2023 Summer transfer window - hopes, needs, expectations and rumours.

[eamonn]

I suspect (based on no evidence) that the strategy might be to sell the academy players before they get near the first team, which might explain the two goalies on the bench thing while we've been struggling for numbers. The model could be how Chelsea used to be before they went mental, that the youth team and the first team are separate entities that are run to achieve very different goals.
Obviously, if there's a kid coming through the academy with outstanding potential for our first team, then all the better.

That's certainly a view expressed by Canadian Pete in his podcast of yesterday.
Which doesn't make it gospel, of course.

Canadian Pete, Mexican Sexual...they're all the one in the end.

[OCD]

Ideally they go out on loan to other Premier League teams (or other top European Leagues) and prove their value before they're sold. Like how Conor Gallagher had loans at Albion and Crystal Palace, and had they sold him last summer, could have commanded a fee of ~£40m.

At the moment, such a player coming through our youth would likely be involved with us. But in time, we should be looking for our squad to be strong enough that they're either exceptional, or they follow such a pathway and we can make tens of millions off them.

[Villan82]

Vlahovic- that would be a stunning move if it came off.

[SoccerHQ]

We need some serious quality in final third.

Bailey and Bunedia, we know by now neither will be consistently good for six months.

If we can't feed balls through for Ollie we don't really look like we have many other ways of scoring I'm afraid, certainly not more than other teams we want to be finishing ahead of next season.

[curiousorange]

Right now I'm back to replacing everybody but the goalkeeper.

[Beard82]

We need some serious quality in final third.

Bailey and Bunedia, we know by now neither will be consistently good for six months.

If we can't feed balls through for Ollie we don't really look like we have many other ways of scoring I'm afraid, certainly not more than other teams we want to be finishing ahead of next season.

I think this is it for me.  Both have had amble opportunities, but are not top 6 players.  Both too lightweight, both other play too often and give the ball away too easily.  Beundia is worth having in the squad - but Bailey, if we can get money for him - I would take it 

[pauliewalnuts]

Both have had amble opportunities, but are not top 6 players. 

Yeah, they just stroll around.

[curiousorange]

Both have had amble opportunities, but are not top 6 players. 

Yeah, they just stroll around.

I'd tell them to take a hike.

[SamTheMouse]

They're all good players, but for top six you need a core of the team who are capable of performing well every single week, not just in patches. If we really are going to get European football, a few of them need to be back-up to better teammates, rather than automatic starters. I'd put Buendia and Bert in that category, and maybe Ramsey. Bailey can just go, he's bottom six standard.

If you stick 50 million pound recruits in their positions, we start to look pretty tasty.

[Monty]

Bailey was, sadly, terrible today.

[curiousorange]

There aren't really any excuses for a poor window. It needs to be exciting and precise.

[SoccerHQ]

There aren't really any excuses for a poor window. It needs to be exciting and precise.

We need a final third player who can hit 8-10 goals and a few assists in addition to Ollie hopefully shooting 14-15 goals once more.

Bailey has 4 league goals, Buendia 5. We need someone who can double their output in premier league as all the clubs who will be finishing above us do. Son's had his worst season since joining Spurs but he's still hit 10 league goals. Liverpool had Jota injured for six months but he's come back and scored 5 in his last 7.

We don't have enough output in final third. Ollie scoring every week masked that but if he's not on it that's a problem for us going forward.

Crucial we just don't gamble on more Duran type signings given we've very solid at the back now and midfield is very settled now and we'll probably add another player there in the summer for extra competition.

[curiousorange]

Someone with pace and a decent shot would help enormously.

[Mister E]

Someone with pace and a decent shot would help enormously.

Archer?

[Villan82]

Trusting Unai to get the players we need to kick on next year.