Summer 2025 Transfer Window - hopes, speculation, rumours etc.

[aj2k77]

Which contracts are coming to an end?

All the loan players plus Digne, Mings and Barkley enter their final one.

[PeterWithe]

We need fine tuning, not an overhaul.

I don't think events are going to allow us to fine tune. Certain players are going to want to leave and play champions league football, certain players are coming to the end of their contracts and certain players are too expensive to sign on Conference league finances.

In a perfect world we'd keep nearly everyone and add a couple but I really can't see that happening. I think this was the last hurrah for this group of players and they've come up just short.

I think you might be right, hence the regret at not winning anything this season, we aren't going to be able to keep this group of players whether we want to or not, the saving grace is that UE has got players overperforming and he can do it again with the next lot.

[aj2k77]

Yes, the positive is that Emery took Gerrard/Smiths failing team and got them in to Europe. He can work miracles. It very much feels like the end of this first era to me though. Close but no cigar. 2 semi's to hammerings. He speaks about how far we've come in such a short space of time, it feels like he's thinking in the long term. We will come again but it won't be the Mings, Watkins, McGinn, Martinez bunch that do it I don't think.

[Tony Daleys Shorts]

New right back, centre half and goalkeeper please.

[Holy Trinity]

Pau and Cash have to go, debatable if any of our center mids are good enough behind kamara and tielimans.
Watkins can go too if the moneys right. He's just not as good as his goal output suggests. He's a great player but a team that is hamstrung by PSR cant afford to have a 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 striker we need better.

Who is better than Watkins for our budget etc?

There are plenty of strikers around the world who would offer a similar output who are just waiting for their chance. Mateta cost what 12 million? Took a while to settle but if flying now.
Bowen from West ham
Semih Kılıçsoywas heavily linked in Jan.
We have also been heavily linked with a move for Dušan Vlahović.
If we could break the bank Sesko would be the best out there at the moment I think but we have more chance of platting piss than signing him.
Alternatively sign someone on the way down (giroud style) backed up by Rory Wilson for a season.

This is probably the last window we could get really good money for Ollie I do expect him to go. Just preparing for life after Ollie, he's been a great servant but isn't the type of striker to fire you to a trophy

[PaulWinch again]

Isn’t the type of striker to fire you to a trophy is just nonsense - he’s a striker who regularly scores and sets up goals. That can help you win a trophy, it might not materialise in one because there are few opportunities to win them but that doesn’t mean it’s a problem with him.

[LeeB]

I know it's not really relevant to anything but I'm actually a bit bored of watching Ollie up front for us.

I know his limitations inside out, when Duran or Rashford have played instead there's at at least an element that they could do something spectacular and turn the game, I get nothing like that from Watkins.

[Holy Trinity]

Isn’t the type of striker to fire you to a trophy is just nonsense - he’s a striker who regularly scores and sets up goals. That can help you win a trophy, it might not materialise in one because there are few opportunities to win them but that doesn’t mean it’s a problem with him.

I get everyone loves Ollie including me but he shrinks in a lot of big games and we can't deny it. Also as has been mentioned he hates competition so we aren't allowed to have another striker because he turns to shit under any type of pressure. Hes a patchy player who has a bad habit of missing sitters. He has everything in his game to be scoring 25+ a season in the league but has never broke 20. Is that another mental block?
Plus now he's moaning in the media which is obviously angling for a move.
The fact we didn't win the conference last season still grates on me as we were by far the best team in it but too many players under performed.
We need a big signing in 3 positions this summer and that isn't happening unless players move on. He is a very obviously candidate to cash in on

[PaulWinch again]

I know it's not really relevant to anything but I'm actually a bit bored of watching Ollie up front for us.

I know his limitations inside out, when Duran or Rashford have played instead there's at at least an element that they could do something spectacular and turn the game, I get nothing like that from Watkins.

He is someone who will be appreciated once he’s not here. I find the attitude towards Ollie from some so weird.

[LeeB]

I know it's not really relevant to anything but I'm actually a bit bored of watching Ollie up front for us.

I know his limitations inside out, when Duran or Rashford have played instead there's at at least an element that they could do something spectacular and turn the game, I get nothing like that from Watkins.

He is someone who will be appreciated once he’s not here. I find the attitude towards Ollie from some so weird.

Maybe Paul, or maybe like recent departures you'll almost forget he ever played for us in 6 months.

[Ads]

Nah the criticism Ollie gets is way over the top. He can be i proved upon, but there's other surgery I'd rather see carried out.

[Randy Gurner]

If we bought Ollie now, when we’re competing at the top, rather than the post-championship transformation era then I’d be underwhelmed.

He’ll break the Prem scoring record, be a legend to a lot of younger fans and be remembered fondly. But now definitely feels like time for a change from a football and business point of view.

We got the best out of him at the right time and I think he could say the same.

[AV82EC]

Nah the criticism Ollie gets is way over the top. He can be i proved upon, but there's other surgery I'd rather see carried out.

Yep. Right back being top of my list.

[Sexual Ealing]

Nah the criticism Ollie gets is way over the top. He can be i proved upon, but there's other surgery I'd rather see carried out.

Yep. Right back being top of my list.

Agree on the right-back, but when Leeds or Burnley come in for the current one they won't be paying much more than we bought him for.

[brontebilly]

Pau and Cash have to go, debatable if any of our center mids are good enough behind kamara and tielimans.
Watkins can go too if the moneys right. He's just not as good as his goal output suggests. He's a great player but a team that is hamstrung by PSR cant afford to have a 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 striker we need better.

Who is better than Watkins for our budget etc?

There are plenty of strikers around the world who would offer a similar output who are just waiting for their chance. Mateta cost what 12 million? Took a while to settle but if flying now.
Bowen from West ham
Semih Kılıçsoywas heavily linked in Jan.
We have also been heavily linked with a move for Dušan Vlahović.
If we could break the bank Sesko would be the best out there at the moment I think but we have more chance of platting piss than signing him.
Alternatively sign someone on the way down
(giroud style) backed up by Rory Wilson for a
season.

This is probably the last window we could get really good money for Ollie I do expect him to go. Just preparing for life after Ollie, he's been a great servant but isn't the type of striker to fire you to a trophy

He fired us to CL football only last season! He's a consistent high performer and as fit as ever. No chance somebody like Vlahovic would join us either without CL football.

There's a time to move high performers on before their decline is evident. So if a big offer does come in it would be considered. But we moved on his likely replacement in January and I'm not sure what 23 yr old Watkins are out there in our budget.