McCormick

Raphinha would a dreamy signing. Doubt we’ve any chance though, unfortunately.

Yeah, this. Just a cartel at this point. Kills any hope of a non-established team becoming a big player.

If I’m understanding this correctly, the new changes actively disincentivizes investment into the women’s’ game and youth development. It’s absolutely outrageous.

What a fucking sham.

Yeah.

I think people want to move on because of the dodgy agent and the time it’s taking. Which is fair enough?

I don’t think he’s particularly good tbh, inconsistent and been injured a fair bit. More of an AM than a striker as well. Sounds like Inter are hawking him around as they have an obligation to buy for 25m and don’t want to. Handsome bastard though.

Looks like a lot of teams we’re gunning for are strengthening in at least equal measure. Was always going to be the case with a reported 100m transfer budget. Still see us finishing mid-table next season; at some point in the (hopefully) near future though, I hope we’ll be able steal a march on teams like West Ham, Villa, Wolves and Leicester, then- again hopefully- moving on to compete with the likes of Arsenal and Spurs.

This was the time to show our teeth and break our wage structure to get in a world-class player on a free; hope we made every effort to bring him here. I’d be furious if we lost out to him based on wages, more so if it’s Everton or Leicester he’s chosen.

I thought we would have had a very good chance to get him in but the lack of noise from the press suggests that he’ll be at Brentford next season. Shame.

I like him, very underrated player.

He’s raw but impressively well-rounded for his age. The fact that he could play as a cdm or on the left or right of a midfield 3 makes him a really attractive proposition imo. 30m + would be very steep for him considering all the other more proven options we could go for at that price (Hojberg, Soucek, Fofana, Ruiz etc.)

@KaKa I mentioned him a page ago. Think he’d be a very astute signing.

Murphy would win the Ballon D’or if goalposts were an inch and a half thinner.

I think people forget how highly rated Sarr was before he came to Watford. People were talking about him in the same way they are now about Ekitike, Gouriri etc. An unplayable season in the championship and a decent (if a bit stop-start due to injuries etc.) season in the prem, should make him a really good option for us. One of the things I like about him over other targets is that he’s a genuine right-sided winger that can get goals; other options like Danjuma, Harrison etc. would cost more and we’d either have to shift them to the right or accommodate them by moving Maxi there.

I reckon Villa would have had a chance at either if they went fully in for them like we did. We’re in very similar positions and will be for the next few years.

Agreed. Hope the tentative Khephren Thuram links are true; seems to fit the profile age-wise, is athletic and a very decent all-round midfielder. I really think he’ll be on a lot of top clubs’ radars in a few years and should cost less than 30m.

I like Cornet but I think we need leave poor Burnley alone now. It’s starting to feel like bullying at this point.

Eh? He’s one of the best Centre-midfielders of his type in the league. I think it’s very good business by them.

Poor Botman

Agree but CM doesn’t appear to be a “priority signing” at this time. May see movement later in the window- if there’s any room in the budget- after a cb, a rw and a st are through the door imo.

Honestly I’d prefer either Broja and Gouiri anyway as they’re both less raw than Hugo is. Would certainly cost a bit more though.

Big fan of Gouiri. Bit cliched to say it, as it’s the comparison he gets most often, but he genuinely gives me Benzema vibes; extremely talented footballer.

I dunno, if the agent (s) realize they’ve overplayed their hand and return with more reasonable demands I wouldn’t turn them away. I’d rather we sign our priority targets than resort to being petty.

Honestly the kid has had 1 good season in his professional career; if him and his representatives want PSG so bad, I hope they get the move. Genuinely think it’d be a very poor move for him though and he’ll end up at some mid-table German team looking to resurrect his career 3 years later.