BREAKING: It’s difficult, but Barcelona wants to try for Davies. There have been recent contacts and the response has been positive (could be reality or a game). Financial package expensive, but not impossible if the club makes him a priority. @tjuanmarti #Transfers

I know everyone says this is a Balde replacement but 1) Davies always wanted to play LW not LB 2) Flick knows him really well and what he can and cannot do.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re trying to reposition him

Plz stick to buying a original LW player. Might as well go for Grimaldo if you want lb playing and performing as LW than buying a lb and trying to make him perform at lw

Terrible idea. I hope it doesn’t happen.

If he comes at the expense of Nico Williams, then it’s better to rather prioritize Nico…I’m fine with both coming but there should be a number of sacrifices to be made..

I like this. Balde can’t play every game, and Flick’s LB needs to cover a lot of ground very quickly.

The system is basically just a gamble right? The wingers press the CBs while the LB tries to cover both the opposition RB and RW. (Gamble being whether the GK or CBs can get the ball wide for the 2v1. If they succeed- we pretty much relying on our LB being fast enough to sprint back to their RW before they can do damage.

That means high intensity sprints for Balde, especially because the fullbacks also have a full attacking workload to consider.

At 60+ games a season? Balde’s hamstrings will disintegrate come March. We can’t use a slower player either – they’ll either (understandably) be too conservative because a turnover is a 2v1 for them, or we’ll concede a boatload more goals (literally every team has been trying to exploit the flanks every game).

Davies isn’t technically the best but he’s rapid and has the confidence to go forward.

Wish we could get him in January.

Unless Davies can magically turn right footed and play RB, I don’t think we need him. I would rather keep Balde and see how he progresses.