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Free Weekly Episode - André Onana Close To Man Utd, Saudi Arabia Take SMS (& Pogba?) From Juve, Captain America To AC Milan, Dybala-Chelsea Links & Much More (Ep. 340)
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From André Onana's imminent move to Manchester United from Inter who have completed Davide Frattesi signing from Sassuolo and are looking to bring in Yann Sommer + Anatoliy Trubin, Romelu Lukaku to Juventus links, Paul Pogba and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to Saudi Arabia rumors, USMNT star Christian "Captain America" Pulisic joining AC Milan, as well as Chelsea targeting Paulo Dybala from Roma who continue to sign free transfers, to Kim Min-Jae from Napoli to Bayern Munich transfer as well as this week's Baggio and Premface of the week and much, much more as Nima and Carlo break down all the talking points from a jam-packed week in in Italian football.
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast. Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of the Italian football podcast. I'm Carlo Garganese joined as always by Nima Tavale and we have another jam-packed show for you today on the Mercato.
Inter's Goalkeeper Moves
00:00:21
Speaker
Inter are selling Andre Onana to Manchester United. That deal will become official this week. We'll discuss that and the replacements that will be coming in for Onana. Davide Fratesi joined Inter last week. Fantastic deal for me. Is that potentially the signing of the summer? We'll ask Nimr about that. Romelu Lukaku, Inter are trying to bring him back, but he's also been linked to Juve in what would be an absolutely shock move.
00:00:49
Speaker
They're teams in Saudi Arabia that want him out. He'll allow for one across at Milan. Christian Pulisic is joining Milan this week. That will become official. They're working on some other deals as well. Talking of Saudi Arabia, Sergei Malinkevich Savage, it seemed like Juventus were the favorites, but now it seems as if Malinkevich Savage is off to Saudi Arabia. Only the player himself can veto that move. It seems like a transfer is all done between
00:01:18
Speaker
Al-Hilal, again, and Lazio, and this is a growing trend of the way that
Player Transfers and Market Trends
00:01:25
Speaker
football's going. So we can have a little bit of a deep dive on what this means, not just for Minkovic Savage and for Serie A, but just football as a whole. This is something of a paradigm shift, I think, certainly for UEFA. So we'll discuss that.
00:01:43
Speaker
And also we have Kim Min-jae leaving Napoli, he will join Bayern Munich, that will probably become official this week, in fact it will have to be because his release clause is only eligible this week. And Paolo Di Bala has been heavily linked to Chelsea, he was in England over the last few days and so we will discuss whether it is realistic that he could join Chelsea.
00:02:08
Speaker
So those are the main topics and we'll have Bad Gio and Prem Fate of the Week as well. So yeah, let's get into it. Just before we do though, as always, this is our Monday show. So for all our first time listeners, this is our free weekly episode, which we do every Monday, reviewing the weekend Serie action and all the biggest talking points in Italian football.
Subscription and Audience Engagement
00:02:30
Speaker
If you want to support the Italian Football Podcast and receive all our content that we do throughout the week, including our weekly Q&A episode every Tuesday, where we answer all the questions sent in from our Patreons, plus the weekly Thursday midweek review show, plus interviews, post-match reaction, and much, much more, then go to patreon.com slash T-I-F-P and become a subscriber for just $2.99 a month plus VAT.
Inter's Squad Overhaul
00:02:53
Speaker
And for all of you listening on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Podcasts, et cetera,
00:02:57
Speaker
We'd really appreciate a five-star rating and give us a follow, subscribe to us and really really helps us to grow and to spread Seria around the world. Okay then, let's start off then and talk about Onana.
00:03:13
Speaker
Okay, so first things first, Nima. Can you just confirm Andrea or Nana? It's a done deal, isn't it? It's going to become official this week. Can you just confirm that and also tell us what is the situation in terms of replacing or Nana for Inter?
00:03:28
Speaker
Well, Inter are not budging from the 60 million evaluation. They want a deal worth 60 million euros. And they're not that far apart. So I think it's mainly down to some negotiation in terms of
00:03:44
Speaker
the structure of the deal, the formula, how much is paid up front, how much is paid in add-ons and all that stuff. So I think, yes, I expect this deal to be wrapped up this week. And I expect Inter to go after Jan Sommer and Trubin, the Ukrainian youngster, 21-year-old, to replace Manana with those two. From what I understand, the negotiations are going on.
00:04:10
Speaker
parallel with Trubin and with intermediaries there and Inter want to get him wrapped up for this season already. They think they want a more experienced goalkeeper
00:04:28
Speaker
in summer and they want to like in a short-term kind of situation if something were to not work well but they believe in Trubin as the long-term solution and I have to say I think it's a wise decision I really rate this guy I remember when Inter played Shakhtar and he was in goal he was he was a monster he was only I think was only 19 then
00:04:49
Speaker
He is a goalkeeper, a young goalkeeper with lots, with already champion's league and Europa League experience. And he is good with his feet. That's something that I think is why Inter are looking at him as much as they are, is the fact that obviously
00:05:06
Speaker
It's not just he's not as good as Andre on an hour with his feet. And when I say good with his feet, I think we need to clarify what that means. That's it's not that he can receive a ball and pass it. No, we're talking about the kind of link up play, the kind of vision craft ability to execute.
00:05:25
Speaker
brilliant passes down the middle whether it's high balls or through balls down the middle that's the kind of passing we're looking at here in the build-up phase which helps you well which kind of makes you very press resistant as we saw with Onana last season in Europe and that's the kind of goalkeeper that Inter are looking for long term with both Sommer and with above all Trubin
00:05:52
Speaker
So, I expect those two to come in. Dijenaro, a former Primavera player, is going to come in to be the third choice goalkeeper. It seems like that deal is going to be wrapped up this week as well. So, Inter are basically changing the entire goalkeeping setup. Onana, Handanovic and Kordas all gone. And it looks like three new goalkeepers are coming in.
00:06:20
Speaker
I mean, this is the revolution at Inter that we've been waiting for for the last couple of years throughout the team. And it's happening now because lots of players are leaving and lots of players are coming in.
00:06:31
Speaker
Yeah, they sure are. And talking to players that are coming in, Davide Frotesi officially became an inter-player last week. In my opinion, this could, it's still a long way to go, we're only the second week of July, but this could potentially be the signing of the summer. When I look at the price,
00:06:51
Speaker
that interpay 25 million, what, a loan to start with? Well, it's not, it's a five million euro loan. It's an obligation at 25 million. There's add-ons for another four or five million if Inter were to win the Scudetto and all that stuff. And then you have Mulatieri, which is, which on the side is worth around somewhere between seven to nine million euros to bring that, which is a separate deal. Both Inter and Sasolo are very, very,
00:07:19
Speaker
adamant that this is, you know, Mulatier is going to Sausalo regardless of what happens to Fratese. So we have to look at the Fratese deal in and of itself and I think that's where we're headed. We're going to be somewhere around 35 million euros. Either way, it's the structure of the deal and everything. It's an amazing deal for Rinsa. Nimr's Jif is the first thing that comes to mind. No, it's not. Because I just know what you say whenever Juventus sign players with
00:07:47
Speaker
You can't compare that. This is a deal with almost 40 million euros potentially. That's not really the same as with the Locatelli deal, which was what? What was that? A pack of crisps, a Snickers bar, and a French kiss in the wind. I mean, come on.
00:08:04
Speaker
I'm just waiting. I'm looking at this on the positive. I'm joking, obviously. But, you know, I'm just looking at it. If this was another team that bought this deal, you know, this would be all over the place. But listen, but there's a difference here, because Fratesi was very clear. He said he wanted to stay in Italy. I mean, he essentially chose Inter. It was the player's will that made this deal possible because he was very, very adamant. He wanted Inter. He was very clear about that. He wanted to join Inter. He wanted to play under Simon Inzagi. He wanted to be teammates with Nicola Baralla.
00:08:32
Speaker
He didn't want to leave Italy, he made that perfectly clear because there was Premier League interest in him and he said flat out, no, I'm staying in Italy. And then he looked at the role that he has and he did an interview with Gazeta essentially saying, I'm a Metzala, I want to play in this position. And then you look at the deals that were there and there was Juventus, Milan and Inter all interested.
00:08:57
Speaker
but Inter had already kind of worked hard on the deal and wrapped up an agreement and he gave preference to Inter over Juve and Milan. I think rightly so because I think that he was made crystal clear to him what his position would be and the team that that position would suit his player three-man midfield rather than a two that Milan play or
00:09:19
Speaker
whatever the hell Juventus play. Well, that's the thing. I think with Juve, it was more a question of, you know, OK, you're playing a three five two, but who's going to do what and where? And I think there was a bit of confusion there. And I felt that and I think in his head, it was more a question of.
00:09:34
Speaker
Well, I know exactly what's happening at Inter and I know exactly who my teammates are. Yeah, there's clarity on his position and on his pathway going forward and the fact that he was replacing Brozovic and that he was guaranteed a starting place and all this. So I think he's made the right decision. I think it's a fantastic financial deal for fit and sportingly a great
Serie A vs Premier League Financial Dynamics
00:09:53
Speaker
deal.
00:09:53
Speaker
You know, okay, we can talk about into not getting enough for for Brozovic, but at the same time I think they've got a really good deal here I just I just think this is another example and I understand that if the player wants to stay then Italian clubs Can only afford a certain amount of money? Yeah, they incidentally and that that get that means that the price goes lower Unless which is what look at Ellie did I mean look at Ellie, you know, he refused to go to awesome It's just when you compare
00:10:21
Speaker
a player like Fraterzi going for this amount of money, and then you look at the standard of some of the players going elsewhere outside of Italy, not just to the Premier League, not just Premier League to Premier League transfers, but also players moving to the Premier League from other leagues. And I just think, you know, Serie A teams do also, they do undersell, they really do undersell. And I think that is something that, I know this was more of a unique situation, but I do feel like
00:10:48
Speaker
you know, Serie A clubs can be getting a hell of a lot more money. And on that, there's another example that we've discussed. We don't need to go into it yet. Discuss that at length last week. I just feel like, you know, Serie A players should be valued higher and it shouldn't just automatically be, well, cause they play in Serie A. No, I don't think it is. I don't think it is. I think it's got to do more with the fact that which clubs are interested. I think that drives the price up right now. When players from France, Portugal and Bundesliga, they go for lots of money because the
00:11:18
Speaker
Buying clubs involved are Premier League clubs with lots of money, lots of cash. With Italian players, I don't think there is that interest and therefore the price might look a little bit too low and it depresses the price, if you will.
00:11:35
Speaker
But at the end of the day, so I think it's more down to that more than anything. And I think I think the example to follow is De Laurentiis. I know some of some might say I some I know some might say he takes it to the extreme. But look at his record. I mean, he gets big money for his players and he's and he's very vision. But then again, you know, that then it also needs to tie into how the club is run as a whole. You know, exactly. Napoli are run so well.
00:12:04
Speaker
they're profitable, they've got no debts, that they can set their own terms. Exactly, Atalanta, how many players have they oversold? I mean, look, I mean, remember, what's his name? Diallo sold for 40 million to Man United and he played about
00:12:20
Speaker
like 70 minutes of first team football. I mean, you know, it's insane. I mean, I just feel that, yeah, maybe maybe that's the case as well. Napoli are a profit profitable club. They've got no debts and they can. Well, they can play hard. They're not. Yeah, they can. They can dictate the terms. And I think Milan and Inter and Milan as well. I mean, Milan have reduced their debt massively under Elliott and Inter are doing that as well now as well. I mean, they've they've they're reducing the costs, they're balancing the books.
00:12:48
Speaker
they're a much better place financially than they've been in a very very very long time pretty much since Suning took over i think they're they're they're kind of going in that direction i think this is before Suning and Marotta got all sidetracked with blinding lights and buying shiny toys with the Konta project this was what they were supposed to do if you remember i remember vividly the the words were
00:13:13
Speaker
sustainable, long-term and homegrown. Those were the three words that Marotta, when he came to Inter and Suning, they were talking about. They were going to go with that, and then they abandoned that when Antonio Conte came in, because they had to, and they brought in Lukaku, and they, you know, they decided, you know, the ready players now kind of thing.
00:13:35
Speaker
Now they're going back to what they actually wanted to do from the start. And I think that's a good thing. I think that's a dose of reality that the pandemic kind of imposed on Serie A clubs to be financially stable. The issue of course is that when you have clubs in other countries and other leagues who don't give a damn about their financial sustainability rules and just do whatever the hell they want.
Lukaku's Complex Transfer Situation
00:14:01
Speaker
And that's the issue Yeah, no, but seriously, I mean it's like it is what it is but Italian I think it's good for Italian football that Italian football is on the path of sustainability financial sustainability and that
00:14:17
Speaker
they've had an you know what we spoke about last week about the TV deal not you know they're not even getting that domestically anymore that's that's a good that's good for them i think reality a reality check is good for people who don't live in reality and that is maybe you need to improve your product on every level without going into detail i think this is good in and of itself in isolation for italian football yes
00:14:42
Speaker
But, you know, then there are other, you know, there's different contexts that we've discussed at length to death, some would say, even on this part about, you know, how there's a rule, there's some rules for some and others, the same rules don't apply for everyone and so on.
00:14:57
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. Let's stay on with Inter related, Romelu Lukaku. So this is an interesting one. Now we know that Lukaku wants to join Inter again.
00:15:13
Speaker
And we know he wants to leave Chelsea. He's got no intention. Chelsea have pretty much accepted that now that he wants to leave. But they want to sell him permanently and they want a certain amount of money. But there's also interest from Saudi Arabia. We know, we've learned in the last few days at Saudi Arabian club, is it Al-Hilal? Is it Al-Hilal again?
00:15:48
Speaker
So far he's made it very clear that he's not interested in joining anyone except Inter.
00:16:01
Speaker
Okay, because just to throw in something else that Juventus are now also being heavily linked by a number of journalists, important journalists that are saying that Juventus wants to sign in, they want to sell Wlawovic and sign Lukaku. Now, just to get the Juventus thing out of the way, the Juventus thing makes no sense at all in terms of the numbers from a Juventus point of view. I've seen them saying they'll sell Wlawovic
00:16:30
Speaker
They could do a deal with Chelsea, sell Vlovich for 25 million plus Lukaku, which is just absolute nonsense. Juventus will never do that. The salary of Lukaku will be the same as Vlovich, if not more. So they're not saving any money there either. And also that's before you even get to the point that I just don't see Lukaku wanting to join Juventus because of the love he has for Inter.
00:16:53
Speaker
Well, also because of what happened last season between him and the Uwe fans. And that's as well. I mean, he was racially abused in a very public manner. So I just wanted to get the events of the situation out of the way first. I just don't see this happening. Look, I understand if Uwe are interested because it kind of makes some sort of sense because they can cash in on Laovich, make back some money on that.
00:17:16
Speaker
and then kind of, you know, get Lukaku in on a three-year deal or something and they'll probably get him at lower. There's no way he's making as much as he's made in Chelsea. At Juve or Inter for that matter, he's going to have to cut his wages and he knows that and he's prepared to do that because he prefers the sporting challenge. How much of Inter bid for Lukaku? Well, we know that Inter were on a loan with an option that becomes an obligation next summer set at 25 million euros.
00:17:42
Speaker
I mean, yeah, yeah, that's I mean, I just don't see I mean, you know, if you're going to have into at least match that and we know that's been rejected so far from Chelsea, if they are having to at least match that to get the cargo and it just again numerically makes no sense for where you're going to surrender. How they have to make hundred and forty meeting this summer. They sign in 30 to 31 year old.
00:18:02
Speaker
What you will be thirty one when that becomes an obligation and they're trying to cost cut the wages and it makes no sense it makes the order depends i mean if if this part of a thing that we think we should talk about as well i mean with him it will come to that we've got so we got told me if they were to buy pogba for for a big chunk of money than all of a sudden you kind of well on your way to that.
00:18:22
Speaker
Yeah, what it does doesn't fit into the whole new cost cut, cost cut scene. Well, yeah, I don't get it either. But at the same time, you know that Italian clubs, even though they want to rejuvenate, they still want to have some sort of experience in it as well. And I think Lukaku gives you that experience domestically. And let's remember, Juva are just going to have one game a week in the Serie A. So I think Juva are in an excellent position to actually, you know, push for the title and they know that.
00:18:47
Speaker
And so bringing someone like Lukaku in who resolves situations You know in the seria is is right in there kind of it makes sense My issue is like you said his salary is he willing to cut his wages to join Yuba and is even interested in joining Yuba I'm not too sure but from a Yuba perspective. I kind of understand why they're doing that
00:19:06
Speaker
There's no way in a million years. I just don't buy it at all. If anything, I don't want to sound like Enola Aluko. This is, I don't know, Marotta putting stuff out there to try and hurry up the deal with. No, I think this is Chelsea. I don't know. No, this is Chelsea. Look, it's obvious. Or it's Chelsea. Yeah, it's Chelsea trying to hurry in to wrap. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. I mean, when Chelsea, I don't want to say too much here and name names, but when verbatim, when tweets verbatim read the same,
00:19:32
Speaker
from journalists, English-speaking journalists, at the same time, you can bet your fanny that it's Chelsea putting statements out there. Oh yeah, they're briefers. They're briefers. They're briefers. Yeah, they're briefers. Yeah, they're briefers. Let's not be wrong. They're briefers, all Premier League clubs.
00:19:49
Speaker
I'm not sure if it works slightly differently with Italian clubs, but it's very organised with English clubs that every English club has a small group of journalists that they brief to, basically. They tell them what to put out there.
00:20:06
Speaker
basically it's just that's what it is and when you see these tweets all coming within five minutes of each other and verbatim reading the same thing it's like okay so we copy pasted the whatsapp message did we i mean it's just that's what that is i think it's i don't think it's marota putting that out there i think it's this is chelsea they want money for lucaco because they know he's not coming back um and he's not interested and they want to make back some of the cash that they made that they lost on him i think that's what it is
00:20:35
Speaker
But as we know today, as we're recording this on Monday, we know that there's a delegation from Inter going in to start actual talks with Chelsea. Now, today is the day they're going to do that, because Lukaku's growing weary, he's growing impatient, and above all, so is Simonin Zagi. He wants a striker, he wants those, he wants the strikers to be Turam Lautaro, Lukaku, and one more, whether it's Correa or Nyonta or whoever it is.
00:21:01
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, get rid of Correa and get Njonto would be just unbelievable. Also,
Christian Pulisic's Move to Milan
00:21:08
Speaker
because he's an Inter primavera product, it would make sense.
00:21:14
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. Okay, right. So that's Lukaku. We'll come back onto Juventus in a bit when we talk about Milinkovic Savage. Let's go on to Milan first. So Christian Pulisic, as I said on the top, he will become an officially a Milan player this week. We're looking at probably around about 20, just over 20 million euros, over 21, 22 million from Chelsea. So that's another Chelsea player.
00:21:39
Speaker
I don't want to use the word reject, but let's say... Well, he is a Chelsea reject, let's be honest. You said it. No, but he is a Chelsea reject, and that doesn't mean that he's crap, but he is a Chelsea reject. Well, he's the latest Chelsea... See, Kiyo Tomori was a Chelsea reject, but he turned out to be great for me a lot. Like, that doesn't mean, like, there's no, I mean, there's no correlation. Loftus Cheek, Reuben Loftus Cheek, of course, joined earlier in the summer, and now, yeah, who does it? Who does it? It follows on.
00:22:08
Speaker
Obviously, and we have a lot of American listeners, obviously in America, they've gone very, very big on this. Well, isn't he like the captain of the national team?
00:22:18
Speaker
I'm not sure if he's the captain, but he is like, you know, the poster, the poster boy. Yeah, he's the poster boy of American soccer. Captain America and all that. And, you know, he, I'll be honest, when he was a Bruce Edorban, I really liked him. I thought he was a big, big talent. I thought, you know, he has the pace, the dribbling, that intensity, that kind of, you know,
00:22:43
Speaker
He can stretch the game. He's unpredictable. He can scare the fence. I think there's a player there. I think there is a player there. It hasn't worked at Chelsea. I think he started off okay. His numbers weren't too bad at the start, but he obviously
00:23:01
Speaker
yeah he's lost the last couple of seasons i mean last season was a total disaster but it was for every chelsea player and chelsea were a disaster last season so yeah yeah i mean i actually i'm actually a bit positive about this signing for milan i think he could do a job there if he can stay fit i actually think that he will do really well at milan i think he will suit the football that purely plays really really well um i think i think i think this is a good signing for milan
00:23:27
Speaker
But I mean, how good and where does it take him? That's again, it's 10th of July. But he's still young. He's 24 years old. So exactly that, you know, this isn't, you know, this isn't say Loftus Cheek at 27, 28 or how old Loftus Cheek is. This is a player that still, you know, there is a lot of upside there. And he's got his best years ahead of him. Let's be honest. And I mean, I think the biggest issue with him, obviously, the fitness is a big problem.
00:23:55
Speaker
mentality, he does come across to me, people I've spoken to, he's quite a shy person, and you need to be, you know, we don't want another de Kettler on our hands. De Kettler is too shy. He's too, too mean. Too timid, too meek.
00:24:10
Speaker
I'm not saying you have to be a social butterfly and be able to talk to anybody on the street, but show a bit of personality and character and not you belong there, your body language. I love looking at players' body language when they come out on the pitch.
00:24:34
Speaker
You know, you can tell a lot from a player, I think, just that. And, you know, De Ketzler, everything about his body language is terrible. Terrible, awful. He looked scared most of last season. Yeah. So, you know, that is my, I guess, with Pudasic.
00:24:49
Speaker
He does, I'm not saying he's as bad as the Kettler, but there is a little bit of some question marks about him on his mentality. Here's the thing though, I think the difference is that he's been at Chelsea, he's been at Dortmund, he's been at big clubs, he knows what it means to play big games in a demanding environment. The Kettler went directly from Belgium to Milan.
00:25:07
Speaker
Yeah, and he's been in Europe a long time as well, in terms of, you know, making his way. Exactly. No, I actually think this could be a, this could be an under, this is an underrated signing for Milan. I think he, I think he will do well at Milan, given how Pioli wants to play. And I think he's, I think this is going to be a good signing for Milan. I think this is going to be a signing that they absolutely are going to enjoy. I think this could be probably their best sign this, this, this summer. I think this is, it makes sense to me why they're getting him.
00:25:37
Speaker
So I'm not too worried about that. The Loftus cheek, I mean, look, I've never been that guy's biggest fan because for the simple fact that he's not played regularly enough because he's always injured. And I'm not sure that is what Milan want to be spending money on. But, you know, we'll see if they can keep him fit and he can grow into the role as well and together with
00:26:00
Speaker
with Benasser and Pulisic then they actually are starting to get the Kettler firing as well and Liao that's a very dynamic field it's a midfield with pace intensity they can dribble the ball progression is good they have passing intelligence with Benasser no it makes sense on paper it's about getting it out on the pitch as well and I want to see I also want to know who's going to play on right wing
00:26:28
Speaker
Well, it could potentially be Putin's position. I think he's able to play all those positions. I think he's able to play. I mean, I think that's why the 4-2-3-1 does suit him, because I think he does have the versatility. That's true. And he doesn't necessarily have to have a fixed position either. That's fair. You know, he's good on the counter, he's good
00:26:48
Speaker
with the high press you know I think I think yeah I mean I think he does suit the style of play but you know like we said the fitness the mentality and also you know he needs to get back playing he hasn't played barely played you know he needs to get his rhythm back
00:27:03
Speaker
And also, you know, again, there is there will always we are still waiting for that first American player to really crack it at a big, big club like a traditional, traditional big club in a big. I think I think we haven't had that. We have not had that yet until we do.
00:27:18
Speaker
Until we do there are always going to be these stereotypical doubts about well, it's
Challenges for American Players in Europe
00:27:24
Speaker
Americans. They can't crack it at soccer I gotta win on this, you know, I think Christian Pulisage could be that player. I really at Mila I think so I think I think everything is there for him to show to really you know go and and I think he's also the kind of character who
00:27:39
Speaker
He knows that it's now or never. You're 24 years old. You're at Milan. Now you have to start delivering. Do you know what I mean? It's your turn now. This is it for you. If he fails at Milan, then it's downhill from there, I think.
00:27:56
Speaker
Yeah, there shouldn't be any way back after that. But I'm actually fairly positive about this signing for Pulisic and Milan. I think it's a smart signing. I think it's a signing that will suit Pioli's football and I think it suits for all the reasons I've mentioned so far. I think it's an intelligent signing to be honest.
00:28:15
Speaker
Okay, I just don't think like I mean Western McKinney is not I I mean, I know there's gonna be these comparisons and Well, Western McKinney is not that guy and he's a very very simple footballer. There's nothing wrong with it You know what? The issue is I know what the pick the a lot that a lot of the the issue that people have I think with this transfer of pullers, which is the kind of that they see in the way that the American
00:28:44
Speaker
Soccer TV channels that the broadcast area are exaggerated like exaggerating. They often exaggerate with With you mean like referring to Western McKinney as the biggest personality to ever play in the city. I'll just just look just Just making I mean, I understand that if you have the TV rights you're gonna you know You're gonna try and capitalize
Milan's Striker Search
00:29:05
Speaker
on that. I understand that but at the same time you have to be
00:29:09
Speaker
you know, don't treat your, don't treat your listeners like idiots. Don't treat your audience like morons. Yeah. Don't treat them like idiots and make out that Western McKinney is a, is a good, is a top player or even a good player, you know, or has a big personality. Like he's a chilled out guy. He's a chilled out guy. Big personalities. I don't care about all the extra stuff. I'm just, you know, just talking on a football level, you know, a football level. Don't, don't tell your, don't overhype.
00:29:37
Speaker
These players as being top top players when they're not that's the issue that people have I have him with with the way of transfer and now Obviously the food is its transfer that people just automatically think well They just you know, the American channels are gonna go over overboard building up pool of citrus being this this LeBron James of soccer
00:30:00
Speaker
I can't remember who it was. I really can't remember who it was. It makes me laugh every single time because it's such a silly thing to say. And it's not Pulisic's fault because he didn't ask to be branded that. So we should also kind of remember that.
00:30:16
Speaker
But obviously take take interest in the players. I mean, I remember like in England in the 1990s, there was there was a very, very kind of iconic TV programme in England called Channel Four Football Italia hosted by James Richardson.
00:30:31
Speaker
And at that time, quite a few English players moved over to Serie A. There was Paul Gascoigne, there was David Platt, there was Des Walker, you know, a few of the players that played in the Italian 90s squad were over there, moved over to England. And, you know, they did a lot, you know, but they didn't.
00:30:51
Speaker
And these players actually could have been overhyped, like Gascoigne, for example. He was a fantastic... He was a world-class player, wasn't he? Exactly. And even David Platt, he was a fantastic player as well. You know, they could have overhyped teams, but they didn't. They treated them as top players, but in line with everything else, it didn't make them this front and centre of, you know, they are Serie A kind of thing. That's what's going to happen, you know that.
00:31:18
Speaker
We all know what's going to come. I mean, we all know what's going to happen. We do. I think that's part of the reason why people are kind of just like... I think Christian Pulisic will do well. I think Tim, with Viam a little bit, I don't know. It's a question mark for me. Weston McKinney,
00:31:36
Speaker
Um, I don't I just I think that's going to be but you don't want him like that That's just that's just what we know. We know you will want to get rid of him And that that tells me everything I need to know Yeah, yeah Well to Johnny reindeer's probably going to follow poodle stitch to melod and it might not get done this week Um, but I it does look
00:31:58
Speaker
like it, it's probably going to be done. So I haven't watched much of this guy. I've spoken to a few people. He has a very good short passing game and he's only been a star in regular for a season at AZ in terms of starting matches and he's 25 this month.
00:32:20
Speaker
yeah i mean you know we'll see this is where the scouting comes in yeah i'm just surprised they come out that they pulled out of the camada deal the camada deal like that is to me that's weird that he doesn't suit peole's football um was was the was the reason probably i think it's a strange probably to do with maldini i think this was yeah well of course he was a maldini sign yeah this was a maldini transfer and and everything got held up and then
00:32:47
Speaker
Yeah. It'll be interesting to see where it goes. I think if he goes to Roma, that would be very interesting. Yeah. Yeah, we're coming to Roma. I think it would suit 3, 4, 2, 1 with Pellegrini and Kamada is interesting. It's very interesting. Yeah. Okay. Let's talk about, okay.
Roma's Strategy and Dybala Rumors
00:33:04
Speaker
Let's talk about Roma then. See, see. Just briefly, just the Milan search for a striker. We got to discuss that. I mean, Alvaro Morata, Mehti Toremi, Skamaka, Emmanuel Emega. I mean,
00:33:14
Speaker
They need a striker but because obviously what's his name? He's not good enough. No, not if you're real. Yes, Origi. Oh yeah, they're trying to sell Origi to the Premier League. The problem is he's on four million a year and even Premier League clubs are probably looking at and thinking we're not paying four million a year. We're not paying four million for Divock Origi. We can afford 40 million a year but we're not paying you four million a year. We're not paying four million for him.
00:33:39
Speaker
Which I think is a problem. I think that's what's the holdup here, but I gotta be honest with you. I think someone Skamaka would be a gamble even though I think it would be good for him to go to Milan I think just for Skamaka to go to Roma Milan wherever he goes It would be good for him as long as he gets to start But if we're talking about players who are ready
00:33:57
Speaker
I think someone like Taremi and Morata would be ready to take over, because Taremi can do what Giroud does, but he's also very mobile. Serjo Konsei-Sao... Morata and Taremi are both 31 years, so... That's what goes against it, because Milan don't want to spend that kind of money on a 30 plus year old, that's just not part of their plan.
00:34:20
Speaker
But if we're talking tactically, I think Ptolemy would be very, very, very good for them. But then, I mean, there's the steps that he took under Conseisao. Conseisao has turned him into a complete striker. Now he's a very underrated player. He's very all round, isn't he? Very all round. He's a very complete player. And it's all Conseisao that unlocked that. I mean, he decided that he was going to turn him into this complete striker about a year and a half ago. And then since then, it's just been wow. Yeah.
00:34:48
Speaker
Yeah, I think this is, I mean, it seems like Pioli's made it clear that he wants their business done earlier. He wants to be able to work with them on the training. I understand that because there is a lot of turnover at Milan and he probably wants time to work with them. So I can understand that. So I think we can probably see.
00:35:05
Speaker
some movement with Milan, especially as they've got money to spend as well with the tonality. They definitely need to strike that, and they need more options. Milan's lack of depth last year was ridiculous. It was absolutely ridiculous. Just looking at that semi-final, the Champions League, and the Inter brought on
00:35:23
Speaker
I can't remember who they brought on. Well, they brought on Brozovich. Brozovich, Lukaku and was it Gosens? And then you looked at the other bench in Milan and it was just like, what is this? You know, it was, there was just no one to bring on at all. And they just said it all. Yeah, absolutely. Right. Okay. Let's, let's move on to Roma then. Then we'll talk about Milankovic Savage. So, so Roma, as you mentioned, Roma are, are,
00:35:53
Speaker
buying loads of freebies this summer. They're about to sign Rasmus Christensen and Diego Lorenzo on loan from Leeds on dry loans. They were already brought on in Indica and Oa on Bosmans. So I think the positives from this is they're making the squad deeper, which is something that Mourinho was very unhappy about last season. And he was right to be.
00:36:12
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I'm not sure. Kristensen and Lorente, I mean, yeah, you're into did all right. Did all right. Yeah, but yeah, I mean, these are these are okay. They're squad players. They're squad players. Fair enough. And deco noir should be good signings and deco definitely was a was he looked like a very, very talented player a few years ago. And then
00:36:34
Speaker
just didn't develop. So I guess we'll see what happens there. But anyway, the big story around Roma in the last few days has been Paolo Di Bala. Lots of reports in English media in recent days that Chelsea are planning to move for him. Mauricio Pochettino, the new manager of Chelsea, of course, he's Argentine himself. He's a huge, huge fan of the player, was close, tried to sign in for Tottenham a few years ago when Juventus were trying to offload him.
00:37:02
Speaker
in order to bring in Romelu Lukaku and Di Bala rejected it because he didn't want to move to London. He was at Wimbledon in the last week, a few days ago actually, Paolo Di Bala with his girlfriend Sabatini who actually is the
00:37:18
Speaker
I think the niece of Gabriella Sabatini. I was going to say, is she the former? Yeah, okay. Yeah, Gabriella Sabatini, who was, I'm not sure if she won Wimbledon. She got to the final one year against Stephanie Graff, I remember. She won the US Open. Yeah, she won some Grand Slams. Yeah, she won some Grand Slams. I remember Gabriella Sabatini, yeah. Yeah, so that's, I believe it's the niece. They're close relations anyway, and you can tell just looking at them, they look very similar. So they were at Wimbledon together. Yeah, a few days ago. So that created
00:37:48
Speaker
Yeah, a storm of reports. So yeah, this has been going. I don't think it's going to happen. I mean, Paolo Dibala's come out in recent hours and said he's staying at, well, I'm not sure if he said he's staying at Rome. He says, well, you know, I'm starting preseason training. I'm looking forward to the next season and everything. I don't think this is going to happen for a number of reasons. First of all, I don't think Paolo Dibala himself
00:38:14
Speaker
wants to or ever wants to move to England. We saw that when he rejected Man United in Tottenham in 2019 because of the country, because of the culture. He just doesn't fancy England from a cultural point of view. Now, the caveat to this is his girlfriend Sabatini, who is very, very unpopular with
00:38:36
Speaker
with the Juventus fans in particular. They feel that since he got together with her, that's when he's formed completely off the rocks. Now, she is known as being, well, she's painted as being someone who kind of wears the trousers and she obviously, you know, has her own career and maybe she could influence him. She started doing some media stuff with some English media. Maybe it could be something she might have her eye on. I don't know, I don't even know if she speaks English. And so, so,
00:39:06
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know if she could influence him, but yeah, I don't see him wanting to go there, to be honest with you.
00:39:17
Speaker
think it depends if it had been any other club that played in the Champions League I think he'd be more inclined but to go to Chelsea okay Pochettino's there but I don't know man he seems very happy at Roma and with Mourinho but that's just a feeling I get that he seems they've got something going on there and also with these play new players coming in and Mourinho seems pretty
00:39:39
Speaker
United and like everyone's behind him and the team I also feel and this is this is about no information this this is just purely from the outside looking in and knowing how Mourinho works and just knowing how changing rooms The dynamics of changing rooms in football and how they work I do get the feeling like Mourinho's got all his squad together including the players who have interests from abroad and could play for bigger and other clubs and and he said soon
00:40:08
Speaker
let's all stay together for one more year and let's give it a go in our third year and they've all there's this brotherhood and they've all come together including the Ebola and they've said right let's all go together again next season and that's the impression I've got from everyone do you get that impression as well exactly the feeling I get too that is precisely the feeling I get about that he's like thinking he's basically building this unit where it's like let's give it one season together let's do something special this season because everything is there for us to do that
00:40:38
Speaker
And yeah, no I'm with you on that. And you see that with the lack of interest in Roma's players as well. Apart from Dibala, we're not getting any other stories on interest for other players. Obviously Tammy Abraham's got that serious injury, but it seems to be quite stable in terms of outgoing players with Roma.
00:41:03
Speaker
Maybe Ibanez, but you know, the deadline has gone now for the financial year. So, you know, he probably could stay as well now. Oh God, which I think would be horrible. No, I feel bad for Roma because I think they deserve a better. I mean, how much more are we going to like, how much more are we going to watch this doggy grass? I mean, it's just.
00:41:23
Speaker
It never changes
Milinkovic-Savic and Saudi Influence
00:41:25
Speaker
with him. He's never going to be... He's not going to be in... Why did I freak him out? Drive me mad. I mean, it's just, it's annoying to watch him. Even Jaluka Mancini has improved this last season and is turning into, you know, has, you know, Mourinho's managed to get his head on straight and he's actually doing really well. And then you have that guy running around. You said he scored the name goal in the final.
00:41:48
Speaker
that was i mean come on that is not that's not one own goal that's a deflection it's not really something you can do i think that's unfair i think that's unfair we're gonna have a proper we're gonna have a proper roma deep dive for all the roma fans listening we're gonna have a roma deep dive with a roma journalist
00:42:04
Speaker
looking to do that next week so make sure to check out we're going to do a proper like we've done with Napoli, Juva and Inter we're going to do one with Milan this week I think is hopefully we're trying to find someone yeah and then we're going to do one for Roma next week and then we're trying to do Lazio and Fiorentina as well
00:42:22
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. Well, talking of Lazio, Sergei Malinkovich Savitch, we spoke a little bit about him last week and how his contract expires in a year. There's no plan to sign a new deal. Maurizio Sarri has spoken publicly about how he's become a problem. They've pretty much realized Lazio and Latito has that he's going to leave.
00:42:50
Speaker
Oh no, it's not just that. They've decided that this is what he's going to leave. Yeah, he has to, otherwise he leaves on a free, and they need that money to reinvest in the squad. The problem has been that no one's been prepared to pay those $40 million that he wants, except for the Saudis.
00:43:08
Speaker
Yeah, and that's where we're at now. So there is kind of been a little bit of interest from Italian clubs, Juventus mostly, Inter a little bit as well, but now they've got Fratazzi, Milan as well. There has been some lukewarm interest, but nothing
00:43:26
Speaker
Nothing really concrete. I mean, it definitely isn't concrete in traditional events, but they are warmer than anyone else. But like you said, 40 million is what Latsy are asking for. They're just not interested. It's now been confirmed by multiple reports, as we're recording.
00:43:44
Speaker
that Milinkovitch Savage is close to Saudi Arabia. Lazio have accepted a 40 million offer that has been made by Al Hilal. Milinkovitch Savage's entourage are absolutely delighted with the contract offer and surprisingly 20 million per season for at least a three-year contract. He's on
00:44:05
Speaker
just over three million. So he's jumping from three, three, three, nine times as much like 3.2 million to 20, 20 million. A 600% salary increase. Yeah. I mean, it's just, it's just, it's absolutely insane. So this transfer is going to happen. There's some, some, this is going to happen if
00:44:26
Speaker
unless Milinkovitch Savage vetoes it himself because the club wants it. Milinkovitch Savage's entourage wants it. So it's only the player himself that can stop it. Some journalists think it's inevitable this is going to happen. I'm not going to go that far yet, although by the time this comes out it might have happened. But it is looking like considering the lack of concrete interest elsewhere,
00:44:51
Speaker
it is looking like this could potentially happen. I mean, first of all, before we talk about the wider ramifications of this in Saudi Arabia, I mean, what do you make of this just from Milankovic Savage himself? Because this is a play who's 28 years old, who has been painted as one of, if not the best
00:45:12
Speaker
central midfielder or midfielder in Serie A. This is something which I've never agreed with personally, but I do appreciate the quality of the player. For someone who has such a big reputation within Serie A, to be moving to Saudi Arabia at the age of 28, what do you make of that in terms of his career, football career?
00:45:32
Speaker
I don't think it's got anything to do with that. I think it's got to do with the fact that I think he overstayed his wealth. When he signed that contract extension with Lazio, showing incredible loyalty to the club, and then the COVID happened, that's when I think his chances of a big transfer evaporated.
00:45:55
Speaker
For me, I always thought Real Madrid were going to go big on this guy. But then they decided to go elsewhere and they needed to go elsewhere because of their financial situation as well.
00:46:08
Speaker
So for me, I still think he's one of the best midfielders to play in the world at club level for the last decade. I think he's absolutely fantastic. He's complete. I mean, you talk about complete midfielders. There's not a single position centrally on the pitch that he's not occupied and has not occupied and done so really well. I think he's fantastic. But it's clear that I think that contract extension
00:46:35
Speaker
which coincided with a couple of, I think one or two years later, Covid, that essentially sealed his transfer away to a big club. That killed it off completely. And for me it's a shame because it's one of my favourite midfielders of the last decade. I think he's absolutely fantastic.
00:46:57
Speaker
I'm going to be sad to see him go because I still think he has football in him and I think he's still got good years in him. We can debate whether or not he's already peaked and if he's going to maintain this level or if he can do that and the consistency and all that but I still think that he has lots to offer. I think it's very telling that in all these years
00:47:25
Speaker
with the exception of Man United, who, in my understanding, never actually made a proper official offer for him. There's never ever been any real concrete bids or offers from an English savage from outside of Syria. We know that Italian clubs have wanted them. We know Juventus have been big on him for years. And there has been interest from Inter as well. But the lack of interest from outside, and now when you add to that now, the fact that he's available for just 40 million,
00:47:54
Speaker
this summer and nobody wants him from outside of Serie A, just 40 million with all the money that Premier League clubs have and the fact that pretty much every Premier League club this summer is changing, is making big revolutions in their midfield this summer. Go through every single club. They're all making big midfield signings. Liverpool are changing their whole midfield. Man City are making loads of changes in their midfield. Man United are signing a top central midfielder. Arsenal are signing at least two central midfielders.
00:48:24
Speaker
You know go through all of them Newcastle I mean they're all buying big midfielders and they've all got so much money and nobody comes in from an ink of it Savage But he's not a high intensity player. I think that's the issue. He's he's doesn't have that style Well, yeah, I think that's I think that's part of it I think that also goes to show you that you kind of confirms like this I've never considered this guy a top top player. I think he's you know for the Serie A he's been suited I think there's no doubt about the technical level and the unique school skill set these had but I think it's been
00:48:53
Speaker
He's been kind of like a midfield in Marbeller, obviously a completely different player to him, but he's done, you know, he's been fantastic on a domestic level for a team with a level of Lazio, but he's never been able to prove himself on a higher stage, you know, in major tournaments internationally or in Europe for Lazio. And, you know, some would say we'll never know, but he's never had that interest.
00:49:16
Speaker
To me, I think he has been one of the best, when he was awarded the best midfielder of the Serie A, I think he was the best midfielder in the Serie A and I think that's when he should have left Lazio to have a big career. But of course he didn't. So no, I disagree with you a little bit there. I think the quality is not up for debate. I think it's just a circumstance, life.
00:49:37
Speaker
Happened and and and he never went and I don't think he ever was a Premier League style player I think somewhere like a realm of his Premier League, you know, even it could be it could be Spain it could be it could be Yes, I've always thought really could be by me. It could be PSG. Why? Yeah, they're revolutionized in the midfield. Why they haven't they haven't coming in for him. I mean, I
00:49:57
Speaker
There is a reason if none of these clubs are interested in him, then there has to
Saudi Arabia's Football Ambitions
00:50:02
Speaker
be a reason for that. So that's that's my issue from an individual point of view. But I mean, the bigger picture here is, you know, and we have to talk about this, is that Saudi Arabia, this is a paradigm shift in football right now. And it's not just Minklovic Savage, it's Pogba as well. There have been reports that I mean, Paul Pogba businesses Saudi Arabia over the weekend.
00:50:24
Speaker
He was asked, is he moving to Saudi Arabia? In a clip that you can see, it's on social media. He said, who knows? Now, no. Today, no. Tomorrow, we don't know. And then he was asked if he would join al-Hitihad or al-Hali. And he replied, I don't know. We'll see. I mean, this could have just been him, you know, just he just didn't want to talk. I don't know. But, you know, there are lots of reports, because Etta is saying that
00:50:52
Speaker
An intermediary from Saudi Arabian clubs met with his agent Rafael Pimenta and to discuss his future. That will play out. For you, this is like winning the lottery.
00:51:22
Speaker
They're getting a 30 year old that they signed on a free transfer, even if they get just 10 million euros for him, which I'm sure they won't, they'll get more.
00:51:31
Speaker
Yeah, even if they just get one of them financially, yeah, it will be that he's a huge burden on that Yeah, his wages are massive. They they sign him on a free transfer They sell him a year later for it's all capital gains this time not fictitious but actual ones and they say they offload his wages and They they get a player who you know what? I've my opinion about this. I think he's finished at this level I I don't think he can
00:51:58
Speaker
play at this level again i think and not that he's i think it's a physical issue with him his body just can't do it he can't even play for five minutes without pulling the muscle i mean you know that's such a sad thing to see because i think he was uh he was uh you know i think especially for france when they won the world cup i thought that midfield was so so good and he was such an integral part of that
00:52:22
Speaker
But no, we'll see what happens with Pogba. For Juve, this is like winning the lottery. For Juve, yeah. I think, deep down, I think Juventus would definitely want it. I mean, Romaino Agresti we had on the show last week, or the week before, and he said that Pogba wants to stay at Juventus, he wants to prove himself and try and make a success of it, but that's what Pogba wants. That isn't necessarily what Juventus want. So yeah, I think, look, let's watch this space, let's see how this develops.
00:52:51
Speaker
I think it could happen. I mean if they were to make a good offer to Juva around, I don't know, minimum 25, 30 million euros, Juva will bite that handle, like bite that, bite their hands, they'll snap it off. For sure. But the bigger picture here is, the bigger picture here is
00:53:07
Speaker
Saudi Arabia is the Saudi Arabian Pro League is changing football and completely there is 20 billion dollars to invest into football between now and What I mean it the World Cup's definitely gonna go to Saudi Arabia It's 2034 is the target cuz we're only 20 or they pulled out of that bit didn't they I mean that that combined I think so Yeah, they did the 2030 but they pulled out of yeah
00:53:32
Speaker
It's 2034. Is that official? Yeah, I checked it. It was 2030 they've pulled out. But 2034 is the one that they want to go for. They want that bid and I think it gives them about 10-11 years to build up something and they're going to invest.
00:53:49
Speaker
heavily in football not just now because again Qatar Saudi is not Qatar Saudi is a big country with a huge population and it's a football mad country and they have football history and football culture and this is just gonna they essentially want to be
00:54:07
Speaker
what the Premier League is and what the Serie A was, but in Asia, in the Middle East. They want to export their domestic club football like that. Four clubs, four Saudi clubs, Al-Hiti had Al Ali, Al Nasser and Al Hilal, they've been transformed basically into companies that are owned by
00:54:27
Speaker
the PIF, and that's who owns the sovereign fund that owns Saudi Arabia, that owns Newcastle, and also has massive shares in Chelsea as well. Now, like I said, $20 million, it's just insane.
00:54:47
Speaker
Obviously, this has a big effect on Italian clubs in the sense that, you know, they can come over here, come over to Serie A and buy Sergei Milinkovich Savage, they can buy Pogba, they can buy... Well, they can do it to the Premier League as well. I mean, there's talk of Bernardo Silva. I mean, there's talk of, there's lots of, you know, they will, they are going to do that. They're going to build their domestic football up and they're going to do it their way.
00:55:14
Speaker
so this is this is just you know when when you have a completely deregulated market and you build it on big fish eating small fish there's always a bigger fish and the Premier League compared to Saudi is not the biggest fish because they can pay they don't they're not they can do whatever they want
00:55:31
Speaker
They can do whatever they want and no one can stop them. So this is just this is just a continuation, like I said, a couple of weeks ago of things set in motion decades ago. Yeah, I think I think the big the big change within football here is that the impact this has on UEFA and not I mean, we've been to we talk about it on the pod. I mean, football
00:55:57
Speaker
is, I don't want to use the word dead. I use that word, football is dead. I use that term about 14 years ago, I remember. But you look at what UEFA hasn't made the changes that required. They could have, they would have been protected to an extent from a new player like Saudi Arabia if they'd have made the changes to football that were needed. But they didn't want to. And they've never done that. I mean, players, we know. They didn't want to. They weren't interested. Players, footballers earn too much money.
00:56:24
Speaker
Agents take too much take too much money, you know out of the game young players, you know been taking advantage of spurt certainly from the smaller from the smaller countries They've allowed state ownership to happen in football, which should never should never been allowed to happen There should never be any state ownership be permitted in football, you know fan ownership, you know, they that hasn't been
00:56:47
Speaker
possible in this type of football, the differences and disparity between leagues has got larger and larger and larger and larger to the extent where we're in this ridiculous situation now where teams like Nottingham Forest are spending more in a transfer window than the entirety of Serie A, which is just an absolute joke, and the difference in TV revenue between Premier League and all the other leagues.
00:57:17
Speaker
the financial fair play rules and how they've been a joke, you know, impossible to make the salary cap. They've not even tried it. That's the thing. They've not tried to do any of these things. They've made no attempt to make it a level to make rules in football and to make it competitive. And it's so imbalanced football now. And, you know, people like us are, you know, we're fed up with it. And, you know, our heart is still there because we grew up with it.
00:57:44
Speaker
It's sad to see what happens. Well, they've created a vacuum where, well, Saudi Arabia can come along and basically do what they want and spend like mad. You know, I'm not saying I like that either. But, you know, well, it's the Wild West now. But it's been the Wild West for a long time. That's exactly it. I mean, it's like when you create certain
00:58:05
Speaker
when you when you open when you will allow you know you can't just say that it's a completely free market for everyone for anyone with the biggest wallet to do whatever they want and you maintain that and then complain when somebody with a bigger wallet comes from Asia it's just you can't do that you you you've done this for 30 40 years you've wanted this is your this is this is the sum of your ambitions enjoy it you know there's always a bigger fish
00:58:32
Speaker
in the sea. It's as simple as that. And so now UEFA are upset and Premier League people and their cronies in the media are upset. But I have no empathy. I'm sorry.
00:58:48
Speaker
like literally no rules to go by. I mean, financial fair play, even though that doesn't apply to Premier League clubs, but it does apply to other UEFA leagues. But there are no rules in Saudi Arabia. I mean, they literally can spend whatever they want. They're not even going to pretend to be played by the rules. No, because it's a different legal framework. I mean, everyone has a different legal framework and they are doing, they want to build their domestic league and they wanted to make it a huge international success. I mean, I know, for example, that when Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi,
00:59:18
Speaker
Poland started showing Saudi league football and people are actually watching it that they understand that this is how they're going to grow They're actually really smart. They're not just blowing money on star players that they're putting an infrastructure in place both in terms of marketing both in terms of
00:59:37
Speaker
structure in terms of, you know, with youth development and for their own players, you know, the stadiums are fantastic state of the art stadiums. You know, they're doing in terms of grassroots and youth, because that's something that I haven't seen much reported on. So no, they've I mean, if you look at the Saudi national team in the World Cup this past time.
00:59:56
Speaker
look at look at all these players and how how good they were technically that's the result of a long term long time investment in bringing foreign coaches to set a standard at academy level to grow and develop players and a certain kind of players modern players
01:00:15
Speaker
I think Saudi was one of the surprises of the World Cup. They really, really impressed me with how they played. And and so, no, look, this is this is this is this is a long time coming. And they feel that they want to create this kind of new super league in the Middle East. Well, it really is 2000, 2034 and not 2030. I've just had a look. I can't find anything official on it. But I've seen reports saying that they're going to be going to pull out. I mean, if it's 2034, that's actually bad news for
01:00:45
Speaker
The Premier League and for UEFA if it's 2030 because that means that this spending is guaranteed for at least over a decade Whereas if it's 2030 then there will always be the idea that well once they've got the World Cup they'll do kind of what Qatar did and start to to rein in and and you know and and what it's achieved politically achieve what they want to do and and and they move on you know, so if it's who doesn't 34 then we're talking about a decade of this and then that is a
01:01:12
Speaker
Yeah, that is definitely a potential threat to the Premier League in terms of, well, doing what the Premier League have done, and that is hoarding and buying everything from everyone. And that isn't going to happen now if the Saudi League is there. But it is going to have an awful effect on Syria, definitely.
01:01:33
Speaker
I'm checking now and I just should double check now and it says the Egypt Greece Saudi Arabia 2030 World Cup bid was a joint was a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup by Egypt Greece and Saudi Arabia
01:01:46
Speaker
And so they're speaking about it in a past tense kind of thing. Where? By who? No, I went on their Wikipedia page. Okay. Well, yeah, I mean, yeah, I haven't seen anything official anyway. That's what I mean. So we'll see.
Napoli's Defensive Challenges
01:02:05
Speaker
We'll see what happens there. It wouldn't surprise me knowing how corrupt FIFA is that they hold it in the Middle East twice and three tournaments, which shouldn't be allowed. But yeah.
01:02:15
Speaker
And I would I would say, oh, it says no, no, it says in Egypt's Minister of Youth said on April the 8th that Egypt does not intend to submit a World Cup bid for 2030. And later, June 23rd, 2023, the three nations announced they would not submit a bid to host a World Cup, citing their support for Spain, Portugal, Morocco as the reason.
01:02:38
Speaker
Okay, well fair enough. I haven't seen anything official on it. No, but I think 2034 is the one we're going for. But we'll see. Yeah, we'll see. Okay, just before we get on to bed, Jim Prentice, the week, Kim Minjae, he will leave Napoli to join Bayern Munich this week. How will Napoli possibly replace this guy?
01:03:01
Speaker
They don't. You don't replace Kim Min Jae. You buy someone who can have potential and be as good maybe one day or grow into the role, but they struck gold or diamond when they found Kim Min Jae. I think last season he was the best defender in the world in Europe. I think he was complete. He had no weaknesses. He was absolutely fantastic.
01:03:24
Speaker
And Bayern Munich, if they manage to get this guy, and if they buy Harry Kane or whoever they buy, they're looking like they are going for European glory. We had Vincenzo Credendino on last week, on Wednesday, to discuss this particular instance, and there's no final decision been made, but Napoli are aware that they struck gold with Kim Min-J, and it's going to be almost impossible
01:03:53
Speaker
to find someone who can replace him. Yeah, it looks like they're moving towards the Japanese centre back, Ko Itakura. So, they're remaining in the Far East. No, I mean, look, they're scouting, it wasn't just Juntoli, but they have a fantastic scouting network. Of course, Juntoli was the one who headed all of that. But, no, Kim and Jae is a fantastic player and I think he's going to be an absolute beast for Bayern Munich.
Tributes and Lighthearted Farewell
01:04:24
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, interesting buying. They've got like three centre backs that are all the same, like in terms of the physique and style of play, like Kim and Jay.
01:04:37
Speaker
Uppamikano and Delicht. Delicht is a little bit slow I think compared to Kim and Jane Uppamikano as well. Uppamikano is rapid but yeah they're all a bit yeah they're not like on the turn it's not their strengths but yeah it's I don't know it's
01:04:56
Speaker
It's going to be interesting to see, because do they play with a back three, back four? I mean, what does Tuchel do? It's going to be very interesting. Yeah, because he does like to play with a back three, but maybe that's not the Bayern way. And if we know anything, it's that the Bayern way always supersedes.
01:05:12
Speaker
You know, but then again Bayern kind of completely fell apart unexpectedly unexpectedly last season Yeah, and that still won the league because Dortmund are the biggest botless That is the biggest bottle job. I can't I don't understand how they did not win the city and I believe isn't it? Unbelievable. I still can't believe they didn't win it I can't I can't I can't yeah Amazing right. Let's finish off with Bad J and Prim Face of the Week Bad J
01:05:42
Speaker
Um, it's a bit of a weak one, I'd say, but we... I think we gotta hand it to the Italy under 19s.
01:05:50
Speaker
Who are now, are they not in the semi-finals? Yeah, I don't know how much credit we can give them. They beat Malta 4-0, where they scored three penalties in the main goal to beat them. And then they got hammered 5-1 by Portugal in the second game. Although I have to say this again, anti-Italian discrimination on show once again. Did you watch this game?
01:06:13
Speaker
This is the only Italy under 19 game I've watched in the tournament so far and I didn't I haven't watched the other one have to be admit I'm gonna watch the semi-final and They were 1-0 up in this game and they're actually the better team They're in control and then Portugal equalized with a goal that was five yards offside There's no there's no VAR of course. There's five yards offside and then
01:06:38
Speaker
so obviously they cracked up and then they got ascending off. Italy play got sent off, the guy that scored, Lipani I think it was, for I mean second yellow card for like the referee gesture that he'd elbowed the guy in the face but he'd like brushed him with his hand while he was moving and with his arm when he was moving it was just
01:07:00
Speaker
It was just a terrible refereeing again. And then obviously they fell apart after that and then they got hammered 5-1. But they still only needed a draw against Poland on Sunday to qualify and they got a 1-0 draw. They were actually losing 1-0, but I didn't watch the game. So I'm not sure how that game went. So yeah, they're in the semifinal now. And yeah, we'll see. We'll see how they do.
01:07:25
Speaker
Yeah, we will, we will. I want to give a shout out though to two people. Luis Suarez, legend, Inter legend and Spain legend, amazing player, the Grand Inter, who died aged 88. And also I want to just give best wishes to Edwin van der Sar, who's obviously in a, he's in intensive care and in a very delicate situation at the moment. So obviously wish him the best.
01:07:55
Speaker
So two, two kind of, yeah, former Saria figures there. Prem face of the week. Have you got anyone?
01:08:04
Speaker
No, but we there's been quite a few women sent around but no no one okay, I've seen anything in in particular this week, but Yeah, there was one. Oh, I can't remember was someone sent us to someone sent it to us a I can't remember exactly what it was but it was it was It was once again something, you know typical prim face ish about
01:08:34
Speaker
whether some, can't remember who was if he could cut it in the Premier League or someone, oh I can't remember now. No, have you got Rory the Tory I think it was, yes. What did he say? I think it was him, yeah he said something, oh I can't remember, it was
01:08:48
Speaker
Rory the Tory did say about Tonali. He said that... Thank you. That's the one. Was it about Tonali? Yeah. He was saying that Newcastle were bigger clubbed than that. That's the one. Yeah, that's the one that we got sent to. And it was sent to us by one of our patrons, Nicholas Bins. Now I remember. Yeah, he sent me a tweet and I died of laughter.
01:09:15
Speaker
yeah no it was it was it was it was Rory Jennings are good he said about Newcastle being a bigger club than Milan yeah how many times did Highland score last season again exactly I mean you'd think this guy would shut the f up but I guess not I guess not man
01:09:41
Speaker
I would love to see how your last appearance went on Talksport. These are presented on Talksport. I would love to see you invited back onto Talksport that have Rory the Tory asking the questions this time. That would just be gold, radio gold.
01:09:59
Speaker
Yeah, it was funny. No, I mean, given how, yeah, but I mean, Martin Samuel really, I really triggered him. I didn't think I would, but he wrote a whole article about him next week. Yeah, I remember it. It was very, very, very, very funny. It was very entertaining. But no, yeah, but look.
01:10:18
Speaker
At least that's a, you know, he's Martin Samuel as a journalist. I don't know what Rory, what is he? Is he just an influencer and he's like that Mark Goldbridge who's actually Italian. I think he was an extra in his standards once. Yes, that's the one. Yeah, yeah, you're right. Yeah. But I got to say, though, finding out that Mark Goldbridge is not his actual name, but that he's actually Italian.
01:10:45
Speaker
No way. Brent Di Cesare. No, get the F out. No, no, no. Brent. Brent Di Cesare. Brent. Yes, that's his real name. Oh my gosh. He's half Italian. He's half Italian and his mum got the naming rights basically.
01:11:06
Speaker
I mean, I don't think any Italian town would ever call their son Brent. No, his name is Brent Di Cesare and he's half Italian. When I found that out, I was like, OK, I did not see that one coming. So apparently it's just an alias, the gold bridge thing.
01:11:22
Speaker
Rince Di Cesare. Oh my gosh. Yes. And he's a massive premise. Obviously, obviously took none of his Italian from his from his father. No, so he is half Italian. He used to be a police officer as well. Yes, I read that. Yeah. Yeah, I knew that. And then he and then there was a clip going viral because he absolutely lost his shit because people were trolling him on a YouTube live about Andriana being done. And he's like, he went full on.
01:11:51
Speaker
like Karen alive on TV. Yeah, that's insane. Because, oh, I think that's the last person I thought would be would be Italian. Yeah. It's like sometimes get these redhead Italians. Have you seen them? Oh, we got them in Iran as well. Yeah. And it's like they just don't look Italian at all. But you can actually get quite a few of them. Yeah. No, I was really surprised when I found out his real name is Brent Di Cesare. And he's half Italian. Yeah. I was like, whoa.
01:12:21
Speaker
That's fantastic. Well, on that note, we're not going to beat that. So let's leave it at that. OK, right. So, yeah, back on Tuesday for the Q&A and Thursday for a another transfer special deep dive on a club in Serie A. And, yeah, then back again next Monday. So, yeah, lots of transfer stuff going on. It's the under 19. Good luck to them. We will see you on Tuesday.
01:12:51
Speaker
Until then, cha-cha.