Unbelievable

If we're stronger in CF (Osula) we're also weaker in CM (Andersen), because both those players are squad players who can be developed, as opposed to ready made first XI players. As for Minteh, he could have feasibly been our first XI right winger. Brighton seem to consider him theirs.

They will need to plug gaps next year too, agreed, but their more urgent issue will be the massive gap they have to plug this year.

Funny all those pointing out to incomings adding depth without pointing at outgoings weakening us in other positions (notably Andersen in central midfield and Minteh who would have been a RW option). All in all I'd say we've not moved the needle one way or another significantly yet. As long as our important players stay fit this season, and taking into account no Europe, we should already do better though.

Because they probably need the income for PSR this year instead of next year. They’ve already brought in for 70m more than their outgoings and they’re still looking at a main striker apparently. Also you’d like to think they’re under scrutiny for the hotel and Chelsea women team sales already, so surely their bean counters will tell them to sell rather than loan with option/obligation.

He absolutely wouldn’t. He’s not a right winger for starters

WTF

Was laughably bad at PSV too. Or perhaps we have higher standards for defensive footballers

I think Madueke would be great for us, but I genuinely can't see Chelsea loaning us him with an option to buy and thereby helping a direct rival for European football with a PSR friendly deal. I know they did with Hall, but surely they wouldn't want to do it again? Especially as they have PSR problems of their own (unless they really can just keep selling themselves assets). I can see Madueke being available, but they'd probably want a sale in this PSR period.

I'm in full agreement that we need a new RCB, but I'd have been looking at a promising understudy kind of player, someone capable of filling in now and with the potential to be a first team player in the near future. I see Schar, Botman and Kelly as first team players (3 for 2 positions), Burn as more than capable back up and arguably a good enough starting LCB as well, and Lascelles plus Krafth as "break glass in case of emergency" players. I also think Schar defends through intelligent positioning and takes such good care of himself he could easily be a Sergio Ramos, a Pepe or a Thiago Silva and have another five years at this level in the tank. I think we need a little more depth and a little more (age related) squad planning at CB, but we're not short of quality or quantity. All the above in context of us looking at spending pretty much our entire remaining kitty on Guehi, while once again potentially neglecting the RW position. And I don't even think as badly as most about Almiron and Murphy, but RW is clearly the one position where any one purple could have the biggest impact on our fortunes - just imagine what a right sided Gordon could do for this team. Instead we may stick with Almiron while (when everyone is fit) our bench has two first team center backs.

People say Schar turns 33 as if his legs will fall off this season. He's the type of defender who can easily play at this level under his mid to late 30's.

What if the accountants say we can't afford 65m?

Left to right for opening match thread starting: ?, Haydn, Disco. Who’s the question mark?

Two goals against decent opposition and this local lad’s thread is about to fall off the front page *bump*

You’re probably dog whistling me with that comment, but there is no way England have a better collection of center backs than Holland do at the moment. Marc Guehi wouldn’t have been in Germany this summer if his cradle was in Amsterdam or Utrecht.

Good runout, we look ready for the new season

White injured I think, so probably that Man City kid. Decent lineup

Trippier, Schar, Kelly, Willock, Bruno, Almiron, Barnes, new striker kid. Could be decent

Sanusi there

Hall has been exceptional again today

Excited to see what Sanussi can do in a strong team

Isak is absolutely useless

Isak is unreal

Penalty!

I think we are ready for the new season

3-0