Men in Blazers x Here We Go! w/ Fabrizio Romano January Preview presented by Verizon, part 3: Men in Blazers 12/30/25

0:00You're listening to the Men in Blazers Media Network Suboptimal Radio.

0:16Welcome to a Men in Blazers pod special, final part in our three-part transfer series, smashing into this January transfer window, which opens less than 48 hours after this podcast is released. And this is an episode I've honestly been looking forward to. We're going to cast our eye and our minds back to the year that was. We're going to look at the top five transfers of 2025. We have the homer of the transfer era, a man who's done for Jack Grealish to Everton, what the Greek poet did for Ulysses to Troy to look back at the year that was. Give 2026 an official Here We Go from the Here We Go podcast right here on the Men in Blazers Media Network.

0:51It's the one, the only. It's Fabrizio Romane. Nice to see you, my friend. Nice to see you guys. And ready for this one. I love when we recap the year and when there are some special stories behind the scenes. So very ready. Before we get into it, this episode is brought to you by our good friends at Verizon. Proud supporter of the global game and the players who inspire us on and off the pitch as an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Verizon is honored to help share the stories of the world's top players. Stay tuned for more on how Verizon can get you connected to the game we love. Fab, tomorrow is New Year's Eve.

1:26I've got to ask you, when that ball drops, It's not just the dawn of a new year for you. It's the beginning of one of your busiest times of the entire year. How do you experience New Year's Eve? Do you turn your phone off even for five minutes? Turn phone off is three words I don't know. Absolutely don't know. I think last time I was 14. So forget about that. On New Year's Eve, Christmas, whatever it is, for me, it's impossible to turn my phone off. But I'm trying to enjoy my friends. That's funny. So three words you do know, here we go. Three words you don't know, turn phone off. that is exactly or maybe transfer window opens that could be three good words are you that guy in the cinema who's constantly like working on the phone i am once i can tell you that i got the story of amad diallo going to manchester united from atalanta and i was at the cinema having a movie about paolo conte my favorite italian singer i was there with my friends and i got the news i had to go out and call one of my sources i was quiet in that moment but then the big bomb arrived and so sometimes it happens when you play five-a-side football which you told us last week you love to do are you constantly subbing yourself out to check the phone my phone is always next to me i play on the left and my phone is always on a chair next to me all the time i go checking every time there is a corner or whatever i go checking you're like jack greenish i'm not joking you're like you're more like jack greenish than jack greenish by the way that's enough looking ahead because today I want to look back at the transfers, the good, the bad.

2:54The Jamie Varney to Kremenese of it all. And we're going to highlight five storylines that have captivated us. I want to get your insight retrospectively into how they went down. Touch briefly on what we've learned since then. Where else can we start? The Liverpool Football Club and their record-breaking $598 million summer transfer window. That transfer window for Liverpool almost reads as long as a CVS receipt Isak for$167 million Wurt$156 million Eketike$106 million Kürkez, Frimpong, list goes on Fab, how did you live this out as it was happening? As the summer went on, how did you understand it?

3:33Did it start to feel like, oh my God, this can't be true? Or did you understand the master plan of intention in the moment? To be honest with you, I understood 90 % of what Liverpool did because at the beginning it was very clear that they wanted to create something fresh, something new build on what they did in terms of winning the Premier League on the first season for Ames Lotto, to add new players after a very quiet window in 2024. So that was always the plan. The only thing that was really difficult to understand, and I still remember when I shared that story, was the moment when they decided to go for Uwe Jitike, because at the same time they were negotiating as well for another striker like Alexander Isak.

4:08And so you are surprised in that moment. You say, how is possible? You signed two very expensive strikers when you're already quite covered in that position. Luis Diaz is leaving. So I was expecting Liverpool maybe to go for a winger and a striker, not for two centre strikers. But then that was the part of the strategy I didn't understand on the journalistic point of view. I was trying to understand. For me, the market is like a puzzle as a journalist. I tried to put the pieces during the summer transfer window and that one was difficult to understand. But they were really convinced about the critique and probably they wanted to find some kind of opportunity also to create a problem to Newcastle in terms of getting the striker they wanted.

4:44And so that was part of the plan. But for Liverpool, to be honest, I think the crucial moment of the summer transfer window was also when they got the possibility to sign Florian Wiers. Wiers was very close to joining Bayern. Then Liverpool entered that race, and that was a game-changer for sure. Yeah, I mean, the results we now know have been mixed. Isaac, Wurt, Kürkez, Frimpong even, have all struggled to bed in. Eketike, oh, what a human being. He's been seven total goals at the time of recording, making him Liverpool's top scorer this season. But Fab, you are a gent who's been in football for a long time.

5:19Tell us, how long does it take before we can really judge whether or not a transfer has been a success or not? What is fair for us in terms of suspending our judgment? I think this season we must understand that for Liverpool, after what happened in the summer, is a different season that can be compared to anything on a human point of view, first of all. Then, as we mentioned, there are many new players and when you sign this amount of players, five, six, seven new players, it's normal to take some time to adapt. Then some of these players, I always say about Alexander Isaac, it's something I always say usually in the January window.

5:54And in this case for Isaac, it's about the final hours of the summer window. When a player arrives and the season is already on, and maybe you didn't have any kind of pre-season, maybe it was completely different compared to what the other players do. Maybe you start preparing at the end of June, beginning of July, you start working with the staff, with your teammates, and then arriving on the final hours of the deadline day is completely different. On a fitness point of view, adapting to a new style, the pressure you have. So I think it takes some time. I think we must understand that. Then I know when you pay big money, you want to see the players scoring three goals per game.

6:26It's absolutely normal. But remember that sometimes to adapt is part of the game, especially in a difficult human situation as Liverpool are experiencing this season. I couldn't agree more. This is a singular season. and the loss of Diego Jota has caused no doubt, and we know so little about this, a human agony, a human trauma, which is non-footballing, but it's impacting everything that we're seeing every single 90 minutes. But what are you hearing about Isaac? You talk about him being out of sync. I mean, is there more to it? What is the real cause of a man being there so much physically, but mentally seems like a different human being thus far?

7:05Yeah, from what they tell me from inside Liverpool, they are 100 % convinced that this is just about fitness. So they are convinced that Isaac is still trying to find his best form. He's, on the physical point of view, not the same player we saw at Newcastle. Then there is also the mental side, as you mentioned, of course. You can feel he's probably not happy. And that's something, but it doesn't mean that he's not happy with Liverpool or with the move. He's not happy because he wants to perform in a different way. He wants to score goals. He wants to enjoy. And the moment is complicated. But what I can guarantee is that Liverpool are 100 % convinced that Isaac is going to get there.

7:37He's about his fitness, he's about building his fitness in the upcoming months, and he's about not having any kind of pre-season. Isaac was training on his own for two months, and that's completely different to train with a squad or to train with your manager or to train on your own. So also on the mental point of view, till the final minutes of the summer transfer window, Isaac didn't know if he was going to play for Liverpool, being a Premier League record signing, or stay at Newcastle, maybe in the stands and not play football for the following six months. So, you know, all these kind of things we have to take into consideration.

8:07But Liverpool and Isak himself are convinced that they are going to get there at the best level possible together.

8:15Now, to our Get Inclusive segment presented by Verizon, where Fabrizio Romano will give you front row access to the drama. Let's move from Liverpool down to London and talk about Mikel Arteta, ensuring that Nando's sack of Peri-Peri wasn't the only source at the Emirates. It's a story that is now well told. It's been magnificent, honestly, to watch, to witness Eberichieze cut from Arsenal when he was 13. He's been on our show. He's talked about how that devastated his very identity. Watching him return belatedly and become the hero he always wanted to be in North London after lifting Crystal Palace to unprecedented heights.

8:56heights. How did that go down the snubbing of rivals Tottenham in the process, which only has made it, I think, for Arsenal fans all the more delicious? Yeah, that sometimes the market, especially in the final days of the summer transfer window, I always say that can be very quick in changing the plans and maybe there is an injury, maybe there is a technical decision. In that case, it was Kajávet's injury, the real game changer for the Aberecchi-Edze deal. Edze was ready to go to Tottenham, the agreement was done, so it was really 99%. Mentally, he thought I'm a Tottenham player now. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

9:27He did. And he went to meet Oliver Glasner several times during that week saying, let me go to Tottenham. I want to go. So please help me to make this move happen because there were some small details to fix between the clubs. So he was ready to go. But then, Callao at Sinjuri, Arsenal start to explore the market. They believe Eze is still available. They make a call and since Arsenal pick up the phone and start calling, Forever Eze has zero doubts. Only, only, only Arsenal. So stopping everything with Tottenham, open to waiting for Arsenal if they took some time and Arsenal were very fast. That was the difference.

9:59Sometimes I always say the timing in the transfer window is crucial. Tottenham believe that they were alone in the race at that point for Ebericchie. So they took almost two, three weeks to close the deal. Arsenal arrived and in 48 hours everything was closed. So, you know, you have to be fast sometimes and don't relax on the deal you are negotiating. God, that's the life lesson there. I am actually going to see Ebericchie next week and I do want to talk to him about what was that 48 hours like when you thought that you were a Tottenham player. It is humanly remarkable. And it leads to this question.

10:27I mean, you deal with football as a business, a cold, hard, romance-less business, if that's a word. How much do you find that a footballer's childhood fandom can actually impact ultimately where they play? We constantly say that we project our hopes and dreams on footballers we love, but we're fans. You know, when you hear stories like A's A's and it does seem to play a role. I mean, it's one of the rarest stories in the Premier League, right? Or do you hear it more than we know? It is. It is. Absolutely. That's a crucial factor sometimes that can change negotiations because Eze is the perfect example.

11:02But there are several other examples of players who are maybe a big fan of the club and prefer to wait for that club rather than going elsewhere. For example, also Mateusz Cugna in Manchester United or Dinhhausen. Dinhhausen at Real Madrid. He was about to become a new Chelsea player because Chelsea were in very advanced talks behind the scenes to Sendinghausen. But then when Real Madrid entered the scene as a boy who's always been a big Real Madrid fan, he decided to go to Real Madrid immediately. With Real Madrid, it's happening a lot with Barcelona as well. So, you know, there is this factor, I think, in the market.

11:32And sometimes it's still making a big impact. God bless. It's like Richarlison and Everton. But by the way, what a world we're living in. Even Gunasouris is going to end up getting an AJ Trump stamp. But let's get to our third storyline of 2025. A player actually signed in 2024, but did not join his new club until this year following a$37 million transfer fee with add-ons that could total over$60 million. That player is Esteval, who departed Palmeiras after waiting for his 18th birthday and the conclusion of the Club World Cup. Felt indebted to finish the year with his teammates. Fab, this is a player who is a world away from the only country he's known, the country he grew up in, the country he's familiar with.

12:15and he's just been flung into the chaos of the Premier League, but taken to it as if he was born two-star in the spotlight. You cover so many players labelled the next big thing, so many of them implode upon contact. How do you understand the instant impact, Estefão, the man now known around the world as Steve, has made it Stamford Bridge? So one year before Chelsea closed the deal, when one person in Brazil I know told me, at Palmeiras there are some special players, and it was the reality that was also Henrik as well but Estevão on the mental point of view is something different okay we see the skills okay we see how good he is when Enzo Maresca says this guy is not all the time on phone it's the reality Estevão is different Estevão loves to be with his family loves to be with his father and mother at home loves to be with his friends he's not the kind of guy who's spending the whole day on his phone it's different it's just different it doesn't mean it is better or worse than others it's just different it's coming from different time and at Chelsea they love this and I think you can see also the impact of this he's hard working every single day he wants to improve a lot imagine that Chelsea and Palmeiras included a Ballon d 'Or close into his contract already one year ago there is a Ballon d 'Or close it's crazy that it's incredible Mureska's talking about it Mureska plays down everything Enzo loves to as I said no doubt he can fight for that title of Ballon d 'Or it's it's crazy it's fascinating And they put that close one year ago, imagine.

13:38So even before the transfer, they were convinced about that. So for sure, Chelsea believe they have a gem in their hands. They were able to close this deal despite several clubs being in the race, including Barcelona and not only Bayern trying to till the very end to get the player to hijack the deal. And that was not possible. So I have to say in this case, congratulations to Chelsea. They always wanted him. They didn't give up in some moments when Palmeiras were playing with the prize, let's say like this. And so now they have one of the best talents in the world in their hands. I've got to say, Fab, hearing you kind of like throw shade at people who are on their phone all the time.

14:12I know. I want to be him. I want to be him. It's like me calling someone a bald bastard. It's just like, but we've got to move on to number four on our list. And it's not necessarily a happy story, more of a bittersweet coming of age tale. We're talking about Trent Alexander-Arnold saying goodbye to Liverpool, the club for which he played since the age of six. setting off for life abroad, a new challenge in Spain with Real Madrid. And despite all the trophies won and the fact that Liverpool were taking a victory lap for much of the end of the season, Trent, his legacy with the Anfield faithful became instantly mixed.

14:50And I've got to ask, transfers are by definition, they are business. Talked about this earlier. This one, though, it felt acutely human to witness, to experience, to watch. How did you experience covering it? How do you understand that? It was difficult for Trent. It was really difficult. I know that maybe some Liverpool fans won't believe it, but for Trent it was not easy to say, OK, I'm leaving the club and then going to Real Madrid. Then the feeling was that after winning the league, after winning everything as a Liverpool player, at that point Real Madrid arrives and you have the opportunity to try something new in a different country.

15:25So it's not that Trent is going to another English club, but you have the opportunity to go. After a really tough decision, Trent decided to accept and to follow that way. But it was not easy for him. I can guarantee that. Then the start of this new chapter at Real Madrid was also quite complicated. But let me say, not only for Trent. For several players, it's been a difficult season at Real Madrid. So Real Madrid are 100 % convinced that this transfer will work. And that Trent is going to do fantastic at Real Madrid. He's adapting. New life, new country, new city, different pressure. But for sure, Trent is 100 % convinced about the move he made.

16:00So I can guarantee that. Trent is very happy to be at Real Madrid. Real Madrid believe that with some time, as soon as they will adapt, also with the manager situation, he's a new manager, he's a new environment, everything is completely new. Real Madrid are convinced that Trent transfer is going to work out. Is there any chance that there could be a manager at Real Madrid soon that Trent is very, very, very, very familiar with from his time at Liverpool? I don't think so. I don't think so because at the moment I don't have an indication of Jurgen Klopp being open to returning to a job. So at the moment, he's still quite, with Klopp, very happy at Red Bull Group.

16:34I met Brendan Rodgers. Okay, that could be possible. It would be amazing. It would be amazing. Make it happen, Fab.

16:45Number five, from Merseyside to Lancashire, a Manchester United's$94 million edition of 26-year-old Brian Mbumo. At the time of recording, six goals, really helping Manchester United restore a cutting edge that has been missing. Fab, you look at United's list of misses in the transfer window in recent memory and the list is long and distinguished. But the early returns on Brian, incredibly promising. In retrospect, is this the type of move that can kickstart some momentum at the club? Absolutely. Fantastic signing. Not an easy signing because Brentford wanted to receive until the very end in his negotiations with Beomo, maybe waiting for some other club to jump into the race.

17:26there was some genuine interest from Arsenal but in this case you were asking me before about players being a big supporter of a club and this is the case with Beumau Beumau wanted to go to May United even when May United didn't qualify for Champions League by losing the final in Bilbao the answer from Beumau was I don't care about Champions League football we will get to that together I want to be a Manchester United player and so May United loved to see this kind of mentality Beumau was really determined about the opportunity to go to United and this transfer is working in a fantastic way. He's a hardworking man, training in a great way.

18:00Man United believe that this is the kind of signing they needed. So a player who can make an impact instantly, but also a player who knows Premier League football very well, they believe there is still a lot of potential into Brian Veumo and so super happy with this signing and Mateusz Cugna as well. A subplot to this story is that Brentford lose him. They lose Wieser. We condemn them. We throw them overboard. they are done and then they just go and unearth and I go Thiago yeah they are they are very good at this how do they do it and how long will I go Thiago stay no with Thiago at the moment it's still quiet I think we will see in the next months but at the moment it's still a quiet situation because Brentford want to keep the player of course but they are very good at this I would say Brentford Barmouth as well they prepare for the transfer so when you believe as a fan okay now we are losing the player because he's going to join maybe a Champions League club or whatever into the club, they already prepare the next transfer.

18:53They already have the strategy. So it's about the timing. As I always say, the transfer window, sometimes if you prepare and if you believe the timing is crucial, these clubs, again, Barmout and Brentford for sure, are doing an excellent, excellent job. I will say, Brennan Boomer makes me believe that the key to Premier League success is just a James Harden beard, and I'm here for it, and I'll stay with that. I do want to get your take on one last player to zoom in on, because I think he's one of the most fascinating new characters in the Premier League. Newcastle United's Nick Voldemort, Older Marder, signed from Stuttgart, August 2025, club record deal, around$87.5 million.

19:26That player has looked so creatively potent, so avant-garde, so confident. How long will he stay before a bigger team moves him up the footballing food chain? I think he's going to stay for some time. I think Newcastle can enjoy this player for some time, also because they invested big money, but also Newcastle want to send a clear message that not all the players can do like Isaac did and get a move. So then Isaac got the move at the final hours of the window. So Newcastle want to enjoy the play here. I'm sure he's going to be for a long time. He's also very comfortable there. It's the beginning of something new.

19:58The after is Akira and Voltemade is very happy there. Also, we have to say congrats to Newcastle because that was a very secret transfer. So they decided to travel on the same day of the Champions League draw to keep it very quiet. It was a quiet day on the market. And then they decided to travel there to Germany to close the deal in basically 24 hours to anticipate also the future rivalry from Bayern. Bayern already prepared the transfer for the boy for the future. They wanted to get him as their number nine earlier in the summer and then maybe in the future. But then Newcastle arrived and closed the deal in 24 hours.

20:31So these kind of secret missions are also part of the game. God, Bayern thought they had Wurz possibly and Vltima, the WW. That would have been a very different future. Before we go, a quick reminder. This episode has been brought to you by our good friends at Verizon. proud supporter of the global game and the players who inspire us on and off the pitch. As an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Verizon's on there to help share the stories of the world's top players. Stay tuned for more on how Verizon can get you connected to the game we love. We are on the precipice of a 2026, which is, please God, going to be the biggest year ever in American men's soccer history.

21:11I want to know, what are you most looking forward to about the World Cup here in the United States? To be honest, I think it's the first time where we have really four or five top national teams being involved as clear favorites. So you don't have one or two compared to other World Cups where we had very clear favorites. In this case, it's four or five national teams we can mention that are going to fight to be in the semifinals, then the finals, and then get the trophy. So I think it's going to be a crazy battle on the pitch, but also a very romantic story. I'm thinking about the moment when maybe Messi, Cristiano, will have the opportunity maybe to win the World Cup or maybe to go out in that case and imagine the emotions of playing their last World Cup ever.

21:51That's going to be on emotional side something unbelievable. We're going to witness history. And so I can't wait for that, for that romantic side of the World Cup. Sad in some moments, very happy in other moments, but that's the World Cup. I can't really wait and I think it's going to be a crazy one in terms of quality on the pitch. Who's going to win, Fab? Spain. Beating who in the final? Good question. Good question. On the final, I will let you know. I don't know. I don't know yet. But my winner is Spain. It's the United States, Fab. Here we go. Godspeed. It's all we've got time for today. We will be back here tomorrow, New Year's Eve, to look back at the year that was for the US men's national team with none other than my friend, the legend, the iconic Deuce, Clint Dempsey.

22:35We will see you then. But Fab, until next year, my friend. Buon anno. Buon anno. Buon anno. Buon anno. Buon anno. Thank you. Happy New Year. I just pronounced that like Wayne Gretzky produces the word Jordan. That was cool. That was cool. But thank you. Buon anno and see you soon. Thank you. Big love. Courage.