January 2023 Transfer Rumours, Discussions and Done Deals Thread

[SoccerHQ]

I like De Paul but I'm not sure where he'd fit for us.

If we stick with the current setup then we have a forward who drifts out onto the wing (Bailey) and a wide midfielder (McGinn) who moves into the space it creates. From what I've seen of de Paul (which isn't a huge amount to be fair) he strikes me as more of a player who'd like to wait outside the box to pick up the scraps than someone who'd be arriving late in the box. I just think that position screams out to be given to JJ.

More centrally I think he'd be a better option but I'm not sure he'd be happy rotating with Luiz, Kamara and Dendoncker and I don't think he'd deserve to be guaranteed to start ahead of them regularly.

We'll sell McGinn in the summer imo. Sanson and Nakamba will also leave so even with Tim coming back we won't have a huge amount of midfielders in the squad for a potential 50 + game season.

[coreyfeldman]

McGinn is going nowhere, he's still captain and he loves being here and can be a decent option for us

[SoccerHQ]

McGinn is going nowhere, he's still captain and he loves being here and can be a decent option for us

Two years left on his deal in summer so just feels like the right time to part ways. We've had excellent value out of him, he hasn't been great last 18 months and I think we have better options in most areas where he plays although he has played well last two so can still do a job when required.

Given two of our most fluid performances v Brentford and Man. United came with him on the bench I don't see why McGinn leaving would be some big issue.

I personally would move on all of Konsa, McGinn and Watkins in the summer. Sometimes you just reach that point with certain personnel but who knows what UE will do given he's still starting them all regularly.

[Drummond]

All of our players are looking better and more valuable since November. Even the ones previously being written off. (Fuck me after Spuds even Olsen is!) Anyway, I think it shows that our players aren't bad.

The issue is that we've only got Carlos and Ramsey out at the moment, and that could easily turn out to be more, we need depth that's better than Ings, Nakamba, Sanson, Guilbert etc.

We also desperately need some more width and pace having lost Traore, AEG and Trezeguet without being replaced.

It feels oh so different to a couple of years ago.

[coreyfeldman]

Moving people on is fine if you replace them properly. McGinn has massively struggled for form last 6 months or so, but he's still captain and the team and Emery obviously value him. When he's atvhis best he can be a really good option to have, even if I wouldn't be starting him all the time. He played really well against spurs and sets the tempo well for press.

Watkins also is incredibly frustrating but there aren't many other strikers who press like he does, and he does make things happen, even though he is wasteful. Buy a better striker but keep him around until we have a better option. We need a deeper squad

[eamonn]

I imagine each of the 24 teams in the Ch'ship would take our Archer for the rest of the season (maybe Saints and Forest too?). I hope he's not left kicking his heels on the bench for the next five months.

[SoccerHQ]

Moving people on is fine if you replace them properly. McGinn has massively struggled for form last 6 months or so, but he's still captain and the team and Emery obviously value him. When he's atvhis best he can be a really good option to have, even if I wouldn't be starting him all the time. He played really well against spurs and sets the tempo well for press.

Watkins also is incredibly frustrating but there aren't many other strikers who press like he does, and he does make things happen, even though he is wasteful. Buy a better striker but keep him around until we have a better option. We need a deeper squad

Would he have started the last two if Ramsey had been fit?

I guess perhaps maybe Buendia would've been taken out instead but it's important he gets a run of starts.

I just see it for rest of season Kamara + Luiz is the fixed pivot infront of back 4 and no issue with that, Ramsey will be starting most games when fit as huge potential and someone I think will massively kick on under Emery and then in final third Bunedia and Bailey are starting to warm up so would be odd to be regularly benching them to just put McGinn in a wide role.

Dendoncker has shown he can come in for games and contribute to dominant performances. I've also seen a few QPR games recently and Tim is far more than just someone who sits infront of a back 4, he makes the runs McGinn was in the championship for us so him coming back into the squad next year would be more for McGinn role than Kamara.

And that's on top of anyone we buy this month and certainly in the summer. McGinn has served us well but he's in the expendable category now.

[Drummond]

I imagine each of the 24 teams in the Ch'ship would take our Archer for the rest of the season (maybe Saints and Forest too?). I hope he's not left kicking his heels on the bench for the next five months.

Agree with this. He isn't getting a look in, though perhaps he'll play in every round of the cup...

[Drummond]

Moving people on is fine if you replace them properly. McGinn has massively struggled for form last 6 months or so, but he's still captain and the team and Emery obviously value him. When he's atvhis best he can be a really good option to have, even if I wouldn't be starting him all the time. He played really well against spurs and sets the tempo well for press.

Watkins also is incredibly frustrating but there aren't many other strikers who press like he does, and he does make things happen, even though he is wasteful. Buy a better striker but keep him around until we have a better option. We need a deeper squad

Would he have started the last two if Ramsey had been fit?

I guess perhaps maybe Buendia would've been taken out instead but it's important he gets a run of starts.

I just see it for rest of season Kamara + Luiz is the fixed pivot infront of back 4 and no issue with that, Ramsey will be starting most games when fit as huge potential and someone I think will massively kick on under Emery and then in final third Bunedia and Bailey are starting to warm up so would be odd to be regularly benching them to just put McGinn in a wide role.

Dendoncker has shown he can come in for games and contribute to dominant performances. I've also seen a few QPR games recently and Tim is far more than just someone who sits infront of a back 4, he makes the runs McGinn was in the championship for us so him coming back into the squad next year would be more for McGinn role than Kamara.

And that's on top of anyone we buy this month and certainly in the summer. McGinn has served us well but he's in the expendable category now.

I disagree, I think he's a great player to keep around. If we can improve on him, fair enough, but then he'd be great to keep around as a sub.

[coreyfeldman]

Moving people on is fine if you replace them properly. McGinn has massively struggled for form last 6 months or so, but he's still captain and the team and Emery obviously value him. When he's atvhis best he can be a really good option to have, even if I wouldn't be starting him all the time. He played really well against spurs and sets the tempo well for press.

Watkins also is incredibly frustrating but there aren't many other strikers who press like he does, and he does make things happen, even though he is wasteful. Buy a better striker but keep him around until we have a better option. We need a deeper squad

Would he have started the last two if Ramsey had been fit?

I guess perhaps maybe Buendia would've been taken out instead but it's important he gets a run of starts.

I just see it for rest of season Kamara + Luiz is the fixed pivot infront of back 4 and no issue with that, Ramsey will be starting most games when fit as huge potential and someone I think will massively kick on under Emery and then in final third Bunedia and Bailey are starting to warm up so would be odd to be regularly benching them to just put McGinn in a wide role.

Dendoncker has shown he can come in for games and contribute to dominant performances. I've also seen a few QPR games recently and Tim is far more than just someone who sits infront of a back 4, he makes the runs McGinn was in the championship for us so him coming back into the squad next year would be more for McGinn role than Kamara.

And that's on top of anyone we buy this month and certainly in the summer. McGinn has served us well but he's in the expendable category now.

IMO McGinn could well fulfil the potential he showed when we first came up, he was very highly rated. We've already seen huge improvement under Emery and I think he could prove a lot of us wrong

[SoccerHQ]

Where have you McGinn fanboys been hiding these last 18 months (wink). I'm sure in majority of match threads he's slagged off from start to finish so need some of those to come back from the pub later and provide some balance.

I'm fairly neutral on him generally but him being made captain and playing every single minute for Gerrard was very annoying.

We'd probably have to give him a new deal if he's to remain a regular part of this club so that's something else to consider.

[LeeB]

Where have you McGinn fanboys been hiding these last 18 months (wink). I'm sure in majority of match threads he's slagged off from start to finish so need some of those to come back from the pub later and provide some balance.

I'm fairly neutral on him generally but him being made captain and playing every single minute for Gerrard was very annoying.

We'd probably have to give him a new deal if he's to remain a regular part of this club so that's something else to consider.

I've always loved him, others have gone quiet *cups ears at Percy and Risso*

[Drummond]

Where have you McGinn fanboys been hiding these last 18 months (wink). I'm sure in majority of match threads he's slagged off from start to finish so need some of those to come back from the pub later and provide some balance.

I'm fairly neutral on him generally but him being made captain and playing every single minute for Gerrard was very annoying.

We'd probably have to give him a new deal if he's to remain a regular part of this club so that's something else to consider.

I've always loved him, others have gone quiet *cups ears at Percy and Risso*

Even Risso said he's a Top 6 midfielder elsewhere today......

[Risso]

Where have you McGinn fanboys been hiding these last 18 months (wink). I'm sure in majority of match threads he's slagged off from start to finish so need some of those to come back from the pub later and provide some balance.

I'm fairly neutral on him generally but him being made captain and playing every single minute for Gerrard was very annoying.

We'd probably have to give him a new deal if he's to remain a regular part of this club so that's something else to consider.

I've always loved him, others have gone quiet *cups ears at Percy and Risso*

I've been careful not to post on his thread, in case it annoys Clampy and I have to go to the bother of renewing the restraining order.

[Percy McCarthy]

Where have you McGinn fanboys been hiding these last 18 months (wink). I'm sure in majority of match threads he's slagged off from start to finish so need some of those to come back from the pub later and provide some balance.

I'm fairly neutral on him generally but him being made captain and playing every single minute for Gerrard was very annoying.

We'd probably have to give him a new deal if he's to remain a regular part of this club so that's something else to consider.

I've always loved him, others have gone quiet *cups ears at Percy and Risso*

I just don’t think he’s very good. Technically, fitness-wise, anything really. He wasn’t playing well before his big injury in our first season up, but we didn’t have anyone on his level then. Now, Ramsay is miles better. Not bad as a squad player I suppose, but there’s a financial upside to selling and replacing him. Take the profit.