NUFC Transfer Rumours

[KaKa]

11 minutes ago, geordiekris said:

We seem to shop in the market of young academy projects and then elite players that are £50M +. 
 

There's a big gap in between that we are currently neglecting. 

 

Hopefully the first part of this window has been an eye opener for Howe.

 

Going through this may not be the worst thing long term, if it allows him to see that some adjustments need to be made to our approach.

 

And those adjustments will need to be made over the next few weeks, because if we end up not getting players in because we kept on with the same strategy, that would be so impossibly negligent and incompetent, I genuinely cannot even envision it to be honest.

 

 

Edited July 21, 2025 by KaKa

[54]

2 minutes ago, KingArthur said:

This buy from the Premier league - system has not really worked.

Apart from..

 

Gordon, Barnes, Hall, Livramento, Pope & Burn.

 

You could even say that Wood, Kelly and Targett worked in different ways. 

 

The only player that we've signed from the Premier League that haven't worked is Vlach & Harrison Ashby. With the jury being out on Osula and Elanga. 

[Zero]

10 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

We blaming Mitchell for that? 40m of goal keeper in one window where the other signing is Orsula would have been a choice 

So the price gone from 20m to 40m and we still regard him as our top target? I would definitely take the 20m one year ago

 

 

Edited July 21, 2025 by Zero

[r0cafella]

2 minutes ago, 54 said:

Apart from..

 

Gordon, Barnes, Hall, Livramento, Pope & Burn.

 

You could even say that Wood, Kelly and Targett worked in different ways. 

 

The only player that we've signed from the Premier League that haven't worked is Vlach & Harrison Ashby. With the jury being out on Osula and Elanga. 

I wouldn't describe any of Wood Kelly or targett as working out mind. 

 

Your overall point is correct though. 

[Menace]

Seems absolutely lazy blaming a guy who has left for our current issues. This is the blaming Amanda for PSR all over again nonsense.

 

I think Howe/PIF can take some blame personally.

 

 

Edited July 21, 2025 by Menace

[Wilson]

Fuck me this is tedious. 

[janpawel]

Haven't read Lukes article 

 

But is it safe to assume that most of these targets we have missed out on is primarily ST/RW? 

 

And we have a RW in now we are supposedly happy with. Though now our number 1 GK target is looking unlikely 

 

I guess I'm just trying to see the positives, there hasn't been much noise around us bidding for CB's and CM's, so hopefully we get some impressive players in these positions 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

16 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

Hopefully the first part of this window has been an eye opener for Howe.

 

Going through this may not be the worst thing long term, if it allows him to see that some adjustments need to be made to our approach.

 

And those adjustments will need to be made over the next few weeks, because if we end up not getting players in because we kept on with the same strategy, that would be so impossibly negligent and incompetent, I genuinely cannot even envision it to be honest.

 

 

 

Like I said before, we don’t seem to be executing very well at the moment (although there are many mitigating factors IMO). But what we do know is that everyone at the club is fully focused on improvement and progress. So in that sense I can’t get too wound up about missing out on some players. 
 

As you say though, it would be nice if the learning happened quickly and we have some realistic targets still on the list. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Nothing in Edward’s article is really surprising.
 

The thing I can’t believe is that our entire transfer shortlist is just big-name PL players who are linked with every club in the world. I mean, a kid who plays FIFA could put together that list without any bother. 
 

Doesn’t really ring true to me given the signings we’ve made before - undervalued or overlooked players often from outside the league or who weren’t playing regularly due to injury etc. 

 

Maybe we decided this summer was the one to go big on one or two obvious players but I find it hard to believe that is the full strategy. 

[80]

13 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

I dont know what to make of it ed. I look at the players we've chased and they all look like the profile of player Eddie likes (nothing wrong with that for those folk who will take offence) this begs the question what more could we have done? 

 

Now given the nature of the targets and fees banded around, they all kinda look like the type of signings Mitchell described as not fit for purposes. 

 

So obviously we speak about Eddie not being supported but on the face of it, these are likely his targets and also profile in a manner which the now departed SD called not fit for purposes. 

 

I don't think it takes a rocket scientist...

I think something that needs to be taken into consideration is what targets the board (what remains of it) find acceptable. Howe might have control of talent scouting, but not the budget devoted to those talents.

 

I still find it hard to accept that when Howe was at his most powerful and most desperate to ensure both his and the club's survival, he was readily looking to buy untested Ekitike, unheralded Guimaraes and disrespected Dan Burn, as well as buying the dip on Isak. And then only later became fixated on Premier League experience and statistical guarantees.

 

I find it plausible that the 'process driven' financial controllers of the club, once they eventually got their feet under the table, have created themselves a neat little value matrix which means they will only seriously loosen the purse strings for 'sure things' which satisfy some conservatively defined metrics.  This would likely confine the range of targets we can seriously approach to the types we're now linked with. By definition, a Juventus Huijsen might not be eligible for consideration in those circumstances - "8 figures on a kid with 15 top fight appearances, wtf??".

 

I think it's generally agreed that you're far more likely to survive as a corporate figure at PIF if you attach a lot more weight to mistake aversion ahead of entrepreneurialism, creativity and vigour.

[The Prophet]

50 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

So what do we infer from this? Mitchell joined on a one year contract? His contract had an extremely short notice period? 

 

It just doesn't add up

 

So my complete guess (based on the info reported) is that after we were snubbed by Freedman, Eales made a second approach to Mitchell. As a bit of a favour to a mate, Mitchell agreed but Eddie wasn't consulted and didn't know anything about the appointment until it was announced.

 

After a bit of conflict and Eales announcing he was leaving, Mitchell handed in his notice, again without Eddie's knowledge. 

 

There's now a massive vacuum in the club stretching from Howe to Eales, with board members and recruitment staff having to pick up the pieces.

[KingArthur]

23 minutes ago, 54 said:

Apart from..

 

Gordon, Barnes, Hall, Livramento, Pope & Burn.

 

You could even say that Wood, Kelly and Targett worked in different ways. 

 

The only player that we've signed from the Premier League that haven't worked is Vlach & Harrison Ashby. With the jury being out on Osula and Elanga. 

Kelly worked financially in the end. With Livramento and Hall, we bought potential. Gordon and Barnes were ready made players and that is why they cost 80 million or something together. Wood was a solid stop gap.

But the amount of available players in this league is so small, we have to look elsewhere.

edit. I am not saying we have signed bad players, I mean we have not signed enough players because we seem to fish in this one small pond.

 

 

Edited July 21, 2025 by KingArthur

[r0cafella]

9 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

So my complete guess (based on the info reported) is that after we were snubbed by Freedman, Eales made a second approach to Mitchell. As a bit of a favour to a mate, Mitchell agreed but Eddie wasn't consulted and didn't know anything about the appointment until it was announced.

 

After a bit of conflict and Eales announcing he was leaving, Mitchell handed in his notice, again without Eddie's knowledge. 

 

There's now a massive vacuum in the club stretching from Howe to Eales, with board members and recruitment staff having to pick up the pieces.

Thanks for sharing this, I don't think it's plausible that Mitchell handed in an 8 months notice and Eddie didn't know. 

 

I do agree about the massive vacuum though, I do think a lot of issues we face are down to poor coordination and a lack of trust though. 

[r0cafella]

12 minutes ago, 80 said:

I think something that needs to be taken into consideration is what targets the board (what remains of it) find acceptable. Howe might have control of talent scouting, but not the budget devoted to those talents.

 

I still find it hard to accept that when Howe was at his most powerful and most desperate to ensure both his and the club's survival, he was readily looking to buy untested Ekitike, unheralded Guimaraes and disrespected Dan Burn, as well as buying the dip on Isak. And then only later became fixated on Premier League experience and statistical guarantees.

 

I find it plausible that the 'process driven' financial controllers of the club, once they eventually got their feet under the table, have created themselves a neat little value matrix which means they will only seriously loosen the purse strings for 'sure things' which satisfy some conservatively defined metrics.  This would likely confine the range of targets we can seriously approach to the types we're now linked with. By definition, a Juventus Huijsen might not be eligible for consideration in those circumstances - "8 figures on a kid with 15 top fight appearances, wtf??".

 

I think it's generally agreed that you're far more likely to survive as a corporate figure at PIF if you attach a lot more weight to mistake aversion ahead of entrepreneurialism, creativity and vigour.

I've got absolutely no doubt we aren't letting Eddie create budgets per player, that would be mad. But I don't think we are particularly cheap. We've spent big money and continue to do so. The only ones that out spend us are those cartel clubs. 

 

[Rabster]

I'm sure Eddie will learn a lot, now that he is at the top table for players and there is a lot of competition for them.

He's such a good coach that maybe the way to get over this hump is to sign 5 promising, youngers players around £30M and let him do his stuff.

The likes of James McAtee etc

 

However, he will know that he has keep his job to be able to do that and he has to keep the team performing in the here and now.

 

[HaydnNUFC]

I’m finding Mitchell to be a very convenient scapegoat, mind. It’s his fault we’re not getting Trafford and that Isak isn’t tied down but also it’s the fault of him leaving why this summer has been difficult due to the lack of sporting director.

 

If he was such an unmitigated disaster, what was the selection process and why is no one criticising Eales for his role in that and also the bit of a joke that has been this summer thus far? Who still hasn’t found his own replacement (assuming it’s part of his responsibility that is).

[r0cafella]

1 minute ago, HaydnNUFC said:

I’m finding Mitchell to be a very convenient scapegoat, mind. It’s his fault we’re not getting Trafford and that Isak isn’t tied down but also it’s the fault of him leaving why this summer has been difficult due to the lack of sporting director.

 

If he was such an unmitigated disaster, what was the selection process and why is no one criticising Eales for his role in that and also the bit of a joke that has been this summer thus far? Who still hasn’t found his own replacement (assuming it’s part of his responsibility that is).

The board have hired a external firm to hire us a CEO. the speed of replacing Eales is on them. 

 

[80]

13 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

I've got absolutely no doubt we aren't letting Eddie create budgets per player, that would be mad. But I don't think we are particularly cheap. We've spent big money and continue to do so. The only ones that out spend us are those cartel clubs. 

 

Oh I believe money is there, just that it might only be released for players that match certain criteria that didn't exist in the first 18 months of Eddie's reign. And those criteria would likely also make them look surefire hits for our cartel competitors who, thanks to a corrupted system, are permitted to spend more money than us.

 

The ramifications of that would look something like this summer.

 

 

Edited July 21, 2025 by 80

[Adam P]

That Telegraph article makes it look like we bid for Mbeumo, Cunha and Pedro. Is that true? I thought that unreliable sources had said we were interested in the former two but did we at least propose a price? 

 

My take so far is that we have failed to get Pedro. I dont think we were serious about Ekitike, i think it was designed to flush out Liverpool by forcing their hand. Trafford could still come and Elanga signed. If we keep Isak, get Trafford and 2 others then its not a disaster. Sela cup to seal the Gallagher deal and one of them Italian defenders late in the window. Would take that right now. 

[et tu brute]

1 minute ago, Adam P said:

That Telegraph article makes it look like we bid for Mbeumo, Cunha and Pedro. Is that true? I thought that unreliable sources had said we were interested in the former two but did we at least propose a price? 

 

My take so far is that we have failed to get Pedro. I dont think we were serious about Ekitike, i think it was designed to flush out Liverpool by forcing their hand. Trafford could still come and Elanga signed. If we keep Isak, get Trafford and 2 others then its not a disaster. Sela cup to seal the Gallagher deal and one of them Italian defenders late in the window. Would take that right now. 

Striker is absolutely crucial

[r0cafella]

2 minutes ago, 80 said:

Oh I believe money is there, just that it might only be released for players that match certain criteria that didn't exist in the first 18 months of Eddie's reign. And those criteria would likely also make them look surefire hits for our cartel competitors.

 

The ramifications of that would look something like this summer.

 

 

 

That's one side of the coin without doubt, the other side is obviously talent selection and short listing. 

 

I've got no doubts we have some PTSD from our prior PSR brush given it lead to some poor business. 

[ExiledGeordie]

31 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Nothing in Edward’s article is really surprising.
 

The thing I can’t believe is that our entire transfer shortlist is just big-name PL players who are linked with every club in the world. I mean, a kid who plays FIFA could put together that list without any bother. 
 

Doesn’t really ring true to me given the signings we’ve made before - undervalued or overlooked players often from outside the league or who weren’t playing regularly due to injury etc. 

 

Maybe we decided this summer was the one to go big on one or two obvious players but I find it hard to believe that is the full strategy. 

Totally agree, I don’t think there’s an issue in trying for a premier league player but not ALL your targets ffs

[McCormick]

56 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

Hopefully the first part of this window has been an eye opener for Howe.

 

Going through this may not be the worst thing long term, if it allows him to see that some adjustments need to be made to our approach.

 

And those adjustments will need to be made over the next few weeks, because if we end up not getting players in because we kept on with the same strategy, that would be so impossibly negligent and incompetent, I genuinely cannot even envision it to be honest.

 

 

 

Well, it’s the only way to go, no? Try for your ambitious targets first and if they fail to materialize pivot to more gettable deals.

 

Just have to hope the time taken doesn’t leave us short when the window closes.

[J7]

I’m finding it hard to believe that Mitchell is to blame for our transfer targets. Howe talks about how much work goes in to identifying players and only having a small group of targets. Are we really to believe that it was Mitchell looking to focus on PL proven players that clubs with more resources than us were also after? 
 

To me, it’s clear that our strategy has been wrong for a while now. In the main, we should have been looking for better value abroad. We’ve nobody to blame but ourselves. 

[Ikon]

It’s much easier to blame the one that has left. I don’t think he’s been much involved for a few weeks now. Time to deliver. 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2025 by Ikon