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

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I still think a forward comes in and even a winger. A lot will still happen between now and the deadline as players/agents/clubs all get a bit more anxious.

I think seeing Watkins go down injured the other day would certainly help focus the mind if Unai's mind needed focusing (which I very much doubt) on another striker. Yes we have Archer but he will rightly need time to grow into the role.

Somethings got to give too on right back Gonzalo Montiel. He wants out of Seville and River Plate are more than willing to welcome him back which indicates he won't be expensive. Reports in Spain claim his future will be decided this week.

[OCD]

If we can't beat Hibs or Luzern, we've got bigger problems than the transfer window closing.

[eamonn]

If we can't beat Hibs or Luzern, we've got bigger problems than the transfer window closing.

I bet we could both of them at the same time!

[john2710]

I don't think we're done. The players that were available have been bought, the remaining are players or clubs weighing up their options.

We might have options, including selling Archer to fund another forward. But I think January has shown us Emery won't sign anyone unless they are an improvement on or offer a different skill set to those we have.

But if Emery is happy with what we have, I'll trust his greater knowledge.

[algy]

If we are done, I'd still consider it a pretty good but of business that we've done. Wes & Marv have got decent clubs to go to, and with Ash Young going too we've trimmed the squad a bit without really losing that much strength to the squad. The players we've brought in will all improve the first team, never mind the squad.

I mean, I don't think there's been a suggestion that we're done yet from Emery or Monchi, so quite excited to see if there are any other improvements.

I'm less bothered about Olsen than most here, glad he's not our first choice but I think of you look at most teams second choice keeper, they ain't going to be an awful lot better. However, think if we could get in a Tom Heaton type signing who's a bit older and OK with the prospect of 10-15 games a season then we absolutely should go for that.

[AV84]

I think it's still hard to know if Archer can be relied upon at this level. He didn't set preseason on fire but a) he did have international duty, and b) did he play with the same lineup in any of the preseason games he featured in?

By all accounts he did very well on loan last year, presumably playing within basically the same lineup every week. I don't think we can say he's had a chance to build that kind of relationship with the players here, and the only we we'll get an accurate idea of if he can cut it is to give him that game time.

[OCD]

I think the Conference league could be the making of players like Archer. The pitfall of signing another out-and-out striker would be that it would deny Archer the opportunity to grow into a potential option for us. The answer to that is to sign someone who could play across the front line, so a Ferran or Johnson type.

[pauliewalnuts]

We should be buying the sort of player we need the most, not the sort that suits Archer’s development.

[Dave]

We should be buying the sort of player we need the most, not the sort that suits Archer’s development.

I agree, but the it's possible that the sort of player that suits Archer's development is the sort of player we need.

I'm not necessarily arguing that it is, mind.

[N'ZMAV]

another striker needed - if Archer is that good, like people suggest, then he'll get his chance

[Dogtanian]

Does anyone know of a striker who is as good as Watkins, guaranteed to get 15 Premier League goals a season, within our budget, and happy to sit on the bench?

Asking for a friend.

[pauliewalnuts]

Does anyone know of a striker who is as good as Watkins, guaranteed to get 15 Premier League goals a season, within our budget, and happy to sit on the bench?

Asking for a friend.

Taking that argument no team would ever get a decent second striker.

Archer has scored zero Premier League goals. That’s the problem.

[Dave]

Does anyone know of a striker who is as good as Watkins, guaranteed to get 15 Premier League goals a season, within our budget, and happy to sit on the bench?

Asking for a friend.

That's not the description of what anyone is asking for us to sign though is it?

[Beard82]

I think in Duran and Archer we have 2 talented up and coming strikers that need a chance.  Ones realistically that we would be excited if we had bought. 

They might turn out to not be good enough but what else can we realistically do.  Our only other option is to get a less good striker to play second fiddle, which is basically Danny Ings?

Personally, I think our money is better spent improving the rest of the squad rather than hoping for a unicorn. 

[N'ZMAV]

I want better than Watkins