Now That's What I Call Transfer Rumours! 7

[TRon]

2 hours ago, Dr Jinx said:

It’s quite simple, we get top 4, we skip a few years of financial development. Revenues certainly increase significantly but are we ready for that extra workload in terms of club infrastructure?

 

I’m not so sure. Can just as easily see Dan Ashworth with a message of stick to the plan, regardless of how well it’s going on the pitch.

 

Are we in danger of falling off a cliff? Absolutely not. Is top 4 guaranteed? Nope, but that was probably never in the plan for this year anyway. I don’t think adding in a couple of players is going to suddenly make us title contenders.

 

I don’t think that was our strategy in any case, the plan has always been to build the infrastructure for sustained success through youth development and top notch facilities.

 

We have neither in place yet.

 

A couple of players might not make us title contenders, but the top 4 place is there for the taking with the weak start made by Spurs, Liverpool and Chelsea. It might be very tempting to strike while the iron is hot, next season we might not be in such a good position as we find ourselves in now.

[Miercoles]

1 hour ago, nufcjmc said:

Other than prestige does anyone know the sort of extra income going to just say the CL group stage is worth? Obviously each higher league position is worth 6/8m a place just wondered how much the CL means revenue for those who get there but not very far. 

 

 

Champions league qualification is worth about $100 million all told if I remember correctly, more if you go further of course.

 

Basing this on old price of football episodes that I half remember listening to while cleaning out the litterbox of course, but yeah it's huge for FFP.

[STM]

I always think of little things like this: remember us being "interested" in Renan Lodi early on in the summer? Only for us to be quoted 30m for him and we decided to just take Targett instead. A month or so later, he turns up at Nottingham Forest on loan (bullet dodged).

 

The point is, towards the end of the window clubs and players panic, meaning scenarios develop where players become available, that previously weren't.

 

Let Chelsea play football manager by pissing away squillions on players who don't fit any sort of plan. All they are doing in sending boat loads of cash into the transfer market, which accelerates other clubs etc. 

 

Towards the end of the window, when a certain amount of "balancing the books" needs done, we can sneak in and get a quality player on loan etc. Look at what Spurs did with Kulsevski and Bentancur last time.

 

Its nice that we are biding our time and keeping on the fringes of things for a change instead of our usual panic buying or even worse, turning the fax machine off.

 

Something nice will come up for us late on.

[Nobody]

1 hour ago, Solitude20 said:

 

 

“The 32 teams who have qualified for the 2022-23 Champions League group stage will all receive a starting fee of €15.64 million, while group stage performance bonuses will also be paid for each match - €2.8 million for a win and €930,000 for a draw.”

 

 

source: 

https://en.as.com/soccer/champions-league-prize-money-2022-23-how-much-will-the-ucl-winners-receive-n/?outputType=amp

 

The indirect income would be higher though. Reaching the UCL consistently means more income from sponsors and match tickets/merchandise. 

That is way less than what I thought Tbf. 

[mighty__mag]

22 hours ago, Ronaldo said:

I can guarantee there’s no long term plan for Joelinton to play on the left. He’s too often ineffective there. 

 

I'd agree, anyone who can see his strengths knows he's a box to box or strong CM, we've seen him now play nearly all positions he can for us, both wings, striker, etc, he's clearly found his best place under Howe, and it's with Bruno, dont get me wrong, he looks safe out wide, but, like recently, he's always lacked killer instinct in his finishing, he just lacks that bit of confidence in goal opportunities, Whereas in the middle he can be his true self, getting around the pitch breaking up play, getting in good tackles, driving the ball into attack for other players, and when you're not as relied upon to score, I'd say when he does get a chance he'll more likely take it playing further back, because midfielders don't have the same pressure as wingers and strikers. 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2023 by mighty__mag

[Jonas]

3 hours ago, gbandit said:

Yeah, I think the argument for us getting a top 4 place means less for us long-term than it does for the other clubs that are used to it. If we force one out we’re massively weakening a rival. Therefore we should be doing everything we can to get there this season. Who cares how we get on in Europe next season and whether it’s too soon for our squad. We’ll be crushing a rival by taking their spot which will only make it easier to consolidate a top four place for us in the long-term 

We caused Leeds to "do a Leeds" even more than Ridsdale truth be told.  Even with their awful signings they bludgeon finishing 4th but for our super season.

[mrmojorisin75]

I think it's a mistake not signing 1-2 or 2-3 to push for CL spots this season personally, you can't guarantee we'll be as good next season nor that clubs like Chelsea & Liverpool will be as inconsistent.

[PauloGeordio]

4 minutes ago, mrmojorisin75 said:

I think it's a mistake not signing 1-2 or 2-3 to push for CL spots this season personally, you can't guarantee we'll be as good next season nor that clubs like Chelsea & Liverpool will be as inconsistent.

I have no doubt that we will sign 2-3 players this month.

[mrmojorisin75]

1 minute ago, PauloGeordio said:

I have no doubt that we will sign 2-3 players this month.

 

fingers crossed

[PauloGeordio]

1 minute ago, mrmojorisin75 said:

 

fingers crossed

I would be very surprised if we didn’t given the position we find ourselves in and a view to maintaining momentum. If we didn’t it wouldn’t be for lack of trying to obtain our targets.out priced, pipped at the post etc.

[SUPERTOON]

7 minutes ago, PauloGeordio said:

I have no doubt that we will sign 2-3 players this month.

2-3 ready made first team players ? 

[nufcjb]

Right, we sign any one yet?

[PauloGeordio]

Just now, SUPERTOON said:

2-3 ready made first team players ? 

1 maybe 2, with a developer

[Solitude20]

1 hour ago, Nobody said:

That is way less than what I thought Tbf. 

Most of the money comes from the knockout stage. Real Madrid and Liverpool each got more than 80 millions in rewards for their entire UCL run last season. 
 

Let’s assume we make it to the group stage next season, and we win only one game, draw two, and lose three. That would be 20 millions only for rewards. 

[Gazzaschicken]

1 hour ago, PauloGeordio said:

I have no doubt that we will sign 2-3 players this month.

We will get isak back and it will be like a new signing, a breath of fresh air

[The College Dropout]

1 hour ago, SUPERTOON said:

2-3 ready made first team players ? 

I reckon 1 ready made first team member + a prospect at a minimum.

 

I would love 2 ready made first team players + a prospect.

 

Ashby/Fresneda/teenage fullback to compete with Trippier

Maddison / creative midfielder / attacker

Tielemans / Number 6 type midfielder

 

If we do that type of business I would get very excited. I'd be content with 2 of them. 

 

At the moment. I think we lack the quality to sustain this level even with Isak coming back. Joelinton, Willock, Longstaff, Murphy, Wood... can Almiron keep it up offensively? From an attacking perspective we lean too much on these lot, too many minutes.

 

The midfield situation is serious. The legs in midfield have to get through a lot.

[Shak]

1 hour ago, mrmojorisin75 said:

I think it's a mistake not signing 1-2 or 2-3 to push for CL spots this season personally, you can't guarantee we'll be as good next season nor that clubs like Chelsea & Liverpool will be as inconsistent.

 

Absolutely, I'll be quite disappointed if we don't get a couple who'll improve the first team.

 

I'd love to see us go back in for Diaby, personally. Seems he's a long term target but it's been quiet. Leverkusen look mid table bound so might be willing to let him go now? I guess the theory is that Almiron has likely played himself into being a starter but our depth up front is shocking and Almiron being the only left footed winger isn't ideal IMO. Think it would impact Trippier a lot of he went out, we get great balance on that side from someone with a dangerous left foot cutting inside and Trippier overlapping. We know Howe likes to bed players in slowly and with Miggy in such great form it'd be an ideal time to bring Diaby in if he is a long term target.

 

Even with a fully fit squad we basically have ASM, Almiron, Isak and Wilson for three spots on the field and then a massive drop off in quality. Joelinton I'm actually comfortable with starting on the left in some games but he's better in CM IMO. We need another attacking player that can actually do something rather than just be hard working warm bodies in Murphy and Wood.

 

The Arsenal game was the latest in a number of games against the better sides in the league that have followed the same pattern.

 

We've basically matched or been better than everybody we've played this season for the first hour or so. However, our style of play means our lads wear down and fresh legs are needed. This is especially true against good teams where we don't have as much of the ball.

 

The Man City home game, the Man U away game, Liverpool away game and Arsenal away game all followed more or less the exact same pattern. Evenly matched game for an hour with the other team finishing strong and looking the far more likely to score.

 

The Liverpool game they got through.  Man U should have but for an awful miss by Rashford, they had other chances too. We were hanging on against Arsenal too.

 

All of those games we had Wood and Murphy on for the closing stages and in all of them once those two were on teams basically didn't have to worry about us as an attacking force and really took the game to us.

 

The only exception was the Man City game that I thought we could have won and the key difference there was ASM was still on the pitch.

 

Anyway, where was I?

 

Yeah, buy a winger. We're frightfully light up there and it'll end up costing us.

 

Diaby would be ideal but if that's not realistic at least get someone who we won't all be collectively heartbroken to see coming on with twenty minutes left.

 

A starting CM to partner Bruno and Joelinton with Willock and Longstaff as cover.

[Vinny Green Balls]

We could have been torn to pieces by Arsenal in the first 20 minutes before adapting. Wouldn't say that it was evenly matched for the first hour.

[Ronaldo]

2 hours ago, mrmojorisin75 said:

I think it's a mistake not signing 1-2 or 2-3 to push for CL spots this season personally, you can't guarantee we'll be as good next season nor that clubs like Chelsea & Liverpool will be as inconsistent.

100%. Small risk for a massive reward.

 

I think back to Leicester in 2016 on a different scale. They were extremely well drilled and hard to beat but were able to take advantage of teams losing points around them because they won the tight games instead of coming away with a plucky point. Having our own Mahrez would be huge.

[ToonScotman]

46 minutes ago, Shak said:

 

Absolutely, I'll be quite disappointed if we don't get a couple who'll improve the first team.

 

I'd love to see us go back in for Diaby, personally. Seems he's a long term target but it's been quiet. Leverkusen look mid table bound so might be willing to let him go now? I guess the theory is that Almiron has likely played himself into being a starter but our depth up front is shocking and Almiron being the only left footed winger isn't ideal IMO. Think it would impact Trippier a lot of he went out, we get great balance on that side from someone with a dangerous left foot cutting inside and Trippier overlapping. We know Howe likes to bed players in slowly and with Miggy in such great form it'd be an ideal time to bring Diaby in if he is a long term target.

 

Even with a fully fit squad we basically have ASM, Almiron, Isak and Wilson for three spots on the field and then a massive drop off in quality. Joelinton I'm actually comfortable with starting on the left in some games but he's better in CM IMO. We need another attacking player that can actually do something rather than just be hard working warm bodies in Murphy and Wood.

 

The Arsenal game was the latest in a number of games against the better sides in the league that have followed the same pattern.

 

We've basically matched or been better than everybody we've played this season for the first hour or so. However, our style of play means our lads wear down and fresh legs are needed. This is especially true against good teams where we don't have as much of the ball.

 

The Man City home game, the Man U away game, Liverpool away game and Arsenal away game all followed more or less the exact same pattern. Evenly matched game for an hour with the other team finishing strong and looking the far more likely to score.

 

The Liverpool game they got through.  Man U should have but for an awful miss by Rashford, they had other chances too. We were hanging on against Arsenal too.

 

All of those games we had Wood and Murphy on for the closing stages and in all of them once those two were on teams basically didn't have to worry about us as an attacking force and really took the game to us.

 

The only exception was the Man City game that I thought we could have won and the key difference there was ASM was still on the pitch.

 

Anyway, where was I?

 

Yeah, buy a winger. We're frightfully light up there and it'll end up costing us.

 

Diaby would be ideal but if that's not realistic at least get someone who we won't all be collectively heartbroken to see coming on with twenty minutes left.

 

A starting CM to partner Bruno and Joelinton with Willock and Longstaff as cover.

With regards to Diaby definitely he’s the type of signing that right now comes in to compete for a starting position. Obviously Almiron is in the form of his life but he’s also 28- 29 next month not exactly a top asset. ASM seems to be pretty injury prone with niggles here and there. Bring in Diaby a top target we’ve had get him in just now competing for a place and hopefully after a month or so he’s dislodged one of the 2 if not he will by the summer and he’s an improvement to the squad and bench options.

[Dr.Spaceman]

2 hours ago, PauloGeordio said:

1 maybe 2, with a developer

 

[HaydnNUFC]

2 hours ago, mrmojorisin75 said:

I think it's a mistake not signing 1-2 or 2-3 to push for CL spots this season personally, you can't guarantee we'll be as good next season nor that clubs like Chelsea & Liverpool will be as inconsistent.

 

 Need a midfielder, full back and still a player who can play across the front 3. Think we'll only get 1 of those, 2 at an absolute push this window. 

[FLUMPO235]

1 hour ago, Gazzaschicken said:

We will get isak back and it will be like a new signing, a breath of fresh air

It’s so refreshing that saying it will be like a new signing, now doesn’t feel like something Ashley and one of his cronies is saying while bending you over a barb wire fence.

[Nine]

I’m expecting if we dip into the foreign markets it will be for a young prospect, any first teamers we sign will already be in the PL imo. Summer will be different.

 

 

Edited January 6, 2023 by Nine

[Shak]

2 hours ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

We could have been torn to pieces by Arsenal in the first 20 minutes before adapting. Wouldn't say that it was evenly matched for the first hour.

 

Torn to pieces and 20 minutes are both an overstatement IMO. Could easily have gone behind early but Howe changed it quickly and then it settled down and was pretty even after that I thought.

 

Point is that no team has come out and dominated us, we generally give as good as we get until we have to start making subs.