Transfer Talk, Rumours and Speculation

[Zanty]

Fran Karacic is a free agent, could be a decent RB option

[MHFC-FAN]

20 minutes ago, Zanty said:

Fran Karacic is a free agent, could be a decent RB option

Yeah he could be a good option indeed. I'm sure the club is keeping tabs on players like Karacic. 

[MHFC-FAN]

43 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

By my count the Visa players are Souprayen, Reis, Arslan and Sakhi. That's only four?

Even if we lose Galloway, we have Good, Reis, Souprayen, Talbot, Behich and Hall in our defence. My biggest concern is the forward line - Leckie, JMac, Nabbout, Jakolis and a very young Caputo. 

I hope that that the purported two local signings (plus possibly a third if Scott G. leaves) are a defender and a forward, and I can't see that we can't sign another Visa player if we have the money to do so.

Ah yes we do only have 4 if Jakolis is in fact utilising Aus citizenship. Why did it seem that we were done with visa's after signing Sakhi? Maybe I was a bit confused with the information...so if we still have one visa left what player do we go after? Another striker?

[jw1739]

IMO we're still not able to cross the ball accurately enough to create a goal-scoring opportunity. That's what I think we lack up front.

Edited September 4, 2023 by jw1739

[MHFC-FAN]

2 hours ago, jw1739 said:

IMO we're still not able to cross the ball accurately enough to create a goal-scoring opportunity. That's what I think we lack up front.

So another winger?

[Zanty]

my ideal end to the window would be 

Visa centre back

Jacob Italiano, left footed 22 year old winger 

Fran Karacic (if Galloway leaves)

[MHFC-FAN]

1 hour ago, Zanty said:

my ideal end to the window would be 

Visa centre back

Jacob Italiano, left footed 22 year old winger 

Fran Karacic (if Galloway leaves)

Interesting list... if we get another Visa defender that would make 3 visas used in the first third. Who would you play and who would you bench?

Italiano as a depth CM?

Karacic makes sense as a direct replacement for Galloway. 

[Zanty]

17 minutes ago, MHFC-FAN said:

Interesting list... if we get another Visa defender that would make 3 visas used in the first third. Who would you play and who would you bench?

Italiano as a depth CM?

Souprayen will be on the bench, also will be backup Left Back as well, Nuno is still decent but still think we can improve with the last visa slot on proper starter, there was clearly a reason Lam was brought it last season and we are yet to replace him.

Italiano is more of a winger than a CM

[Jake]

21 hours ago, MHFC-FAN said:

So another winger?

Let's get Noony back

[Le Hack]

32 minutes ago, Jake said:

Let's get Noony back

Not as silly as it sounds. I think if you're going to use another Visa it should be a winger as Leckie is the most likely to be away on national team duties, and possibly injured due to workload. Whilst we have Nabbout and Jakolis, we really don't have any fall back apart from Suleiman if he comes back ok from his ACL. Nabbout himself is also injury prone. Caputo is more a CF rather than a winger. I think another Visa spent on a Defender is waste of resources.

[belaguttman]

21 minutes ago, Le Hack said:

Not as silly as it sounds. I think if you're going to use another Visa it should be a winger as Leckie is the most likely to be away on national team duties, and possibly injured due to workload. Whilst we have Nabbout and Jakolis, we really don't have any fall back apart from Suleiman if he comes back ok from his ACL. Nabbout himself is also injury prone. Caputo is more a CF rather than a winger. I think another Visa spent on a Defender is waste of resources.

Is No-one going to want to come back to sit on the bench? Is it a good use of a visa spot?

[MHFC-FAN]

41 minutes ago, Le Hack said:

Not as silly as it sounds. I think if you're going to use another Visa it should be a winger as Leckie is the most likely to be away on national team duties, and possibly injured due to workload. Whilst we have Nabbout and Jakolis, we really don't have any fall back apart from Suleiman if he comes back ok from his ACL. Nabbout himself is also injury prone. Caputo is more a CF rather than a winger. I think another Visa spent on a Defender is waste of resources.

Leckie cover does make sense given the factors that we are likely to lose him for. Or do we get a visa that is versatile and can play LB and LW?

[jw1739]

16 minutes ago, belaguttman said:

Is No-one going to want to come back to sit on the bench? Is it a good use of a visa spot?

Said with tongue in cheek no doubt, but we also need to realise that all three of Mat Leckie, JMac and Andy Nabbout are out of contract at season's end, they are all on good money, and Leckie will be 33 at season's end, JMac nearly 31, and Nabbout will be 31. I don't see any problem in getting a younger visa player in, especially from Asia if we can find one, to help build the squad going forward. 

[Zanty]

Personally would rather we use that last visa slot on a starting player, right sided centre back is the most obvious of choices. In terms of another winger would prefer we bring someone up from the academy or sign a young aussie

[jw1739]

36 minutes ago, Zanty said:

Personally would rather we use that last visa slot on a starting player, right sided centre back is the most obvious of choices. In terms of another winger would prefer we bring someone up from the academy or sign a young aussie

Are you overlooking Jordan Hall? Opinion seems to be that he's looked competent this season so far. We already have two visa centre-backs in Reis and Souprayen.

[Zanty]

2 hours ago, jw1739 said:

Are you overlooking Jordan Hall? Opinion seems to be that he's looked competent this season so far. We already have two visa centre-backs in Reis and Souprayen.

I know we already have 2 visa centre backs but Lam has never been properly replaced and in the starting XI is the obvious position to sign. I like Hall and think he has done a decent shift when he has played but if we lose Behich to injury then Souprayen comes in there and suddenly we only have 3 senior centre backs

[MHFC-FAN]

14 hours ago, Zanty said:

I know we already have 2 visa centre backs but Lam has never been properly replaced and in the starting XI is the obvious position to sign. I like Hall and think he has done a decent shift when he has played but if we lose Behich to injury then Souprayen comes in there and suddenly we only have 3 senior centre backs

You do make good points about Lam and Behich not having like for like replacements. Definitely don't feel like our defence is overly strong at this point in time. Bos a big loss and Behich should be pretty solid in that role. Talbot is a good RB but definitely feel the CB next to good is not a confident nod to any of our available players at present...

[jw1739]

1 hour ago, MHFC-FAN said:

You do make good points about Lam and Behich not having like for like replacements. Definitely don't feel like our defence is overly strong at this point in time. Bos a big loss and Behich should be pretty solid in that role. Talbot is a good RB but definitely feel the CB next to good is not a confident nod to any of our available players at present...

If we need three visa centre-backs then we've stuffed up our signings.

[Zanty]

1 hour ago, MHFC-FAN said:

You do make good points about Lam and Behich not having like for like replacements. Definitely don't feel like our defence is overly strong at this point in time. Bos a big loss and Behich should be pretty solid in that role. Talbot is a good RB but definitely feel the CB next to good is not a confident nod to any of our available players at present...

As the old saying says forwards win games defences win titles

 

2 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

If we need three visa centre-backs then we've stuffed up our signings.

How? It more shows the lack of Australian defenders available on the market right now. 

[malloy]

27 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

If we need three visa centre-backs then we've stuffed up our signings.

Not so much our signings, but rather our squad management. We potentially shouod have moved Reis on this preseason.

[MHFC-FAN]

1 hour ago, malloy said:

Not so much our signings, but rather our squad management. We potentially shouod have moved Reis on this preseason.

Yes agree. I don't rate Nuno at all now. Should have cut him after the grand final. 

1 hour ago, jw1739 said:

If we need three visa centre-backs then we've stuffed up our signings.

Well Nuno is past it and the jury is out on Souprayen (he's already up against it at his age) so those 2 are likely to be the biggest liabilities in defence this season. 

[jw1739]

8 minutes ago, MHFC-FAN said:

Yes agree. I don't rate Nuno at all now. Should have cut him after the grand final. 

Well Nuno is past it and the jury is out on Souprayen (he's already up against it at his age) so those 2 are likely to be the biggest liabilities in defence this season. 

In other words, we've stuffed up our signings?

[Zanty]

I wouldn't say Nuno is past it he has just turned it more of a depth signing just with age, he is still a good rotation option especially with ACL. Souprayen has played one game so no one has the right to make an opinion on him yet in my opinion.

 

[belaguttman]

20 minutes ago, Zanty said:

I wouldn't say Nuno is past it he has just turned it more of a depth signing just with age, he is still a good rotation option especially with ACL. Souprayen has played one game so no one has the right to make an opinion on him yet in my opinion.

 

Nuno is a good defender, but relatively slow. It becomes an issue for us as we play a high defensive line, it means that he has to take more risks with his tackling, or compromise our defensive shape

[Zanty]

1 hour ago, belaguttman said:

Nuno is a good defender, but relatively slow. It becomes an issue for us as we play a high defensive line, it means that he has to take more risks with his tackling, or compromise our defensive shape

shows why he is better coming on later in the game now in my opinion 

[neio]

I think if we are to sign another visa defender, ideally he needs to be cheap and can play across a back 4 anywhere. Someone in the mould (I'm not meaning get Gomez, he was just the 1st guy I thought of who does the role that people would know) Joe Gomez at Liverpool, plays as a CB if needed, plays as a RB if needed and at a stretch can play LB of absolutely needed. 

In a salary capped league with squad restrictions, players like this are very valuable 

[Le Hack]

Pretty imperative now that we find another winger with our last Visa, basically only got Nabbout who will struggle to play a full 90, Jakolis, and Suleiman who may/may not be ok after doing his ACL, maybe Caputo although he's more a CF, possibly Lopane but he's more a MF. CB is pretty much covered with Good, Reis, Souprayen, and Hall. RB cover I reckon will see Shillington given a contract from NPL team, only 17 but he's got good wraps on him, can see him becoming another Atkinson, Bos in the next few years.

[jw1739]

53 minutes ago, Le Hack said:

Pretty imperative now that we find another winger with our last Visa, basically only got Nabbout who will struggle to play a full 90, Jakolis, and Suleiman who may/may not be ok after doing his ACL, maybe Caputo although he's more a CF, possibly Lopane but he's more a MF. CB is pretty much covered with Good, Reis, Souprayen, and Hall. RB cover I reckon will see Shillington given a contract from NPL team, only 17 but he's got good wraps on him, can see him becoming another Atkinson, Bos in the next few years.

Does Sulieman play on the wing? The club keeps referring to him as a midfielder. But you're spot on with the need for another winger. Even with a fit Leckie IMO we were still lacking in real forwards, meaning there was no competition for the starting line-up.

With another Visa though, the problem is getting them here soon enough to have any meaningful impact on the first half of our season.

[Zanty]

Lopane can play on either wing as well as being a midfielder 

[Tommykins]

Apparently we're in for the winger Leo Natal - looks like we might get our wish for another winger!

[belaguttman]

2 hours ago, Tommykins said:

Apparently we're in for the winger Leo Natal - looks like we might get our wish for another winger!

That looks like a good signing, on paper anyway: 26, played for Corinthians, and in Europe

[Le Hack]

46 minutes ago, belaguttman said:

That looks like a good signing, on paper anyway: 26, played for Corinthians, and in Europe

4 games only last year with Casa Pia in Portugal. Had a decent run with APOEL Nicosia in Cyprus. Could be anything, good age though. Will be only the fourth Brazilian we've had since Terra, Fred, and that gun Maycon

[jw1739]

Where do I find this guy? What's his full name? Can't find a match on transfermarkt.

[Le Hack]

19 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

Where do I find this guy? What's his full name? Can't find a match on transfermarkt.

Leo Natel Veira goes by Leo Natel

[jw1739]

14 minutes ago, Le Hack said:

Leo Natel Veira goes by Leo Natel

Thanks, spelling helps...

[jw1739]

Has barely played senior football for the past two seasons according to transfermarkt.

Not overly impressed with his CV. I guess we're constrained by budget, and I've said for a while, just too much tied up in ageing forwards.

[IssySG]

5 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

just too much tied up in ageing forwards.

I do get your point, but in the spirit of full context, one of those ageing forwards has just won his fourth golden boot in a row, one of them almost certainly would have won the Johnny Warren if he didn't get an injury in the middle of the season, and the other is...well hes Andy Nabbout 😂

[MHFC-FAN]

8 hours ago, Tommykins said:

Apparently we're in for the winger Leo Natal - looks like we might get our wish for another winger!

According to Fotmob. He's been out injured with a cruciate ligament injury and is expected to return late September...😶🙃🤫

[Zanty]

A loan makes it low risk and also won't take up a ton of cap space so I am here for it.

Think this will be the last piece of business we do? Still feel we need something else is defence.

[IssySG]

Seems as though Leo to Melbourne is done.

Chat GPT translation of this article:

 

Corinthians Completes Transfer, and Léo Natel Will Play for an Australian Club

The Corinthians finalized the procedures on Tuesday morning for the loan of forward Léo Natel to Melbourne City in Australia. After all the bureaucratic aspects were sorted out, the club and the player's representatives consider the transfer as completed.

Léo Natel will travel to Australia with a work visa on Wednesday and will be registered for the AFC Champions League, a competition that includes clubs from Oceania as well.

The 26-year-old player will be on loan to the club managed by the City Group until June 30, 2024. The contract includes a fixed purchase option set at 2 million euros (approximately R$ 10.6 million). If not acquired, Léo will return to Corinthians to fulfill the final six months of his contract.

The Melbourne club's interest in the player arose over the weekend, but the deal took some time to be finalized due to doubts about the player's physical condition, as he did not play in 2023. Corinthians provided all the player's medical exams, as he has been training for two months.

Despite having been training without limitations for about two months at the Joaquim Grava Training Center during alternate hours, Léo Natel has not played an official match since November, when he was with Casa Pia in Portugal.

At that time, he suffered a fractured fibula and ruptured an ankle ligament. The injury required surgery and was considered severe.

Léo Natel joined Corinthians in 2020, after leaving São Paulo at the end of his contract. He struggled to establish himself and was loaned to Apoel in Cyprus in 2021. Last year, he played for Casa Pia. During his time at the Corinthians, he scored four goals in 54 matches.