NUFC transfer rumours in the press

[Neil]

I see us as a bigger, financially-stronger version of Everton in a couple of years time. They spend within their means but can still make the £10-15m signings as well as keep their best players, pay good wages and can put up a challenge for the top 6. Since we have a bigger stadium and greater revenues, I see us challenging for 6th in a year or two's time and still have the capacity to push on - the capacity that Everton obviously don't have.

 

Maybe I'm in dreamland here and Ashley will probably fuck it up by doing something stupid like he's done every single year, but it's not too unrealistic to expect us to be a bigger version of Everton in two years. And a bigger version of Everton is pretty much one good season away from breaking the top 4 much like Spurs did.

 

Everton hardly spend a penny and they don't keep their best players. Their squad is absolutely tiny. Hence Kenwright being a hate figure.

 

The only thing that keeps Everton where they are is David Moyes.

 

I won't disagree that the man's been a miracle worker for us.

 

It stands out more than a rah in the Percy Arms that what we need is some money to get a quality striker in. There are other issues but if we can add a quality striker to the ranks (sound similar to anyone?) then I'd be delighted.

 

Aiming for us next year (well, that 7th/8th spot, whatever you want to call it) is a perfectly understandable and realistic target. However a word of caution: every summer I read "yeah, Everton will fall away next season", and every year, we don't. I don't see us falling away next year either but we've obviously got a massive wall in front of us in terms of moving forwards.

[Taylor Swift]

I think we'll spend £15m net this summer (Barnetta/N'Zogbia and Erdinc). Maybe more if we can get a good price for Matuidi, which would take us to £25m net spending. I think that would make this one of the best windows we've had for many, many years.

[Guest BooBoo]

It's nice to get some decent bosmans in for a change, but it'll be interesting to see how we spend our cash.

 

Pards has already said that the money off Liverpool will be reinvested into transfer fees and contracts. So whilst we've got Ba and Marvellous on freebies, their contracts have probably gobbled up a fair slice of the Carroll money already.

 

Anyone who seriously expects to see £35million to be spent on transfer fees this summer, is just setting themselves up for disappointment. We need to focus less on what's being spent and more on whom its being spent on. The three deals so far all seem like good additions, although I'll be the first to admit I've never seen Cabaye and Marv play before. It's a good start, although offset by the loss of Nolan.

[The Prophet]

I see us as a bigger, financially-stronger version of Everton in a couple of years time. They spend within their means but can still make the £10-15m signings as well as keep their best players, pay good wages and can put up a challenge for the top 6. Since we have a bigger stadium and greater revenues, I see us challenging for 6th in a year or two's time and still have the capacity to push on - the capacity that Everton obviously don't have.

 

Maybe I'm in dreamland here and Ashley will probably f*** it up by doing something stupid like he's done every single year, but it's not too unrealistic to expect us to be a bigger version of Everton in two years. And a bigger version of Everton is pretty much one good season away from breaking the top 4 much like Spurs did.

 

Everton hardly spend a penny and they don't keep their best players. Their squad is absolutely tiny. Hence Kenwright being a hate figure.

 

The only thing that keeps Everton where they are is David Moyes.

 

I won't disagree that the man's been a miracle worker for us.

 

It stands out more than a rah in the Percy Arms that what we need is some money to get a quality striker in. There are other issues but if we can add a quality striker to the ranks (sound similar to anyone?) then I'd be delighted.

 

Aiming for us next year (well, that 7th/8th spot, whatever you want to call it) is a perfectly understandable and realistic target. However a word of caution: every summer I read "yeah, Everton will fall away next season", and every year, we don't. I don't see us falling away next year either but we've obviously got a massive wall in front of us in terms of moving forwards.

 

I'd be keeping hold of the Yak, there's still a decent striker in there.

[ponsaelius]

Hypothetical question. What would people rather have?

 

N'Zogbia and Erding.

 

Or

 

Sturridge and Barnetta.

 

 

 

That's under the consideration that signing both Zog and Sturridge would be too expensive.

[The Prophet]

Hypothetical question. What would people rather have?

 

N'Zogbia and Erding.

 

Or

 

Sturridge and Barnetta.

 

 

 

That's under the consideration that signing both Zog and Sturridge would be too expensive.

 

The latter.

[Guest guinness_fiend]

Hypothetical question. What would people rather have?

 

N'Zogbia and Erding.

 

Or

 

Sturridge and Barnetta.

 

 

 

That's under the consideration that signing both Zog and Sturridge would be too expensive.

 

Sturridge and Barnetta.

 

Whilst I will not dispute that N'Zogbia is a class act, I don't want him anywhere near the club.

[Wullie]

Hypothetical question. What would people rather have?

 

N'Zogbia and Erding.

 

Or

 

Sturridge and Barnetta.

 

 

 

That's under the consideration that signing both Zog and Sturridge would be too expensive.

 

The latter.

 

Ditto.

[Taylor Swift]

The latter for sure.

 

Sturridge is top class. He's probably worth close to £20m, and in an ideal world we'd be able to spend that and still get in Barnetta and a central midfielder.

 

At this point in time I think if we bought Sturridge our budget would be blown, and we have too many holes in the squad at the moment. Like I said, in a year or two's time we should definitely be financially capable of spending £15-20m on a player, which is why right now I'd go for the Barnetta/Erdinc/Matuidi combo for £25m.

[Mr Logic]

Hypothetical question. What would people rather have?

 

N'Zogbia and Erding.

 

Or

 

Sturridge and Barnetta.

 

 

 

That's under the consideration that signing both Zog and Sturridge would be too expensive.

[The Prophet]

I'd give detailed reasons why but my keyboard is f***ed. Basically we need a proven goal scorer greater than a proven provider. I also think Barnetta would take to the Premier League like a duck to water.

[bodson]

Hypothetical question. What would people rather have?

 

N'Zogbia and Erding.

 

Or

 

Sturridge and Barnetta.

 

 

 

That's under the consideration that signing both Zog and Sturridge would be too expensive.

 

Zog + Bendtner

[Guest]

Hypothetical question. What would people rather have?

 

N'Zogbia and Erding.

 

Or

 

Sturridge and Barnetta.

 

 

 

That's under the consideration that signing both Zog and Sturridge would be too expensive.

 

Or I'd buy N'Zogbia & Sturridge and take a downgrade on the left-back with Warnock rather than spend £6m or whatever for M'Bengue.

[Teasy]

It's nice to get some decent bosmans in for a change, but it'll be interesting to see how we spend our cash.

 

Pards has already said that the money off Liverpool will be reinvested into transfer fees and contracts. So whilst we've got Ba and Marvellous on freebies, their contracts have probably gobbled up a fair slice of the Carroll money already.

 

Anyone who seriously expects to see £35million to be spent on transfer fees this summer, is just setting themselves up for disappointment. We need to focus less on what's being spent and more on whom its being spent on. The three deals so far all seem like good additions, although I'll be the first to admit I've never seen Cabaye and Marv play before. It's a good start, although offset by the loss of Nolan.

 

All money coming into the club has to be balanced against all outgoings, however that doesn't mean that any contract we give a player should be fully paid using the money from Carroll.  That would be quite a poor excuse for the club to use.  You also have to take into account the fact that Carroll, Kuqi, Nolan and Campbells wages have now gone from the club, those will likely cover the wages of Cabaye, Marveaux and Ba, or pretty close at least.

[ponsaelius]

Fwiw I'd go with the latter too.

 

I know the Sturridge link is tenuous as owt but just thought it was an interesting question hypothetically.

[Ameritoon]

Definitely Sturridge and Barnetta. I'm not too keen on N'Zog for some reason.

[Wullie]

The latter for sure.

 

Sturridge is top class. He's probably worth close to £20m, and in an ideal world we'd be able to spend that and still get in Barnetta and a central midfielder.

 

At this point in time I think if we bought Sturridge our budget would be blown, and we have too many holes in the squad at the moment. Like I said, in a year or two's time we should definitely be financially capable of spending £15-20m on a player, which is why right now I'd go for the Barnetta/Erdinc/Matuidi combo for £25m.

 

Where are these holes? The only real gaping hole is up front imo.

 

I'd rather spend that money on Sturridge than cover for three, four, five positions. While I don't think our depth is particularly great in terms of quality, I don't want to see us spend our money on buying "cover". As we've mentioned Everton, I would prefer a top quality first team ahead of massive depth in terms of numbers like we have at the moment, which is the principle they generally operate on.

 

I think you're overplaying our financial crisis tbh. I just don't see it.

[Ronaldo]

Hypothetical question. What would people rather have?

 

N'Zogbia and Erding.

 

Or

 

Sturridge and Barnetta.

 

 

 

That's under the consideration that signing both Zog and Sturridge would be too expensive.

 

Sturridge and Barnetta.

 

Whilst I will not dispute that N'Zogbia is a class act, I don't want him anywhere near the club.

 

[Hanshithispantz]

Whats Barnetta valued at?

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I'd love to see Sturridge here but Ba for me can be our 15 goals a season man and in Ameobi and Best we have adequate back-up so I'd actually like us to buy a second forward if you like who will not cost mega money and wages which Sturridge no doubt will. I don't think we need to spend mega money to get the kind of players we need which we have proved recently and in the past with Tiote and Ben Arfa.

[The Prophet]

Whats Barnetta valued at?

 

He's in the last year of his contract, so I'd imagine around £5-6m

[TRon]

While I'd love Sturridge here, I don't think we'd be signing all these players if we were going to spend £20million on him. Add to that he's on much higher wages and I just don't think it's realistic. I think Pip's suggestion that we grow the squad year on year is more workable.

[Teasy]

While I'd love Sturridge here, I don't think we'd be signing all these players if we were going to spend £20million on him. Add to that he's on much higher wages and I just don't think it's realistic. I think Pip's suggestion that we grow the squad year on year is more workable.

 

Why?

[Ritchie]

Surprised we're still after Barnetta, tbh.

[Guest guinness_fiend]

Hypothetical question. What would people rather have?

 

N'Zogbia and Erding.

 

Or

 

Sturridge and Barnetta.

 

 

 

That's under the consideration that signing both Zog and Sturridge would be too expensive.

 

Sturridge and Barnetta.

 

Whilst I will not dispute that N'Zogbia is a class act, I don't want him anywhere near the club.

 

 

I thought that N'Zogbia's attitude stank during his last spell at the club and I'd rather take a punt on a different player than risk introducing an already proven disruptive influence into an otherwise stable dressing-room.