Association Football 2023/2024 Discussion Thread

[NewYorkExpress]

Tottenham to sign Juventus/Atalanta Center-Back Cristian Romero for 55 million Euros ($65 million).

Romero was the Serie A defender of the year last season, and was a starter on Argentina's Copa America Championship winning squad earlier this summer.

Assuming Nuno Espirito Santo decides to have two center-backs in his line up, Romero should easily claim a starting spot over Japhet Tanganganga and Cameron Carter-Vickers.

If Espirito Santo plays one center back, I'm not 100% certain he can beat out Davinson Sanchez, but he'd have a decent shot at doing so.

[Santander]

If Espirito Santo plays one center back, I'm not 100% certain he can beat out Davinson Sanchez, but he'd have a decent shot at doing so.

What kind of formation has 1 CB?

[Suburbia]

Why doesn't Harry Kane come to play in the US, he should play for the LA Galaxy, it would give American soccer a boost.

[Donerail]

Why doesn't Harry Kane come to play in the US, he should play for the LA Galaxy, it would give American soccer a boost.

Because his current contract pays him nearly as much as the LA Galaxy's entire annual payroll, and he wants to leave Tottenham to make even more money.

[Santander]

Why doesn't Harry Kane come to play in the US, he should play for the LA Galaxy, it would give American soccer a boost.

Unfortunately for the MLS and the Galaxy, his poor English ability limits his marketability.

[NewYorkExpress]

If Espirito Santo plays one center back, I'm not 100% certain he can beat out Davinson Sanchez, but he'd have a decent shot at doing so.

What kind of formation has 1 CB?

One with three players on Defense?

(Left Back, Center Back, Right Back)

[Santander]

As I predicted, only one possible destination:

https://twitter.com/khm_althani/status/1423716154917408771?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7...
I mean good God, a front line of Messi, Neymar, Mbappe... Good thing Lille got their championship while they could. Anyone still think PSG isn't the best team in the world?

[NewYorkExpress]

As I predicted, only one possible destination:

https://twitter.com/khm_althani/status/1423716154917408771?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7...
I mean good God, a front line of Messi, Neymar, Mbappe... Good thing Lille got their championship while they could. Anyone still think PSG isn't the best team in the world?

Well, if Manchester City and PSG play each other in the Champions League, that should be a very close matchup, but other than that, I don't see any other contenders.

[Santander]

Well, if Manchester City and PSG play each other in the Champions League, that should be a very close matchup, but other than that, I don't see any other contenders.

Left-back is literally the only position where Man City is better than PSG. (Man City beat a depleted PSG last year) Man City don't even have a striker, lol.

Real Madrid or a very well-coached team like Chelsea (especially with Lukaku) or Atleti could maybe beat PSG over two legs without getting lucky. I don't think even Bayern Munich can do it anymore, even with the additions of Upamecano and Nagelsmann coaching. The additions of Messi, Donnarumma, Hakimi, and Ramos are just too overpowered. These are players who would walk into any team in the world.

[NewYorkExpress]

Joshua Sargent is heading from Werder Bremen to Norwich City

Sargent, a forward the U.S National Team, is leaving Werder Bremen, which was relegated from the Bundesliga last season to join Norwich, which was promoted to English Premier League last season for about 10 million Euros.

It's a decent deal, and the pairing of Sargent and Teemu Pukki (assuming Pukki isn't transferred somewhere else), will go a long way towards keeping Norwich in the Premier League.

[Santander]

Lukaku to Chelsea official. Chelsea were silly to let such a good player go in the first place, but at least they didn't pull a Man Utd and break a transfer record to buy back a player they let go for free. What a team they have now.

[Lechasseur]

Lukaku to Chelsea official. Chelsea were silly to let such a good player go in the first place, but at least they didn't pull a Man Utd and break a transfer record to buy back a player they let go for free. What a team they have now.

How do you think Inter fare next year without Lukaku and Eriksen? Who do you think wins Serie A this year?

I'd also be interested in hearing your opinion on La Liga, given both Real and Barça seem to be in disarray. Does Atletico defend their title next year (a feat they have not accomplished since 1951)?

[Santander]

Lukaku to Chelsea official. Chelsea were silly to let such a good player go in the first place, but at least they didn't pull a Man Utd and break a transfer record to buy back a player they let go for free. What a team they have now.

How do you think Inter fare next year without Lukaku and Eriksen? Who do you think wins Serie A this year?

I'd also be interested in hearing your opinion on La Liga, given both Real and Barça seem to be in disarray. Does Atletico defend their title next year (a feat they have not accomplished since 1951)?

Eriksen will eventually return for Inter, but Hakimi and Lukaku are players that basically cannot be replaced. Lautaro Martinez is linked with Arsenal right now too, which shows the financial fires Inter are trying to put out right now. Calhanoglu is a good like-for-like replacement for Eriksen, so I don't see that as a big loss. Dzeko or Giroud could be decent short-term replacements for Lukaku, and paired with Lautaro I think they'll still be in the mix for the Scudetto. Longer-term, I'd love to see them go for Alexander Isak (much better than Duvan Zapata, which would be the lazy choice), but I think the Euros made him too expensive for Inter right now.


For me, Real Madrid is pretty clearly the team to beat in Spain right now. Barcelona still have some decent players, and did well with free transfers, but their wage structure is cactus and they still have a lot of vastly overpaid, aging players who all basically do the same thing.

[Suburbia]

Can Eriksen play?

Is he healthy?

That's the big question. People are worried about his heart.

[Suburbia]

Why doesn't Harry Kane come to play in the US, he should play for the LA Galaxy, it would give American soccer a boost.

Unfortunately for the MLS and the Galaxy, his poor English ability limits his marketability.

What poor English ability? He can't speak properly?

[Lechasseur]

Why doesn't Harry Kane come to play in the US, he should play for the LA Galaxy, it would give American soccer a boost.

Kane wants to leave Tottenham in order to win trophies in England and/or Europe. I don't think he's interested in playing in the MLS yet. The top players go there to retire, not at the prime of their career.

[Santander]

Super cups obviously don't matter that much, but Villareal did a really good job to come back into the game against Chelsea. Granted, not a full-strength Chelsea team, but still a strong team on paper.

[Suburbia]

Super cups obviously don't matter that much, but Villareal did a really good job to come back into the game against Chelsea. Granted, not a full-strength Chelsea team, but still a strong team on paper.

[NewYorkExpress]

Trouble in Paris? Kylian Mbappe is not happy with PSG's signing of Lionel Messi, and apparently wants to leave.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe is not happy with Lionel Messi’s signing for the French club and could talk to the board next Monday to announce his intention to leave PSG this summer, according to a report published on Italian newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport. Real Madrid are still interested in securing his signing this summer but will not send their offer until PSG decide to sell the player, per reports from the Spanish press.

Spanish radio station Cadena SER confirmed the report and even added that Real Madrid could offer around €120 million.

[Suburbia]

What's going on with Harry Kane? They said he's hurting over people portraying him in a different light.

Where does he end up?

[NewYorkExpress]

What's going on with Harry Kane? They said he's hurting over people portraying him in a different light.

Where does he end up?

Given Manchester City didn't even bother making an attempt to sign Messi, I'd guess Kane ends up there.

It's either that or he stays at Tottenham and is unhappy....unless he wants to go somewhere like Real Madrid (they're interested in Kylian Mbappe, but I think Kane would be slightly cheaper).

[Santander]

lol, Arsenal. Tierney is good, and so is Leno I guess, but the rest of the starting XI do not belong in a top-half team. I don't know how some pundits have them finishing in the European places - they are miles off that.

[Alcibiades]

lol, Arsenal. Tierney is good, and so is Leno I guess, but the rest of the starting XI do not belong in a top-half team. I don't know how some pundits have them finishing in the European places - they are miles off that.

I do like Tierney, but he’s a little overrated. Arsenal fans and pundits have a tendency to massively big up our best players and make huge scapegoats of our worse ones. After watching that performance, though, I have no idea why we, to borrow a turn of phrase from the Prime Minister, spaffed £50 million up the wall for Ben White.

[JGibson]

Embarrassing start to the season by my Arsenal. Getting thrashed 2-0 by promoted Brentford.

[NewYorkExpress]

Embarrassing start to the season by my Arsenal. Getting thrashed 2-0 by promoted Brentford.

The way Arsenal played in that in that game, I wouldn't be shocked if they were relegated, quite frankly.