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

[paul_e]

If Diaby does choose to go to them I'm not sure I'm that upset. He looks very good but he's very small and the one niggling concern I have is that he'd be another that was easily bullied in the premier league.

Doku as the alternative is also pretty small but much stockier and able to out-muscle a defender as much as burning them for pace or beating them with a trick.

Apparently, Doku has Jack Wilshere's hamstrings.

Ok, so that one would be a big risk as well then. I guess we'll see but I would like some more physicality up there (both height and strength ideally), in defence and DM we're ok (assuming Donk or Chambers are cover for Bouba) right now but in the attacking areas we're very small/weak, Watkins and JJ can hold their own but that's about it, Duran making the step up would help though because he's a tank.

[mrfuse]

Tammy Abraham is not good enough.

Its a no from me as well. I don't think hes the sort of player Emery is looking for either, he seems to want a wide player that can play as a striker.

[Dante Lavelli]

The more we speculate about exotic YouTube footballers, who fall foul for one reason or another, the more I’m convinced the answer is in Wales.

I think Johnson could be like Bowen for us. Not so remarkable so he’d get poached but solid, week-in week-out.

Next season, in Europe again, and we can replace Buendia with the sort of player we currently can’t quite catch.

[pauliewalnuts]

If Diaby really has signalled he's prepared to think about playing in Saudi, we should back out and move on.

We're off to the US tomorrow, we've made two good signings, but we don't have time to get sucked into a "maybe but maybe not" saga with a player.

He either wants to come here, or he doesn't. If we can't doubly establish that, then there's no point talking to the club about bids.

[KevinGage]

If Diaby really has signalled he's prepared to think about playing in Saudi, we should back out and move on.

Aye.

Any player who makes a move like that in his prime doesn't rate himself.

[mike]

If Diaby really has signalled he's prepared to think about playing in Saudi, we should back out and move on.

Aye.

Any player who makes a move like that in his prime doesn't rate himself.

Is he a Muslim? If so then he may consider playing in a Muslim country as a good thing and may prefer their culture to ours. Having worked with Muslim communities, I think a devout Muslim would find the hedonistic lifestyle of Premier League players hard to reconcile with his faith. Much as I’m not a big fan of the Saudi interpretation of Islam I know many Muslims would find the alcohol and sexual excesses of European football to be as anathema as we consider their moral code regarding women and same sex relationships.

[AV84]

Is he a Muslim? If so then he may consider playing in a Muslim country as a good thing and may prefer their culture to ours.

It's not really about that though. It's an experiment really, the Saudi league. One that could all fall apart in a year or two. A player looking to pad his pension isn't taking any risks, but a player of Diaby's age could be stalling, or killing, his career.

I know the point of this Saudi thing, or the MLS, is to change things, but as it stands the best footballers in the world play in Europe, and all the money in the world isn't going to change that any time soon.

[jwarry]

Is he a Muslim? If so then he may consider playing in a Muslim country as a good thing and may prefer their culture to ours.

It's not really about that though. It's an experiment really, the Saudi league. One that could all fall apart in a year or two. A player looking to pad his pension isn't taking any risks, but a player of Diaby's age could be stalling, or killing, his career.

I know the point of this Saudi thing, or the MLS, is to change things, but as it stands the best footballers in the world play in Europe, and all the money in the world isn't going to change that any time soon.

And of course Birmingham isn’t exactly Muslim unfriendly is it

[AV84]

Is he a Muslim? If so then he may consider playing in a Muslim country as a good thing and may prefer their culture to ours.

It's not really about that though. It's an experiment really, the Saudi league. One that could all fall apart in a year or two. A player looking to pad his pension isn't taking any risks, but a player of Diaby's age could be stalling, or killing, his career.

I know the point of this Saudi thing, or the MLS, is to change things, but as it stands the best footballers in the world play in Europe, and all the money in the world isn't going to change that any time soon.

And of course Birmingham isn’t exactly Muslim unfriendly is it

Plus he's lived in Europe all his life. I mean, it's not impossible that a player with a very deep belief in his faith would look at the opportunity to live in that culture as a positive thing. But at the end of the day he's a young footballer, and he's lived outside of that environment his entire life. So I'd still be thinking if he has any footballing ambitions then he should be staying in Europe.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Is he a Muslim? If so then he may consider playing in a Muslim country as a good thing and may prefer their culture to ours.

It's not really about that though. It's an experiment really, the Saudi league. One that could all fall apart in a year or two. A player looking to pad his pension isn't taking any risks, but a player of Diaby's age could be stalling, or killing, his career.

I know the point of this Saudi thing, or the MLS, is to change things, but as it stands the best footballers in the world play in Europe, and all the money in the world isn't going to change that any time soon.

Or he could go there and be paid millions of pounds more and then move back to Europe to a competitive team and still be young enough to win things in a few years. I’ve no doubt he’s very wealthy already but he might not get the chance to earn the kind of sums on offer again.

[RamboandBruno]

If Diaby really has signalled he's prepared to think about playing in Saudi, we should back out and move on.

Aye.

Any player who makes a move like that in his prime doesn't rate himself.

Is he a Muslim? If so then he may consider playing in a Muslim country as a good thing and may prefer their culture to ours. Having worked with Muslim communities, I think a devout Muslim would find the hedonistic lifestyle of Premier League players hard to reconcile with his faith. Much as I’m not a big fan of the Saudi interpretation of Islam I know many Muslims would find the alcohol and sexual excesses of European football to be as anathema as we consider their moral code regarding women and same sex relationships.

Without trying to knock your point, if he chooses the Saudi league over us, its because they’ve offered him loads more money. I’d say that has far more to do with it that religious affiliation.

[OCD]

Presumably he has no aspirations of getting into the French team then.

[OCD]

If Diaby does choose to go to them I'm not sure I'm that upset. He looks very good but he's very small and the one niggling concern I have is that he'd be another that was easily bullied in the premier league.

Doku as the alternative is also pretty small but much stockier and able to out-muscle a defender as much as burning them for pace or beating them with a trick.

Apparently, Doku has Jack Wilshere's hamstrings.

Ok, so that one would be a big risk as well then. I guess we'll see but I would like some more physicality up there (both height and strength ideally), in defence and DM we're ok (assuming Donk or Chambers are cover for Bouba) right now but in the attacking areas we're very small/weak, Watkins and JJ can hold their own but that's about it, Duran making the step up would help though because he's a tank.

I would say that Dendoncker is cover, but it sounds like he's available if someone wants to take him.

Iroegbunam is probably the next alternative before Chambers, who might also be available.

[mike]

If Diaby really has signalled he's prepared to think about playing in Saudi, we should back out and move on.

Aye.

Any player who makes a move like that in his prime doesn't rate himself.

Is he a Muslim? If so then he may consider playing in a Muslim country as a good thing and may prefer their culture to ours. Having worked with Muslim communities, I think a devout Muslim would find the hedonistic lifestyle of Premier League players hard to reconcile with his faith. Much as I’m not a big fan of the Saudi interpretation of Islam I know many Muslims would find the alcohol and sexual excesses of European football to be as anathema as we consider their moral code regarding women and same sex relationships.

Without trying to knock your point, if he chooses the Saudi league over us, its because they’ve offered him loads more money. I’d say that has far more to do with it that religious affiliation.

It might well be, but I think it’s easy to underestimate how much a devout Muslim would prefer to live in a Muslim country. But I have no idea whether he’s a Muslim let alone devout.

[john e]

It’s very simple in my view

If Diaby comes to B6 it’s a massive statement of intent and the blokes obviously gona be a world beater

If he goes to Saudi good riddance, he was never good enough for us and we’re glad we dodged that bullet