The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 20th July)

Morning all
Elland is having something stuck down his throat this morning so I’m in off the bench to give you a flavour of the stories doing the rounds this morning. Mainly all transfer clickbait but some made me laugh, especially when you see some of the prices wanted for some players.

• Metz are wanting only £4m for 28yo Farid Boulaya and this story has been doing the rounds for a few days. He is in the last year of his contract and wanted by all the usual suspects in Premier League and Europe. He plays wide or AM and scores goals.
• Bournemouth are wanting £35m for Arnaut Danjuma - enough said
• Man Utd are wanting anything from £30m to £60m for Dan James - even if Bielsa wants his babies he wont pay that for a failure in a poor Man Utd team over the past 2 seasons. Less than 30 games played and mainly cups they lost out on.
• Athletico Lanus want £6m for Tomas Belmonte who goes into his last year, story now been around for a week.
• Wolfsburg want £16m for Croation International winger Josip Brekalo. Highly regarded rapid winger who scored 7 goals and 3 assists in 29 games last season
• A host of top Prem teams are chasing 18yo Chelsea wonderkid Lewis Bate, and Leeds are said to be his preferred target. He is seen as the real understudy to Kalvin Phillips and would go into the U23s to learn Bielsaball.
• More photos of Ben White and Kalvin Phillips having a great time with girlfriends and yachts and cold sparkling white wine in Mykonos
• Jordan Stevens will probably be gone in a few days. Will it be L2 Harrogate Town who he played for on Satuday or will he try for a club nearer to his mums near the M4 corridor.

Have a great day in the sun everyone

 

Leeds United's reported interest in Lewis Bate took an intriguing twist yesterday as it was revealed the 18-year-old midfielder had followed the entire Leeds team on Instagram.

While social media can often give rise to red herrings, for the teenage midfielder who has spent more than half his life at Chelsea's Cobham academy to follow the squad list of another Premier League team with reported interest is curious to say the least.
Between Leeds' supposed interest - as reported by MailOnline - and Bate's online activity, the breadcrumb trail appears to lead in one direction.
Further to this, The Athletic reported late on Monday evening that Bate was subject to offers from Leeds United and West Ham United.

Nevertheless, Bate remains a Chelsea player and has been preparing for the 2021/22 season as he enters the final 12 months of his Blues' deal.
leeds have made a number of signings for their U23s past two summers - would Lewis Bate be a player who would fit into that team or be pushing for a first-team spot?

Connor Rowden: "For any other side, Bate would be a first team signing or a player signed under the proviso that he'd be heading straight out on loan to one of the many Championship clubs who have spent months jostling to be front of the queue for him. Leeds are fairly unique in terms of U23 setups though and actually treat it like a self contained 2nd team.
LL: What is Bate's best role? Can he play multiple?

Rowden: "Primarily, Bate is a No. 6, able to play either role in a double 6, or in a 3 with two 8s. Despite being quick and robust for his size, the question during his transition into senior football is how much and how early he'll be able to play as a solo No. 6., especially at a Premier League level.

"Although he has played as a No. 8 at times, I think he's currently best as a No. 6 in a two with wing-backs or incredibly aggressive fullbacks. His ability to take control of the tempo of a game from deep, dropping into spaces and probing with his mastery of the short and long passing game is where he excels. "He has probably translated his performances from U18 football to U23 football, better than any other ball dominant, No. 6 in a decade. His intelligence of how to control a game, switches of play + ball striking on his left foot, are fairly unparalleled out of a league that features as much elite young talent as any other in the world on a consistent basis."

 

Maybe the Athletic are right and this Chelsea kid is the young Midfielder we had our eyes on who we want to build.
Yes Doc he is following everyone on Insta so this one looks very close to being in the bag you don't follow an entire Team for nothing.
Other than a Keeper that could be our lot for this window if the Athletic are right to their words.
unless something comes along we can't resist.
Waiting for the shirts now some noob says Thursday on Twatter but I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

Pablo has signed for his own club so looking forward to friendly matches in the sun and a place to loan out our kids

 

So we have another nonce in the Premier League.
A 31 year old. I was reading a lot of storieS from A Everton fanzone that they think it's Gylfi Sigurosson

 

I won't be buying any way over priced. Besides a body fut is not a good look. Seen too many guys wear them on holiday and look daft.

 

Anyone who’s interested in the Pablo and Castelon situation should maybe think about a golf trip to Pablo’s local course, which isnt far away from his home and the football club. His brother in law Sergio Garcia is a lot to do with the club and the whole Garcia family use the facilities. Could be a great location for pre season or golf/beach/football break https://mediterraneo.golf/

The football club is a mile from the golf course and the beach is a mile from football club. I should be the new tourism guy for the area

 

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Lewis Bate is due to have a medical tomoz and a deal has more or less been completed at a cost of circa £1.5m. This will be a sensational signing if it comes off and the kid chose Leeds above his own club Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs, West Ham, Man Utd

 

We're not famous anymore

 

We are now getting enquiries from Championship clubs like Swansea, Sheff Utd and more for Sam Greenwood and Cody Drameh to name just two. It will be interesting to see how the club respond because we should get a view of how Bielsa sees these kids. Drameh for me is the 2nd best RB at the club I rate Greenwood as a better striker and dead ball taker than Roberts and he isnt as good and dynamic as Joe Gelhardt. These 3 should be part of the first team set-up for me this season and get some game time at some stage. If no new winger comes in Summerville should also be around the scene because he has the pace and skill of Poveda but has end product as he creates assists by the bag full and scores goals. Greenwood and Gelhatdt scored 13 each last season from around 16 games each and Summerville played around 13 times and was 3rd top scorer in the 23s with half a dozen. Poveda played at least 6 games for the 23s and managed 1 assist. Yes some fantastic football played by Poveda but no end product

 

Remember, he's innocent until proven Gylfi

 

Just about everywhere now saying medical imminent for Lewis Bate, so that means another exceptional Summer for the 23s. Bate, McGurk and Miller to enhance, Drameh, Greenwood, Gelhardt, Summerville, Caprile Cresswell, Kenneh and McKinstry. Not a bad 11 there without the likes of Charlie Allen, Jenkins and Co

 

Afternoon all

Should we get excited about Bate or will he be another that we think “eh?” In 12 months time.

Glad it’s Bate and no S on the end coming from Chelsea

 

Any idea if we can still watch the U23 games on YouTube this year?

 

I think Poveda has realised this is make or break time. he's done alot of work in his own time over his break and although he's never going to be Mr muscle due to his frame he's defo beefed up and made an effort before he came back.
He loves the club and will know this is the season to make an impression otherwise he's out the door.
very interested in how Bielsa integrates some of these youngsters in pre season games.

 

Yeah some do try to fit into body fit shirts that are way to small for them lol. unless you're an athlete or take fitness daily it's a big no no from me as well.

 

I think first job to be done is to make Philips Captain, that stops all the clubs from sniffing around him, give him responsibility and watch him flourish.
The Llorente & Sturijk partnership was solid back end of the season, Cooper as back up on the bench and have him as club captain.
Full backs are sorted...............finally.
Philips and Kock in a very similar role to Philips and Rice.
The rest falls into place, Raphina and Harrison out wide, Bamford and Rodrigo with Rodrigo floating just behind Bamford.
Not many teams will live with that team,
BUT Amigo Bielsa has his own way and we are where we are because of him and i for one have been frustrated at times with him, but he always comes up trumps.

Cant wait for the 14th August i hope to celebrate my birthday with a impressive win over the Salford Yanks, Scumchester what ever you wish to call them.

MOT.