Who can replace the beard(Xabi)

Given that this is likely to go through in the next week or so, who shall we try and get to replace him with the £30m, discuss.

 

Fantasy world would be drop Gerrard back and bring in Augero.

Real world will prob be still drop Gerrard back and Silva and Negrado could be brought in with the money and as part of the deal

 

Are we not signing you from Munich?

 

Fabregas could do a super job for us, let the others go and play. Unfortunately don't think it will ever happen

 

The state I ws in that day in Madrid that was a nice comparison

 

I'm with you on this. Very long shot but nice to dream all the same

 

I personly think Lucas will play alot bigger role this season, there will be a replacement bought for Xabi alright maybe somebody like Mark Noble could make the step up to a top side, but I think Lucas will start the season as 1st choice, I really think we should be trying to get Snijder and £18m from Madrid, as it would give us alot more options.

 

Xabi for Xavi

 

Rafa preferred formation is two holding midfielders, so assuming Masher stays and Alonso go, we defo need a top top player to replace him. Lucas is not up to it week in week out.

If we got 30 million for Alonso, then I would test Chelsea with a 30 million bid for Essien

He is the best box to box midfielder in the Premier League

 

He looks like he could go on to be a great player

 

its a very difficult situation, on the one hand im thinking rafa wont be tempted to change the formation back to 4-4-2 but realistically it could be his only option there are not many midfielders in the world that are close to xabi's quality at keeping games ticking over.

i also dont like the idea of stevie moving back as i think his perfect position has been found behind the striker.

one name that was mentioned to me yesterday and the more i taught of it the more sense it made as i think he could be got for a nice price - mikel arteta?

 

Good shout that, i dont agree with you on lucas playing a bigger role i just dont think he can step up to the plate, one other who i think could do a job for us but it will never happen is mikel arteta

 

If it is Lucas and Masch in the centre would the midfield not be extra defensive and like last season we wold lack that final ball in midfield to open defenses like Hull, Stoke etc.

 

A good few of you of the same opinion on this thread and Each to their own, but I'd like to think we would be aiming a bit higher than Mark Noble!

 

Same two lads who manned the midfield in the old trafford massacre.
But we would need something extra on the wings for the games against stoke/hull etc.

 

+1

 

just think he has the potential to be a top player, if we were looking for a player similar to xabi there aint too many around, arteta, cana off marseilles, dafour from liege.

If you were looking for a 1 year stop gap if rafa cant get his top target then maybe marcos senna or gilberto silva

 

Does anyone think Viera would be worth a punt??

 

anyone know anything about javi martinez?i read he was the "next alonso" a while ago and that we were after him? Arteta wont come to us and noble is not the class of player we need. cambiassos names is getting thrown about a bit

 

I know where you're coming from mate, but "potential" isn't really worth a damn if we're going to win the league this year, we need to get this right and it has to be a player who can live up to Xabi's pedigree straight away. I'm not saying I have the answer, but I expect Rafa does. And it won't be Mark Noble (please God!)