Rich

Sigurdsson has the 4th highest assist rate in Europe, and is the 3rd highest scoring midifielder in the league. I would argue that they definitely can't do better than that. His not exactly mobile, but he's a very good player who produces the goods consistently. Why would you put chances created above actual assists though? That's crackers. He's done more with less. Creating chances is more repeatable than getting assists, as assists require the bloke on the other end of the pass to actually score. You really want to be looking at the quality of chances he's been creating to get an accurate reading of how creative he actually is. Handily enough, for anyone who has a spare 10 minutes a really good analyst has just released a blog on that very subject today: https://thepowerofgoals.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/gylfi-on-me-head-son.html

Keep going back and forth on this sort of thinking myself - make a few significant purchases to significantly improve the first team and compromise by allowing some of the chaff to stay on as backup. Inevitably we'll end up using them, but adding just a couple of real high quality players to the mix could be the difference between a relegation struggle becoming more serious and a top-ten finish dropping to comfortable mid-table in that scenario.

Glad to see you back Rich. Clearly he has had injury problems, but is Krul really THAT bad? Same injury as Elliott after all and I don't understand how Elliott seems to be preferred on the basis of what happened before. So I'm on the fence with goalkeepers too and wouldn't want to spend money that could go on other areas. Yedlin and Gamez at RB is a risk, but I think it's a position we need to ignore to focus on other priorities. Centre back, I think we have six players there, we will probably try to ship one or two, but the second would leave Findlay as 4th choice, and without knowing much about Lejeune the opportunity to sign an excellent centre half should not be ignored if it comes up. Left back, Dummett I feel will become more acceptable if he has a better player in front of him. Jury is out on Lazaar for me but it's telling he never really played. Would like a new left back but again not a priority right now, but we should take the opportunity to improve if it comes up. The only central midfielder I am completely happy with is Hayden. Shelvey can still earn my trust but if he still isn't up to scratch in the PL, or one of the central midfielders gets injured then what's behind them is terrifying. I don't think Rafa is too fixed when it comes to wingers he likes them to have capability on both feet and both sides. Ritchie is great and Atsu is good cover. I think we need a quality winger though to take the creativity pressure away from Ritchie and Shelvey. This makes this position priority number 2, we need a starter and possibly a back up. Attacking midfield and up front, I think Perez and Gayle will have their best ever seasons next season. This makes these positions a little less important, but we still need players of at least equal quality to rotate. Think this is all pretty good, but hugely skeptical about Perez and not that convinced on Gayle (not least because he started to show some signs of wear and tear after the minutes he put in last season). He's never been particularly robust.

I'd only be happy with the keeper situation if we could regain the 2010-13 version of Krul. Otherwise I think we'd have one of the worst 2-3 starting keepers in the league whichever one we start with. Left-back we're desperate. Right-back we're relying on Yedlin staying fit. Centre-backs I'd sooner have someone more senior with Lejeune. None of our defenders are proven quality in the Premier League. We either need cover or an upgrade on Hayden. Same with Shelvey. I'm fairly happy with the wing situation if we get Murphy. I could live with him and Ritchie, with Atsu & Aarons as cover. Perez might step-up again as a number 10 now he's back in the Premier League, if De Jong could stay fit I think he'd be good. Ideally we'd need a new number 10 though. I'm not fully convinced by Gayle as a first-choice. It's one thing having a good goals per minute ratio when he's playing 20-30 minutes at the end of games using his pace to exploit tiring centre-backs, it's another thing to carry that sort of record over to being a first-choice striker starting 30+ games at this level, so I'd be happier with a proven striker. So erm, yeah, we need an overhaul. Luckily, I think Benitez is capable of setting us up to make us tough to beat tactically and get results so I still think we could finish between 12th-16th as it is. Especially agree with the last sentence, but would be lovely if he was allowed to aim higher than that.

I'm pretty much aligned with you - I'd say left wing, #10, striker and goalkeeper are my main areas of concern. I'd then say center midfield, left back and right back cover after that. Not far off that exact list here. If we didn't end up doing anything at goalkeeper I think we ideally need 8 more: RB, LB, CM, CM, AM, LW, LW, ST I genuinely think Krul or Elliot are good enough to be number one for a season, but it seems like others (and most importantly Rafa) disagree with me. However, Rafa signed Sels so I'm not exactly sold on his judgement when it comes to 'keepers just yet. In defence I don't want us to be relying on Gamez, Haidara or Lazaar as backup but I could cope with Gamez and Haidara staying if it meant we had more £ to spend elsewhere in order to improve the first team. I'm happy with the centre-back options, especially as you have Dummett and Hayden (at a push) to cover in there, plus the two new young lads we've signed. In central midfield I'd ideally like to see Colback bumped to fifth choice in CM or shifted (hugely unlikely), but I'm not completely convinced either Hayden or Shelvey are good enough to be looked at as automatic starters at this level. I certainly wouldn't rule it out, though, as I really like Hayden and Shelvey's attitude and fitness seems to be on the up - there's no doubt he has the skills. Further up the pitch I think Ritchie at RW with Atsu as his immediate understudy is good for where we're at, but I don't really want either being considered as a realistic option on the other side. Murphy would be a great start there and we could take a risk and have Aarons as his competition, though I'm pretty sure he'll be crocked again imminently. Get him loaned out, sack Gouffran off and try and get someone with pace and directness in for competition at a low price. I'm massively concerned about the 10 spot because neither Diame nor Perez are good enough there, they barely cut the mustard last season. As much as I liked De Jong signing at the time, his fitness troubles and a completely abject season with PSV have made me lose almost all hope. He's a good professional and is very switched on, but doubt he has the physical capacity to be of real use to us now. I'd just about keep Mitrovic as third choice up top because I like the lad's attitude and he did alright for us at this level last time, but he's one of those that if we get a decent offer for we have to entertain it. Like most I'm hopeful Gayle can translate his form to the PL, but it's my opinion that we should really be in the market for a Demba Ba level striker (or thereabouts) who can lead the line with a much more diverse skillset than Gayle has. We have to spend money here, although I'm not sure who we should be looking at now we're in mid-July. Ultimately for me it's AM, LW, CM, ST, LB, LW, CM, RB, GK in terms of what I'd like to see us improve upon. I want to see Gamez, Hanley, Haidara, Lazaar, Good, Saivet, Gouffran, De Jong, Mitrovic, Murphy, Riviere and Toney sent on their way. Woodman, Sterry, Aarons and Armstrong loaned out. Not much to ask... we did more business than that last summer!

Am I safe in assuming that most people are currently only happy with our options at centre-back and for the right flank? I'm on the borderline with the goalkeeper situation personally, could live with Krul, Elliot, Darlow and Woodman as the options there but of course an improvement would be welcome and seems to be being sought by Rafa. Most concerned about attacking midfield and the left flank, with striker not far behind.

I reckon we'll get him, it's one of these where we have to get it done to keep things chugging along and it's a signing for a key hole in the squad (of a player who should only increase in value, barring disaster).

He's right-footed and dribbles off his right foot, but he's very decent shooting off his left.

Mainly played RW of late, but has played LW plenty in the past. Seems happy on either side but genuinely not sure if like Ritchie and Atsu he performs noticeably better on one versus the other.

YRI

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/police-hunt-man-who-repeatedly-13315049

Might not be the worst thing if our interest in Traore is genuine, as it makes him more expendable at Boro. Liverpool will want Ojo to go somewhere he'll be almost guaranteed to play every week, there's no chance of that here despite our apparent best efforts in the market so far.

Wimbledon. I was drawing up plans to murder Ashley and his kin.

My arse dropped.

Tickled by the use of "pen" there

I'm also a bit concerned now (and hoping for significant news on at least one deal today), but just a quick input to say that we are starting a week later than we did last season date-wise. I know it only removes Gamez and Hayden being imminent from the equation and means that we're still two players behind instead of three, but still. Areet, Colin. Clutchy clutchy

I'm also a bit concerned now (and hoping for significant news on at least one deal today), but just a quick input to say that we are starting a week later than we did last season date-wise. I know it only removes Gamez and Hayden being imminent from the equation and means that we're still two players behind instead of three, but still.

Dosnt bode too well with that list Ha! You're not wrong, though I think last season was a bit of a case of needs must. He seemed determined to have two senior players for every position. Sels was a poor buy intended for the first team, though. No hiding from that. Hopefully Lejeune and whoever else comes in prove to be a significant step up on those three.

Do people not think a lot of the ones recently are a bit too obvious in nature? I find it hard to believe Rafa is whacking in enquiries for anyone and everyone. He'll have a very clear plan. Bound to be a few from the likes of Belgium, Italy and Spain most of us have never really heard of or paid attention to. Lejeune, Lazaar, Gamez, Sels, etc.

Big Moke (Williamson) signs for Oxford United.

Could we add where the first news of interest breaks on here? Established that The Northern Echo broke the Lejeune story thanks to Paul Fraser on Twitter. http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/15321438.Newcastle__Arsenal_and_Spurs__39____8_7m_target_interests_Rafa_Benitez/?ref=twtrec

Would love to know who recommended this fella for signing.

Not enough to be totally honest, typically just when AZ were playing one of the big teams (and getting smashed). Couldn't really judge him on that and generally the Eredivisie isn't much of a goalkeeper friendly league!

Was thinking that this summer it might be an idea to see which sources are actually reliable on our transfer business. Was this the first break of the Lejeune deal? I couldn't find any articles before it.