Realistic Transfer Targets (2024/25)

[TheBrownBottle]

Just now, andyc35i said:

Money from Kelly, sell Longstaff, Wilson and Trippier off the wage bill. This is the summer to kick on and spend money with Champions League football on the horizon and investment needed in the squad 

That’s not going to cover that sort of spend tbf

[NSG]

2 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Goes into this year’s books

Although Juve have put it in the 24/25 accounts I’m not sure whether we’re obliged to or not.

 

Anyway, it’s a 3 year cycle for PSR, so any income this year gives us headroom for the next two years.

[Sibierski]

We need to move away from Mitchell/KWP as being freebies. They’re very limited players. Rather we signed some raw youngsters then saddle ourselves with players that don’t improve us, with them just being a recognised name.

[Mazzy]

10 minutes ago, Sibierski said:

We need to move away from Mitchell/KWP as being freebies. They’re very limited players. Rather we signed some raw youngsters then saddle ourselves with players that don’t improve us, with them just being a recognised name.

 

KWP would definitely improve us. Especially if Tripps leaves and tbh even if he doesn't. 

 

We don't have the funds to replace Trippier, Wilson, Lascelles, Dubs, Vlach, Targett, Longstaff with young up and coming players. We NEED some freebies in there to allow us to get starting XI quality in at RW, CB, GK and a second choice ST. 

 

There is always upsides and downsides to every transfer, even free ones. But just look at Kelly, he was free, coat a good chunk of wages but he'll be gone in the summer and that free transfer was 100% worth it and he contributed almost nothing to the team.

 

 

Edited yesterday at 10:24 by Mazzy

[TheBrownBottle]

21 minutes ago, NSG said:

Although Juve have put it in the 24/25 accounts I’m not sure whether we’re obliged to or not.

 

Anyway, it’s a 3 year cycle for PSR, so any income this year gives us headroom for the next two years.

It’s not a three year cycle anymore …

 

edit: you also don’t get to choose which year to put it in.  It’ll go in this season’s.  

 

 

Edited yesterday at 10:32 by TheBrownBottle

[joeyt]

15 minutes ago, Mazzy said:

 But just look at Kelly, he was free, coat a good chunk of wages but he'll be gone in the summer and that free transfer was 100% worth it and he contributed almost nothing to the team.

 

 

 

 

This was a rarity though. You can be lumbered with free transfers on high wages for ages like Jeff Hendrick.

 

I don't think anyone can believe we're going to get £20mil for Kelly. It's an anomaly 

[Mazzy]

48 minutes ago, joeyt said:

 

This was a rarity though. You can be lumbered with free transfers on high wages for ages like Jeff Hendrick.

 

I don't think anyone can believe we're going to get £20mil for Kelly. It's an anomaly 

 

But ones like Hendrick were when we were very poor and barely surviving in the league. No decent free transfers were ever going to be done because those players didn't want to come here to be paid fuck all (relatively) and fight relegation every year.

 

We've got a much better chance now of picking up the one or two very good players who come available for free every summer.  

 

Liverpool/Madrid/Man City have done it for years. They pick up the best out of contract players because they can pay the wages and those players want to go there

[joeyt]

14 minutes ago, Mazzy said:

 

But ones like Hendrick were when we were very poor and barely surviving in the league. No decent free transfers were ever going to be done because those players didn't want to come here to be paid fuck all (relatively) and fight relegation every year.

 

We've got a much better chance now of picking up the one or two very good players who come available for free every summer.  

 

Liverpool/Madrid/Man City have done it for years. They pick up the best out of contract players because they can pay the wages and those players want to go there

 

I'm not sure Lloyd Kelly or Kyle Walker Peters fit into that category though. 

[Mazzy]

23 minutes ago, joeyt said:

 

I'm not sure Lloyd Kelly or Kyle Walker Peters fit into that category though. 

 

I think most of us thought Lloyd Kelly was a sensible accusation. KWP is an upgrade on Matt Targett, that's the way I'd look at it. With him and Tino able cover both fullbacks positions, we'd only need to sign another RB as cover if Tripps leaves. Rather than having to bring in a LB and RB this summer.

[joeyt]

Be amazed if we signed another right back if Trippier left and we signed KWP

 

Tino

KWP

Krafth

 

Can't see us spending anything more on that position if we have 3 players already 

[The College Dropout]

We need a mix of youth and experience. We can’t replace all the old heads with kids. Which is why we’ll keep a few of the older heads. 
 

If Trippier goes I do think we should sign a RB. Trippier’s still a massive part of the squad with his quality. Being able to call on him and Harvey Barnes (and Dubs tbf) has been crucial to our success this season. 

[janpawel]

Who is everyone's ideal target for the RCB slot in summer then? Feel like I don't have much of an idea compared to RW etc 

 

Ideally we want someone who's fast, good with the ball and good in the air (sounds like the perfect CB tbh ...), right footed, can be aggressive and follow his man into midfield, probably under the age of 26 and can start now at a high level 

 

I was never that crazy on Guehi, especially for the rumoured money, but after listing the qualities above, he ticks every box other than being good/excellent in the air

 

Anyone got any suggestions? I mentioned Diomande in another thread but the twitter tacticos have shut up about him, so maybe he ain't a that... 

 

 

[Sibierski]

Burnley don’t go up, CJ would be a long term option. Think sign to loan back would work well. 
 

Still really like Chalobah for the low cost he’d be (expect he’s attainable for less than £20m). 
 

The real big statement move if Barcelona need funds would be getting Arajuo for me.

 

Does feel if we want to take a significant step next season though, the CB and RW have to be legit top end players that make other clubs take notice and completely change how they would approach playing us. UCL so key because that changes everything.

[janpawel]

Just now, Sibierski said:

Burnley don’t go up, CJ would be a long term option. Think sign to loan back would work well. 
 

Still really like Chalobah for the low cost he’d be (expect he’s attainable for less than £20m). 
 

The real big statement move if Barcelona need funds would be getting Arajuo for me.

 

Does feel if we want to take a significant step next season though, the CB and RW have to be legit top end players that make other clubs take notice and completely change how they would approach playing us. UCL so key because that changes everything.

Would love Arajuo 

 

Deffo a very good RCB. Having elite pace Would allow us to play slightly higher up the pitch, helping the midfield even more, helping against transitions etc

[Checko]

It's amazing how quickly we regenerated the squad with a couple of fancy pants signings topped with a couple of more solid pragmatic signings per window.

 

1st Window - Fancy Pants: Trippier, Bruno           Solid & pragmatic: Dan Burn, Wood, [Targett - loan]

 

2nd Window - Fancy Pants: Botman, Isak            Solid & pragmatic: Pope, Targett

 

That got us from years of being shite to challenging for Champions league.

 

You've then got Gordon as a bit of both, maybe Barnes too. Tonali fancy pants. Tino and Hall quite big fees but more bought as squad depth in the short term.

 

Basically - a fancy pants signing at CB and RW, couple of more solid pickups at CF and CM, maybe a fullback too assuming Trips goes and that probably does our squad the world of good, assuming no-one major leaves. Seems to work well with us adding quality and depth without losing too much of our identity and coordination.

 

Edit: a top goalie who can do kicky kicky would be nice too obviously, though personally I still rate Pope highly at actually being a good keeper and top lad, so I'd be willing to wait for next year & go fancy pants for that (assuming we're not getting Trafford).

 

 

Edited 10 hours ago by Checko

[Dr Venkman]

On 14/04/2025 at 10:59, TheBrownBottle said:

Who are we selling to bring that lot in?

You.

[Sibierski]

Unless a really good GK is attainable that doesn’t compromise our budget, I think a GK will be held off till 2026. If we improve elsewhere, the GK should be serviceable till then. Because the needle moves only slightly with an upgrade, whilst elsewhere it moves a lot more. 

[Sibierski]

Obvs, Saudis giving us £5m for Dubs or £10m for Vlach would be nice.

[nufc123]

58 minutes ago, Checko said:

It's amazing how quickly we regenerated the squad with a couple of fancy pants signings topped with a couple of more solid pragmatic signings per window.

 

1st Window - Fancy Pants: Trippier, Bruno           Solid & pragmatic: Dan Burn, Wood, [Targett - loan]

 

2nd Window - Fancy Pants: Botman, Isak            Solid & pragmatic: Pope, Targett

 

That got us from years of being shite to challenging for Champions league.

 

You've then got Gordon as a bit of both, maybe Barnes too. Tonali fancy pants. Tino and Hall quite big fees but more bought as squad depth in the short term.

 

Basically - a fancy pants signing at CB and RW, couple of more solid pickups at CF and CM, maybe a fullback too assuming Trips goes and that probably does our squad the world of good, assuming no-one major leaves. Seems to work well with us adding quality and depth without losing too much of our identity and coordination.

 

Edit: a top goalie who can do kicky kicky would be nice too obviously, though personally I still rate Pope highly at actually being a good keeper and top lad, so I'd be willing to wait for next year & go fancy pants for that (assuming we're not getting Trafford).

 

 

 

Lets sign some fancy pants.

[Checko]

Couple of pairs of Calvin Kleins. Couple from Marks & Sparks. Raise the ceiling, raise the floor, keep the core, job done. Dunno how Man U keep fucking it up so bad.