02 Jun 2026 07:39:00
For CB two good options can be
Jacobo Ramon 21
And Olivier Kempf 31
Como has conceded only 29 goals, the least in all top 5 leagues bar Arsenal, and Como play good attacking high line football unlike Arsenal. It's commendable for Como and I really like Kempf as an addition for an experienced candidate. He can be good for 2-3 years while the younger lads Leoni and Jacquet can be rotated with him and VVD.
Or we can start with Leoni and Jacquet as our CBs with VVD as mentor and Kempf as ready to go when needed.
I don't think we will splurge on a CB, so we need someone who is good but doesn't mind warming the bench. So 30+ guy.
We need RW RB and DM and those won't come cheap especially RW.
02 Jun 2026 08:31:50
Are you suggesting we bench Virg, @ £400k pw?
02 Jun 2026 08:40:28
Virg is 350kpw, Chewy. It was Salah on 400k.
02 Jun 2026 08:57:34
It's a this-or-that, Chewy. Yes, we will need to bench Vvd in games, as he is 36 and would need rest, and also is in his last year so we need the next Vvd while Vvd is here.
And, that's why we need someone experienced like Kempf to come in. At some point these lads will take over our defence, so this season is crucial.
We cannot just rely on Vvd and sign a new big money CB that blocks Leoni and Jacquet's path to the first team.
So yes, if the plan is Leoni and Jacquet are our long term CB, I will start with them as soon as possible. Training only tells you how good a player can be, while actual playing tells you how good a player is.
02 Jun 2026 10:21:58
Why not Senesi? He's on a free and known by Iraola already. Not a world beater, but a capable and experienced PL-ready defender with good vision and passing range.
Not bad as 3rd or 4th choice on a free.
02 Jun 2026 11:05:10
Given the way we've been doing business, Cafu, I fully expect that's exactly what will happen. The Leoni situation has changed significantly; he's missed an entire year of development, which is a huge setback if the idea was for him to eventually replace Vvd. By the time Vrig retires, Leoni is only going to be just 21 and have only 1 season's experience as a bit-part player recovering from a serious ACL injury. I very much doubt the club will be willing to hand him the keys to the back line.
Mo's been our most important player of the last 9 years.
He's never had any real competition, backup or understudy, and we made no effort at all to bring in a potential successor until it was too late. We have a bit of a habit of doing that sort of thing. It's part of FSG's sustainable model, which makes us a sell-to-buy club. It can leave us being a little unprepared, not replacing like for like, and shoehorning players into roles. Some players we actually never replaced; Diaz, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, and Coutinho come to mind; I'm sure there's more.
I'm not whinging, just pointing it out.
02 Jun 2026 14:39:31
Two good CB options might be Leoni and Jacquet.