Summer Transfer Thread and Gustavo Cisneros Type Rumours.

[sickbeggar]

I love the youth coming through as much as anyone but the fact remains its a very rare occurrence that one makes the grade long term for us anyway. For every Barry or Cahill there's 30 championship or lower players or not even that.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Can Buendia or Pereira take set pieces? Think that is an area we can really strengthen in next season

[paul_e]

I want the PL version of Jedinak. Midfield enforcer, 4th choice CB and a wise old head.

ideal. Not sure who though.

This is whyI like Berge, I think he'd be a solid option as an emergency centre back as well as a quality DM.

[darren woolley]

I want the PL version of Jedinak. Midfield enforcer, 4th choice CB and a wise old head.

ideal. Not sure who though.

This is whyI like Berge, I think he'd be a solid option as an emergency centre back as well as a quality DM.

Berge would be a good signing.

[Mister E]

It would be great if we can sign some young, promising and hitherto undiscovered talent happy with such a situation but realistically it's not very likely. I'd much prefer to see if one of the Academy players can step up.

It's far more likely than one of the current academy centre backs being able to show signs of becoming a PL player in the next few months. Swinkel and Bogarde are the best we have and both have a year or two more maturing and developing to do before being someone who can 'step up'. There are competent players on the defensive side in the academy but they are full backs not centre backs.
Trust the recruiters to find the next Konsa or Hause if we're replacing Engels.

Dom Revan is older and has more experience than Zwinkel and Bogarde (although both of these younger lads certainly look like good potential): I don't know whether he's good enough.

[Mister E]

... Tammy, for me, just doesn't play in such a high priority position since we already have Watkins who's arguably one of the best strikers in the league.

True, until Watkins picks up an injury. Davis and Wes are in no way capable of giving us the all-round game that Watkins gives. So, something needs to happen in our attacking options.

If we're signing a player to play 20 odd games a season I'd rather we get someone who sees it as their big break rather than a tacit admission that they're taking a step down)

This comment is a far more persuasive argument for not bringing Tammy back, unless he feels he has loads to prove (which you'd hope he does).

[SoccerHQ]

Yeah, looks totally different from Watkins as well in style of play. If he's really going for 15m to Roma, and Torino want 25m for him, it would be rude not to help them out.

Pretty sure he was league top scorer or very close to it a 2/3 seasons ago and was reportedly commanding a fee of £70m +. He’s not hit those heights again but Torino haven’t been great. Certainly an interesting shout at those prices.

Edit. According to wiki it was 2016/17 where he scored 26 in 35

Belotti is box player, get loads of crosses in and he'll get on the end of many of them and score. Similar style to Hernandez when he was decent at Man. United for a few seasons.

Surprised he's stayed at Torino so long. Would think likes of Roma (as Dzeko replacement) or AC Milan would be in.

Thinking about it, Dzeko on 12 month deal would suit me as that 60 minute striker off the bench. Did well at Man. City in general squad role and was one of top scorers in europa league, scoring home and away v Man. United so sign him and a forward who can also play out wide and that's a very strong set of forward options for next season.

[robleflaneur]

Ben White,Brighton,can play as a CB or defensive midfielder.Being called up to the England squad has probably added a few million to his valuation.The Brighton chairman last week suggested that they would be willing to sell some of their more valuable players.

[Toronto Villa]

I think rightly the club will allow some the kids to really push for a place in the senior squad. And while that might not get us the immediate return it is one most fans will appreciate. As Purslow said the club needs to make smart signings now. 2 or 3 to really push us on, and the rest from within the club; the kids and just allowing existing players who are more experienced at this level to mature and continue to improve.

[Mister E]

... Could play him (Belotti) as a 2nd striker with Watkins up front which you couldn't do with Abraham...

I really don't get that comment at all; made as if accepted wisdom.
I can see both Watkins and Abraham playing extremely well together: both are energetic, strong, good in the air and skilled at bringing down the ball. Both are mobile and like to find the channels. Both track back into midfield to support their team when not in possession.
They would be able to interchange their play from wing to the centre, and their movement and interchanging would give opposition defenders a real challenge right across the attacking line.
Having them both - along with the current MF and forward & wide players - would offer us multiple attacking options.

The only issue with Abraham would be the value-for-money, if Chelsea want to play hardball and / or if Wet Spam and others pitch in with a bid.

Can't say I agree. I'd say they're very similar with Abraham possibly the better finisher but Watkins is a more complete player to me. One of the reasons Tufel has dumped him in favour of Werner is because he doesn't do enough for the team other than scoring I think.

Werner assists 8
Watkins assists 5
Abraham assists 1
Abraham assists 19/20 4

You made a valid observation, but - as another poster commented earlier here - the Chelsea system appears to be to sit deep, break quickly and rely on pace from the man up top.
We play slightly differently, and - whilst Tammy's assists number ain't great - he has other stats that bear comparison: if you look at his last 37 starts (equal to Watkins' full season), TA has scored 20 goals, with an XG of 19.3 and 120 shots (42% on target). Compared to OW equivalent stats of 14 goals, 15.8 XG and 97 shots (45% on target).
This tells me that Abraham gets into the right places for goal attempts and is greedier than Watkins (cf the assists differential): I still maintain that their style of play is complementary to each other.
We all see things slightly differently.

[robbo1874]

... Tammy, for me, just doesn't play in such a high priority position since we already have Watkins who's arguably one of the best strikers in the league.

True, until Watkins picks up an injury. Davis and Wes are in no way capable of giving us the all-round game that Watkins gives. So, something needs to happen in our attacking options.

If we're signing a player to play 20 odd games a season I'd rather we get someone who sees it as their big break rather than a tacit admission that they're taking a step down)

This comment is a far more persuasive argument for not bringing Tammy back, unless he feels he has loads to prove (which you'd hope he does).

two sides to every coin.I’d see it as a step up. Playing in 20 or so Prem games at Villa from playing a handful at Chelsea and latterly not even making the squad. Hows that a step down?

[SoccerHQ]

Then again, who is going to want to come in to be effectively fourth choice?

West Ham signed Craig Dawson this time last year, had a poor season with Watford and went in there as fourth choice CB. West Ham were dodgy early few games and he was outstanding for them for most of the season. They did play the evil 3 at the back for a fair chunk of the season though....

So that was low cost type deal for squad player that massively came up for them although expect us to target a similar CB to Konsa, young with many games already player either in championship or europe and will come in and just play cups for first six months before hopefully breaking into the team at some point.

Leicester also signed Fofana when they already had Soyuncu and Johnny Evans as the established CB duo last summer. They obviously had europa on offer but a great example of club always thinking ahead.

We've already learnt to our cost at prem level that key players get bad long term injuries so need to keep thinking ahead and have good players ready to come in to do jobs just in case one of the defenders gets one next season.

Hause in fairness has stepped up to be a superb squad player which has been a nice surprise, no issue if he gets a new deal at some point this summer.

[Dante Lavelli]

There’s a piece on the BBC about Norwich.  Their director of football basically says there’s a £30m hole in their accounts due to Covid and implies they will accept an offer for Buendia “starting with a 3”.

[N'ZMAV]

Ben White,Brighton,can play as a CB or defensive midfielder.Being called up to the England squad has probably added a few million to his valuation.The Brighton chairman last week suggested that they would be willing to sell some of their more valuable players.

they’d want a fortune for him.

[Dante Lavelli]

Ben White,Brighton,can play as a CB or defensive midfielder.Being called up to the England squad has probably added a few million to his valuation.The Brighton chairman last week suggested that they would be willing to sell some of their more valuable players.

they’d want a fortune for him.

Yeah they priced Leeds out of a move last summer, wanting £30m.  That’d be at least £40m now.