| FM 2020 thread 12:27 - Jan 5 with 13264 views | tractordownsouth |
We haven’t got a proper one this year, I accidentally posted on last year’s one the other day.
I’ve just started my fifth season with Town , my first in the PL. I won L1 in my first year and then had 2 mid table Championship finishes before winning the play offs last season, after I’d been top 2 for most of the season.
I’ve got 1 point from the first 3 Pl games and everyone else in the league has at least double my wage budget but if I don’t get sacked we should be able to become a yo yo club for a bit.
I’ve still got quite a few current players in the squad... Woolfenden, Downes, Lankester, El Mizoini and KVY are regular starters with Holy, Huws, Dozzell and Folami on the bench. I’ve religiously played a 4-4-2 control possession.
How’s everyone else doing with it? [Post edited 5 Jan 2020 12:28]
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| FM 2020 thread on 15:38 - Jan 22 with 4365 views | DanTheMan |
| FM 2020 thread on 09:23 - Jan 10 by itfcjoe |
I think that must be a Match Engine failure as happens to me and the opposition - about 1 in 5 one on ones goes in |
It's been moaned about for years, they've still not fixed it.
Same with how overpowered crossing is. |  |
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| FM 2020 thread on 21:05 - Jan 22 with 4297 views | Ace_High1 |
Just recently started a Town game.
The budget restrictions are almost impossible!
Won League 1 in the first season, was mostly comfortable although had a dodgy spell around Feb/March which meant the pack closed up before I sorted myself out. Also won the League Trophy beating Mansfield in the final.
I didn't sign anyone in the first year as you don't need additional players and the squad is already far too big. Across the August and January transfer windows I managed to offload Nsiala, Rowe, Roberts and Nolan, raising £1.3m in the process.
In the Championship I finished 10th in my first year up. Had a really good run and playoffs looked possible before I feel away in Feb/March again and ended up finishing 11 points off 6th Place.
In the summer window I signed Madison from Peterborough and Pennington from Everton. Loaned in Doku from Anderlect and McGoldrick. These two were immense along with Dozzell and Vincent-Young. Bart was my number 1 and was excellent. I sold Jackson, Donancien, Wilson, Drinan, Cotter, and Sears to raise funds for my four signings. I let Norwood go on a free to Grimbsy to free up some wages.
My best 11 throughout my year in the Championship was in a 4231:
Bart
Vincent-Young
Pennington
Woolfenden
Nydam
Huws
Dozzell
Judge/Lankester
Bishop
Doku
McGoldrick
Now about to start third season, in two minds - stay and see if I can improve on 10th or move on to a bigger club! |  | | |
| FM 2020 thread on 23:11 - Jan 22 with 4271 views | tractordownsouth |
| FM 2020 thread on 21:05 - Jan 22 by Ace_High1 |
Just recently started a Town game.
The budget restrictions are almost impossible!
Won League 1 in the first season, was mostly comfortable although had a dodgy spell around Feb/March which meant the pack closed up before I sorted myself out. Also won the League Trophy beating Mansfield in the final.
I didn't sign anyone in the first year as you don't need additional players and the squad is already far too big. Across the August and January transfer windows I managed to offload Nsiala, Rowe, Roberts and Nolan, raising £1.3m in the process.
In the Championship I finished 10th in my first year up. Had a really good run and playoffs looked possible before I feel away in Feb/March again and ended up finishing 11 points off 6th Place.
In the summer window I signed Madison from Peterborough and Pennington from Everton. Loaned in Doku from Anderlect and McGoldrick. These two were immense along with Dozzell and Vincent-Young. Bart was my number 1 and was excellent. I sold Jackson, Donancien, Wilson, Drinan, Cotter, and Sears to raise funds for my four signings. I let Norwood go on a free to Grimbsy to free up some wages.
My best 11 throughout my year in the Championship was in a 4231:
Bart
Vincent-Young
Pennington
Woolfenden
Nydam
Huws
Dozzell
Judge/Lankester
Bishop
Doku
McGoldrick
Now about to start third season, in two minds - stay and see if I can improve on 10th or move on to a bigger club! |
I'm not sure if I'd be up for moving clubs, think I want to establish Town in the Prem. I only have England and Scotland loaded up so might fancy a crack at Rangers or Celtic if either job becomes available.
My money troubles are over because after signing Harry Cochrane on a free, Ajax have bought him off me for £20m + add ons before he'd even played a match! | |
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| FM 2020 thread on 09:48 - Jan 23 with 4231 views | Tractorboy24 |
I've been playing on the Mobile version, my formation is 442 with a diamond because of the amount of quality we have in the middle, here's how its gone:
19/20: HMS p1ss the league was in full swing, 100 points (just after winning the last 4 games) and 100 goals, key player was Norwood banging them in for fun. Sold a lot of players who do not fit the formation & raised enough to bring in Soutter & McKenna from north of the border.
20/21: Expectation was to finish mid table, had brought in Schneiderlin & Wickham on free transfers and managed to sneak in the play offs, eventually winning them.
21/22: Expectation of fighting bravely against relegation, unfortunately went down on the last day, main addition was Billy Crelin in goal from Fleetwood.
22/23: Expectation was mid table again, but ran away with the league, difficult to find what clicked, but the main additions was Lewis Baker & Theo Hernandez on frees.
23/24: Expectation was mid table and managed to finish 9th, a lot of the youth I had signed started to come good plus big signing of Ait Bennasser.
24/25: Expectation was for mid table again, managed to steal in to 4th, again more of my youth came good, but was helped with signing a GK (Omlin), RB (Frimpong) and LB (Augustien) which were my biggest weaknesses in the previous season. Star player that year was a young striker I picked up who won Premier League player of the year.
25/26: Expectation was to qualify for Europe, ended up finishing 5th, losing out by a point to Man Utd who I had drawn at home with in my second to last game (not that I haven't got over it yet), I'd brought in a £70m striker who won PL player of the year with my other striker who won it the previous year coming second.
I had a flirt with Portugal for 4 years but couldn't do anything really with them getting sacked having got knocked out of the 2026 WC in the second round by Turkey on penalties.
The main Town players who did good were KVY, Woolfenden, albeit as a back up, Downes came good, I just had a kid that progressed beyond him and Lancaster who I ended up selling in 2025 for £40m due to players coming in that were better. Everyone else got left behind a little bit, I've now only got 4 players in my main 22 who aren't regens; Soutter, Frimpong, Augustien and Ait Bennasser.
I've just left Portman Road to go into a 75,000 seater stadium which I called Portman Road too, so I'm hoping that will give me a bit more clout to bring players in. My training & youth facilities are as good as they get too. |  | | |
| FM 2020 thread on 09:53 - Jan 23 with 4226 views | geg1992 |
This thread made me buy it, I had no intention before and now I'm an addict!
Won league one in the first season after a poor start. Won 23 games on the bounce.
In the Championship I won the play-offs in the first season.
First season in the prem I stayed up on the last day of the season after a !!!5-5!!! draw with Chelsea.
Just finished second season in the prem and I finished 8th, just in front of Norwich.
Curtis Jones has been on loan for all 4 seasons and he's been absolutely incredible.
Woolfenden still playing in the prem and doing very well. All debts paid off and very financially stable. Hoping to push for Euros next season but probably a bit of a stretch.
I've noticed that player relationships are really important in this game, like in real life. Another team can have great players, but if your team know eachother well, then you will succeed. I feel other FM's didn't put so much importance on this. |  |
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| FM 2020 thread on 10:22 - Jan 23 with 4200 views | Kieran_Knows |
| FM 2020 thread on 09:28 - Jan 7 by Kieran_Knows |
Ended up finishing the 2nd season 3rd, some 22 points behind Young Boys (who won the league) and 18 points behind Basel in 2nd. Mare of a second season. I did win the Swiss Cup though, so think that keeps the board off my back for a while.
Got Zirkzee on loan for another 2 years (although trying to sign permanently), and trying to finalise a few other deals to hopefully get us back competing for the title. |
Had a mare of a 3rd season as well. I was top by some distance leading up to the Winter Break. 8 clear of Young Boys in 2nd, 14 clear of Basel in 3rd ... then the 2nd half of the season was a disaster. Ended up finishing 3rd again, 5 points behind Basel!
Now in to the 4th season, extended Zirkzee's loan again which will take him up to 5 years at the club. I did have a deal lined up after the 2nd season for £14.5m to take him permanently, but I ended up cancelling it. I then had an offer accepted again after the 3rd season for £10m, but his wage demands went through the roof, so just had to extend the loan again.
I did get an interview with Young Boys as their manager left for Schalke (and I was offered the job eventually which I rejected), but now I know why they win the league very year. Their transfer budget was £35m and their wage budget a week was £500k. Compared to mine at £7m and £180k a week. They managed to sign Lavyin Kurzawa from PSG for free (£55k a week in wages), then sold him to Juve last summer for £12m.
Tough crack, but really enjoying it still. Currently in the 4th season sitting top of the table at the Winter Break, so hopefully have a bit better luck this time around! |  |
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| FM 2020 thread on 10:27 - Jan 23 with 4187 views | itfcjoe |
| FM 2020 thread on 10:22 - Jan 23 by Kieran_Knows |
Had a mare of a 3rd season as well. I was top by some distance leading up to the Winter Break. 8 clear of Young Boys in 2nd, 14 clear of Basel in 3rd ... then the 2nd half of the season was a disaster. Ended up finishing 3rd again, 5 points behind Basel!
Now in to the 4th season, extended Zirkzee's loan again which will take him up to 5 years at the club. I did have a deal lined up after the 2nd season for £14.5m to take him permanently, but I ended up cancelling it. I then had an offer accepted again after the 3rd season for £10m, but his wage demands went through the roof, so just had to extend the loan again.
I did get an interview with Young Boys as their manager left for Schalke (and I was offered the job eventually which I rejected), but now I know why they win the league very year. Their transfer budget was £35m and their wage budget a week was £500k. Compared to mine at £7m and £180k a week. They managed to sign Lavyin Kurzawa from PSG for free (£55k a week in wages), then sold him to Juve last summer for £12m.
Tough crack, but really enjoying it still. Currently in the 4th season sitting top of the table at the Winter Break, so hopefully have a bit better luck this time around! |
I find the long term loanees to be a bit of a flaw in the game, and don''t partake in it personally - just doesn't seem realistic to loan a player for 4-5 years |  |
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| FM 2020 thread on 10:31 - Jan 23 with 4183 views | Kieran_Knows |
| FM 2020 thread on 10:27 - Jan 23 by itfcjoe |
I find the long term loanees to be a bit of a flaw in the game, and don''t partake in it personally - just doesn't seem realistic to loan a player for 4-5 years |
I don't mind it as it seems to happen quite often on the continent. I wouldn't do it if I was a club in England, however. It's just annoying, the lad clearly won't ever play for Bayern, he want's to join me permanently. He scores goals for fun, so Bayern offered him a new deal (which he signed) for £28k a week. When I had the offer accepted second time around he wanted £40k, which I couldn't even get too, and wouldn't offer that anyway.
I did sign a regen Serbian striker who I sent straight back out on loan and he's doing well so may see the season out and then get him back in. | |
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| FM 2020 thread on 10:47 - Jan 23 with 4166 views | DanTheMan |
| FM 2020 thread on 10:27 - Jan 23 by itfcjoe |
I find the long term loanees to be a bit of a flaw in the game, and don''t partake in it personally - just doesn't seem realistic to loan a player for 4-5 years |
It is a bit gamey, but then the game's own AI does it's own silly things as well.
Found a good young English player who is 17? Yes, we want £87million for him please. | |
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| FM 2020 thread on 10:56 - Jan 23 with 4158 views | ColchesterBlue1985 |
After 3 seasons at town and successive promotions and staying the premier league been offered and taken the Liverpool job. They finished 8th last season and have no European competition to contend with. Massive squad with fringe and squad players on over 100k a week. Very tempted to continue what has worked so far and buy younger players on lower wages and get rid of the dead wood. Yet to play a game but have the best coaching set up in the league.
In
Bowen from Hull
Eze from QPR
Grimaldo from Benfica |  | | |
| FM 2020 thread on 10:58 - Jan 23 with 4149 views | PhilTWTD |
| FM 2020 thread on 12:33 - Jan 9 by itfcjoe |
I think just the lack of quality holds back whatever formation, I haven't tried it but I'd guess a strikerless one would work as finding good goalscorers is so expensive.
I stick to 4222 with 2 DMs, Direct wingers and full backs pushing on - strikers stay high and just play direct when I win the ball back as get ina lot that way - as soon as the game compresses I get caught out over the top with long balls and wingers cutting in.
It's bloody difficult and the step up is huge, if you can somehow stay up in Year 1 then you have a chance |
It's about players not systems! |  | | |
| FM 2020 thread on 11:22 - Jan 23 with 4115 views | itfcjoe |
| FM 2020 thread on 10:58 - Jan 23 by PhilTWTD |
It's about players not systems! |
Lambert would have broken the AI in the 1st half of the season! | |
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| FM 2020 thread on 11:32 - Jan 23 with 4101 views | OhDavidMcgoldrick |
| FM 2020 thread on 11:22 - Jan 23 by itfcjoe |
Lambert would have broken the AI in the 1st half of the season! |
My promotion season in League One I did have to adopt a Lambert-esque rotation policy to keep everyone happy. Purely as relationships are a big part of the game, seemed to work well and now I have credit in the bank with the players I am thinning the squad out in the championship down to 22 players. | |
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| FM 2020 thread on 09:25 - Jan 27 with 3965 views | RobTheMonk |
Undefeated in the league after 20 games but I have about 12 draws. 4th in the League. Morale is high. Jackson is brilliant for me. Not sure how to turn these draws into wins. |  | | |
| FM 2020 thread on 10:17 - Jan 27 with 3927 views | itfcjoe |
On my second season in the PL I came 13th, currently 16th after about 20 games in my 3rd PL season
Signed an Argentinian wonderkid on the last day of the window, (Thursday before season started) and he managed to break his leg on the Friday and still isn't back! | |
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| FM 2020 thread on 11:16 - Jan 27 with 3902 views | RobTheMonk |
| FM 2020 thread on 10:17 - Jan 27 by itfcjoe |
On my second season in the PL I came 13th, currently 16th after about 20 games in my 3rd PL season
Signed an Argentinian wonderkid on the last day of the window, (Thursday before season started) and he managed to break his leg on the Friday and still isn't back! |
The reincarnation of Luca Civelli? | | | |
| FM 2020 thread on 14:35 - Jan 31 with 3800 views | tractordownsouth |
Just finished season 7 and managed to stay up in the Prem, finishing 16th! I was quite comfortable for most of the season, sitting between 13th and 15th, but I dropped into the bottom 3 with 2 games to go. Somehow fluked a 2-1 win over Wolves, who finished 4th. Ben Knight managed 14 league goals, which was very impressive.
In the summer transfer window, I've got rid of El Mizouni, Woolfenden and KVY so now only Downes is left, of the real life ITFC players. | |
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| FM 2020 thread on 11:23 - Feb 3 with 3725 views | RobTheMonk |
Still on first season and I've got up until the end of the January transfer window. Tried to offload Roberts but no one wanted him. Tried to offload Nsiala and the offers receieved were too low. So I had no money for transfers.
Now this is the interesting bit (and yes I am aware it's a computer game), but since I moved from 3-5-2 to 4-2-3-1 I've been winning so many more games (I'm still undefeated in the league but lots of draws).
I've just had an epic 4-4 draw against Rotherham. 4-2 down, all of their goals were headers. I made a triple substitution, got it back to 4-3 then Dozzell got injured on 81 minutes, no subs left. Hail mary of 3 up front, wing backs to run forward and basically Huws to control midfield by himself. Only went and got a 94th minute equalizer!
Top of the league. Posh next up... | | | |
| FM 2020 thread on 19:47 - Feb 7 with 3610 views | itfcjoe |
| FM 2020 thread on 10:17 - Jan 27 by itfcjoe |
On my second season in the PL I came 13th, currently 16th after about 20 games in my 3rd PL season
Signed an Argentinian wonderkid on the last day of the window, (Thursday before season started) and he managed to break his leg on the Friday and still isn't back! |
Finished 15th, which was very comfortable mid table as relegation avoided by 10 points.
Currently 2nd with 19 points from 8 games, great start to the season as my young team develops. Had an easy run of games though in fairness
Team now is (Original club)
GK - Muric (Man City)
RB - Porro (Man City)
LB - Panzo (Chelsea/Monaco)
CB - Penetra (Benfica)
CB - Ozan Kabak (Galatasaray)
RW - Liam Gibbs
LW - Cantwell (Scum)
CM - Chirivella (Liverpool)
CM - Choudhury (Leicester)
ST - Calvert-Lewin (Everton)
ST - Raul Anon (Boca - regen)
I’ve agreed a deal to sign Nohan Kenneh from Leeds in January who is quality | |
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| FM 2020 thread on 20:35 - Feb 7 with 3593 views | Tractorboy24 |
| FM 2020 thread on 09:48 - Jan 23 by Tractorboy24 |
I've been playing on the Mobile version, my formation is 442 with a diamond because of the amount of quality we have in the middle, here's how its gone:
19/20: HMS p1ss the league was in full swing, 100 points (just after winning the last 4 games) and 100 goals, key player was Norwood banging them in for fun. Sold a lot of players who do not fit the formation & raised enough to bring in Soutter & McKenna from north of the border.
20/21: Expectation was to finish mid table, had brought in Schneiderlin & Wickham on free transfers and managed to sneak in the play offs, eventually winning them.
21/22: Expectation of fighting bravely against relegation, unfortunately went down on the last day, main addition was Billy Crelin in goal from Fleetwood.
22/23: Expectation was mid table again, but ran away with the league, difficult to find what clicked, but the main additions was Lewis Baker & Theo Hernandez on frees.
23/24: Expectation was mid table and managed to finish 9th, a lot of the youth I had signed started to come good plus big signing of Ait Bennasser.
24/25: Expectation was for mid table again, managed to steal in to 4th, again more of my youth came good, but was helped with signing a GK (Omlin), RB (Frimpong) and LB (Augustien) which were my biggest weaknesses in the previous season. Star player that year was a young striker I picked up who won Premier League player of the year.
25/26: Expectation was to qualify for Europe, ended up finishing 5th, losing out by a point to Man Utd who I had drawn at home with in my second to last game (not that I haven't got over it yet), I'd brought in a £70m striker who won PL player of the year with my other striker who won it the previous year coming second.
I had a flirt with Portugal for 4 years but couldn't do anything really with them getting sacked having got knocked out of the 2026 WC in the second round by Turkey on penalties.
The main Town players who did good were KVY, Woolfenden, albeit as a back up, Downes came good, I just had a kid that progressed beyond him and Lancaster who I ended up selling in 2025 for £40m due to players coming in that were better. Everyone else got left behind a little bit, I've now only got 4 players in my main 22 who aren't regens; Soutter, Frimpong, Augustien and Ait Bennasser.
I've just left Portman Road to go into a 75,000 seater stadium which I called Portman Road too, so I'm hoping that will give me a bit more clout to bring players in. My training & youth facilities are as good as they get too. |
Update:
26/27: Expectation of qualifying for Champions League, started season poorly to a point I was on brink of being sacked, saved my job with a 5-2 win at Carrow Road, went on to finish 3rd in the league, won the Carabao Cup, lost the UEFA Cup final to Dortmund and lost the FA Cup final to Man City.
27/28: Same expectation, spent start of season at the top of the league, but a hefty injury list over Christmas and a poor January cost me, ended up finishing 3rd winning the Carabao Cup again, knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern and lost FA Cup in 5th round on penalties.
28/29: Expectation of Champions League again, similar Premier League season, only not quite as bad poor patch so ended up finishing second, losing out in last couple of games (last 3 games I drew 2 which lost me ground), lost in the cups pretty much exclusively on penalties. | | | |
| FM 2020 thread on 23:07 - Feb 7 with 3566 views | Melford |
Just got promoted in my first season, second behind Lincoln. I never sign any players in the first season, just use the players I inherited from the last manager to see if I can do better
Norris
Wolf Chambers Nsiala
KVY Garbutt
Huws Downes/Nolan
Judge
Keane Jackson/Norwood
Was struggling about in 6-8th until about February until I junked the flat midfield 3 I had and bunged Judge in as a proper number 10 and stormed the end of the season. Sold Dozzell for £6 million and Downes for £9.5 mill in the January window.
Currently in pre-season 20/21. I've signed Lee Tomlin, Jordan Rhodes and Chris Gunter on freebies, Garbutt on a permanent contract and spunked 6 mill on Tyrese Campbell. Plus I've got both Dozzell and Downes back on season long loans for my assault on the Championship. [Post edited 7 Feb 2020 23:09]
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| FM 2020 thread on 07:14 - Feb 8 with 3521 views | itfcjoe |
| FM 2020 thread on 19:47 - Feb 7 by itfcjoe |
Finished 15th, which was very comfortable mid table as relegation avoided by 10 points.
Currently 2nd with 19 points from 8 games, great start to the season as my young team develops. Had an easy run of games though in fairness
Team now is (Original club)
GK - Muric (Man City)
RB - Porro (Man City)
LB - Panzo (Chelsea/Monaco)
CB - Penetra (Benfica)
CB - Ozan Kabak (Galatasaray)
RW - Liam Gibbs
LW - Cantwell (Scum)
CM - Chirivella (Liverpool)
CM - Choudhury (Leicester)
ST - Calvert-Lewin (Everton)
ST - Raul Anon (Boca - regen)
I’ve agreed a deal to sign Nohan Kenneh from Leeds in January who is quality |
Still in the CL spots in January, 41 points from 20 games but fear I may lose my Argentinian wonder kid to Spurs
I can’t get him to get trust back in me after he lost or early on because I didn’t improve the defence or some other rubbish - even though I’m now one of his favoured personnel which seems a bit of a bug | |
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| FM 2020 thread on 16:01 - Feb 11 with 3395 views | tractordownsouth |
| FM 2020 thread on 07:14 - Feb 8 by itfcjoe |
Still in the CL spots in January, 41 points from 20 games but fear I may lose my Argentinian wonder kid to Spurs
I can’t get him to get trust back in me after he lost or early on because I didn’t improve the defence or some other rubbish - even though I’m now one of his favoured personnel which seems a bit of a bug |
How much are you likely to get for him? I've got Panzo too, I'm 10th with 14 games to go so we should be safe but it's a tight league. I'm going to aim for a Europa push next year. | |
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| FM 2020 thread on 16:07 - Feb 11 with 3389 views | Kieran_Knows |
| FM 2020 thread on 10:31 - Jan 23 by Kieran_Knows |
I don't mind it as it seems to happen quite often on the continent. I wouldn't do it if I was a club in England, however. It's just annoying, the lad clearly won't ever play for Bayern, he want's to join me permanently. He scores goals for fun, so Bayern offered him a new deal (which he signed) for £28k a week. When I had the offer accepted second time around he wanted £40k, which I couldn't even get too, and wouldn't offer that anyway.
I did sign a regen Serbian striker who I sent straight back out on loan and he's doing well so may see the season out and then get him back in. |
Finally got round to winning the Swiss League with FC Luzern 4th season of asking (cup double also). Nearly messed it up again, was 7 points clear with 4 games to go, and then ended up winning the league on goal difference over Young Boys.
Tried signing Zirkzee permanently again (he had a monster season, 28 goals in 25 league games - was injured for around 2 and a half months). Offered £19.75m for him, which was accepted (in installments) but couldn't get anywhere near the 60k he was after. Got him on loan for 1 more season, but trying to extend that again.
Just signed a class regen centre back from Argentina who most top clubs around the world were after, so he should bring in some tidy profit down the line. | |
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| FM 2020 thread on 16:39 - Feb 11 with 3371 views | itfcjoe |
| FM 2020 thread on 16:01 - Feb 11 by tractordownsouth |
How much are you likely to get for him? I've got Panzo too, I'm 10th with 14 games to go so we should be safe but it's a tight league. I'm going to aim for a Europa push next year. |
He now likes me and has signed a new deal, value is £29m but accepted an offer from Watford of £54m but he turned it down.
Have Liam Gibbs playing right wing, but have just signed a wonderkid from Forest for £21m, Gibbs is only worth £15m but Watford have just bid £58m so am seeing whether or not he accepts the move.
Finished 8th last year, after a pretty weak end to the season - was a bit disappointed to miss out on Europe in the end so hopefully can get there this year. | |
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