NUFC Transfer Rumours

[STM]

4 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

I’m not negative about it.  But we are likely looking at losing out on 4 of our main targets by the start of July. That is pretty shitty.  

 

It's reported targets, I know you believe everything in the press but not me. For example, I dont think for a second we want to sign Jack Grealish.

 

Clubs have multiple targets for a reason and there's actually no shame in having ambition to sign the best players we can. So what if bigger clubs gazump us on wages and fees? As far as i can tell there's absolutely nothing the club can do about it, other than not targeting good players, in which we'd have certain erudite posters criticising them for.

 

Also, the timeline you have in your head, isnt the same as what reality is. For example, sure we likely put out hat into the ring for Cunha, Delap, Mbuemo but how far down the line were they ever at? I suspect not very far.

 

We put out hat in the ring for Declan Rice and what? We didn't get him? So fuck. Move on.

 

I dont understand what's going on here, we'd rather we went for worse players, so long as we actually sign them? 

[STM]

3 minutes ago, Theregulars said:

All I see is a sense of drift at the top, and yet another window of nothing happening. 

 

It's June. 

 

Why aren't some still not understanding why we didn't sign anyone in the previous 3 windows?

 

WE HAD NO FUCKING MONEY.

 

It bares no relationship to what's happening this summer. 

[Shearergol]

Bit disrespectful to our Greek international goalkeeper saying we signed nobody. 

[STM]

Just now, Shearergol said:

Bit disrespectful to our Greek international goalkeeper saying we signed nobody. 

 

And Lloyd Kelly, who's the best piece of business we've done this century. 

[Doctor Zaius]

2 hours ago, Dr.Spaceman said:

Wasn't last summer supposed to be the worst window ever? We literally went on to win a cup and qualify for the CL. I think we'll be cush with only a couple of quality additions this time round 

 

A good season in spite of the window.

 

Howe performed miracles last season. He can't be expected to keep doing so. 

 

 

[The College Dropout]

1 minute ago, STM said:

 

It's reported targets, I know you believe everything in the press but not me. For example, I dont think for a second we want to sign Jack Grealish.

 

Clubs have multiple targets for a reason and there's actually no shame in having ambition to sign the best players we can. So what if bigger clubs gazump us on wages and fees? As far as i can tell there's absolutely nothing the club can do about it, other than not targeting good players, in which we'd have certain erudite posters criticising them for.

 

Also, the timeline you have in your head, isnt the same as what reality is. For example, sure we likely put out hat into the ring for Cunha, Delap, Mbuemo but how far down the line were they ever at? I suspect not very far.

 

We put out hat in the ring for Declan Rice and what? We didn't get him? So fuck. Move on.

 

I dont understand what's going on here, we'd rather we went for worse players, so long as we actually sign them? 

We were never seriously looking at Grealish or Rice.  There’s no evidence of strong links to either. 
 

Several of these players we’ve been chasing for years. Still having protracted sagas to get them signed or not.  
 

It’s just not a good look.  
 

I’m personally not overly worried.  Particularly when we are gazumped by others. But the protracted nature of the Elanga and Trafford deal don’t reflect well on those meant to be closing deals. And again - the uncertainty around the clubs management - isn’t a great reflection of the leadership either. 
 

We can only judge the window at the end. There’s some positive indicators in our approach but a lot of negative indicators too.  

[Dr.Spaceman]

5 minutes ago, Doctor Zaius said:

 

A good season in spite of the window.

 

Howe performed miracles last season. He can't be expected to keep doing so. 

 

 

 

Miracles 

 

We had a good season but howay there's no need to exaggerate.

[STM]

Ive got absolutely no issue with anyone saying that we need 4+ players. I think that's fair. We've got aging players, the squad needs a refresh and we've got much bigger commitments this season.

 

It's the cry arsing about the player they want, not signing when they want them and for the price they think they are valued at. 

 

"Another window of this bullshit". Fuck off you entitled little bellends. This is the best its ever been for me and I went to my first game in 1994. 

[The College Dropout]

6 minutes ago, Doctor Zaius said:

 

A good season in spite of the window.

 

Howe performed miracles last season. He can't be expected to keep doing so. 

 

 

Howe is keeping this club together imo. What else looks to be done at a world class level recently?

[Skeletor]

Its more a case of seeing patterns repeating themselves which gives me anxiety about this window. That and Eddie's comments about our pool of targets being very small which suggests that when our main options go elsewhere there are no real alternatives he's willing to accept.

[Dr.Spaceman]

1 minute ago, The College Dropout said:

Howe is keeping this club together imo. What else looks to be done at a world class level recently?

 

We appear to be coaching players quite well, Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento are there or thereabouts up there with the best in the league, neither were when they signed.

 

We've signed a few highly rated youngsters, apparently beating the likes of Real Madrid and Barca to their signatures.

 

 

[Bimpy474]

Is it a worry we haven't signed senior players so far. Nope, not for me.

 

Am I worried. Nope, not in the slightest.

 

Come August do i think we'll have signed 4 or so very good players. Absolutely.

[The College Dropout]

1 minute ago, Dr.Spaceman said:

 

Miracles 

 

We had a good season but howay there's no need to exaggerate.

Just shy of miracles. The season went to the best case scenario. Could we get into the CL? ‘Yeh maybe if not being in Europe allows every player to play at the top of their game throughout and having some luck with injuries and the form of others… and perhaps 5th being CL too.’

 

We went the whole season with 2.2 fit central defenders.  
 

Jacob Murphy’s output was what 3rd best in the league at RW? And he was fit the entire season which was great because we had - natural RW for half a season.  
 

Tonali ended up being at least - as good as everyone hoped he could become - imo better.  
 

Isak was Isak and stayed fit for the whole season pretty much. 
 

Season was damn near perfect on the pitch.  

[SUPERTOON]

I don't think its unfair to suggest Howe performed miracles with our squad last season tbf. 

[robbo_11]

With the Club World Cup this summer (double window) and a PSR deadline it seems to have been a bit distorted the reality regarding doing the business early. 

 

Man City in the winter window and the early summer window dropped a serious amount of money in response to poor performances. Liverpool have kept their business to this summer as opposed to last season due to a change in Sporting Director and likely a title boosting their financials. You also have some players that had specific release clauses, obligations to buy or contract decisions to be made i.e. Delap, Danso and Cunha. 

 

Whilst I'm not currently worried, I think the comments at the end of last season from staff and players reflect a need for incomings ahead of a multiple competition campaign. We know the areas we need to strengthen and while it looks like we're missing out on targets such as Mbeumo it partly feels like fans expected him to sign and therefore disappointed. 

 

If we ended up in September having signed Trafford, Antonio Silva, Xavi Simons, DCL and Ederson (randomly picked linked players) you'd likely have a mixed reaction of overjoyed we've made signings to those that were a "wait and see how they perform". We've got money to spend from 1st July, let's see what happens.

 

[STM]

12 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

We were never seriously looking at Grealish or Rice.  There’s no evidence of strong links to either. 
 

Several of these players we’ve been chasing for years. Still having protracted sagas to get them signed or not.  
 

It’s just not a good look.  
 

I’m personally not overly worried.  Particularly when we are gazumped by others. But the protracted nature of the Elanga and Trafford deal don’t reflect well on those meant to be closing deals. And again - the uncertainty around the clubs management - isn’t a great reflection of the leadership either. 
 

We can only judge the window at the end. There’s some positive indicators in our approach but a lot of negative indicators too.  

 

I really struggle with you TCD. Sometimes I like what you say but there's times like this when I feel its utter waffle.

 

"No evidence" we werent strongly interested in the 4 players you mentioned either then. Again we are back to this thing where you pick and choose which things to believe and then dismiss others perceptions of the situation.

 

"Not a good look?" To whom? Internet bellends like us? You do realise this is all horseshit right? To the wider viewing public we ain't no laughing stiock, in fact we've been roundly praised for our transfer business. 

 

We didn't sign Elanga or Trafford last year because of PSR constraints. We nearly did but decided it wasn't smart, given the costs. (Again, that's my perception, I might be wrong, no problem). If you mean how long it takes to negotiate a fee, we'll i entirely disagree, all clubs take their time because they try to save money, rather than to get deals done super quick to appease impatient fans.

 

Think about how ridiculous that is by the way? "I want you to pay x millions more to get the deal done now, oh but by the way when we are skint in the next two years I'll be back to criticise you for that and tell you its 'not a good look'".

 

We aren't that important.

 

 

Edited 5 hours ago by STM

[J7]

Just now, SUPERTOON said:

I don't think its unfair to suggest Howe performed miracles with our squad last season tbf. 

In the league, with our squad, it was about par. Man Utd and Spurs were horrendous and Villa (with a better squad) had 12 CL games. 

[The College Dropout]

2 minutes ago, Dr.Spaceman said:

 

We appear to be coaching players quite well, Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento are there or thereabouts up there with the best in the league, neither were when they signed.

 

We've signed a few highly rated youngsters, apparently beating the likes of Real Madrid and Barca to their signatures.

 

 

Howe is the head coach.  
 

IMO Tino and Hall are where they should be. Both were recognised as top talents when we signed them. 
 

I can only talk about when I can see. We’ve got no long term CEO or DOF. No news 3.5 years later on stadium and training centre.  3.5 years to deal with PSR/FFP and it’s still holding us back more than any other club.  

[Menace]

Howe absolutely did do miracles. Everyone around us strengthened, yet it still didn't hold us back and got us a trophy. This season was more impressive than his top 4 finish easily.

[STM]

13 minutes ago, Dr.Spaceman said:

 

Miracles 

 

We had a good season but howay there's no need to exaggerate.

 

I'd say Miracle is the wrong word.

 

Eddie Howe is an outstanding coach, so its not "Miracle" he took us back into the CL and won a trophy.

 

The year previous was the outlier because we had terrible injuries.

[The College Dropout]

1 minute ago, J7 said:

In the league, with our squad, it was about par. Man Utd and Spurs were horrendous and Villa (with a better squad) had 12 CL games. 

Maybe on paper but in reality no.  
 

The contest is we also won a cup. The atmosphere in the club was terrible and that does matter. And we have a thin, ageing squad that we couldn’t improve. That means having to take the same squad and come up with new winning tactics where most other clubs are able to evolve. 
 

In the context it was A1 managing.  

[Toon1984]

I swear some people would be happier now if we’d signed a couple of players in this window not capable of holding down a first team place, now or in the future. Our strategy on transfers is quality, not quantity and it has clearly been working.

Because of PSR we cannot afford to make one mistake in signing a wrong (expensive) player, whereas the likes of ManU can, repeatedly, and still beat us to signings because they can pay more. 
It’s very unfair but that’s the way it is. NUFC needs to be smart in the transfer market and we are.

[SUPERTOON]

Assuming we are looking at similar profiles to Pedro, Cunha etc, any suggestions on who/where we go next? Pretty unique profile so struggling with any names. 

[J7]

1 minute ago, The College Dropout said:

Maybe on paper but in reality no.  
 

The contest is we also won a cup. The atmosphere in the club was terrible and that does matter. And we have a thin, ageing squad that we couldn’t improve. That means having to take the same squad and come up with new winning tactics where most other clubs are able to evolve. 
 

In the context it was A1 managing.  

Don’t get me wrong, I think he did a very good job last season, but it wasn’t miraculous. We have a midfield of Italian and Brazilian internationals, the starting RW for England, one of the best young strikers in the world, two of the brightest young full backs in the league, a La Liga winner, settled CBs and a few other players who aren’t too shabby. We really should be finishing above Forest, Brighton and the others chasing Europe regardless.  We did very well, but it wasn’t a miracle. 

[STM]

1 minute ago, SUPERTOON said:

Assuming we are looking at similar profiles to Pedro, Cunha etc, any suggestions on who/where we go next? Pretty unique profile so struggling with any names. 

Kluivert.