2024 January transfer window - hopes, needs, expectations and rumours.

[Gareth]

Not a terrible shout at all, that.

I can't think of many worse. Flopped at Chelsea, flopped back at Leipzig, why on earth would we touch him with a barge pole? Reportedly on £270,000 a week as well.

Wasn’t suggesting him as a permanent in any way :-) because I would back Monchi and co to find the right players but Jan is such an odd market those players might not be gettable until summer. 

I would rather have Watkins ->. Duran -> Werner as strike options for 4 months than Watkins -> Duran -> Traore.

[Risso]

It just smacks of being a bit Heskey-ish. I can see the logic of bringing in players who Emery can improve over time when we're thinking about the next 2-3 years, but for the January window I think it would really need to be somebody who can come in and hit the ground running. No more players like Zaniolo who *might* be OK given time. By the end of Jan we'll probably have 15 or 16 games left, you don't want somebody who's going to take 10+ games to get up to speed.

[Dave]

It just smacks of being a bit Heskey-ish. I can see the logic of bringing in players who Emery can improve over time when we're thinking about the next 2-3 years, but for the January window I think it would really need to be somebody who can come in and hit the ground running. No more players like Zaniolo who *might* be OK given time. By the end of Jan we'll probably have 15 or 16 games left, you don't want somebody who's going to take 10+ games to get up to speed.

I think it depends on where we are in the league. If we're four points clear in first towards the end of January, then I think it would be sensible to assume Top 4 was highly likely, and spend accordingly with the expectation of Champions League money the following season to help the revenue bit of the spreadsheet.

If we're fifth, three points away from fourth then we'd need to adjust how we spend.

[OCD]

I think January will be more about Monchi unearthing Moreno-type signings rather than making Diaby-type signings.

[AV84]

I think a lot depends on whether they think Konsa can be the backup RB for the rest of the season. Up until two days ago I fully expected a new RB to be the main, possibly only, business done in January. Now I'm not so sure. I can't see us shelling out massively in January, so it'll be a case of them identifying which position being strengthened would benefit us the most.

If it's not RB then it does feel like an alternative/support for Watkins is where we should be looking.

[paul_e]

I think January will be more about Monchi unearthing Moreno-type signings rather than making Diaby-type signings.

I think we'll see 1 of the latter and 1-2 of the former, I might be wrong but I have a gut feeling that there will be one bigger than we'd expect signing in there.

[LeeB]

I'd have thought we'd get linked with Pino at Villareal, think he was out for a while this season but is young and very highly rated.

[CT Villan]

I've said it many times but Pulisic would be ideal competition for Watkins and could cover the wings/10 too.

[FatSam]

Not a terrible shout at all, that.

Yes, agreed. Emery seems to like a redemption story too.

[Mister E]

I think a lot depends on whether they think Konsa can be the backup RB for the rest of the season. Up until two days ago I fully expected a new RB to be the main, possibly only, business done in January. Now I'm not so sure. I can't see us shelling out massively in January, so it'll be a case of them identifying which position being strengthened would benefit us the most.

If it's not RB then it does feel like an alternative/support for Watkins is where we should be looking.

Konsa really should be picked as a CB, though. If Doku had been fit to play, I'm guessing Konsa could have taken a  caning on Wednesday at RB. I really hope we can find a ready-to-start decent RB to support our season's second half.

[Mister E]

Not a terrible shout at all, that.

Yes, agreed. Emery seems to like a redemption story too.

Werner's an interesting one but - I suspect - so low on confidence that we may just see a continuation of misfirings. It's a 'no' from me.

[SamTheMouse]

Whenever I saw Werner for Chelsea I was always impressed with his general play, if not his finishing.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Depay could play wide and up front. Not getting a look in at Atletico. Might be a case of swapping one bench for another, although first team opportunities for a striker would be limited for anyone coming in as an understudy.

[AV84]

Depay could play wide and up front. Not getting a look in at Atletico. Might be a case of swapping one bench for another, although first team opportunities for a striker would be limited for anyone coming in as an understudy.

That's the "problem" we have to contend with if/when looking for a backup. Ideally we'd want someone with a fair bit of experience whose coming to the end of their career and would be happy to just be involved occasionally, but is still good, obviously. Or, the alternative is a young up and coming player who knows a season or two understudying Watkins is a great opportunity to learn, but ultimately backs themselves to take Watkins' spot in the team.

That's basically Ings and Durán, I know, but maybe a loan option is the solution. Someone who needs to get some game time to engineer a move, a mutually beneficial couple of months here, then they're off somewhere else in the summer. It also would give Durán some more time to learn and develop without heaping pressure on him.

[Flamingo Lane]

Depay could play wide and up front. Not getting a look in at Atletico. Might be a case of swapping one bench for another, although first team opportunities for a striker would be limited for anyone coming in as an understudy.

Saw him the other night v Barcelona. He came on as sub, looking like he needs to shift some weight.