Now That's What I Call Transfer Rumours! 7

[Geordie Ahmed]

Just now, Dokko said:

 

Sounds like copium and usual mackems tales to make them sleep easier at night. ?

Possibly, they are experts at copium

 

I hope he does join because the reaction alone will be worth it 

[ExiledGeordie]

12 minutes ago, Mikky said:

I think CL changes a lot of things Ikon - if this was a non CL window I think we’d buy Tierney - A mid - Maddison

 

with CL football we buy 2 stars and 1 additional player (CB) with the money and sponsor deals 

However much we spend I think CL qualification removes some of the haggling for top players. As in some might’ve been waiting to see if we get top four (some might come irrespective as with Bruno, Botman etc). Europe league might’ve meant a bit more convincing for some players with options in front of them. 
 

CL qualification changes the dynamic too though in that we now HAVE to bring in quality and a fair bit of it. That doesn’t mean we’ll necessarily spend 200m but we’re going to have to shell out a fair old whack to be competitive on all fronts and maintain CL status next season in the league. 

[SteV]

49 minutes ago, Manxst said:

I’d read recently that we were up to nearly 95% wages to turnover. That, plus increases for Bruno etc, doesn’t sound very healthy, considering Amanda said the wage bill needed reducing drastically last year. Know we’ll have increased wriggle room with higher turnover, but buying players from top 5 leagues/CL teams will need to be carefully managed (which I’m aware the club will do, but it’s still a big consideration regarding all these potential signing names). 

Absolutely, and it’s why people have to realise we can’t get players in on £200k p/w (yet).

 

You can spend ~£60m on an Isak-type player and be able to pay them £100k/£120k p/w, which we can obviously do.
 

But what we can’t do is spend ~£60m on someone like Marco Asensio or Ansu Fati who would probably command £200k+ p/w (those two might be poor examples, but you see what I mean).

[Guest]

Wor Eddie not exactly filling me with confidence about changes this summer…

[Ikon]

4 minutes ago, Jack27 said:

Wor Eddie not exactly filling me with confidence about changes this summer…

What did he say to you? 

[The Prophet]

6 minutes ago, Jack27 said:

Wor Eddie not exactly filling me with confidence about changes this summer…

 

That's just Howe though. 

 

Chats about FFP, plays down the budget or amount of players that he wants to sign, never wants to sell anyone.

 

It's been the same every transfer window.

[ponsaelius]

Eddie said 2-3 which sounds low. I think we need 4 quality signings as a minimum.

 

 

Edited May 26, 2023 by ponsaelius

[Yorkie]

We've massively played down our transfer market capabilities every single time, before then blowing significant dollar. I would take anything anyone at the club says with even a gallon of salt. 

 

An awful lot of the discourse on here during the summer window was how you say? 'bedwetty as fook'; and it all turned out thoroughly marvellous. I pray that we're not gonna go through the same shit again if we haven't signed Szoboszlai and Diaby by mid-July.

 

They'll get it right, they always do. 

[bowlingcrofty]

Hardly gonna give anything away is he  

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Just now, Yorkie said:

They'll get it right, they always do. 

 

Basically my approach to supporting the club for the last year

[ExiledGeordie]

4 minutes ago, ponsaelius said:

Eddie said 2-3 which sounds low. I think we need 4 quality signings as a minimum.

 

 

 

I would take a fair bit of what he says with a pinch of salt

[Slim]

1 minute ago, ExiledGeordie said:

I would take a fair bit of what he says with a pinch of salt

Literally the press conference after Leicester he joked about how he does not tell journalists the full story.

[ponsaelius]

There's definitely a lot to be said for not signing too many players as well, mind. We all thought we needed more last summer and actually we got it spot on with the 3 we signed (I'm taking Targett as already in the building). They added genuine quality to the spine of the team. Players we thought weren't good enough have stepped up massively, and not having significant turnover of players has retained and actually fostered the team spirit. It's a crucial balancing act. It's definitely better to focus on quality rather than quantity. We just have to get the balance right because we're going to get so many more injuries next year.

 

Basically I'm saying 2-3 doesn't sound enough, but 6 might actually be too much.

 

 

Edited May 26, 2023 by ponsaelius

[Yorkie]

I wonder - especially if Ritchie leaves - we'll be looking to recruit with the 'leadership group' in mind; i.e. an older squad player whose value is as much (if not more) on the dressing room as it is on the pitch. 

[r0cafella]

3 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

I wonder - especially if Ritchie leaves - we'll be looking to recruit with the 'leadership group' in mind; i.e. an older squad player whose value is as much (if not more) on the dressing room as it is on the pitch. 

Wants to keep dummy, Ritchie and dubs. 
 

I don’t see how we justify squad places for Ritchie and Dummett though. 

[Rafalove]

Dummett might be necessary due to homegrown rules?

[TheInfiniteOdyssey]

12 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

I wonder - especially if Ritchie leaves - we'll be looking to recruit with the 'leadership group' in mind; i.e. an older squad player whose value is as much (if not more) on the dressing room as it is on the pitch. 

Yeah, this is something I think we actually need for European football next season. Experienced pros who know what it takes to win at that level, and are also okay with being rotation options.

 

Easier said than done, to identify those players though.

[SUPERTOON]

If we only sign 2/3 I’d imagine they will be pretty big money signings. If we could supplement them with a couple of young lads it will have been a cracking window. (As long as Mctominay isn’t one of the signings).

[Keegans Export]

Just now, SUPERTOON said:

If we only sign 2/3 I’d imagine they will be pretty big money signings. If we could supplement them with a couple of young lads it will have been a cracking window. (As long as Mctominay isn’t one of the signings).

 

If we spent big money on two CMs and a LB and supplemented the squad with younger/backup options at RCB and forward I'd be more than happy with that.

[WilliamPS]

It won’t be 5-6. FFP won’t allow that level of spend on the first team at CL quality and it would totally disrupt the group.

 

3 plus a couple into the development squad who can cover off the bench is pretty realistic. That would be easier for Howe to integrate into the group and probably cost £150m.

 

Likely CM, RF + 1, with RCB being a development squad purchase.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I think Almiron makes the RF conversation very difficult.

 

I'm sure the club know this, but replacing him with someone who give more attacking output is going to be very risky in terms of pressing and work rate. 

 

It'll be really interesting to see what they do. 

[The Prophet]

Aye, can see a LB, CM and RW coming in to instantly compete in the first team, then younger, less recognised players in RCB and CM positions (like that young Turkish lad we were linked with).

[AyeDubbleYoo]

34 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

I wonder - especially if Ritchie leaves - we'll be looking to recruit with the 'leadership group' in mind; i.e. an older squad player whose value is as much (if not more) on the dressing room as it is on the pitch. 

 

I'd possibly like to see an older midfielder in the style of Moutinho or someone like that. I do think we have struggled to cope with the odd situation due to lack of experience.  Not very often of course.

 

Milner would actually have been decent. 

[r0cafella]

Just now, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

I'd possibly like to see an older midfielder in the style of Moutinho or someone like that. I do think we have struggled to cope with the odd situation due to lack of experience.  Not very often of course.

 

Milner would actually have been decent. 

Ian trying to make us a retirement home

[The Prophet]

It was interesting to hear him play down the Premier League experience stuff.