Rey Manaj

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ajnotkeith

Senior Member
Having quite the season in Turkey. 14 league goals in 1600 minutes for Sivasspor (tied with Icardi's 14 goals, who shot 3 more penalties than him).

He is 2nd in top scorer race, 4 behind Dzeko.
 
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Porque

Senior Member
Nice to hear. I practically forgot about this guy until the Luuk de Jong thread re-emerged.

A player that like Luuk, won me over. With a normal squad salary cap it is always good to have a player like this in the setup. Sometimes we as a institution have been too elitist however to the specifics of DNA and alternative roles.
 
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ajnotkeith

Senior Member
Porque said:
Nice to hear. I practically forgot about this guy until the Luuk de Jong thread re-emerged.

A player that like Luuk, won me over. With a normal squad salary cap it is always good to have a player like this in the setup. Sometimes we as a institution have been too elitist however to the specifics of DNA and alternative roles.
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One of the problems all top clubs have with players like these is theres no real ways to give them opportunities whilst the expectations are so high. Their value usually can only grow when they leave, or maybe if they are given a lot of time from the bench, but its understandable why many are not willing to do so at top clubs with unproven players. Then even if they score a lot with Barca B clubs wont care too much as its the Segunda B.

I liked this player and know him well, I thought he could be useful here as a substitute, but oh well. In particular, his skills of movement and his physical strength are very good, he has scored many great goals this season.

The news is he will go for 15 million at the end of the season. We had a 50% sell on from Watford but they terminated with him so i don't think we get any of this one unfortunately.
 
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Porque

Senior Member
As you say, it is not easy if the player is motivated to be a starter somewhere. And respect to any player that prefers that than to sit in the squad for a high wage and stagnate like we had seen in Barto's days.

So perhaps the comment is more relatable to Luuk than Manaj, who was a veteran who proved he had a use in the system. And wanted to stay.

Still, backup strikers and backup goalkeepers who can come in a do a job are things that win you Championships. Then when they want to progress their career as a starter you let them go.

-Would we be closer to Madrid right now if we had a Cilleson instead of Pena?
-Would Liverpool knock us out if they had to thrust an academy striker in instead of Origi?

And so many more examples.
 
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ajnotkeith

Senior Member
Porque said:
As you say, it is not easy if the player is motivated to be a starter somewhere. And respect to any player that prefers that than to sit in the squad for a high wage and stagnate like we had seen in Barto's days.

So perhaps the comment is more relatable to Luuk than Manaj, who was a veteran who proved he had a use in the system. And wanted to stay.

Still, backup strikers and backup goalkeepers who can come in a do a job are things that win you Championships. Then when they want to progress their career as a starter you let them go.

-Would we be closer to Madrid right now if we had a Cilleson instead of Pena?
-Would Liverpool knock us out if they had to thrust an academy striker in instead of Origi?

And so many more examples.
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Good point. Sometimes having experience and different profiles from the bench can make the ultimate difference. Luuk de Jong also had the caveat that his style fits perfectly Xavi's cross and pray strategy we see all the time so its baffling why he left and we start a striker in Lewa who isn't very good in the air anymore.

Most of our bench is just La Masia which is okay, but you will get a lot of similar players and all inexperienced. Agreed that having players with different career paths and profiles can give you surprise element or an unexpected boost, Araujo is a good example, growing up in a very physical league of Uruguay then coming here to refine his ball playing.

Goalkeeper particularly, because we seem to produce a lot of keepers who aren't very good at goalkeeping.
 
Messi983

Messi983

Senior Member
Bring the King home.

Glad he'll get a chance in a big club but 15m looks a bit too much just based on having one good season in Turkey. Granted he did it with a midtable team and not one of the big 3 so full credit for that and you have to pay to get a good scorer but not sure he's exactly that considering his whole career so far. Lazio is probably also a bit desperate after not having a double digits scorer. Immobile had a very down year only scoring 7 goals in Serie A.
 
Messi983

Messi983

Senior Member
Probably not but OTOH Lazio did pay 21m (their highest fee paid in 20 years) for Vedat Muriqi in 2020 and he "only" scored 15 goals a season before for Fenerbahce (and season before he had 17 goals for Rizespor so there is a similarity with Manaj). So they might have a thing for strikers from Turkish Super lig (could also be more careful now after Muriqi flopped hard though). That said Igli Tare is not their SD anymore to push for his fellow countryman.

And tbf Lazio don't even have a coach right now as Igor Tudor decided to leave last week after just 2,5 months at the club so would be strange for them to spend that kind of money on a player before appointing a new coach and know what system he'll play etc. Don't follow Lazio so no idea if maybe they already have someone lined up to take over though.
 
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