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Our Marquee Man...


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It might well be that we don't get a full-season international marquee this time around if we're trying hard to accommodate NYC players until the 2015 MLS pre-season. This may be a transition period while both Melbourne and New York Cities settle down a bit?

I feel we will either get one at the half season mark or next season and the squad will be more settled and long term. That said when our loans return back to wherever I expect decent players to replace them, maybe just not marquee type names. it would be a total fuck up if they didn't !! I have a lot more faith in this lots team management over the last lot though !!

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Personally id rather have marquees from the start. Even with Villa being guest and potentially (but unlikely) lampard or xavi on loan as 5th visa for the first half of the season. Win and bank as many points as we can, and then what better opportunity for our garuccio's and mauk's to step in and show us what they have. Whilst playing with 2 settled and intergrated marquees.

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Personally i reckon Niko Kranjcar would be the perfect signing for us. Doubt its able to happen but feel he would be a terrific influence on and of the field

Wasn't he linked with the Wanderers a month or so ago? 

I wonder if that's still on the table, he'd be a great acquisition for any A-League club.

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Personally i reckon Niko Kranjcar would be the perfect signing for us. Doubt its able to happen but feel he would be a terrific influence on and of the field

My friend was wearing Kranjcar's jacket the other night !! haha. He's originally from portsmouth and got his training jacket from one of the club staff when he was playing there. Bit of useless info.  :hmm:

Actually he also fitted Aloisi's double glazed windows when he was at portsmouth too, but he doesn't like to talk about that now hahahah

Edited by thedukeofhearts
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Who's left?

 

Samuel Eto'o.

 

Attracting interest from Italy, only as a last resort. No transfer fee as he was released by Chelsea. 

 

Value? Transfermarkt says 9 million euros. (They also say Villa is 10 million euros).

 

Offer him a two year marquee deal with us. He could take us to ACL glory. 

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Who's left?

Samuel Eto'o.

Attracting interest from Italy, only as a last resort. No transfer fee as he was released by Chelsea.

Value? Transfermarkt says 9 million euros. (They also say Villa is 10 million euros).

Offer him a two year marquee deal with us. He could take us to ACL glory. Was linked with Roma a couple of weeks ago. Obviously would be enormous for him to come but I don't see him leaving Europe (yet).

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http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/melbourne-city-hunt-two-new-signings

 

"We are looking for two more players to fill our squad so hopefully we should be able to finalise that in the new month or so and bring in some more exciting names."
 
So couple of weeks away at best, doesn't sound like we've got anyone.
 
I'd be furious if the owners skimped on us, and underestimated the league, after getting NYCFC 3 of the best players in the world.
Edited by mulhollanddrive
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Who's left?

Samuel Eto'o.

Attracting interest from Italy, only as a last resort. No transfer fee as he was released by Chelsea.

Value? Transfermarkt says 9 million euros. (They also say Villa is 10 million euros).

Offer him a two year marquee deal with us. He could take us to ACL glory. Was linked with Roma a couple of weeks ago. Obviously would be enormous for him to come but I don't see him leaving Europe (yet).

 

 

To a certain extent, I agree. But no-one is putting forward an offer for him. Has been linked with Roma, Juventus and Inter, but where are the offers? There aren't any. And all the talk is only for 1 year. 

 

If we wait too long, he will end up somewhere that is not Melbourne. Offer him money and a 2 year contract now and watch it all unfold. 

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http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/melbourne-city-hunt-two-new-signings

 

"We are looking for two more players to fill our squad so hopefully we should be able to finalise that in the new month or so and bring in some more exciting names."

 

So couple of weeks away at best, doesn't sound like we've got anyone.
 
I'd be furious if the owners skimped on us, and underestimated the league, after getting NYCFC 3 of the best players in the world.

 

 

I would too, but conquering the US would be topping their list of aims.

 

I haven't got my hopes too high TBH as they've already said the spending will be in line with the commercial reality of the league itself.  In a league where some clubs do not even use up the salary cap, I can't see them spending more than $1-$1.5 mill per season outside the salary cap, if that.

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http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/melbourne-city-hunt-two-new-signings

 

"We are looking for two more players to fill our squad so hopefully we should be able to finalise that in the new month or so and bring in some more exciting names."

 

So couple of weeks away at best, doesn't sound like we've got anyone.
 
I'd be furious if the owners skimped on us, and underestimated the league, after getting NYCFC 3 of the best players in the world.

 

According to an article posted on goal.com Xavi is staying at Barcelona http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/2175/la-liga/2014/07/22/4976230/barcelona-convince-xavi-to-stay?ICID=HP_HN_3

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There's talk Lampard will consider coming to Melbourne on 2 year deal worth 5.5 million. If that doesn't happen, apparently Vaz Te from west Ham might be on the cards. Not the best marquee but a pretty decent player who played epl last season.

 

There's talk and apparently, aren't the best sources of information.  Would love to know if this is real or not.

Edited by mulhollanddrive
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Any word on whether we're going to fill the Young Australian Marquee position at all?

 

With Sydney having Brosque, Smeltz, Ibini and an international striker coming in, I wouldn't mind having a stab at luring someone like Corey Gameiro here. I have no idea what his contract situation is though.

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Especially the bottom half of the article:

 

Xavi Hernandez could delay Barcelona exit until early 2015 in order to sign for New York City in MLS

 

Adam Crafton

 

23 July 2014

 

Xavi Hernandez could yet remain at Barcelona until at least January after reportedly holding last-ditch talks with manager Luis Enrique and president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

 

It had been widely expected that the legendary midfield player would leave the Catalan side this summer and end his playing days with New York City in the MLS.

 

One possibility had been that Xavi would play for Manchester City’s other sister side, Melbourne City, in the A-League before the beginning of the new MLS season in March.

 

However, reports in Catalonia now say that Xavi has decided to stay at the Nou Camp after holding lengthy talks with Enrique and he will spend at least the first half of the season with the club. He is expected to report for training with Barcelona on Thursday.

 

It is understood that the 34-year-old Spaniard, who has won 22 trophies in a glittering career with Barcelona, could still join New York City in time for the club’s first campaign in the MLS in 2015.

 

If that move materialises, he will link up in the United States with Frank Lampard, whose move to New York City is likely to be finalised in the coming week.

 

Lampard is expected to spend the next few months in Australia with Melbourne, where he is likely to become what is known as the ‘marquee’ player.

 

Under strict regulations, Aussie clubs are allowed two marquee players, one of which must be Australian and the other can be from abroad, who are allowed a wage package that goes beyond the normal salary cap.

 

David Villa, who is spending a short stint in Melbourne before heading Stateside, is exempt from the marquee category as he is a ‘guest’ player that will qualify to play 10 non-consecutive games for the club.

 

This means that Lampard and Villa could both play for Melbourne until January, along with former Chelsea and Fulham midifelder Damien Duff, whose wage is below the club’s $2.55m salary cap.

 

However, Melbourne officials will have to decide between the commercial benefits that the presence of both Villa and Lampard will bring to the club and their chance of winning the league, for it will not be beneficial to lose the two star players in January midway through the season.

 

Ideally, Melbourne would prefer an international marquee player, therefore, that would remain at the club for the whole season but with the global standing of Villa and Lampard, they are likely to make an exception for this campaign.

 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2701659/Xavi-Hernandez-delay-Barcelona-exit-early-2015-order-sign-New-York-City-MLS.html

 

 

Interesting talk about Lampard using up our int marquee spot. I'd rather that not happen, and us have the best of both worlds with him joining us on loan.

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Sky Sports journalist saying with are talking with EPL player Robert Koren:

 

Former Hull City star Robert Koren is in talks to join Melbourne City. #hcafc

 

https://twitter.com/SkySportsPeteO/status/491829165013106688

 

 

 

That's rather nice to hear, as it sort of pours cold water on the notion that a NYCFC player on loan like Lampard could use up our international marquee spot.

 

Koren is a very interesting player. A captain, and a bona fide goal scoring midfielder, who'd maybe provide the kind of excitement that Engelaar did.

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Koren is a fantastic player who was playing Premier League last year and was a leader of the club.

It's what they stated they wanted in a marquee. A guy who could set the club up in those intangibles.

I've followed his career closely. He'd be a great signing and provide real work rate and skill to our midfield.

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MELBOURNE City is on the verge of signing decorated Slovenian midfielder Robert Koren as its international marquee.

The Herald Sun can reveal Koren has been in talks with Melbourne City management, currently in Manchester as a part of its 18-day pre-season tour.

If it comes to fruition the signing would be a statement of intent from the A-League club and its new owners, the City Group.

David Villa - set to play a number of games in Melbourne from October to December before moving to brother club New York City - is the big name signing, but Koren, 33, will be the player to build a team around for the entire season.

It’s the same line of thinking that saw Orlando Engelaar come to then Melbourne Heart last year as its international marquee.

Koren has played 61 games for Slovenia and scored against Algeria in the 2010 World Cup.

He has played in England since 2007 with both West Bromwich Albion and Hull City, clubs that enjoyed stints in the English Premier League.

 

 

 

Managing director of City football services Brian Marwood would not confirm Koren’s signing, but did say the club was looking for a particular kind of player.

“Clearly we’ve spoken to a number of a people and we’re not going to deny that we’ve spoken with Robbie,” Marwood told the Herald Sun.

“What I can’t do right now is confirm anything because there’s nothing signed.

“But I think it’s important that we have the right kind of characteristics both on and off the field (in a marquee player). We don’t want players coming to the club and thinking it’s a final pay day or it’s a few months in the sun in a beautiful city, that’s not what this club is about.

“I think we have a really good group of players and staff ... so we don’t want to disrupt that. We want people that are matched with the same kind of ambition that we’re trying to create.

“So I think that it’s important that the person is as good as the player.”

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http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/melbourne-city-set-to-sign-slovenian-midfielder-robert-koren-as-their-marquee-player/story-e6frf423-1226999191028?sv=a8af3918f32c28428eebcea608ffe3eb#itm_s=foxs&itm_t=home&itm_c=content-3&itm_o=1&itm_l=Fox%20Feed%20-%20Melbourne City set to sign Koren

Well there you go! 

I'm not super excited just yet but I am happy that we're going to land someone who'll be with us for the entirety of the season, I'm sure I'll grow a gigantic man-crush as the season progresses.

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