Summer transfer, gossip, speculation and the usual butter ollocks thread

[Duncan Shaw]

If, and still a big if, we stay up, negotiating to keep Jack, Douglas Luiz, McGinn and Mings would be my priority. We simply must try to build the team around these four players. Also, I wouldn't quite give up on Wesley. i thought he looked like a player with potential and reckon he would have got to 8-9 goals for the season if he hadn't got injured.

Then, the wish list would be:

Tammy (or another marquee striker)
Tuanzebe to partner Mings
Benrahma as an upgrade winger
A central midfield option with premier league experience. Here, I can't really think of a name to be honest. I mean, a Capoue/James McCarthy type to add much needed experience to the squad.

I'm very much on board with your thinking, apart from maybe we have seen Konsa's emergence to perhaps negate the need for Tuanzebe?

[Villan82]

If, and still a big if, we stay up, negotiating to keep Jack, Douglas Luiz, McGinn and Mings would be my priority. We simply must try to build the team around these four players. Also, I wouldn't quite give up on Wesley. i thought he looked like a player with potential and reckon he would have got to 8-9 goals for the season if he hadn't got injured.

Then, the wish list would be:

Tammy (or another marquee striker)
Tuanzebe to partner Mings
Benrahma as an upgrade winger
A central midfield option with premier league experience. Here, I can't really think of a name to be honest. I mean, a Capoue/James McCarthy type to add much needed experience to the squad.

I'm very much on board with your thinking, apart from maybe we have seen Konsa's emergence to perhaps negate the need for Tuanzebe?

I agree on Konsa to a large extent. However, my thinking is, if we want to progress we need more quality in the first team and more competition for places. Instead of Hause as a back-up have Konsa as the back-up centre back and would compete with Fred for right-back depending on the opposition. Or we also would then have the three at the back option. Konsa would still get, say, 18-20 starts a season if Tuanzebe came in.

Edit- we simply have to ensure we don't leak so many goals.

[AsTallAsLions]

It's good to have options of course.

If we survive --
1st choice: Tammy
Plan B/C etc: Wilson; Gayle
If we go down--
Any from: Watkins, Wells, Grabban

[SheffieldVillain]

I'd like to see us try and bring in Dwight Gayle  to add to the squad regardless of what division we are in. Still only 29 and a bit of experience and pace up front wouldn't go amiss.

In the Championship definitely, he's very good at that level.

In his last five seasons in the Premier though he's scored 7 (23 games), 5 (from 25), 3 (from 16), 6 (from 35) and 3 (from 17) goals. I'd hope we go for better if we're staying up, we've got enough strikers who don't get many goals.

[Mister E]

2 good midfielders to support McGinn and Luiz; 1 striker (quick and tricky); 1 LB to give Targett proper competition; possibly a CB.
Get rid of several of the dead weight players in the squad.
Promote 3-4 youngsters into the squad and give them some gametime.

[SheffieldVillain]

2 good midfielders to support McGinn and Luiz; 1 striker (quick and tricky); 1 LB to give Targett proper competition; possibly a CB.
Get rid of several of the dead weight players in the squad.
Promote 3-4 youngsters into the squad and give them some gametime.

Sounds about right to me.

I'd say a a big, scary defensive midfielder and a fast skilful winger, then a striker and LB as you mention. Plus a Jack replacement if he goes.

Quality not quantity this summer.

I'd also like to see a couple of the leading youngsters go out on loan aged 18-19, not wait until they are 21+ like RHM and O'Hare.

[sickbeggar]

We need more than 1 striker frankly. I mean when are people expecting Wesley to return? I can't see him being back and upto speed until 2021, so unless we fancy relying on the likes of Samatta and Davis then we need 2.

[paul_e]

2 good midfielders to support McGinn and Luiz; 1 striker (quick and tricky); 1 LB to give Targett proper competition; possibly a CB.
Get rid of several of the dead weight players in the squad.
Promote 3-4 youngsters into the squad and give them some gametime.

Sounds about right to me.

I'd say a a big, scary defensive midfielder and a fast skilful winger, then a striker and LB as you mention. Plus a Jack replacement if he goes.

Quality not quantity this summer.

I'd also like to see a couple of the leading youngsters go out on loan aged 18-19, not wait until they are 21+ like RHM and O'Hare.

Yep, this is where I'm at and in that order, a physical presence in midfield and a winger with pace have to come in as soon as possible and at almost any cost. Once that's done I'd look at the options for a striker and left back.

[frank black]

If, and still a big if, we stay up, negotiating to keep Jack, Douglas Luiz, McGinn and Mings would be my priority. We simply must try to build the team around these four players. Also, I wouldn't quite give up on Wesley. i thought he looked like a player with potential and reckon he would have got to 8-9 goals for the season if he hadn't got injured.

Then, the wish list would be:

Tammy (or another marquee striker)
Tuanzebe to partner Mings
Benrahma as an upgrade winger
A central midfield option with premier league experience. Here, I can't really think of a name to be honest. I mean, a Capoue/James McCarthy type to add much needed experience to the squad.

I'm very much on board with your thinking, apart from maybe we have seen Konsa's emergence to perhaps negate the need for Tuanzebe?

Me too, keeping Luiz would be amazing, keeping Jack absolutely mind blowing. I can’t see this happening especially as Man City can just buy Luiz back and sell him on if they choose....Keeping players is definitely a statement of intent

[SheffieldVillain]

We need more than 1 striker frankly. I mean when are people expecting Wesley to return? I can't see him being back and upto speed until 2021, so unless we fancy relying on the likes of Samatta and Davis then we need 2.

While seeing your point, I don't want us to go down the road we travelled last summer of a £7m Trez and £8m El Ghazi instead of an £18m Bowen (for example) so that we have 'enough' players.

I know our owners are rich but the budget still isn't going to be limitless. I'd prefer one very expensive 25 goal a season striker than a couple of £10-15m 8-10 goal strikers.

If there's money left over at the end to sign extras great, but it needs to be 3-4 quality players in key positions first.

[sickbeggar]

We need more than 1 striker frankly. I mean when are people expecting Wesley to return? I can't see him being back and upto speed until 2021, so unless we fancy relying on the likes of Samatta and Davis then we need 2.

While seeing your point, I don't want us to go down the road we travelled last summer of a £7m Trez and £8m El Ghazi instead of an £18m Bowen (for example) so that we have 'enough' players.

I know our owners are rich but the budget still isn't going to be limitless. I'd prefer one very expensive 25 goal a season striker than a couple of £10-15m 8-10 goal strikers.

If there's money left over at the end to sign extras great, but it needs to be 3-4 quality players in key positions first.

Fair enough but relying on 1 striker to stay fit when the others can't hit a barndoor with a banjo makes me a bit......nervous

[mr underhill]

unquestionably 2 strikers needed and one of Samatta/Davis to go.

[SheffieldVillain]

unquestionably 2 strikers needed and one of Samatta/Davis to go.

Ah, if one of the others go then definitely another replacement would be needed. I'd keep Davis personally.

[mr underhill]

he might be better playing behind the main striker? as would Wesley, I think.

[dave.woodhall]

Abraham and Benteke?