More transfer rumours

[STM]

7 minutes ago, macphisto said:

KDB was on the radar of a lot of top clubs back then. He went to Man City for over £50 million 7 years ago. That would easily be £100 million+ now.

Fair point.

[Ikon]

I want us to go for genuinely quality, but players that have not hit their ceiling yet. Players that will grow with us and hopefully get stronger each season going forward. Instead of signing a player now that is of good quality but will need to be replaced because we’re looking to move into next phase. Doing it this way will mean that we don’t have to replace too many players every season as the current ones will grow and become better too. 
 

Obviously won’t be easy to get every signing right but I hope we go for quality with potential to grow another level or two within time. Most importantly players with the right character, ones that want to improve and have hunger, no matter what age. 
 

it’s just not possible to buy 100% ready and proven world class players for each position and hope it clicks. 1. It’s expensive as fuck. 2. Might not be the best way to build great team spirit, with too many “stars” and egos.

 

Another thing I like about quality+potential is that they will be part of the build up, long term, the whole identity created within time. Like winning mentality and team spirit. Even though they haven’t come through the academy it will be a bit more like us developing them into our own stars, instead of buying too many finished articles. Having said all this I’m not against an old head or two. Sounds like a lot of drivel as I type while thinking many different scenarios at the same time. Hope you get the idea. 

[Guest HTT II]

9 minutes ago, Ikon said:

I want us to go for genuinely quality, but players that have not hit their ceiling yet. Players that will grow with us and hopefully get stronger each season going forward. Instead of signing a player now that is of good quality but will need to be replaced because we’re looking to move into next phase. Doing it this way will mean that we don’t have to replace too many players every season as the current ones will grow and become better too. 
 

Obviously won’t be easy to get every signing right but I hope we go for quality with potential to grow another level or two within time. Most importantly players with the right character, ones that want to improve and have hunger, no matter what age. 
 

it’s just not possible to buy 100% ready and proven world class players for each position and hope it clicks. 1. It’s expensive as fuck. 2. Might not be the best way to build great team spirit, with too many “stars” and egos.

 

Another thing I like about quality+potential is that they will be part of the build up, long term, the whole identity created within time. Like winning mentality and team spirit. Even though they haven’t come through the academy it will be a bit more like us developing them into our own stars, instead of buying too many finished articles. Having said all this I’m not against an old head or two. Sounds like a lot of drivel as I type while thinking many different scenarios at the same time. Hope you get the idea. 

We can do a bit of both surely? I wouldn’t mind Lingard for example and even Eriksen who I’ve previously stated I’d rather not. I think going forward once we have a DOF etc. in and with funds available which I’m sure will be there to be spent, we will be able to afford a varied range of signings like we have done with Trippier who is over 30. I’d like us to splash big on 2-3 high end real quality attacking players and maybe the odd freebie and some squad players. I’d hate us to go after a Pogba, however, but a Coutinho I wouldn’t say no to. I think they will look to get the balance right and I’m confident that will happen.

 

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by HTT II

[Ikon]

Yeah I wouldn’t mind an old head or two like I said. As long as they are at the club for the right reasons. As in not only for the money. They have to be driven and good characters. Buy into what we are trying to do, collectively. 

[Guest HTT II]

Just now, Ikon said:

Yeah I wouldn’t mind an old head or two like I said. As long as they are at the club for the right reasons. As in not only for the money. They have to be driven and good characters. Buy into what we are trying to do, collectively. 

Agreed, I don’t think Howe would welcome say a Pogba anyway or even a Bale. 

[Ikon]

Just now, HTT II said:

Agreed, I don’t think Howe would welcome say a Pogba anyway or even a Bale. 

Yeah it seems like he/they know the importance of it. I like that. Because money alone doesn’t guarantee anything like we have seen many times before in football. 

[Guest HTT II]

Just now, Ikon said:

Yeah it seems like he/they know the importance of it. I like that. Because money alone doesn’t guarantee anything like we have seen many times before in football. 

Aye, just look at Man Utd and Everton for example. I think we will likely take a hit on some players who turn out to be expensive flops, big names or not, but that’s par for the course in football and the same at any club. The key is to not sign loads of those kind of players.

[midds]

Now they've actually persevered and bought the club and thrown enough cash around in January to secure safety I think they'll have a right pop at it this summer. I get the impression they're not for fucking around and giving it a decade to start challenging, I think they'll go for it and make up as much distance as soon as possible and if that means a net spend of £150m+ then I think they'll do it. Why wouldn't they? Wait there, frustrated for 2 years to piss about with £60-80m windows? Don't think that's their style. They want it and they want it asap. And they'll pay to get it. 

[gbandit]

It’s a good time to strike as well, Man U in disarray, Chelsea needing to totally restructure, Arsenal still hilarious, Spurs with a lot of debt hampering them. We could make serious ground up to these clubs if we spend big and get the right players in. I’m starting to feel like a top 8 finish is very realistic 

[midds]

Just now, gbandit said:

It’s a good time to strike as well, Man U in disarray, Chelsea needing to totally restructure, Arsenal still hilarious, Spurs with a lot of debt hampering them. We could make serious ground up to these clubs if we spend big and get the right players in. I’m starting to feel like a top 8 finish is very realistic 

Keeping a lid on potential budgets and expectations is also 100% the right way to do it too. We're always going to have to pay through the nose for the players we want but advertising the fact we've got loads to spend would add even more to the price. 

[Guest HTT II]

We should be aiming for the top 6 next season, the gap isn’t that big in reality. We narrowly lost to Chelsea and got hammered off Spurs, even now we are somewhere in between those two after years of neglect and Bruce and being bottom 3 in January. Spend big and spend well and we should be aiming top 6 and why not!

[Ikon]

2 minutes ago, gbandit said:

It’s a good time to strike as well, Man U in disarray, Chelsea needing to totally restructure, Arsenal still hilarious, Spurs with a lot of debt hampering them. We could make serious ground up to these clubs if we spend big and get the right players in. I’m starting to feel like a top 8 finish is very realistic 

 

This. 

[The College Dropout]

1 hour ago, STM said:

 

I agree with your assessment of that era, but I disagree that what worked then will work now. As you said yourself, Villa were challenging for 5th. Where as now, Arsenal and Man Utd look likely to finish 5th and 6th.

 

As for weakening the "top 6" clubs, how do you suggest we do that? 130m for Harry Kane, who most probably wouldn't move to us? Why go after, say Bruno Fernandes or Odegard for example when we have already proven we can go to the French league and pay half the price for comparable players.

 

IMO, the elephant in the room is our commercial power. Right now we are financially weakened by having shite sponsors, no business direction (because of ashley) and very little coming into the club from other avenues.

 

My guess, and it's just a guess, is that our new owners have a two stage plan. Phase one is moving the club up the league within the confines of FFP, whilst building a massive commercial model, spending on infrastructure etc.  Once we get into Europe and start showing that we mean business, we can start going after big hitters, in the way that City took Sterling off Liverpool.

 

We have to prove to good players that this is a place to come and play football and we have already started that process.

We haven't proven anything. Bruno F joined Man U in January and scored 12 goals in 5 months. Bruno G is still establishing himself ahead of Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Willock. Manchester City signed the likes of Joleon Lescott, James Milner & Gareth Barry. Proven quality outside of the top teams. People would snub the likes of Zaha, Phillips & Raphinha. I'm not against going into Ligue 1 for talent but are we getting the very best that division has to offer?

 

There's 4 leagues within the league. Title challengers, European challengers, midtable and relegation. There's a good 7 teams in that top 2 bracket. There's no point in going for anything else. We need to get into Europe ASAP, then look to sign the very best young talent money can buy. Once in Europe we can go for players' that might otherwise sign for Man Utd and the like.

 

1 hour ago, STM said:

FWIW, you can absolutely be smart with money, whilst also being ambitious. Liverpool selling Coutinho and using the money to buy the best CB and best GK in PL is an example of that.

 

Salah and KDB are largely regarded as the two best players in the league but neither were on the radars of other top clubs, both had been let go by Chelsea and had scars next to their names to some degree. Both Liverpool and City pulled masterstrokes by ignoring their past.

KDB was Bundesliga player of the year at like.. 23. He was a serious wonderkid.

 

Salah yeh. I think they were hoping for 13-18 goals from him but he's perfect for Klopp's system and a real winner.

[Ikon]

Doubt anyone would say no to Raphinha or Phillips. Or be upset or anything  Some might prefer other ways to go. But I think a lot of that depends on how much we will spend. 

 

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by Ikon

[STM]

I wouldn't snub Zaha, Raphinha or Phillips. I'd absolutely love the latter two.

 

Zaha would be a decent signing but I'd not see much value in going after him age wise.

 

Out of interest @The College Dropoutwho would be your main targets, given the choice?

[Tiresias]

Would love Philips

[STM]

I keep looking at targets and thinking "he'd be good with Bruno". 

 

Think I've man crushed on the sexy Brazilian magician.

[LionOfGosforth]

Are the top players from other (not top 6) PL clubs realistic? Raphinha and Phillips are excellent in their positions and would improve us hugely but, now that Leeds are almost certainly staying up with us, are they likely to move? Better question, would Leeds sell them to us? I don't know. Not trying to be negative but i'd think the PL would be our toughest market to work in and those type of players, we'd be quoted 50m+ each.

 

That said, I don't know what is realistic in the summer full stop. If someone had told me in January that our top 5 targets were Burn, Wood, Targett, Bruno and Trippier, i'd have said the first 3 are pretty realistic and the others just aren't. And yet, absurdly, we convinced both to move to a side in the bottom 3. So who the hell knows what we should expect but it will be exciting to say the least to find out.

[STM]

4 minutes ago, LionOfGosforth said:

Are the top players from other (not top 6) PL clubs realistic? Raphinha and Phillips are excellent in their positions and would improve us hugely but, now that Leeds are almost certainly staying up with us, are they likely to move? Better question, would Leeds sell them to us? I don't know. Not trying to be negative but i'd think the PL would be our toughest market to work in and those type of players, we'd be quoted 50m+ each.

 

That said, I don't know what is realistic in the summer full stop. If someone had told me in January that our top 5 targets were Burn, Wood, Targett, Bruno and Trippier, i'd have said the first 3 are pretty realistic and the others just aren't. And yet, absurdly, we convinced both to move to a side in the bottom 3. So who the hell knows what we should expect but it will be exciting to say the least to find out.

Precisely my point.

 

The PL market is virtually impossible unless we are signing Burn/Targett standard.

 

There are areas we could exploit mind. Clubs with financial issues (Everton: Calvert Lewin, Pickford), clubs in turmoil (Man Utd: Henderson, Rashford), players out of contract (Lingard, Tarkowski), clubs getting relegated (Sarr, Dennis, Aarons, Cornet) and most importantly players coming to within 2 years of their contracts ending (Tielmans).

 

There is also the outside possibility we could sell our vision to players like Conor Coady, who might be prepared to move on. In such case they may hold leverage with their clubs.

 

But again, I always come back to the idea of their being better value abroad. For example Wolves might demand 40m for Coady, where as we know we could likely get Diego Carlos for less.

 

It's all food for thought, ultimately we need to put the feelers out far and wide for best value.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

4 hours ago, Shak said:

Definitely some post-Ashley trauma in here

 

I'm fairly certain we'll spend a shitload this summer and my trousers are down and I'm ready for it.

 

I think youre recent post on Craigslist must read "Fun, inquisitive, Irish male looking for a bit of adventure and hope to finish in the top 8 next season"

[LionOfGosforth]

2 minutes ago, STM said:

Precisely my point.

 

The PL market is virtually impossible unless we are signing Burn/Targett standard.

 

There are areas we could exploit mind. Clubs with financial issues (Everton: Calvert Lewin, Pickford), clubs in turmoil (Man Utd: Henderson, Rashford), players out of contract (Lingard, Tarkowski), clubs getting relegated (Sarr, Dennis, Aarons, Cornet) and most importantly players coming to within 2 years of their contracts ending (Tielmans).

 

There is also the outside possibility we could sell our vision to players like Conor Coady, who might be prepared to move on. In such case they may hold leverage with their clubs.

 

But again, I always come back to the idea of their being better value abroad. For example Wolves might demand 40m for Coady, where as we know we could likely get Diego Carlos for less.

 

It's all food for thought, ultimately we need to put the feelers out far and wide for best value.

 

Good points. Tielemans is one i'd break the bank for if there was any possibility at all. Brilliant player, different to what we have, huge PL experience and quality. One of my favorite current non-Toon PL players.

[STM]

This is why signing Eriksen on a free would be such a class move. We will have got an elite player for nothing, allowing us extra wriggle room to go after our biggest targets.

[STM]

Just now, LionOfGosforth said:

 

Good points. Tielemans is one i'd break the bank for if there was any possibility at all. Brilliant player, different to what we have, huge PL experience and quality. One of my favorite current non-Toon PL players.

Apparently wants CL football but again... can we sell our vision?

[LionOfGosforth]

1 minute ago, STM said:

This is why signing Eriksen on a free would be such a class move. We will have got an elite player for nothing, allowing us extra wriggle room to go after our biggest targets.

 

Totally agree but seems to be a "prefer to stay in London" type. Maybe i'm wrong, nothing wrong with going after him.

[LionOfGosforth]

1 minute ago, STM said:

Apparently wants CL football but again... can we sell our vision?

 

Another reason it was so absurd we convinced Bruno to move, you'd have thought CL football would have been a pre-requisite to him moving to England. Maybe the same vision would convince Teels. We can only hope, very excited to see that vision start to gain ground, this season was always about staying up and it's a borderline miracle we are where we are and can dream again.