

idc who does it but we need atleast one player in the starting 11 who will grow out long hair and wear a thin hair band.

 

[Fabio]

Calling people stupid, mind you you the same bitch who twerks for belotti in 2022 and acts like he participates in those management meetings.

Back in the day not too long ago you had belottis name tatooed on your butt cheeks.

Dont shame others

 

[Hitchens]

Why does a mercato ’win’ matter?

I agree with you fundamentally. Really.

But as I sat in the car today I thought, "brk is right on the money, and ROSSONERI7 as well, on most of the expectation adjustment." However, it dawned on me when I listened to the Romano podcast how very much this now also is a part of the sport. It isn't, but it is. Football is 24/7 now. The actual seasons and results is what matters, and our results is what we live by.

But the mercato has become a sport of its own. Luckily we have Paolo Maldini running it, and he's building smartly for continued growth. PL clubs are showcasing how you're able to be the toast of the town without actually delivering sporting results, but for us? It doesn't matter. We are in good hands. But we shouldn't laugh a the transfer market part of football, it's become a huge part of it and belongs in your best-of-the-forum-poster outlook.

I don't want to win the mercato, but I kinda do. In the meantime I think our windows are awesome, we've taken a hard decision on being smarter than everyone else.

 

[Samaldinho]

Fernando Torres is in my opinion the player that declined to the maximum when he lost his pace. Kaka' was still pretty good till around 2012. His decline was a lot slower.
Torres once he lost his pace was unrecognisable

I dunno what happened to Torres. His fall at Chelsea was... insane.

 

[Hitchens]

Was hoping to celebrate a signing with my first beer of the day today.. tried holding off, but noon came around so I couldn’t help myself. Hoping something happens today.

Salut!

 

[papaberlu]

Redeeming Messias and extending Giroud

it should be signing Ziyech and renewing Leao