Summer 2024 Transfer Window - hopes, speculation, rumours etc.

[Percy McCarthy]

Ross Barkley?

Fuck no. Not now, not ever. Wondering if it's a piss take to be honest.

Nah, a very shrewd signing if it’s confirmed.

I agree.

We have to remember - we are properly fucked by PSR, we've registered 3 years worth of max losses (more or less) in one year.

Anyone thinking we'll go out and drop 60m on a player and sell nobody in the summer is going to have a nasty surprise -  we *can not*, even if we have the money.

We have to look at free signings. That doesn't mean dross (Kamara, obvs).

It means maybe Barkley, who has just had the best season of his career and Emery would improve hugely, it means that Hermoso, who I believe was free or almost so. These are the sort of signings we'll be making.

Those plus our returning injured player, plus a half decent DM and a better back up keeper, and we're sorted.

While we probably need someone from the club to explain it to us in fine detail, it’s worth remembering that a £100m loss dropped out of the three-year cycle, replaced by that maximum loss you referred to, which with Covid allowances and infrastructure investment, was comfortably under the limit. The other two years on our three year cycle are a £38m loss and a year of braking even (Joe money), which doesn’t drop off until next year. Added to that, we had 1.13 million spectators this season, paying more than ever, compared to less than 800,000 the year before, loads more televised games, prize money for finishing fourth instead of seventh, UECL prize money/TV money, and forty/fifty million of player sales which were pretty inconsequential to the strength of the squad.

Next season we are guaranteed vastly improved commercial income, plus about £50m in CL money.

It’s not all doom and gloom, financially speaking.

Further to this, according to Swiss Ramble, these are the figures after deductible losses (infrastructure, Academy and women’s football) are taken into account.

Last year: £93m loss
Year before: £22m profit
Year before that: £24m loss.

So £95m lost in the three year cycle.

Conclusion: We know what we’re doing.

[jwarry]

Here’s the thing, we bring in Monchi one of the worlds best recruitment experts who so far has one  winter transfer window when we all know it’s a lottery, and of course Unai has only brought in two players since he came in as far as I can remember - so I’m expecting a major squad overhaul as it’s the first.  Ok I get that FFP gives us little room for manoeuvre but if we don’t overhaul what is the point of Monchi?

[JJ-AV]

If those figures from TSR are accurate it's a decent picture.

I'm not convinced we need that much.

Mings and Buendia back. The Serbian lad in at right back.

If we can shift (and a big ask) Sinisalo, Carlos, Chambers, KKH, Dendonker, Coutinho.

Say we ended up with Hermoso/Barkley on frees - we'd have about £30 m to spend on a forward/DM. Would need to exploit the loan market again but not impossible.

[Dogtanian]

Here’s the thing, we bring in Monchi one of the worlds best recruitment experts who so far has one  winter transfer window when we all know it’s a lottery, and of course Unai has only brought in two players since he came in as far as I can remember - so I’m expecting a major squad overhaul as it’s the first.  Ok I get that FFP gives us little room for manoeuvre but if we don’t overhaul what is the point of Monchi?

Why would we want a major overhaul though?

We have a first eleven that has beaten the best two teams in the league on three out of four occasions, a squad that’s just got us into the Champions League and a european semifinal, and severe restrictions on FFP.

There’s no way they’re overhauling, they just want to get rid of some of the fringe players and add a bit more quality.

[Ian.]

Maybe Monchi brings more than just highlighting players? Emery wanted him, someone he trusts?

Also as above, why would we have an overhaul? Just some fine tuning.

[Villafirst]

An upgrade in quality is essential to have any chance of competing in the Champions League. The gulf in class between the CL and the Europa Conference League is huge. Newcastle experienced that class divide in their Champions League experience last season. Even with their wealth this is a prime example of FFP/ PSR hampering any team trying to break the 'big six' mould. Crazy hhat these current rules actually protect the 'big six'

[Percy McCarthy]

Here’s the thing, we bring in Monchi one of the worlds best recruitment experts who so far has one  winter transfer window when we all know it’s a lottery, and of course Unai has only brought in two players since he came in as far as I can remember - so I’m expecting a major squad overhaul as it’s the first.  Ok I get that FFP gives us little room for manoeuvre but if we don’t overhaul what is the point of Monchi?

Since Monchi came in, or since Unai came in?

[Mister E]

Crazy that these current rules actually protect the 'big six' ...

... Crazy ... but not surprising.

[Smithy]

IF we get Barkley, and it turns out he’s the Barkley of 23/24 rather than the 2020 version, would there be a better midfield of Bosmans in world football than Barkley, Tielemens and Kamara?

[AV84]

Here’s the thing, we bring in Monchi one of the worlds best recruitment experts who so far has one  winter transfer window when we all know it’s a lottery, and of course Unai has only brought in two players since he came in as far as I can remember - so I’m expecting a major squad overhaul as it’s the first.  Ok I get that FFP gives us little room for manoeuvre but if we don’t overhaul what is the point of Monchi?

What do you mean by the bolded bit?

We've brought in Moreno, Torres, Diaby, Tielemans, Gauci, Rogers, and then Zaniolo and Lenglet on loan. Technically Durán and the Serbian lad too.

Do you mean only 2 players before Monchi arrived?

[Goldenballs]

IF we get Barkley, and it turns out he’s the Barkley of 23/24 rather than the 2020 version, would there be a better midfield of Bosmans in world football than Barkley, Tielemens and Kamara?

Then McGinn for a couple, and Luiz for £15m. Not a bad little selection for under £20m (Ignoring signing fees, agents fees etc)

[ozzjim]

2 free transfers, 2 loans, 2 shrewd buys coming to the end of their contracts is my prediction. Net spend under £20M, but a much stronger squad. I would dearly love a real creator to take the burden off Bailey, an Eze or Olise, but think we'll be hands tied until next summer on that.

[Dogtanian]

2 free transfers, 2 loans, 2 shrewd buys coming to the end of their contracts is my prediction. Net spend under £20M, but a much stronger squad. I would dearly love a real creator to take the burden off Bailey, an Eze or Olise, but think we'll be hands tied until next summer on that.

Yeah, I can see a temptation to keep it low key this summer and have a bit of a reset on the FFP front and let the revenue increases kick in.

[ChicagoLion]

Here’s the thing, we bring in Monchi one of the worlds best recruitment experts who so far has one  winter transfer window when we all know it’s a lottery, and of course Unai has only brought in two players since he came in as far as I can remember - so I’m expecting a major squad overhaul as it’s the first.  Ok I get that FFP gives us little room for manoeuvre but if we don’t overhaul what is the point of Monchi?

evolution not revolution.

[ASHTONVILLA]

2 free transfers, 2 loans, 2 shrewd buys coming to the end of their contracts is my prediction. Net spend under £20M, but a much stronger squad. I would dearly love a real creator to take the burden off Bailey, an Eze or Olise, but think we'll be hands tied until next summer on that.

That's broadly how I see it too, and that will the case even if we sell a big player. I can't see us punting £50 plus this window, and don't think we need to. High price is no indication of success anyway. Look at Man Utd - that team cost a fortune. Closer to home, Diaby cost £50m and Rogers only £10m? I was super excited about Diaby (still think he will become a very important player for us next season) and actively bemuzed when we signed Rogers but he has been excellent.

The club has been very good in recent years at picking up good free transfers. Kamara, and Tielemans have been great signings for instance. Monchi and Emery showed at Seville that you can sell the odd big player and stay competitive in European competitions. We are in good hands for once.