Kylian Mbappe

Apparently, City were interested in this young chap last summer. The price was going to be £33-£40M.

Now they are talking about an auction between a few clubs (they hope) with the starting price at £50M.

He's only 18 and that's a heck of a lot of money for a kid. Nearly double what we paid for Jesus and a third more than we paid for Sane.

But, it seems, we are happy to pay that sort of money but would he just be a benchwarmer with the likes of Sane, Sterling and Jesus already doing the business?

Still think we need some cover in this area, especially as the shite we have in Nolito and Navas should be gone...but £50m for an 18 year old????

Rather we spent £50m on 2 full backs or a top class CB and a keeper.

See we are possibly linked with Dani Alves again (34??)......

He's a great prospect Mbappe, but £50m seems a little high - compared to Gabriel.

What we should be doing is looking at Le Havre.....as they seem to be the ones over the past few years who have produced all these top youngsters......and also look at promoting some of the kids from within the academy.

Some issues are that we think the grass is greener elsewhere. People still think foreign is better. And our kids don't develop enough because they aren't getting the same experiences kids get elsewhere. It's getting better now they play an age group above but they can't get the same high level experience this kid is getting at 17 or 18.

£50M is far too much. You're paying a heck of a lot for potential.

If we don't bring any kids through as first team regulars in the next 2 years then our Academy isn't working.  However wonderful it looks and us winning at all age groups.  That's brilliant but its not what it was designed for.  With our resources and how far we have scoured the globe for these kids there should be some in the first team now.  Itchy is as close and he is out the picture again now.  It's simply not good enough.

Itchy is simply not good enough at this moment in time, so you can't complain that he doesn't get in the team.
The real gems are normally discovered when they hit the first teams at 17/18 and that really doesn't happen at the top end clubs.

We should be trying to blood a few of the youngsters when we get a chance, and the likes of Navas should not be keeping them out.

I agree Moon. I don't think Itchy has impressed when he's been given a chance. His control and touch has been woeful.

Let's hope it's a blip and he gets another shot to impress.

Itchy should be "itching" to get off the bench a couple of times in the coming weeks etc, he needs to get a stamp on a place before the end of this season or else he may well be on his way.

I honestly don't think he's good enough. He's got decent pace, works hard and gets in the right places to score a few tap ins. But he doesn't have that hold up play or killer pass etc.

But the sad thing is, he's not playing any competitive football at all so he can't improve that much just with training.

I've said it before, but we should sell the kids at 18-20 on permanent deals so that they can play regular first team football at a good standard. Unless the kid is bloody amazing like Sane and Jesus (but both got breaks with their previous clubs to improve by playing high level football). Put a buy back clause into the sales contract and get the kid back if they are good enough in a couple of years.

The buying club will put all their efforts in to make the player better and will be far more committed to him than a simple loan deal where they may give him a couple of games and then forget about him. If you've paid £8M for a kid, you'll give him enough time to shine.