TFC 2018-2019 player off season moves/speculation/rumours

[ensco]

I have seen enough of Lucho Acosta to be utterly mystified by that PSG story. When a PSG buy a 24 year old, that player is a world class star player.

Acosta is a nice MLS player but I have no idea why anyone would think he has an elite European skill set (I contrast him to Davies, where it was very obvious even to a casual observer that Phonso has special elements in his game)

[portu]

Kind of narrows it down.

Manning says if you know soccer you'll know the player. KJ says very good league in his prime attacking player. KJ also says shining in his league. We've also heard he'll be on the younger side.

So let's say 24-27 years old winger/attacking mid, playing in France, Italy, England, Portugal, Germany (maybe Turkey, Russia, Belgium, Netherlands squeeze in). The player is also playing regularly and playing well. On top of that he has a little bit of name recognition.

[Hamilton_Red]

Kind of narrows it down.

Manning says if you know soccer you'll know the player. KJ says very good league in his prime attacking player. KJ also says shining in his league. We've also heard he'll be on the younger side.

So let's say 24-27 years old winger/attacking mid, playing in France, Italy, England, Portugal, Germany (maybe Turkey, Russia, Belgium, Netherlands squeeze in). The player is also playing regularly and playing well. On top of that he has a little bit of name recognition.

Based on that description - maybe Belfast Boy was right and it is Alfredo Morales. Top scorer in the Scottish League, he is 22, Gerrard MLS connection, will have problems getting a work visa in EPL and EU (Columbian), Rangers have signed striker Defoe..and are paying him a shitload of money.

[ensco]

Kind of narrows it down.

Manning says if you know soccer you'll know the player. KJ says very good league in his prime attacking player. KJ also says shining in his league. We've also heard he'll be on the younger side.

So let's say 24-27 years old winger/attacking mid, playing in France, Italy, England, Portugal, Germany (maybe Turkey, Russia, Belgium, Netherlands squeeze in). The player is also playing regularly and playing well. On top of that he has a little bit of name recognition.

That would cost a fortune. A Romanian player just cost NYCFC $11M total commitment (and they could sell a Man City angle to the player)

Prediction. They'll tell us it fell through.

[Derko]

Kind of narrows it down.

Manning says if you know soccer you'll know the player. KJ says very good league in his prime attacking player. KJ also says shining in his league. We've also heard he'll be on the younger side.

So let's say 24-27 years old winger/attacking mid, playing in France, Italy, England, Portugal, Germany (maybe Turkey, Russia, Belgium, Netherlands squeeze in). The player is also playing regularly and playing well. On top of that he has a little bit of name recognition.

I am hoping that the player or players that are brought in actually have the same or more of an impact than Giovinco, not to discount or trivialize anything that Giovinco has done for TFC on the pitch and off of the pitch, Isn't that what team evolution is supposed to be all about, but perhaps I am forever the optimist

[portu]

He didn’t actually do it, Ballard just wanted him to... but you win the internet tonight for this one!

Based on that description - maybe Belfast Boy was right and it is Alfredo Morales. Top scorer in the Scottish League, he is 22, Gerrard MLS connection, will have problems getting a work visa in EPL and EU (Columbian), Rangers have signed striker Defoe..and are paying him a shitload of money.

Yeah but he absolutely fails the character test.

[portu]

Maybe Brahimi? But no doubt we'd be outbid for his contract by an EPL side

[Canary10]

That would cost a fortune. A Romanian player just cost NYCFC $11M total commitment (and they could sell a Man City angle to the player)

Prediction. They'll tell us it fell through.

Yeah that’s basically what I was saying earlier.

Which I actually think might be better. I’d rather they not rush it and get someone decent.

[Areathrasher]

Kind of narrows it down.

Manning says if you know soccer you'll know the player. KJ says very good league in his prime attacking player. KJ also says shining in his league. We've also heard he'll be on the younger side.

So let's say 24-27 years old winger/attacking mid, playing in France, Italy, England, Portugal, Germany (maybe Turkey, Russia, Belgium, Netherlands squeeze in). The player is also playing regularly and playing well. On top of that he has a little bit of name recognition.

I'd say it's far more likely to be from one of the countries in the brackets that the others.

Who was that Romanian (or was it Croatian?)winger TFC were linked with last off season?

And it's funny, the Romanian lad NYCFC signed looks like a perfect replacement for Seba...Similar build and style of play.

[69Chevy396]

I'd say it's far more likely to be from one of the countries in the brackets that the others.

Who was that Romanian (or was it Croatian?)winger TFC were linked with last off season?

And it's funny, the Romanian lad NYCFC signed looks like a perfect replacement for Seba...Similar build and style of play.

Few have mentioned this, and, despite his reduced production last year, who amongst these available designated players, can deliver a free kick like Seba can? Finding a 25 year old who can curve a knuckleball over the wall, ain’t gonna be easy.

In 2017, and CCL, this was an important part of TFCs success. Who are we going to give that ball to now? Delgado? Bradley? Osorio? The uber player they are telling us they are bringing here, better have some skill in this area.

[portu]

God I just want mister calcio back. Rumours are too dry.

Kloke is doing Athletic live Q&A on Thursday. Surely it'd have more pull and interest now or earlier. Maybe he's banking on announcement soon that'll pick up interest again.

[RealG-TFC]

Someone mentioned Wahbi Khazri at St. Étienne, he certainly scores bangers but he's on the older side.

[portu]

Someone mentioned Wahbi Khazri at St. Étienne, he certainly scores bangers but he's on the older side.

Yeah me. He's only 28. But recently signed so doubt he's leaving especially considering their form as of late.

[Canary10]

I was watching the Giovinco highlight reels last night. He scored some insane goals. We’re just not getting a guy like that. It’s four years later, the market has continued to go up, not down, and we have less money to spend. He was probably once in a lifetime. We need to adjust expectations quite a bit.

[dreaddogs]

Balotelli is the guy.. his contract and loan ends in 6 months.. no transfer fee... He will let us forget about Giovinco....

[Oldtimer]

He should have showed his response after watching that whole match.

I finally saw the "highlights."

Basics like defensive positioning almost completely missing. This ain't even USL, this is more like house league. There's no way Giovinco can take this seriously, it's all about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. (Of course if someone had paid me $11.5m per year to play in house league at that age, I probably would have considered it, lol).

[Oldtimer]

Balotelli is the guy.. his contract and loan ends in 6 months.. no transfer fee... He will let us forget about Giovinco....

It would be awesome, for the short term, but I think that TFC will get a long-term prospect.

[69Chevy396]

I finally saw the "highlights."

Basics like defensive positioning almost completely missing. This ain't even USL, this is more like house league. There's no way Giovinco can take this seriously, it's all about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. (Of course if someone had paid me $11.5m per year to play in house league at his age, I probably would have considered it, lol).

1. No income tax in Saudi Arabia. This was all about money. Seba wanted more. MLSE didn’t want to pay it. Who loses in this transaction?

2. Seba was willing to sit on a bench in Turin, playing in Serie A. He was lured to MLS, by MLSE, because he wanted more money. MLSE was willing to pay him. Despite MLS being compared to a house league by most observers tbroughout Italy.

[69Chevy396]

It would be awesome, for the short term, but I think that TFC will get a long-term prospect.

So, we all want VDW to leave in part, because he is a pain in the ass, self serving, schmuck. Do you know of another player with those same inglorious attributes?

[stegosaurus]

Balotelli is the guy.. his contract and loan ends in 6 months.. no transfer fee... He will let us forget about Giovinco....

I’d love this, but have trouble visualizing it.

Agent: Look, Mario, a club in Toronto, the same one Seba Giovinco was playing at, is interested in you.

Mario (internally): A club in Torino? Giovinco? Bring me home to Italy!

[Mario steps off plane at Pearson, bracing himself against the gale force polar vortex winds.]

Mario: Why always me?

[stegosaurus]

So, we all want VDW to leave in part, because he is a pain in the ass, self serving, schmuck. Do you know of another player with those same inglorious attributes?

Felipe?

[Canary10]

Felipe?

Ha ha! Nice!

[Ultra & Proud]

I finally saw the "highlights."

Basics like defensive positioning almost completely missing. This ain't even USL, this is more like house league. There's no way Giovinco can take this seriously, it's all about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. (Of course if someone had paid me $11.5m per year to play in house league at that age, I probably would have considered it, lol).

It will be a walk in the park for him minus getting chopped a lot. Guys just hammer their feet in like Sunday League and from what I've seen the refs call about 1/3 of the things that I saw as fouls. And at least half the fouls are pretty bad but no diving really. Until now.

[RealG-TFC]

The only thing I can think of that might be worthwhile at Al-Hilal is AFC Champions League. Other than that I can see him getting really bored.

[stegosaurus]

Isn’t there a big-name Brazilian somewhere in need of a decent sized payday? I always think of guys like Pato and Hulk who left big leagues far before their time in the search for big paydays.

Assuming there is someone like that in the market who is tired of China (or wherever he’s playing), provides some brand cache, and wouldn’t command too expensive a fee.

Yep, Oscar.

[ag futbol]

Isn’t there a big-name Brazilian somewhere in need of a decent sized payday? I always think of guys like Pato and Hulk who left big leagues far before their time in the search for big paydays.

Assuming there is someone like that in the market who is tired of China (or wherever he’s playing), provides some brand cache, and wouldn’t command too expensive a fee.

Edit: deleted my post by accident, whoops.

[ensco]

To be fair, quite a few decent players are going to Saudi right now, including a number of others on Seba's team. There is a serious 9 figure effort underway to change that league there. It's also more about Asians Champions League in that region.

http://www.arabnews.com/node/1361261/sport

https://www.foxsportsasia.com/footba...league-player/

http://www.arabnews.com/node/1350531/sport

[Canary10]

Isn’t there a big-name Brazilian somewhere in need of a decent sized payday? I always think of guys like Pato and Hulk who left big leagues far before their time in the search for big paydays.

Assuming there is someone like that in the market who is tired of China (or wherever he’s playing), provides some brand cache, and wouldn’t command too expensive a fee.

Edit: deleted my post by accident, whoops.

Pato might be a shout.

[ensco]

Pato might be a shout.

I think if they were willing to pay $7M a year they would have given it to Seba.

[Canary10]

I think if they were willing to pay $7M a year they would have given it to Seba.

Fair. We're not going down the road obviously. Need to remember that.