Now that the season has ended and the personnel changes have begun …. where are we and where will we be for next season in declaring our 25-man squad?
20/21 end of the season squad;
GK; Heaton, Steer, Martinez, Kalinic (on loan)
CB; Engels, Konsa, Mings, Hause
RB: Elmo, Guilbert (on loan), Cash
LB; Taylor, Targett
DM; Luiz, Nakamba
CM; McGinn, Sanson
AM; Grealish, Barkley (loanee), Ramsey, Hourihane (on loan)
Wingers; Trez, El Ghazi, Traore
Strikers; Wesley, Samatta (on loan), Davis, Vassilev (on loan), Watkins
Keepers; 4 Defenders; 9 Midfielders; 8 Wingers; 3 Forwards; 5
Total; 29 (25 need to be declared) (5 on loan, 1 loaned).
Additions this window; Reductions this window;
Vassilev – returned after loan Barkley – returned after loan
Guilbert – returned after loan Samatta – £7m sale
Hourihane – returned after loan Heaton – end of contract. Leaving for Manu.
Kalinic – returned after loan Taylor – end of contract. Leaves.
Elmohamady – end of contract. Leaves.
Question-marks over further reductions still to happen;
Kalinic – sold, loaned or cancelled. Not needed or wanted.
Engels – Use or sell. Club appear to want to sell.
Guilbert – I like him, Deano appears not to; get over it and use Fred. Will be used or sold.
Vassilev – Use or sell. Probably sell unless Deano offers him a new contract.
Hourihane – Sold as surplus to requirements.
Grealish – moves to Citteh for £83m plus addons. Not what we wanted but it’s probably happening.
Wesley – loaned abroad for at least 6 months. Seems to be the club preference.
If that all happens then we will be left with; Transfer income of about £115m, 7 wages saved.
Keepers; 2 Defenders; 5 Midfielders; 5 Wingers; 3 Forwards; 2 Total; 17
Requirements;
Keepers; Backup to Steer needed. Use Sinisalo if required, after his loan period at Ayr. Loan Onodi.
Defense; CB to replace Engels, LB to replace Taylor.
I think Kesler is not defensive enough to provide the backup in the PL. No-one else ready to be promoted from youth setup.
My wishes? Amavi at LB (out of contract this Summer), Guilbert at RB, not sold, ANO young CB with prospects the recruitment team comes up with.
Midfield; on the basis that Meatball, Luiz, Sanson and Ramsey could then be used in rotation as the other 2 midfielders in a central/attacking role, the major requirement is for a starter Defensive Midfielder, with Marvellous as backup. In addition, here’s where Raikhy and Kesler and Chuk can be used in the first half of the season (as well as pre-season) to continue integrating with the squad.
My wishes? A stellar, rugged, DM superstar. This is what the recruitment department is for. Earn your keep. Use the money to get the best available. Then use the youngsters more for half a year before a solid loan for some of them after Christmas.
Attack; With Trez injured, Wesley on loan and Jack gone we need 3 purchases here. Watkins remains Number 1 (with Davis as backup) but we need another CF to give options and injury cover for Watkins, and 2 creative central/wide players.
My wishes? Jovic. But Tammy as a decent alternative. Then Rashica or Arrascaeta for wide and Buendia or Pereira as the Jack replacement if we can’t get Son.
Overall; The composition of the team has changed to react to the loss of Jack; it has moved to a high-quality rotation of 3-from-8 up front with the option of changing from that 4-3-3 formation to one with 2 up front (straight 4-4-2 or even a diamond). We’ve got great cover for all positions in defense and midfield with good, high-quality options for injury and loss of form. I’d say the squad quality is up but more widely distributed even with Jack gone. Ready to press for a place in Europe.
If all of these happen the financial consequences are; Transfer spend (net of income); £20-30m, awash with the wages. And we’ll have coped with the loss of Jack and we’ll press for Europe.
Keepers; 2 Defenders; 8 Midfielders; 6 Wingers; 4 Forwards; 4 Total; 24
Promotions from junior squad; for the bench and used as needed.
Sinisalo. Kesler. Chukwuemeka. Raikhy. Don’t need to be declared in the 25
