January 2023 Transfer Rumours, Discussions and Done Deals Thread

[LeeB]

Whilst be minded not to take answers from managers regarding potential transfers as any kind of gospel, I'm going to cling to Emery's words yesterday regarding trying to bring in another forward now or in the summer as proof that he'd rather wait and get the right player, which isn't the man seemingly available right now on a cut price deal.

Well it could be because that description applies to a few people, including Thuram.

True, but please let me cling to my mental safety blanket

[pauliewalnuts]

Dembele I'm not convinced by massively, but for £3-4m he seems a pretty decent pickup. Would immediately challenge Watkins at least.

Yeah, in the context of a cheap pick up and assuming the wages are sensible, I don't have a problem with it.

[LeeB]

Maybe though the reason he's so cheap is because he's really shit? Like, I'm sure we could bring Scott Hogan back pretty cheaply too.

[Ger Regan]

I'm in a really strange place in that i'm extremely relaxed about us selling our top scorer as i can't recall ever having a manager i've had as much faith in to do the right thing. I totally get the concerns around not replacing him, but i'm not close to worrying yet.

[Chris Smith]

Dembele I'm not convinced by massively, but for £3-4m he seems a pretty decent pickup. Would immediately challenge Watkins at least.

Yeah, in the context of a cheap pick up and assuming the wages are sensible, I don't have a problem with it.

Can’t say I know much about him but on his performance so far I trust Emery’s judgement.

[Clampy]

Maybe though the reason he's so cheap is because he's really shit? Like, I'm sure we could bring Scott Hogan back pretty cheaply too.

I think you need to tell us where you stand on Dembele, don't keep us in suspense.

[tomd2103]

I'm in a really strange place in that i'm extremely relaxed about us selling our top scorer as i can't recall ever having a manager i've had as much faith in to do the right thing. I totally get the concerns around not replacing him, but i'm not close to worrying yet.

Might be totally wrong, but I suspect it might be more about trying to get his salary off the wage bill to give us a bit more flexibility.  Probably can't afford to have bit-part players being the highest earners at the club and I wouldn't be surprised if we see Digne go soon as well for the same reason.

[OCD]

I suspect selling Digne will be harder than selling Ings.

(I was referring to Carew in last night's post).

[pauliewalnuts]

Maybe though the reason he's so cheap is because he's really shit? Like, I'm sure we could bring Scott Hogan back pretty cheaply too.

A big contributor to being really cheap is his being out of contract in the summer.

[paul_e]

Maybe though the reason he's so cheap is because he's really shit? Like, I'm sure we could bring Scott Hogan back pretty cheaply too.

A big contributor to being really cheap is his being out of contract in the summer.

and him having been very clear since the summer that he wouldn't sign a new deal.

[eamonn]

If Ollie was injured, would we play Leon up top? I don't know what else we could do.

I wonder what Emery's views are on the forward players that we have out on-loan (Traore, Davis, Wesley). I don't think there's a recall on any of them til the summer and The Athletic reported in the summer that Davis' loan-move to Watford has a pre-agreed permanent price attached although I doubt that means Watford have to buy the player.

[Toronto Villa]

I'm in a really strange place in that i'm extremely relaxed about us selling our top scorer as i can't recall ever having a manager i've had as much faith in to do the right thing. I totally get the concerns around not replacing him, but i'm not close to worrying yet.

Especially given that it appears Emery essentially has full control over decisions regarding the players he wants and those he doesn’t. I read somewhere that he doesn’t like large squads with players who don’t contribute. So he’s very precise in the types of player he buys. I want that. So I too am relaxed to let things evolve through his vision. He won’t fix it all in this window. The summer promises to be exciting and I can see staff changes also occurring to round out who he needs around him to make a proper go of things next season.

[LeeB]

If Ollie was injured, would we play Leon up top? I don't know what else we could do.

I wonder what Emery's views are on the forward players that we have out on-loan (Traore, Davis, Wesley). I don't think there's a recall on any of them til the summer and The Athletic reported in the summer that Davis' loan-move to Watford has a pre-agreed permanent price attached although I doubt that means Watford have to buy the player.

I'm sure an agreement could be reached to bring back any of those if we wanted, like how Man Utd compensated Bersiktas to cut Weghorst's loan short.

[brontebilly]

Maybe though the reason he's so cheap is because he's really shit? Like, I'm sure we could bring Scott Hogan back pretty cheaply too.

21 league goals in 30 games for Lyon last season would suggest he isn't shit anyway. Obligatory YouTube highlights suggest hes more of a penalty box type striker, so the worry would be are we swapping Ings for a younger Ings. Then again youtube highlights suggested KEA was a world beater.

[LeeB]

Ah, KEA, floated around the pitch like an empty crisp packet and had about as much effect on proceedings