More transfer rumours

[Fantail Breeze]

Could we get Sterling or is that too ambitious? Would be ideal for us, imo.

[gbandit]

25 minutes ago, Fantail Breeze said:

Could we get Sterling or is that too ambitious? Would be ideal for us, imo.

No chance 

[Manxst]

1 minute ago, gbandit said:

No chance 

I reckon City would sell, but imo he seems the type that would want to try his hand abroad, maybe Spain. (Don’t know why I think that!)

[Dr Jinx]

Without naming any particular player we’ve been linked with, it just needs to be said that any player who’s not prepared to break their bollocks for the club in terms of effort and helping out teammates, or a player who has just as more interest in their golf handicap than reaching their maximum potential with us should be avoided at all costs.

 

I’m more than happy to see other clubs make those expensive mistakes.

[Dr.Spaceman]

Aye, those types can continue to sign for Everton for all I care.

[Nine]

Sterling and Bellingham?  There is going to be some twisting when we don’t sign any well established ‘big’ names this summer isn’t there?

[cubaricho]

17 minutes ago, Nine said:

Sterling and Bellingham?  There is going to be some twisting when we don’t sign any well established ‘big’ names this summer isn’t there?

 

Not sure anyone actually thinks we'll be signing that "level" of player, do they?

[Away Toon]

Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle are interested in signing Portugal midfielder Otavio, 27, from Porto this summer. (A Bola - in Portuguese)

 

Newcastle United are targeting Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, 24, with Liverpool also watching the Senegal international. (The Sun)

[Stottie]

With Mbappe and Pogba walking and PEA buying out his contract, I think things may be changing in the transfer market. Salah and Rashford are set up to walk in summer 2023. Player power has always existed, but perhaps not to this level.

 

If the aim is Top 6-8, I don't think we need big names just yet. With the current focus on sportswashing in football due to Abramovich, it may be wise for the club to keep a lower profile and build through reasonable investment and undoing the competency gap that developed under Ashley. Harry Kane for example would vastly improve us as a team, of course he would, but at this point, three-quarters of the headlines would be "murderers trying to buy the league". For all the claims about sportswashing, I think the biggest objections people had to Chelsea and Man City were about unfair competition. Anything that can be claimed on that front will amplify the new-found concern about sportswashing.

 

It didn't get many headlines, but the club has signed up with Statsbomb, the data analytics people. With the people Howe is putting in place, and the clear success we had in January, I have faith in the club finding good players who are not necessarily high profile. Good enough for Top 8 at least. We've just managed a third of a season of Top 6-8 form with a bottom six striker who hasn't even been on form.

[Wolfcastle]

4 hours ago, cubaricho said:

 

Not sure anyone actually thinks we'll be signing that "level" of player, do they?

 

Its pre-season 94/95 to me not 95/96 and that's fine and, unromantically, probably right, especially if 95/96 style suitably follows.

Course if you're not old enough that's just a bunch of numbers

 

 

Edited March 29, 2022 by Wolfcastle

[The Prophet]

A few reports doing the rounds that Boubacar Kamara has agreed terms with Atleti.

[macphisto]

The Athletic have put up an article on what past Newcastle players would be worth now. Obviously not sure how valid their model is but it still makes some interesting reading.

 

I'll start with the best stat, Marcelino transfer would now equate to £47 million.

 

Some other notables:

Asprilla £111 million

Duncan Ferguson £75 million

Warren Barton £62 million

David Batty £55 million

Darren Peacock and Albert both £54 million

Pistone £50 million

Cort £48 million

Boumsong £31 million

Andy Cole £44 million

Rob Lee £17 million

Beresford £15 million

 

All a bit of fun but I do think we're underestimating how much we'll have to spend to get to where we want to be or even challenging next season for between 6th-10th place which should be the aim. I also think people underestimate how much we spent in the past under the Hall reign relative to now and we only seriously challenged for a short time. For example, not on the list but someone like Speed's transfer fee would probably now equate to at least £60-70million.

[Holmesy]

10 hours ago, Nine said:

Sterling and Bellingham?  There is going to be some twisting when we don’t sign any well established ‘big’ names this summer isn’t there?

I'd consider both Trippier and Bruno big names. They're perhaps not the biggest names but if we sign 4-5 more players of that calibre i'd be absolutely delighted. 4-5 quality players who really want to be here, at between £20-30m each would be spot on.

If people expect us to shatter our wage budget and splash out ridiculous money on the likes of Sterling, they're sniffing glue.

[macphisto]

6 hours ago, Stottie said:

With Mbappe and Pogba walking and PEA buying out his contract, I think things may be changing in the transfer market. Salah and Rashford are set up to walk in summer 2023. Player power has always existed, but perhaps not to this level.

 

If the aim is Top 6-8, I don't think we need big names just yet. With the current focus on sportswashing in football due to Abramovich, it may be wise for the club to keep a lower profile and build through reasonable investment and undoing the competency gap that developed under Ashley. Harry Kane for example would vastly improve us as a team, of course he would, but at this point, three-quarters of the headlines would be "murderers trying to buy the league". For all the claims about sportswashing, I think the biggest objections people had to Chelsea and Man City were about unfair competition. Anything that can be claimed on that front will amplify the new-found concern about sportswashing.

 

It didn't get many headlines, but the club has signed up with Statsbomb, the data analytics people. With the people Howe is putting in place, and the clear success we had in January, I have faith in the club finding good players who are not necessarily high profile. Good enough for Top 8 at least. We've just managed a third of a season of Top 6-8 form with a bottom six striker who hasn't even been on form.

I think we'll get sportswashing thrown at us no matter what we do so I wouldn't worry about it. I actually think the likelihood of Chelsea being taken over by Americans and the promotion of Fulham which could potentially see 11 of the Premier League clubs under American ownership next season is a serious threat. It's the Americans, in my view, driving changes to limit spending so I'd spend as much as we can, sensibly, whilst we can as you don't know what changes are around the corner. 

 

It is great to have Statsbomb in place but I'd be amazed if most American owned clubs are not already all over the use of data analytics to help identify players so I'm not sure if Statsbomb is more keeping up with the competition or being ahead. 

[The College Dropout]

4 minutes ago, Holmesy said:

I'd consider both Trippier and Bruno big names. They're perhaps not the biggest names but if we sign 4-5 more players of that calibre i'd be absolutely delighted. 4-5 quality players who really want to be here, at between £20-30m each would be spot on.

If people expect us to shatter our wage budget and splash out ridiculous money on the likes of Sterling, they're sniffing glue.

Trippier turns 32 this year.  The Bruno deal is worth up to £40m and he signed when relegation was a huge possibility.  
 

It’s reasonable to expect bigger transfers which will come with bigger wages. I use Raphinha as an example - he’s a £60m player easily. He’ll also look to earn 150k minimum just based on the fee we spent.  Even Ismailia Sarr, 40m+ 120k+ wages.  
 

We are building towards a top 4/6 team. What should stop us getting there next season is a lack of depth but we should sign players we think can play at that level. We have with Bruno and Trippier so far. 

[The College Dropout]

While I want us to spend big, I expect it will be big in either wages (Pogba just an example) or fee (Raphinha just an example). But not both (Sterling for example)

[The Prophet]

Linked with Sarr in the Sun (I know, I know). He'd be a decent addition in a problem position.

[macphisto]

12 minutes ago, Holmesy said:

I'd consider both Trippier and Bruno big names. They're perhaps not the biggest names but if we sign 4-5 more players of that calibre i'd be absolutely delighted. 4-5 quality players who really want to be here, at between £20-30m each would be spot on.

If people expect us to shatter our wage budget and splash out ridiculous money on the likes of Sterling, they're sniffing glue.

The £20-£30 million bracket doesn't get you much in general and is a very risky price zone where you'll hit as much as you'll miss. People keep on mentioning Trippier and Bruno but never quote Willock and Wood. Willock is alright but he's nothing special. 

 

It is worth looking at the transfer fees for the 2021/22 season, there's not many players in the £20-£30 million zone who would be an upgrade on where we are. 

 

This is not to say we can not be smart in our recruitment by targeting unknowns, free transfers and clauses in contracts but at the end of the day as a team we have to start looking at a few £50+ players to raise the standard of the team.

[buzza]

I reckon we could pick up some great players at decent prices:

let´s go back to city for Nathan Ake, he hasn´t played at all and is highly thought of. Or lloyd kelly from the championship, doubt either would be more than 20/25M... Christensen and rudiger at chelsea on frees, but doubt they would come!

 

Fernandinho is out of contract in the summer, old, but a 100% upgrade on jonjo. Pascal Gross at brighton also out of contract, a good attacking midfielder. Jesse Lingard could be a great bet as long as he doesn´t want mental wages.

 

Nekethia and origi out of contract in the summer for front line players.

 

[RodneyCisse]

11 hours ago, cubaricho said:

 

Not sure anyone actually thinks we'll be signing that "level" of player, do they?

We’re years away from anything like that. Some of our best signings might not even be playing at senior level yet.

[The College Dropout]

I

19 minutes ago, macphisto said:

The £20-£30 million bracket doesn't get you much in general and is a very risky price zone where you'll hit as much as you'll miss. People keep on mentioning Trippier and Bruno but never quote Willock and Wood. Willock is alright but he's nothing special. 

 

It is worth looking at the transfer fees for the 2021/22 season, there's not many players in the £20-£30 million zone who would be an upgrade on where we are. 

 

This is not to say we can not be smart in our recruitment by targeting unknowns, free transfers and clauses in contracts but at the end of the day as a team we have to start looking at a few £50+ players to raise the standard of the team.

Yes and there’s young English players available in that €15-30m range. 
 

But to really push us up the league you’ll want at least a couple big jumps in quality and that’s €40m+ a pop. 

 

20m-30m is landing Mwepu, Bailey, Ings, Guehi, Mykolenko, Digne, Dan James, Daka, Soumare, Willock, Buendia, Gil, Emerson Royal, Vlasic. A real mixed bag. 
 

40m+ you get your Diaz, Konate, Torres, Lukaku, Bruno.  Odegaard & Zouma about 35. You get more pedigree at a younger age at that price point typically. 

[The College Dropout]

28 minutes ago, buzza said:

I reckon we could pick up some great players at decent prices:

let´s go back to city for Nathan Ake, he hasn´t played at all and is highly thought of. Or lloyd kelly from the championship, doubt either would be more than 20/25M... Christensen and rudiger at chelsea on frees, but doubt they would come!

 

Fernandinho is out of contract in the summer, old, but a 100% upgrade on jonjo. Pascal Gross at brighton also out of contract, a good attacking midfielder. Jesse Lingard could be a great bet as long as he doesn´t want mental wages.

 

Nekethia and origi out of contract in the summer for front line players.

 

The Chelsea boys are a different level but the others are squad fillers and short term measures. That shouldn’t be the bulk of our business.  
 

Butlike Origiw and Nketia - unless we would look to pedal Wilson or Wood I wouldn’t want them.  You would want a more solid calibre of attacker like a Tammy Abraham. That’s £60m. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

We need a top striker who’s almost guaranteed to be fit every week. Loadsa money.

[Papavasiliou]

Andy Brassell makes a good point about the state of players leaving for free these days. It's all due to how much the wages are costing.

 

Take Juve and Dybala for example. Yeah they could offer him a new contract and yeah he'd probably take it. But if he wants a million a month for 4 years that's £48mil they're spending on him. They're basically gambling on being able to spend that money on somebody cheaper who won't be injured as much.

 

They're not arsed about renewing so they're able to sell him because the way they look at it he's already turned down moves previously so there's a good chance he ends up running down that new contract again.

[The Prophet]

While we need another option up top, I think we can gamble on potential. Not many sides have a prolific forward these days. Maybe Liverpool and Spurs?