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

[SoccerHQ]

I think Gana, Amavi and Ayew would've all done just fine if we'd added them into a midfield that still had Delph, defence that had Vlaar in it and Benteke and an o.k Gabby still around e.g. signing them in summer 2014 instead of Joe Cole, Kieron Richardson and Carlos Sanchez. Veretout probably would've still needed time to settle in.

We're at that point now where McGinn, Luiz and just about Grealish all feel they can still grow with us for another 12 months. No good finally deciding to get in decent players next summer when we've just scraped 17th again and those three want to leave to further their careers. No time like the present.

[WilliamStanding]

I would like to think that if there is any real chance of us keeping Jack the conversation to persuade him to stay with us on a new deal includes players that he believes will push us on. I'm all for Cash, Watkins, Benrahma level players but it's hardly the next level talent we need to make a jump to upper mid table. A couple of solid addtions plus 1 or 2 really good ones and we are operating immediately in a better starting position. Jack needs excellent players to get the best out of him and as a club we owe him that, if we truly want him to stay.

Agreed.

Buying loads of championship players is not going to be enough, we also need quality proven at a higher level than that.

Didn’t harm Wilder at Sheff Utd.

[Toronto Villa]

I would like to think that if there is any real chance of us keeping Jack the conversation to persuade him to stay with us on a new deal includes players that he believes will push us on. I'm all for Cash, Watkins, Benrahma level players but it's hardly the next level talent we need to make a jump to upper mid table. A couple of solid addtions plus 1 or 2 really good ones and we are operating immediately in a better starting position. Jack needs excellent players to get the best out of him and as a club we owe him that, if we truly want him to stay.

Agreed.

Buying loads of championship players is not going to be enough, we also need quality proven at a higher level than that.

Didn’t harm Wilder at Sheff Utd.

Wilder did a superb job. Let's start there. But he also the massive benefit of a very settled squad and club for a number of seasons. The few new signings aside they all knew each other and what he demanded of them. They also took a number of teams by surprise. The one thing about top level clubs/scouts/coaches/managers is that they all work hard to figure you out. If Sheff Utd continue to only buy at the championship level they will be found out. It's one thing coming up together. Quite another staying there. If they don't invest well they could find themselves like Burnley who went down. You cannot stand still in the PL. And you have to keep improving and buying better quality to keep up.

[olaftab]

Leeds have signed Lyndsay De Paul?!

There are also rumours about Lindsey Buckingham.

[Brazilian Villain]

Leeds have signed Lyndsay De Paul?!

There are also rumours about Lindsey Buckingham.

I'd prefer Lindsay Ellingson in a deep-lying position.

[ozzjim]

I think much of it depends on who you buy from the championship. For example, you buy Cantwell and Buendia, they have both just done a full season in he prem and not looked out of place. In a similar vein, Watkins scored as many four Brentford as Tammy did for Villa the season before, Tammy then scored goals for Chelsea in the prem, there is nothing to say Watkins won't either. In about half the games, the defences they are up against are not vastly better than the Championship anyway.

Nketia was in and out the Leeds side, but starts for Arsenal a fair bit now. By keeping Jack, Luiz, Mings, McGinn who now have that season under their belt, new players do have the chance to settle in a little more.

Our best bet of good experience of the prem is to target loans or players that have left the prem but could be got back. Soccer HQ suggested Rondon, that's a great shout. We should have been all over Cahill last summer, and despite the injuries a pay as you play for Sturridge wouldn't be so foolish now in my opinion for us as a cheap experienced striker option.

Any how, let's hope this week brings 3/4 new faces.

[olaftab]

ozzjim didn’t we try that approach with Lescott, Richards, Holt etc in the past with poor outcome?

[ozzjim]

We had too many then. Expecting Richards and Lescott on 1 good knee between them to hold a back 4 together and then introduce a whole group of signings from outside the Prem was just too much. I'm suggesting 1 would not be the end of the world on a pay as you play as back up for Watkins/ Wesley and Samatta

[Dave]

I'm suggesting 1 would not be the end of the world on a pay as you play as back up for Watkins/ Wesley and Samatta

Why would he want to do that though when £60,000 per week was on the table in Turkey?

[PaulWinch again]

Toney confirmed at Brentford now.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Could we not offer Jota to Brentford for Benrahma, plus about 18M? Jota is well thought of there

[algy]

Don't see a problem bringing in a couple of players from the Championship if they look like they'll comfortably make the step up & are reasonably priced. Jack, SJM, Tyrone Mings, & Tammy were all Championship players 12 months ago.

The criticisms of Lange are odd, i find. He's good at buying players cheaply who then get sold at a huge profit ... in what world is that a bad thing? He'll be looking at a different bracket of player now, but i think the jump from buying £500k players and selling them for £5m, to buying them for £5m and flogging them for £50m is quite small - it's the same skills, just applied further up the food chain. I'd rather that than him be used to buying players in the £20m bracket then not developing them.

I think generally we need to be realistic about where we can attract players from, then become very good at buying those players.

[Ads]

Yeah but Leeds are signing 1 in 4 strikers or something.

[fredm]

Don't see a problem bringing in a couple of players from the Championship if they look like they'll comfortably make the step up & are reasonably priced. Jack, SJM, Tyrone Mings, & Tammy were all Championship players 12 months ago.

The criticisms of Lange are odd, i find. He's good at buying players cheaply who then get sold at a huge profit ... in what world is that a bad thing? He'll be looking at a different bracket of player now, but i think the jump from buying £500k players and selling them for £5m, to buying them for £5m and flogging them for £50m is quite small - it's the same skills, just applied further up the food chain. I'd rather that than him be used to buying players in the £20m bracket then not developing them.

I think generally we need to be realistic about where we can attract players from, then become very good at buying those players.

Yes but having brought such players in why would we need to sell them if we were trying to hit top 6 places?  We would be starting to act like one of the top teams so no need to sell players unless we really wanted to.

[N'ZMAV]

Could we not offer Jota to Brentford for Benrahma, plus about 18M? Jota is well thought of there

and Lansbury - that should knock about 39p off the transfer fee.