The best keep getting better, those baby blue bastards have signed perhaps the most coveted young striker in the past decade. If they manage to hold off Liverpool for the title they'll surely be favorites to win it again next year. The idea of haaland surrounded by playmakers like de bruyne, Mahrez, Sterling, Grealish and the like is scary. 

It'll be interesting to see how this may set some dominoes in motion, such as Gabriel Jesus being sold? He's already been unhappy with his playtime, I would obviously love to see him make the switch to the Emirates and give us the type of CF we've been craving since we sold van Persie.

Any thoughts on the news and impacts it may have?

Your two cents are only worth .45 cents in this thread sir.

As much as I'd love to see Kane shipped out of London, I'm quite alright with him not joining up with City. Hopefully he fucks off to Madrid to be the next Eden Hazard.

Jesus certainly isn't your typical number 9 type center forward, but I think his skillset fits nicely in our team. One of the things our recent strikers have lacked is true pace and composed finishing. Auba lost a step, and while he scored loads for us, he became a little too reliant on service for a forward who doesn't play well in the air. Same with Laca, he is great as a false 9/hold up forward, but he's not pacey and isn't good in the air. Not to mention prone to poor finishing form in stretches. Nketiah has been playing well, but for me he isn't good enough - having watched him for several years, he's too slight to be a CF, he'd be better out on the wing, but he's also not super fast, or at least not as fast as you'd expect with his size profile. Most of his goals are poacher's goals - rushing the keeper, picking off passes in the box, tap ins on the far post etc. He's a good young forward with potential, but we need someone who can turn a game on his own at times. Jesus has similar poacher's qualities with better pace and more strength, I think he would be an absolute upgrade over our current options.

I am going to take absolute pelters for this or look like a genius & this is probably more in hope than expectation but I have reservations on if this is a good move. Pep has had 1 "proper" CF to mange during his career in Imbrahimovic & look how well that went. We have also seen some absolute dogshit players in the prem recently who looked godly in the German league (Werner, Sancho, Keita anyone?)

Haaland is also a pretty big lump, not doubting he is athletic but for last 2 seasons he has missed at least 10 games due to injury. I can see him having some issues staying fit in the notoriously 'physical' prem. Hes a young lad, if he hits the ground running & scores 5 in his first 3 games he will be flying but its easy for the confidence to go if his start isn't ideal. 

Would also think at least 1 of Mahrez or Sterling will be looking for a last big move this summer.

As a Chelsea fan, this hurts to see, I really had hoped we signed Haaland last year instead of Lukaku, Haaland would've been a much better fit for us. Nonetheless, for City this is a big move, no disrespect to Jesus but they were lacking a proper forward post Aguero and I think Haaland once settled in will be absolutely lethal, even i'd be lethal with KDB and co behind me. Part of me is glad that Haaland came to the premier league instead of going to Spain. But I feel like this is the last push for Pep for the Champions League.. if he falls short again next year, I think it's over for him at City personally. 

Trigger effect of signing Haaland.. yeah think Jesus goes to Arsenal which would be a brilliant fit, he seems like the perfect 'Arsenal' player. Other than that, I don't see much other movements. If Liverpool keep hold of Salah, I reckon they'll be fine, Mbappe dunno if he stays at PSG or goes Madrid but Benzema is having the season of his life, so don't see why they'll change that plus Ancelotti loves him. 

Kane should've gone City last year but i'll do a straight swap, Lukaku for Kane. New owners need to back Tuchel and i'm sure Conte would take it given the inter connection. 

So who's getting top 4 then? big win for spurs today.

Tough loss for the gooners but what did Arteta expect, playing Holding and Cedric together? One or the other is usually okay, but when both are on simultaneously you're asking for trouble. Holding has a tendency to get too physical in big games and Son is one of those sneaky bastards who will piss you off and then start taking dives. Definitely deserved to be sent off for the second yellow, but imo the first yellow was very soft. The penalty as well was quite soft, but if Cedric actually knew how to defend and where to position he wouldn't have been in that position so again it just comes back to the team selection. 

That being said, Arsenal still hold all the cards in this race, all they need to do is beat Newcastle and Everton and they'll be UCL a year ahead of schedule. A few weeks back I told a friend that the top 4 and relegation would come down to the last day, with everton beating arsenal to both avoid the drop and knock us out of the top 4, I really hope that prediction doesn't come true.

As a fan of a non disclosed Premiership team that are currently struggling *ahem* it's just a shame that Man City are getting yet another world class player to add to their squad. I am pretty sure they are the only team (maybe Liverpool too) that literally have a sub/reserve team that would also do well in the Premiership. The Premiership is starting to look more and more like La Liga every year (a two team league). I remember when people used to complain about a top six league, and then a top 4 league - it's just getting worse. Also, what is Haaland there for if they are just going to choke the champions league every year?

Also, your friends prediction may only be partially right in my eyes. I unfortunately believe it will be Leeds to get the drop (kinda wishing it will be Burnley).

interesting signing

he won't go into my fantasy side as City rotate too much but will he improve them? Yes

No doubt

It's a serious baller move

Last day of the year, always a good one. One of the coolest things about the PL for me is all the teams playing at the same time across the country and the drama it creates. Wish they did something similar in other sports over here. Will be interesting to see how the final table falls!

hello all

Manchester City winning the league with no out and out striker is something to behold, with this signing of the beast that is Haaland is a scary prospect for the 19 other teams.

Haaland to Man City shows the repercussions of removing Financial Fair Play for the season due to Covid. It's a good move by them, and widens the gap. Liverpool, Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal, Tottenham have a much larger hill to climb to knock them off now. Could end up looking a lot like France and Germany, with one team running away with the league a few years in a row.

With spurs in the chase for Jesus, and Arsenal already not wanting to pay 55 milluon, knowing them they will look if can get someone else cheaper, it seems the Arsenal way.     They know they need a clear out and Nketiah doesn't look like a Henry, bergkamp evem if he has his own qualities.

Its already been said in the papers that he has 150 million to play with, but will bring up 3 youth players, from the reserves.   Just don't need shades of Wenger with saving money and just using the youngsters.   Fact is at stages Arsenal still lacking leadership, motivation and need to convert more, while letting in less.   Saliba was allegedly saying he don't want to come back either.

I'm hoping that since the rams won their super bowl, perhaps the kroenkes will be a bit more frugal in the market. They spent a bit more last summer than usual, so I'm not overly confident there will be a lot of investment. That being said, arsenal are in a good spot. We have the youngest squad in the league and still came 5th. Martininelli, ESR, Odegaard and saka are potentially world class players just coming into their prime. Our four primary defenders and our keeper are all under 24 and experienced now. If Saliba comes in and produces we'll be in a great spot.

Ideally, we get one of Jesus, Dybala, or Osimhen, and at least two midfielders. Partey is great but injury prone, Xhaka can be world class one match and league 1 level boneheaded the next. They resigned elneny but he is and always has been a dud, just a squad body at best. We need to get younger, harder, and faster in midfield to stand a chance.

Yeah how he runs his US businesses compared to Arsenal seem totally opposite with the investment he puts in US teams.

As for Dybala i think is out on a free now but had a torrid last few years between ronaldo and vlahovic going to juve.   Can probably get about 3 years out of him in the prem league and when is only wages is not so bad, especially if can bring in 15-20 as a SS like in Italy.

Juventus are trying to take Gabriel from the defence, and rumours are Arsenal would think of cashing in stupidly.    He played practically the whole season, but is claims he is not what Arteta wants in the media.   I have no idea why.      We know how often the media get it wrong, but we know Arsenal do like to shoot themselves in the foot e,g, sending your striker to barcelona, when your short of strikers.

Osimhens gonna be around 70 million allegedly so thats 125 mill of 150 million budget gone on him and jesus without wages, So it will be  interesting who they bring.  The big part will be how they play off each other especially if Dybala and Osihmens

Yeah I would prefer they sign only one of the two; osi or Jesus. Spending most of your budget on two players would be poor, when we need to address other areas as well. Ideally, we get one of them, and make a run at Dybala. Dybala can play in attacking midfield as well so he could switch between the two spelling the striker and Odegaard in turn. We could also give balogun some games and even try martinelli up front a few times.

I did see the Gabriel to Juventus rumors, I'd really hate to see it but I also know they want to raise funds so it wouldn't shock me to see it. Hopefully they reinvest it well

especially when they want tielemans as well, and possibly gnabry.   Balogun has been ignored for years in the first team just to be sent out on loan.    Never got much of a return on him at middlesboro as a CF but if Hlosek doesnt come in, the left wing is martinellis territory really or Hlozek's/

I expect pepe gone gone from arsenal over summer for probably a third of what they paid for him, so one less attacking midfield option, but still the likes of smith rowe too.

Yeah the big wory for Arsenal is often a sell to buy mentality, it balances the books, and if lacazette goes is a big wage of the books, but somehow elneny got a new contract, and looks like Nketiah has too the rumour mill is saying

Aye, would be good to see how Gnabry does on return to the prem, and Tielemans is a proven producer. The Hlozek rumors are interesting, could be a great signing.

Agree, Pepe gotta go. I don't rate him any higher than I do Nketiah and as I said before that's not very high. I'll be very disappointed if they bring him back on.

Yeah promising him more playing time and 100k a week if rumours are to be believed.    I think he is a handy sub but little more than that at present for Nketiah.   As a winger their is possibilities for Nketiah as can play on the right but as a CF nah but theres also players like Bernadeschi out there who could link up with Dybala so well, but is not a big scorer

The tammy abrahams rumours could also be interesting, but will see where that leads.    Fact is there is too many at Arsenal not pulling their weight and even if saliba comes back for defence i am not going to be the most confident.    At the end of the day people like Ben Arfa who failed in UK were great successes in the French league.

I wouldn't mind seeing Tielemans, my big worry stays as SS/AM and CF mainly, the LB position is always a worry too when Tierneys not fit.   Tavares, Leno, elneny, bellerin and pepe should all be gone in my eyes though.   Only reason would keep Soares around for now like Tavares was if not other RB and LB were coming in as seems a tough market to find players in for now especially with bellerin leaving.