Ollie Watkins

[tomd2103]

It would cost us a small fortune to bring someone at the next level in though and we probably would struggle to attract that level of striker anyway. 

€20m is my guestimate. Risky business? Absolutely but then I'm not the one that's spent 6 months studying potential replacements.
I wouldn't be against him staying if we had nothing to play for next season and I believe he'll be gone in the next 12 months, assuming he signs a new contract. Why not cash in now, his value will never be so high?

£20m?  To get an established striker a level above Watkins then I think we would probably be looking at £60m+ given the premium that is on them. 

In fairness, although it would be great to have someone like that come in, I think we could bring in an upcoming striker who will start as second choice, but with the potential to be better than Ollie Watkins in a couple of years.

He’s talking about net, ie £20m more than what we’d get for OW.

Ah right.  Would say that figure is about right then.  I think we would struggle to attract someone of that kind of profile anyway.

[AV84]

I can't see us getting rid of Watkins. Even if we splashed out and managed to get someone "better", we'd still be in the situation of only having one experienced striker, and an injury away from having to rely on Archer and Durán.

[Percy McCarthy]

I can't see us getting rid of Watkins. Even if we splashed out and managed to get someone "better", we'd still be in the situation of only having one experienced striker, and an injury away from having to rely on Archer and Durán.

Probably depends on whether or not Watkins is stalling on his new contract.

[AV84]

I can't see us getting rid of Watkins. Even if we splashed out and managed to get someone "better", we'd still be in the situation of only having one experienced striker, and an injury away from having to rely on Archer and Durán.

Probably depends on whether or not Watkins is stalling on his new contract.

Fair point. I'll rephrase it. I don't think the first choice plan would be to just swap out Watkins for someone else.

[paul_e]

I think selling a striker who will probably get 15ish next season and using the funds to get someone in the hope that they might settle immediately and get 20 is about the riskiest idea I've ever seen anyone put forward on here. If Watkins won't sign an new deal and we get a big offer then that's a different story but pushing him out would be insanity.

[Drummond]

There are plenty of teams who'd happily pick him up.

I don't think we'd replace him very easily at all.

So we won't, he'll stay, score a heap and some other poor sod will be labelled the weakest link.

[ChicagoLion]

I think selling a striker who will probably get 15ish next season and using the funds to get someone in the hope that they might settle immediately and get 20 is about the riskiest idea I've ever seen anyone put forward on here. If Watkins won't sign an new deal and we get a big offer then that's a different story but pushing him out would be insanity.

More dangerous than signing Benteke or Traore?

[Ian.]

I think selling a striker who will probably get 15ish next season and using the funds to get someone in the hope that they might settle immediately and get 20 is about the riskiest idea I've ever seen anyone put forward on here. If Watkins won't sign an new deal and we get a big offer then that's a different story but pushing him out would be insanity.

Yep, can’t argue with this.

[Mister E]

...  I think we could bring in an upcoming striker who will start as second choice, but with the potential to be better than Ollie Watkins in a couple of years.

Isn't that person Archer? or Duran?
I can see why they might be considering Tammy Abraham: not to be a replacement for Watkins but someone who could share the lone-striker role with him through the 50-odd games we might have this season, whilst allowing Archer and Duran to get walk-on parts in the final 30 minutes of games.
2 alternating main strikers, two alternating apprentices; all 4 with space to grow and develop.
Sounds plausible.

[Clampy]

I think selling a striker who will probably get 15ish next season and using the funds to get someone in the hope that they might settle immediately and get 20 is about the riskiest idea I've ever seen anyone put forward on here. If Watkins won't sign an new deal and we get a big offer then that's a different story but pushing him out would be insanity.

More dangerous than signing Benteke or Traore?

Not every signing comes off like that though and Benteke was 12 years ago.

I think we need to bring in someone else to help with the long season ahead. Archer and Duran might do it but it would be a risk.

[Dave]

I think selling a striker who will probably get 15ish next season and using the funds to get someone in the hope that they might settle immediately and get 20 is about the riskiest idea I've ever seen anyone put forward on here. If Watkins won't sign an new deal and we get a big offer then that's a different story but pushing him out would be insanity.

More dangerous than signing Benteke or Traore?

Adding Benteke or Traore to our current squad wouldn't be dangerous.

Pointless, perhaps. But not dangerous.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I think selling a striker who will probably get 15ish next season and using the funds to get someone in the hope that they might settle immediately and get 20 is about the riskiest idea I've ever seen anyone put forward on here. If Watkins won't sign an new deal and we get a big offer then that's a different story but pushing him out would be insanity.

I'd agree with you Paul if we didn't have a team that create lots of opportunities for the striker. This season hopefully it will be even more. It's why I'd go for Ramos, he's very similar to Watkins in many ways but technically far superior.

[Hookeysmith]

Im not advocating selling Watkins at all but i feel his is the weakest position as far as genuine pressure to be on top of his game.
All we have are 2 (very decent) kids who are pretty unproven at the top level.

I do not know much about Ferran Torres but i assume he is a similar player to Watkins who can run the whole frontline and has an eye for goal - that would bring real pressure to be on your game

[Risso]

The risk with Torres is that he hasn't really proved very adept at goal scoring at either Valencia, Man City or Barcelona. He's only 23 of course, but still.

[brontebilly]

Some mad comments here on Watkins. Forget pre season form, he was brilliant for us last season once we sold Ings and Emery made him the main man. Archer should provide enough competition this season to keep Ollie on his toes.