Now That's What I Call Transfer Rumours! 7

[The Prophet]

If we're in Europe, we'll need RCB cover. Schar has been sensational this season, but he's 32 and will need a breather from his weekly concussion.

 

A younger player who could eventually replace him would be ideal.

[Dr. TC]

9 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

If we're in Europe, we'll need RCB cover. Schar has been sensational this season, but he's 32 and will need a breather from his weekly concussion.

 

A younger player who could eventually replace him would be ideal.

He got two concussions on Sunday. It is mad that it's every single game yet he never seems to have to sit out. 

[Ikon]

47 minutes ago, Manxst said:

True. Still couldn’t see the likes of Bastoni coming to cover injuries. Howe normally keeps a settled team and don’t think he’ll be moving Schar or Botman out next season. 

Nope, very unlikely that someone like him comes in. Meant more in general that we need more quality in. Obviously we have to target our weakest areas first whatever we think it might be. One injury and maybe a suspension and we might not have Botman and Schär available. Spine and depth in there is massive with many games over a season . Obviously important in other areas too but a team needs a strong spine imo. 

[Keegans Export]

15 hours ago, JonBez comesock said:

The problem we will have is catching Man City / Arsenal in terms of squad depth over the next few years. 

 

The teams at the top will probably spend similar or more than us (each window)

 

So very hard to catch up.

 

Our signings will all have to hit the ground running every window.

 

liverpool , Manure  , maybe spurs will also spend and already (on paper) have decent squads 

 

if we had of signed the players Chelsea had of signed in the last few windows we would be expecting to win the league !

 

Santos , Enzo Fernandez, Mudryk , felix , Denis Zakaria to name a few !

 

Its a very difficult process to catch up to all of these teams as they all have the money to buy the top players.

 

The one thing in our favour is we have a fantastic manager / Coaching set up who appear to get the very best out of players and improve (month by month) 

 

We shouldn’t be fooled though by thinking if we sign 2/3 players and spend £100/£110+ million we will be challenging for the league 

 

We May just need that to challenge the top 6 next season 

 

football never stands still and the top teams always look to improve. 
 

Ps - For what it’s worth , I just love seeing us play and competing again.

 

I don’t expect to win the league or cup.

 

I trust the club and love seeing us (give it a go) and strive for improvement.

 

Thats all we can ask for. 

 

 

You're not wrong, but these things are quite cyclical. 

 

Teams run out of steam, they struggle to replace players who get old, they make poor managerial decisions etc.

 

Man City have been the exception to that recently but nothing lasts forever & we can just gradually increase the quality in our 25 to put ourselves in a position to compete with these teams over 38 games.

[GWN]

I’m happy to be talking in terms of teams at the top , we have a long way to go if we ever want to win the league , we all know it .

 

A cup, yep we can and should have won the Carabao cup , it was there for us , we can do it again. 

[JonBez comesock]

13 hours ago, The Prophet said:

If we're in Europe, we'll need RCB cover. Schar has been sensational this season, but he's 32 and will need a breather from his weekly concussion.

 

A younger player who could eventually replace him would be ideal.

Ashby ?

[SUPERTOON]

Just now, JonBez comesock said:

Ashby ?

He’s a RB.

[RodneyCisse]

45 minutes ago, GWN said:

I’m happy to be talking in terms of teams at the top , we have a long way to go if we ever want to win the league , we all know it .

 

A cup, yep we can and should have won the Carabao cup , it was there for us , we can do it again. 

If we get champions league it’s more likely than not we’ll be in a rough group given what pot we end up in. A third place in the group stage and a europa run would be amazing next season while maintaining a top 7 finish next season.

[JonBez comesock]

22 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

He’s a RB.

I mis-read the post ? - ahhh

[Milanista]

On 22/03/2023 at 08:42, BonesJones said:

 

Have AC not learned from past experiences?

 

Still a signing I was disappointed to see suddenly fall through, even though Isak came soon after.

 

Does he fit in a team alongside Isak or as his backup?

We are doing just fine.

 

No one calls our team "AC." We are simply "Milan."

[Keegans Export]

6 minutes ago, Milanista said:

We are doing just fine.

 

No one calls our team "AC." We are simply "Milan."

Not to make this into the Official Serie A thread, but I've just had a look at the Serie A table there - looks like quite an exciting battle between 3rd and 6th. 

[Shak]

Joao Pedro seems like an ideal signing.

 

Isak adds a whole other dimension to our game the way he plays, dropping deep to get the ball and allowing the wingers and CM to go beyond him and exploit the space.

 

From what I've seen and (mostly) read of Pedro he seems like he'd be able to play the CF role in a similar way while also being someone who could play either wide position. With European football next year and the need for a rotation with the way Howe likes to play, Pedro seems to make sense.

 

I don't know if he'll be happy with it but for me Wilson should be used primarily as a substitute. Cracking player to bring on when we're chasing a goal.

[KaKa]

5 minutes ago, Shak said:

Joao Pedro seems like an ideal signing.

 

Isak adds a whole other dimension to our game the way he plays, dropping deep to get the ball and allowing the wingers and CM to go beyond him and exploit the space.

 

From what I've seen and (mostly) read of Pedro he seems like he'd be able to play the CF role in a similar way while also being someone who could play either wide position. With European football next year and the need for a rotation with the way Howe likes to play, Pedro seems to make sense.

 

I don't know if he'll be happy with it but for me Wilson should be used primarily as a substitute. Cracking player to bring on when we're chasing a goal.

 

Agree 100%.

 

Wilson scored two yesterday, but there is a clear difference in the quality of our build up and possession without Isak, it's why we were so disjointed most of the game.

 

Joao Pedro would be a great understudy to Isak because he does indeed have the same profile and style of game, and we could really do with another striker of that ilk, and as you said he can also fill in at other positions so will be very very handy.

 

 

[SUPERTOON]

If we are planning on bringing in a DM and moving Bruno forward then we are going to have a job on our hands finding someone as good as Bruno is at the role he’s playing now.

[TheInfiniteOdyssey]

I would be doing everything possible to sign Rice. He’s a brilliant player and his attitude and work-rate would be a great fit for our set-up.

[andyc35i]

6 minutes ago, TheInfiniteOdyssey said:

I would be doing everything possible to sign Rice. He’s a brilliant player and his attitude and work-rate would be a great fit for our set-up.

He’s my number one target for midfield, but there’s no way he is sold for less than £100m unless he asks to leave

[Manxst]

Just now, andyc35i said:

He’s my number one target for midfield, but there’s no way he is sold for less than £100m unless he asks to leave

Or if they get relegated.

[BoSelecta]

£100m with a year left on his contract seems fanciful, particularly if they go down. 

[andyc35i]

True, but I still think even with relegation that he commands a huge fee and one that we couldn’t ‘afford’ to pay right now. Well unless it’s around the £60m mark which I actually think is a fair price, but every top team would be in for him at that price 

[TheInfiniteOdyssey]

It all depends on if there’s a bidding war for him or not. Feel like a potential move to Chelsea has probably gone, considering their ludicrous outlay on midfielders in January.

 

Arsenal have Partey, Man United have Casemiro and City have Rodri + fatty Phillips.

 

He only has a year left on his deal, so doubt any fee will exceed £80m.

[Yorkie]

14 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

If we are planning on bringing in a DM and moving Bruno forward then we are going to have a job on our hands finding someone as good as Bruno is at the role he’s playing now.

 

Really curious to know how Howe envisages the midfield evolving from here. The theory about bringing in another number 6, in order to let Bruno go forward, makes sense; but then again, Bruno hasn't actually been playing a typical CDM role this season imo. His baseline position is at the bottom of the midfield trio and he's often the first recipient of balls from the defence, but he doesn't sit there - he's all over the shop. 

 

Heat maps vs Man Utd and Forest:

 

 

Compare that with an out-and-out CDM like Edson Alvarez, who we've been linked with a lot, and you can see that we'd actually maybe lose something positionally and in an attacking sense by replacing Bruno with a number 6 whose principle role is to sit and use the ball from deep: 

 

 

 

Basically, Bruno is class and is doing both the job of a CDM and CM.

[Keegans Export]

Its a bit like when Cabaye & Tiote were bossing it, doing the job of three CMs between them and allowing us to play 4-4-2 without being overrun in midfield. 

[ponsaelius]

West Ham have an option to extend Rice's deal by a year btw, so it's basically two years left.

[Smal]

5 minutes ago, ponsaelius said:

West Ham have an option to extend Rice's deal by a year btw, so it's basically two years left.

Yeah, was gonna say the same.

 

It will be minimum £85m if they stay up. Probably more. Seems out of our range at the moment. 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2023 by Smal

[SUPERTOON]

Think Mac Allister would be perfect for us, not sure how much he would cost mind.