https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliou_Dieng We're being linked (https://twitter.com/Ekremkonur/status/1410657671015976963) with 23 year old Malian defensive mid Aliou Dieng, currently plying his trade for Egpytian side Al Ahly. Man Utd apparently had an €8m bid rejected in January. Stats are very much along those of a midfield destroyer (we've been linked with a couple of these recently) with huge amounts of tackles + interceptions very much a part of his game. However I struggle to see how he currently gets a work permit (I make it 8 out the 15 points required, but haven't worked out the details of his international appearances, however Mali being ranked 57th in the world it would only add a point or 2 to his total) so wouldn't be able to make an immediate impact as would need to be loaned out for a season.
I don't think that's true - he'd only need to make 1 appearance for Udinese to qualify for a work permit back here. He seems the kind of player we need with those ball-winning stats. Seems decent in the clip below. I don't buy the Man Utd bid though, probably just his agent and/or club trying to drum up interest. Main drawback would be the Afcon.
Sarr, Masina, Troost Ekong and potentially Louza and Emmanuel Dennis all going away for AFCON is going to be pretty horrendous.
And the fact that he's only ever played in Africa so a low standard ..........and no rainy Tuesday night in Stoke/Wolverhampton experience.
I’m not aware of anything - but surely with the tightening of the work permit process, surely the football authorities are wise to any moves to take a player somewhere for just one game before moving him on? Fair do’s if it’s something that has no restrictions on it. But I’d be surprised if it’s a loophole that’s open - or remains to be for much longer.
He has supposedly been the best player in the current African Champion's League, for what it's worth. He's done it on a parched Saturday evening in Tunis though!
We might not be able to buy him then loan him for one game - but for sure it would be possible for Udinese to buy him, stick him on their bench for their 1st match, then loan him to us immediately after. There shouldn't be anything currently which could stop that. We could then play him and just buy him from Udinese in Jan or the summer if necessary.
Just being named as a sub for a team in a top tier league (outside of England of course) gets you 12 points, so it’s enough for most players to then qualify. Quite how that works in practice I don’t know, not sure if they need to belong to that team or a loan will suffice. Owning Udinese certainly gives a huge potential advantage when looking at these type of players though.
I'm not disagreeing. I would just be somewhat amazed if thats a loophole that will be open for much longer.
Would be an interesting workaround but imagine that would end in a tightening of that loophole next season! Would have to be a loan until Jan though due to the deadlines of each league meaning we couldn't register him until Jan.
Would he not get any GBE points for competing in the Asian Champions League? I know certain continental competitions (including the Libertadores, the UCL and UEL) get a lot of points but I don't know what the status of the Asian Champions League is.
Those are all classified as Band 1 or Band 2 competitions. He's competing in the African Champion's League btw, not Asian. That will probably be a band 3 competition, meaning he should get 2 points from it for Al-Ahly having reached the final. From what I can tell I can't see him having more than 11 points currently (4 below what's needed) . But as I mentioned above I think. he should still be able to join via Udinese.
Good catch from you and @Chumlax - African Champions League yes. I think 11 points entitles a player to an appeal, though.
