Arsene Wenger explained what just happened with Ibrahima Konate back in May 2025. Real Madrid are signing top players on free transfers regularly despite having the money to pay big fees.
They did it with Trent Alexander-Arnold and they've now done it again with Konate. If you think Konate is being totally honest about not knowing he would be leaving Liverpool, you've got another thing coming.
He was supposedly in talks with Liverpool for over a year and a half and couldn't find an agreement, but then days after announcing he's leaving, Madrid reach a verbal agreement with him. Sure.
Anyway, Wenger said this to beIN Sports in May 2025: “I believe that it [Trent transfer] shows the trend of transfers now, and it shows a new trend in the game.
“There is no transfer anymore for the big, big players. They go all at the end of their contract because the wages are so high that [if] you want to buy Marcel [Desailly] today you have to give him so much money that you cannot pay the transfer anymore.
“So what do the big clubs do? They say two years before the end of a contract we want to buy you, we give you these wages and we will try to make an offer to the club.
“If it doesn’t work, we come back next year and if it doesn’t work then, we will take you for free. That is what they [Real Madrid ] did with [Kylian] Mbappe as well.”
In the @5liveSport chat I had with Andoni Iraola some months back I asked him, where is football going? His answer tells you a lot about his coaching:
“Players do not demand freedom; they demand structure from their coaches. It is from that structure that they feel free and can make their own decisions.
As coaches, we cannot arrive somewhere and tell everyone: “Do whatever you want. Take the ball wherever you want.” If you did that, after 30 minutes they would be angry with us. They want us to show them the way. They demand organisation, information, different options, and thorough preparation for every game.
They are asking us to study a lot. Our job is to put the player in the best possible scenario to shine.
With that preparation in their armour, they can then make informed decisions and make the difference on the pitch.
There are different styles and different ways to play, but all of them require structure, study, thought and hard work.”
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🚨🚨🎙️| Andy Robertson on Jota’s death:
“I was at one of my best friend’s wedding, helping the groom get ready, when the club called me and told me about Diogo’s death. I went to the car park and just fell to the floor.” Very Devastating 💔🥲
@SophieJovi@OneSGW We just had different opinions on which is more important and that's fine btw.
We both want the same thing which is much better season next year.
@Jacki8972 You do like to put words in people mouths don't that's twice you have attempted to say something I didn't.
It's all good mate take it easy 👍🏻
Wharton tonight exceptional on the ball, but not so off it.
Got run off a few times, looks a little one paced.
Also for Rayo's chance at the end was poor positionally.
It's not all bad stick some legs & physicality next to him & he will break lines all day for you. Baller tbf.
@SophieJovi@OneSGW There is no structure without a central midfield. Using your wording. If you can't see that then I don't know what else to say.
We don't have midfield control. Both that and the wide areas need attention. Probably fair to agree on that much.
@OneSGW@SophieJovi Individually no they may well not be.
Structurally, tactically they are rarely in a position to press as a until.
Shit teams get through us because of structure not individuals.
My whole point being pace doesn't make up for structure.