More transfer rumours

[HWTL]

There are always going to be better options than what we have and we aren't going to replace everyone.

 

It depends on where the club feels needs improvement right now and the rest will be done it time over a few windows.

 

The team needs young quality players so in a few seasons it will be at its peak as even the likes of Trips and Burn will be too old by the time this team is ready for a top 4 challenge, we need some that are ready now so we never need to worry about relegation again. 

 

I'd be more than happy with a steady increase on quality and youth over the next few years and some serious improvements on facilities and development.

[Lush Vlad]

56 minutes ago, reefatoon said:

 

We need a striker in who will consistently lead the line.

 

 

 

 

This, basically.  

 

Wood has shown he isn't good enough.  Despite helping steer us away from safety and doing some donkey work. 

 

Wilson has shown over his career he can't stay fit.  

 

I think it would be a real gamble if we went into next season without signing a senior striker for decent money.  

[SUPERTOON]

Most reports in the media suggest striker is the number one priority this summer, no chance we don’t get one imo.

[Nine]

9 minutes ago, TheInfiniteOdyssey said:

 

However, the comments from Bruno’s agent suggest that the plan presented to prospective signings is far more ambitious and immediate i.e. targeting CL qualification. With the greatest of respect to the mentioned players, they’re not going to get you to that aim.

 

I would prefer to see a smaller number of signings this summer, but all of real starting quality. 

The thing is the standard of our squad right now is not even close to being enough to finish in a CL spot next season, it would take a mass turnover of players to achieve that goal.. far to many for one window. We also need to strengthen again on top of that for the demands of the extra European ties which are all against high quality teams to.

[macphisto]

4 minutes ago, TheInfiniteOdyssey said:

I would prefer to see a smaller number of signings this summer, but all of real starting quality. 

100% agree about going for real quality. I know it doesn't apply to all players and you can get quality free transfers, etc. but I do think the graph below shows you where Everton have gone wrong. Buying a lot of £20 million players is false economy as you end up buying as many bad players as good ones or players who are not an improvement on what you already have. I'm not saying it's the only reason for Everton's struggles but it does partially explain the trouble they are in.

 

I'd much rather go for real quality over quantity.

 

 

[TRon]

2 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

50m euros on a left back. Wow.

 

Spend big on the right player, you only spend once.

[Rafalove]

1 hour ago, Nine said:

Would anyone be disappointed if we didn’t upgrade Wilson and instead filled the gap in between him and Wood? Perhaps a younger player that could learn from being around this squad for a season or two and step in for Wilson through injury or just for a tactically different approach? Not sure if Ekitike fits this bill as I think he should be playing week in week out if possible, but another player of that age with a lot of potential that could be fulfilled? Ideally we bring in a better/more reliable player than Wilson of course but I might not be suprised if we take the other route.

 

I wouldn’t be against this. None of the potential striker options available at the minute really excite me except perhaps Jesus.

[TRon]

30 minutes ago, TheInfiniteOdyssey said:

It’s definitely an interesting quandary to have.

 

To date, the message has been from the club that this will be a gradual rebuild, which lends support for players like Shelvey, Fraser, Schar etc continuing at the club for the next couple seasons as the squad redevelops.

 

However, the comments from Bruno’s agent suggest that the plan presented to prospective signings is far more ambitious and immediate i.e. targeting CL qualification. With the greatest of respect to the mentioned players, they’re not going to get you to that aim.

 

I would prefer to see a smaller number of signings this summer, but all of real starting quality. 

 

This is the way to go. For those talking of replacing Wilson, we don't need a replacement, we need someone to to compete for the main striker role. Sell Wood and buy the next Callum Wilson and let those two fight it out who gets the shirt. Wood has served his purpose, he can leave at the end of the season with our blessing.

[PauloGeordio]

1 minute ago, Rafalove said:

 

I wouldn’t be against this. None of the potential striker options available at the minute really excite me except perhaps Jesus.

Jesus, he the man! 

[Geordie Ahmed]

As much as I like Targett and I do want us to sign him but if Lodi is possible then that would be some signing, he's a level or two above Targett

[Yorkie]

24 minutes ago, macphisto said:

100% agree about going for real quality. I know it doesn't apply to all players and you can get quality free transfers, etc. but I do think the graph below shows you where Everton have gone wrong. Buying a lot of £20 million players is false economy as you end up buying as many bad players as good ones or players who are not an improvement on what you already have. I'm not saying it's the only reason for Everton's struggles but it does partially explain the trouble they are in.

 

I'd much rather go for real quality over quantity.

 

 

 

To bear in mind anyone, who gets riled up by accusations about our spending. It guarantees nowt. Takes great management to maximise budgets. 

[Shak]

Seeing the Lodi link and remembering that Digne was supposedly our first choice at LB in January, I do wonder if eventually Howe sees us playing three at the back. Might be the hesitancy on Targett, he's been pretty solid on the ball since joining but I don't know if he has enough about him to play wing back.

 

Trippier and Lodi would be a very interesting wing back duo.

[macphisto]

3 minutes ago, Shak said:

Seeing the Lodi link and remembering that Digne was supposedly our first choice at LB in January, I do wonder if eventually Howe sees us playing three at the back. Might be the hesitancy on Targett, he's been pretty solid on the ball since joining but I don't know if he has enough about him to play wing back.

 

Trippier and Lodi would be a very interesting wing back duo.

We also apparently put a bid in for Gosens in January too.

[The College Dropout]

28 minutes ago, macphisto said:

100% agree about going for real quality. I know it doesn't apply to all players and you can get quality free transfers, etc. but I do think the graph below shows you where Everton have gone wrong. Buying a lot of £20 million players is false economy as you end up buying as many bad players as good ones or players who are not an improvement on what you already have. I'm not saying it's the only reason for Everton's struggles but it does partially explain the trouble they are in.

 

I'd much rather go for real quality over quantity.

 

 

Everton also have had inferior managers, different managers with different approaches. But I agree quality is #1. No point signing players for 6-8 from now. It's about signing players for the CL. That's Bruno, that's Trippier. That's Lodi.

 

But I don't think we'll cap the number. We can improve in every area and will try to sign players for the right deals. The 50m Lodi figure for a non-urgent position indicates that. If the right striker becomes available at 70m we will go for it. The only position i think we'll be forced to just try and get a body in is ST and maybe RW.

[TheInfiniteOdyssey]

33 minutes ago, Nine said:

The thing is the standard of our squad right now is not even close to being enough to finish in a CL spot next season, it would take a mass turnover of players to achieve that goal.. far to many for one window. We also need to strengthen again on top of that for the demands of the extra European ties which are all against high quality teams to.

Agree, you would think that the two arguments are completely contradictory.

 

However, perhaps Howe has such faith in his coaching qualities and that of his wider team that he can extract even more out of certain players.

 

Most of our players look completely reinvigorated under Howe and perhaps there’s a wider realisation in the squad in these past few months that they can achieve something spectacular in their career if they seize their opportunities now.

 

Just to clarify though, personally I’d say this team are absolutely miles off CL and not even top 10 quality. 

[sushimonster85]

51 minutes ago, TheInfiniteOdyssey said:

To date, the message has been from the club that this will be a gradual rebuild, which lends support for players like Shelvey, Fraser, Schar etc continuing at the club for the next couple seasons as the squad redevelops.

 

However, the comments from Bruno’s agent suggest that the plan presented to prospective signings is far more ambitious and immediate i.e. targeting CL qualification. With the greatest of respect to the mentioned players, they’re not going to get you to that aim.

 

Think the truth likely lies somewhere in the middle. The club are always going to try and play down the speed of the rebuild, or else transfer fees (and fan expectations) get more inflated than they already are for us. But to players we want to attract we are likely presenting what we hope to be the best case scenario. 

 

I imagine the likes of Shelvey, Fraser, Schar, Wilson, Wood etc to all be in the squad next season, and potentially the season after. The goal will be getting to the stage where they're the squad players, rather than starting every week. 

[sushimonster85]

4 minutes ago, TheInfiniteOdyssey said:

Just to clarify though, personally I’d say this team are absolutely miles off CL and not even top 10 quality. 

 

I'd say they're 11th - 9th quality. They're over-performing now, but lets not kid ourselves that this was the worst squad of players in the league before the takeover. Bruce had them chronically under-performing/wasn't picking the best players. Even without any Summer investment, a Howe coached 11 of:

 

Dub

 

Trippier

Schar

Burn

Targett (ok, let me have him for this purpose)

 

Joelinton

Bruno

Willock

 

Max

Wilson

Fraser

 

would have a good shout at top ten. 

[TheInfiniteOdyssey]

Just now, sushimonster85 said:

 

Think the truth likely lies somewhere in the middle. The club are always going to try and play down the speed of the rebuild, or else transfer fees (and fan expectations) get more inflated than they already are for us. But to players we want to attract we are likely presenting what we hope to be the best case scenario. 

 

I imagine the likes of Shelvey, Fraser, Schar, Wilson, Wood etc to all be in the squad next season, and potentially the season after. The goal will be getting to the stage where they're the squad players, rather than starting every week. 

Yeah that’s how I read it too.

 

 

 

Another good thing about Bruno’s success and his agent telling the world is that it demonstrates to other players, and perhaps more crucially their representatives, that Newcastle is a viable place to go to further their ambitions.

 

With the impending arrival of Ashworth, as well as a new CEO, I’m fully expecting the club to deepen their relationships within football networks and markets in the coming months and years.

This is both a blessing and a curse obviously, no doubt we’ll be offered some terrible options by agents on eye-watering wages, but we’re in that mix now and that’s what’s most exciting about it all.

[Hanshithispantz]

I've completely changed my tune on the needs of the squad tbh, last January I thought we needed to completely overhaul our midfield but now I think the best thing going forward is to continue strengthening from the back. Obviously we need a striker too. 

 

Basically I'm hoping for a GK, CB (at least 1) & a CF who could arguably walk into any team on the planet. Strengthening other areas with youth and/or smart buys.

[Mike]

I signed Lodi as a bairn from Brazil in FM so I'm an expert. He's class.

 

I've seen him twice live, mind.

[The Prophet]

Our biggest problem at present is a chronic lack of creativity. We've been getting by on set piece routines and being clinical enough on the counter. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I think Bruno was originally signed to play the deeper Shelvey role that he occupied against Norwich, so it’ll be interesting to see what midfielders we go for. 
 

Shelvey as backup for Bruno is probably alright, if Bruno plays the vast majority of PL games. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Just now, The Prophet said:

Our biggest problem at present is a chronic lack of creativity. We've been getting by on set piece routines and being clinical enough on the counter. 

Yeah, and ball retention as well, guess the two go together to some extent.
 

Bruno signing fills me with confidence though, they couldn’t have identified a more perfect set of attributes for what we need. 

[The Prophet]

Just now, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Yeah, and ball retention as well, guess the two go together to some extent.
 

Bruno signing fills me with confidence though, they couldn’t have identified a more perfect set of attributes for what we need. 

 

Totally agree. Bruno was pretty much the perfect flagship signing.

[DahnSahf]

20 minutes ago, Mike said:

I signed Lodi as a bairn from Brazil in FM so I'm an expert. He's class.

 

I've seen him twice live, mind.

 

Oh Lord, stuck on Lodi again.