This Insigne thing, cmon. That is not happening. Players with actual interest from clubs like Man Utd don’t come to MLS. Their agents talk up MLS as part of how they negotiate. Cavani on his way out of PSG being a recent example.
Seba was at the end of the Juve bench and going back to Parma or something if he hadn’t signed here. Same with Higuain. That is the profile for MLS signings.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
About the Brazil Soteldo thing.
Ask the TFC social comms team about how some Santos fans react every time Soteldo is mentioned - there's a cadre of Brazilian fans/media that want to bathe in a dream of Soteldo going back.
Can it happen? Sure.
Unlikely though. His family is here & by all accounts, he's happier.
NOW, is he a pain in the patootie to people who don't put things where he thinks they should go? Sure.
Can he pass the ball - yup. Only 4 people with more assists then him.
Here's my guess:Originally Posted by ensco
--Three days go, the rumour going around papers -- planted by Insigne's agent -- was that Man Utd were interested for $7M a season (so he sets his price).
-- Two days ago they were meeting with Manning and the league and discussing the possibility of a Soteldo-Insigne swap... not because it would ever happen, but because they know Manning is gullible enough to think he can pull the same move as Defoe-Altidore. The agent also floats the "Milan is interested in Soteldo story" which, despite being pretty ridiculous, helps cement this as possible to the visiting MLS types, avoiding any unpleasantness later.
-- Today, the rumor is now that Everton and Tottenham are interested.
So he's used the MLS guys and the possibility that Man Utd is interested to set his price, set the demand level and indicate there might be a rush (time pressure) to make the purchase to beat competition.
Pretty fucking shrewd, but it sort of matches the inane stories going around about Soteldo to Milan. Everton is looking for a striker and Tottenham is in trouble so both are likely in panic-buy mode.
He may have even floated the original stuff about Soteldo wanting home just to get Manning talking, which might explain why it keeps coming up despite Soteldo denying it; keep in mind that Seba is at the end of the line and Manning stiffed him on the renewal deal he wanted, so his agent owes him basically zero but still manages to make it look like it was serious business.
My guess is a little more basic. They had met about matters unrelated to Insigne. Someone says “we saw you’re trying to do this for your client, why don’t you use our name to ratchet up the price?”
Costs nothing to TFC, buys goodwill. They float some stupid crap in the press and everyone gets wound up about it.
nah, manning doesn’t take a trip to Italy in the midst of a disaster season and then allow possible raised expectations just to do an agent a favor.
They’re not taking meetings with his club unless there’s a genuine interest because it’s massively against FIFA regulations. Clubs aren’t allowed to influence the potential value of a deal they’re not party to. And FIFA does take it seriously due to past influence peddling scandals.
The Soteldo theory is interesting, but I can’t get around the basic problem that big teams never have 5'2” players. Like, literally never. There is an athletic component at that level that becomes critical. You think Soteldo can handle Davies?
Insigne. Sure. His agent is playing games. But so what? It is completely credible that a Man Utd would have sincere interest in Insigne. Maybe he winds up there, maybe not, but a big club will want him.
Seba and Higuain weren’t playing. Insigne had 19 goals in 35 games. The question of which player profile will wind up in MLS, vs staying with a major club, is not that difficult.
Last edited by ensco; 10-14-2021 at 10:30 PM.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
That's my point. It's so left field it could only have come from a source. Bloggers and small football news site operators in Italy (which is exactly who ran the Soteldo to Milan story) don't pull that one out left field. But we know there's no fucking way he's at that level. Even if he's got the skill and speed to play wide, he's tiny and doesn't make good enough decisions. He's a career 1-in-6 goal scorer between Santos and TFC, so he's not starting at Milan.
So who does that leave as a source that benefits... while Bill Manning happens to be talking to an agent in Italy.
I mean... not rocket science to make that connection. They know how many DPs Toronto can field, how many we have signed, because he's Seba's agent as well.
Or... they were just having dinner with Manning in town. Given that the league allegedly had a rep there as well, it doesn't sound like a friendly dinner.
This is Manning and the league fishing for Insigne and his agent using what passes for media these days to manipulate the bigger issue, his client's deal. But no one there is coming in for Soteldo and Insigne is not coming to MLS at 30.
Last edited by jloome; 10-15-2021 at 12:38 AM.
I'd say the United link is not credible. Have you seen their attacking options?
^Yeah that is pretty solid speculation jloome
Re Man Utd, they bring in these sorts of guys as depth all the time, no? Like Cavani last year. Maybe Insigne to Man Utd, Cavani (finally) to Miami is the move here
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
btw I made the point that a Santos number 10, a pretty good South American, can't be a truly elite player because he couldn’t handle a Canadian…. without even realizing how absurd that statement would have been to anyone a very short time ago !!
Wheeeeeee!
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
When Cavani goes a proper out and out #9 would be brought in to replace him. They have enough Insigne types already.
At the moment Cavani can't even get on the pitch. Man United have too many players that can play that position. No chance they're going to buy him. I don't buy Everton either (Calvert-Lewin will be back shortly and they've got pretty good firepower). Spurs maybe as Kane has had a horrible start and they have no one behind him.
Is he on a free? The transfer window is closed.
Cavani's been injured and had a late start to preseason.
WRT Insigne English clubs can sign him on a free for next season in January.
Oh I fully assume they had some business to do. I just think it has nothing to do with Insigne.
Re: raised expectations. I think the guy is just downright desperate to sell tickets and having your name in the market leaves a feeling TFC want to do something, even if this isn’t it. Let’s face it, there is nothing to sell people on right now so he’s running as many dog-and-pony shows as he can.
Last edited by ag futbol; 10-15-2021 at 09:00 AM.
I know that but he's been back a few weeks. He's not getting in that team regularly unless they start really rotating Ronaldo which I think Ole learned not to do before the IB. Cavani will be playing FA Cup games mainly (since they're out of Carabao).
Hmm, might be a few English teams willing to take a chance in January depending on the table by then. Have to agree with everyone, he's not likely coming to MLS.
Last edited by Canary10; 10-15-2021 at 09:08 AM.
Insigne to Man Utd is never happening. That's not what they need at this point.
I'm with Jloome in that their name was used as bait to set a price.
"Multiple Listing Service". It was just a misunderstanding
We don't have a confirmed coach for next year, Ali's status is unknown, and then you got manning flying out to Italy?
This all sounds strange to me, you don't go out there to look at some run of mill type player. So we're either shopping our DP(Poz/Sol) because they want out, or were actually negotiating for a new DP.
Can someone fill in the gaps? Are we looking for a new coach/GM from Italy?
I seriously doubt Manning would be allowed to just sign a new DP.
Lol.
You don’t need to believe that Insigne is going to Man Utd to believe that the idea that he winds up in MLS soon is a crock.
I get that it might be Atletico Madrid or Sevilla or Leverkusen or Besiktas, but it'll still be Champions League, and it will pay very well.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
How many diminutive 30+ year old, expensive Italians do these teams usually buy? Besiktas do buy old guys but they don't splash what Insigne gets.
I think people overvalue the market on Italians. A lot of other Euro countries still refer to Serie A as either a farmer's or retirement league.
Sorry where was it confirmed that it was Manning over there alone? or at all?
The last thing I read was it was MLS/TFC executives.
Also he/they could've been over there to talk about other players and decided to also tack a swat at Insigne. Doesn't hurt to just be in that convo if they are already "in the area."
Also by having their name in the Insigne chatter, it could also be a way for them to signal to other interested high profile parties that they are looking at this calibre of player.
The local Naples beat guys said it was Manning. Now, who knows if they just googled TFC president after the initial report and ran with Bill or if they had somebody confirm a bald American was at the meeting.
Not just Euro - Ibra went back there for a reason.
Serie A isn’t England, and Insigne may well not be going to Man Utd… but this is over-rotating.
Scoring 19 goals for Napoli is a serious accomplishment in world football, and pretty much any 30 year old who does that, and can be had on a free, will draw serious interest from serious teams.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
Which, sadly, we are not.
Honestly? I'm not sad about it at all. If Insigne is getting $7M a season, that could buy us three 20-goal scorers from Brazil or Argentina who are more than happy to play in MLS.
True but MLSE need a name to sell seats at this point
Some people seem genuinely angry that TFC even dare try to sign Insigne. I want to find the time and see the success rate of DP's from European Leagues vs. DP's from South American Leagues. Just as a glance it feels like Europe is a more of a sure bet for immediate results while SA players (especially young guys) are very boom or bust.
I don't think Manning/Ali should be making these decisions anymore, there time here should be done.
If MLSE approved them for another year it's going to be another complete flop of a season.
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