Juan is a target, but it probably won't Mata
Sunday, July 31, 2011 at 7:04AM Reading this article very late last night relating to confirmation of our interest in Juan Mata along with an increasingly worrying midfield issue (lack of depth believe it or not thanks to injuries) should have given me a sleepless night.
Sandro injured, Huddlestone needs to see a specialist, vdV asking to be substituted early on against Brighton, Wilson 'coming back' from injury but mostly spending the summer on the verge of leaving which links me nicely onto all this leaving us with just Luka Modric and Jenas. A player who wants to leave with a player many wouldn't object to see leave (although JJ has always proven to be a decent squad player rather than a first choice). Regardless, it's hardly inspiring and here's me thinking all we had to do is pick up a couple of forwards and a centre-back.
Still, no sleepless night.
Diarra is constantly linked. You can understand why based on the above.
Mata is an interesting one, Harry saying Levy is 'dealing' with it. A midfielder who can also play on the flank, I'm still trying to figure out where he would fit in* exactly in a side that will include Rafa, Luka and Bale. But perhaps it would be wasted energy to do so based on the fact that there is a tangible suggestion he isn't that fussed about leaving Valencia. Neither is he that fussed (supposedly) about us. He'd much prefer a CL side (like most upper tier players). However the hope is that if his buy out clause is matched and said CL side (guess who) do not bid then Valencia might well ask the player to consider what is best for the club and accept the move.
*Mata could probably fit in anywhere in midfield or even up front. Would ADORE him if he signed for us.
If we're in for him at least our positive scatter-gun approach is still in full force. The club (if it is to be believed ) have inquired for one or two top drawer players but nothing has pushed on to the point of completion. Whether its because we're being used as transfer pawns by agents/clubs or because we fall short in terms of wages or lack of CL you still wonder whether strategically things could have played out with a better tempo of decisiveness.
All the deadwood won't shift out until we start signing players. But the season is not too far off now. With some additional extra weeks to do some business after it kicks off and before the window shuts.
The reality for us is that the players we are going for are not of the ilk of transfer that is rubber stamped with unequivocal certainty. Liverpool signing Adam and Downing for example. That's not because they are more decisive but simply because you have three that are willing to do business (i.e. Blackpool/Villa happy to sell, Liverpool willing to bid the valuation, the player(s) wanting to sign). Probably nobody else that interested. And the players are 'promoting' themselves in terms of club stature. It's easy street and nobody is walking alone down it.
Can any one player we've 'aimed' to get be tagged with such similar certainty? No one appears to be that desperate to leave their club or that desperate to join us. On the surface at least it seems that way although all that we read can simply be for the benefit to drive a hard bargain - so selling club and player get the best deal.
I cannot see anything more than this being a stand off not too dissimilar to an Italian Western. Plenty of eye-balling and sweat and then BANG it's over in a flash. We can't be left looking like cowboys. Finger on the trigger. Our Spurs must jingle.
It might be improbable that we sign every type of player we truly require (imo - 2 forwards, a midfielder, a right-winger for cover, a centre-back) and then sell every splintered piece of deadwood. But the hope is that we sign at the very least two key players and the fabled domino effect sees us streamline in time for our high octane opening fixtures.
Might feel like nothing will happen but I simply can not envisage such failure.
I'm sleeping without the night terrors.
It will happen. Have faith. Then we'll all laugh about the days and weeks spent shrugging despondently drowning in our impaitence.
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