08 Aug 2026 22:53:40
I know Iraola must have clearly requested a different set of transfers that will compliment his style of football.
Was camara ever a real target or just a hopeful one from fans?
I do think a winger is being targeted, i'm just wondering if a midfielder is because Iraola mentioned he wanted Ryan to not be stuck in a number position?
08 Aug 2026 23:25:57
I don't think a midfielder is being seen as an absolute necessity by the club unless somebody's planning to move on, like MacAllister.
08 Aug 2026 23:31:37
Still think that Ireola can get the best out of Macca.
08 Aug 2026 23:46:39
Let's hope!
09 Aug 2026 00:26:20
I hope the club sign the players that they think will have the best chance of being successful.
09 Aug 2026 01:19:37
I'm almost sure MacAllister and Jones will be gone by the start of the season.
Not so sure on Gakpo though.
Chiesa will be gone too.
09 Aug 2026 04:24:54
I have to say that I'm very concerned about the signing of Araujo. On the face of it, a loan for a highly experienced center back looks fine, but he is marginally less injury prone than Joe Gomez, and I also can't really stomach the fact that folks on here made Konate out to be the worst player of all time, but somehow think that Araujo is leagues better.
If you think that Konate is missing a few brain cells, you're in for quite a ride with Araujo, who is equally capable of brain farts in critical situations. Konate has had one season where he has arguably been a bit of a liability; Araujo has had at least two.
He doesn't strike me as being an especially intelligent footballer and often makes deeply questionable decisions, but yes, on paper and in certain moments he can be an elite center half. The problem is that he has recurring muscle injuries every year, exactly like Gomez.
Naturally, I will support anybody who puts on the shirt and I'd love for things to come off for him after all he's been through. I do have my worries when it comes to the player, though.
09 Aug 2026 05:26:26
I can't comment on Araujo, as I haven't seen him play, but you can't say Konate had only one season where he was a little of a liability.
Every season, he had several brainfarts and was a bit like Bambi on ice.
Konate looked half decent because of VVD next to him. That shows you the type of defender he was and that he wasn't a leader.
We were just blessed with VVD being fit a lot of the time.
Araujo, at least, is a captain with leadership qualities and is not as injury prone as Gomez from the stats. Gomez can put 2-3 games together without coming off injured.
I can't comment on his football, as I've never paid attention to him at Barca or with the Uruguay national team.
09 Aug 2026 06:37:14
I have to say that I can't agree with that. For me, overall, Konate's career with us was very positive, and I rate him a lot higher than a lot of people here, I think. Under the circumstances Araujo is a borderline acceptable move, but nobody can convince me that he is in any way an upgrade on Konate, he is in a lot of ways the same sort of player as Konate (aggressive, good aerial and ground duel winner, decently comfortable straying out wide to cover for his full back, quick and physical), but not a superior one.
09 Aug 2026 07:04:56
All fair points Patrik, but you're missing 1 key point. Konate didn't want to be here... Araujo does. Give the lad a chance. It's a loan with no obligation, so if he does the job, it's a cracking piece of business, if he doesn't, it buys us a bit of time to find the right player next season without spending a fortune on a gamble.
Also, another leader to have around to help advise the young centre halves we have at the club.
We didn't spend that big of money on Jacquet for him to be a squad player, in my opinion.
09 Aug 2026 08:11:04
When was Konate a good aerial duel winner btw? He left pretty much everything to Van Dijk, and when he did go up for a header, you had absolutely no idea where it was going because he had a head like a 50 pence piece!
Thanks for the service, of course (and he did have some great moments, to be fair to him), but he was very average overall, and in the end, he got way too big for his boots, asking for such a monumental salary increase.
Madrid are in for a shock, and more fool them for paying him that much.
09 Aug 2026 08:18:03
The amount of times he headed the ball straight up in the air, MK. And he never, ever had a season like Araujo did in 23/24.
09 Aug 2026 09:30:19
I'm pretty sure Konate was in the upper 90th percentile for aerial duels won among center halves last year, MK. Are we seriously going to contest the notion that Konate had an excellent season the season before the last, by the way?
09 Aug 2026 09:30:46
In fairness, Patrick, I don't Konate was as bad as he bes made out to be here either. He was our man of match in a Champ League final and was part of a good partnership that won a league.
Never got to the level I thought he would with us tho, I felt as he seemed lacking in concentration. Araujo in good form is a better player than Konate in good form imo.
09 Aug 2026 09:44:29
I think the club needs at least one midfielder regardless if no player goes. It's way too easy to pick our midfield, and good competition is necessary in my opinion. Having numbers doesn't necessarily equate to having quality. Big difference.
09 Aug 2026 09:59:17
Konate did a good job for us overall. Had a mistake in him, but also top performances. Last season, though, probably not helped by Jota and his father's passing, was all over the place.