Nine

Its an absolute guessing game because it will just come down to which player is available for what (within reason) but I'd expect us to spend from anywhere around 100-150m including sales on the players like Hayden, Lewis and so on. As I've said time and time again, it wont just be clubs that will be trying to rip us off over transfer fees but players/agents as well.. they will be after big contracts and big bonuses - our wage expenditure will be just as important to keep in check as our transfer fees.

Its impressive that hes already managed to play a huge role in the future of our club not just by keeping us up but doing it in style, seems to really get the club and city as well. The second half of this season has got to give him a boost of confidence going into what will be a difficult summer window and then into next season, despite the amazing job hes done with us so far the biggest challenges are ahead of us now.. building a side to crack top 6 (and then 4) will be more impressive to me than avoiding relegation from 7 points. I like him alot and really hope he can take us to the next level, what a story that would be.

Seeing Lacroix linked now, another name to add to the highly rated young European CB list that we will get linked to over and over again during the summer. If I could pick just one of them regardless of the fee/wage it would be Kounde.

Insane money that

Take anything they say about transfer windows with a big old grain of salt

They have fully lost it at this point, a lot of them have always been on the edge when it comes to us but just lately they are actually going insane. Hilarious.

Agreed, regardless if we are actually interested in him or not there will be plenty of links and talk about him over the summer anyway

To be fair I'd forgotten all about that goal I was looking for the only one of his I remember that he scored on the break against Palace? But I dont think its even made it to youtube

Saint Max esque

I think thats a bit unfair, you could also say that had we started Gayle in Woods place since January we wouldnt have won any of those games either. Wilson without doubt has a massive upside on Wood, on ability and being suited to this side/the style Howe has them playing but using Wilson being better as stick to beat Wood with is harsh You might be right mind, Wilson did make a huge difference last night.

I agree with you, however it must be rough for him hitting the post 4/5 times in a row this season.. if even a couple of those went in we'd probably be speaking differently about his confidence. Unfortunate for him tbh, seems a nice lad but hes been here 5 years now and its time to move on this summer I think.

If you look at his injury history under Howe at Bournemouth he actually went through 17/18, 18/19 and 19/20 missing only a few PL games a season besides one hamstring issue that kept him out for 8 games in 18/19. Obviously age/accumulation are going to factor but at a first glance it looks that his fitness was far better managed there under Howe than it was here under Bruce (shocker), I understand he did his cruciate twice before those 3 seasons but to my understanding that type of injury just happens when it happens rather than the poorly managed muscle injuries hes sustained here. Maybe with a whole pre season under Howe and a bit of luck we could get more games of out him next season.

Aubemyang left for Barca in Jan

The original tweet

Seems so, he'll be kept for almost this reason alone.

Just after the first goal the ball went out for a throw and he punched it into the crowd to waste a bit of time

Do whatever you want, just saying that there generally isn’t much substance to anything pundits come out with

Imagine someone on here had said back in November this is where we’d come the end of the season, what the fuck And we’ve got one of the biggest transfer windows in our history to come yet

Who cares what the pundits have to say, they are there to spout shite that just about keeps the majority watching.

Said after the City game that he generally has poor form vs the top 6 sides, tonight went a long way against that

Dubravka - 6 Krafth - 7 Schar - 7.5 - Lascelles - 7 Burn - 7 Targett - 7 Bruno - 8 Joelinton - 8 Longstaff - 7 Almiron - 7 Wilson - 9 ASM - 7.5

SJP is a fortress once again.

Essentially the kind of forward line Rafa had to play in 17/18

Hes been better overall tonight, seems like hes had instruction to make less solo runs when out wide and first 10-15 was really bright. None of the potential big moments came off for him which is a shame.