Winter 25-26 Transfer Window - hopes, speculation, rumours etc.

[cdbearsfan]

Hmmm… no Kamara replacement. The one position we really need.

Bogarde is the Kamara replacement. Luiz is the Tielemans replacement.

[AV82EC]

Hmmm… no Kamara replacement. The one position we really need.

Bogarde is the Kamara replacement. Luiz is the Tielemans replacement.

Correct.

[tomd2103]

Just read he cost £40 million and had £325 a week over 5 years  , eyewatering

This is the thing that pisses me off with FFP. If we did this deal we woold financially  fucked for years. Yet chelsea can do it and its like nothing ever happened

And they haven't even got a sponsor on their shirt. 

[PeterWithesShin]

[jwarry]

Surprised we haven’t brought Jack back 😁

[OCD]

It will be interesting to see if we do in the summer. All set for a redemption story.

[ChicagoLion]

It will be interesting to see if we do in the summer. All set for a redemption story.

Not a chance.

[N'ZMAV]

Hmmm… no Kamara replacement. The one position we really need.

Bogarde is the Kamara replacement. Luiz is the Tielemans replacement.

Correct.

and Barkley is the Onana replacement, and Onana is the Barkley replacement.

I think another midfielder would be a good idea - I think with Onana and Barkley being injury prone, and Thursday-Sunday games most weeks, it might make sense to get Loftus-Cheek in on loan.

[Smithy]

Hmmm… no Kamara replacement. The one position we really need.

Bogarde is the Kamara replacement. Luiz is the Tielemans replacement.

Correct.

and Barkley is the Onana replacement, and Onana is the Barkley replacement.

I think another midfielder would be a good idea - I think with Onana and Barkley being injury prone, and Thursday-Sunday games most weeks, it might make sense to get Loftus-Cheek in on loan.

What we really need, is an 8-week run of fitness from Onana. Luiz and Barkley - before McGinn/Youri start to reappear.  That's not THAT long, given we'll likely only see 2 of the 3 in any given starting 11. 

We can also rest them from time to time with the likes of Bogarde/Hemmings available (plus Lindelof could play DM at a push). So I think another midfielder in this window would likely be overkill, and probably mean not seeing that extra midfielder again from March onwards (if injuries/recoveries go to plan) - so who would actually sign for us in those circumstances, while also being good enough to play in our first team?

If Youri/McGinn recover as expected, for our last 8-10 games, we're looking at playing any 2 from:

Onana
Youri
Luiz
Barkley
Bogarde
Hemmings

Plus the option of playing a couple of them in the McGinn/Buendia role which tucks into midfield most of the time.  That's quite a lot to choose from, with at least 2 proper first-team players for each position.

[aj2k77]

Luiz needs to hit the ground running because if we're honest with ourselves a midfield of Bogarde, Onana and Barkley is crap.

[Dave]

Luiz needs to hit the ground running because if we're honest with ourselves a midfield of Bogarde, Onana and Barkley is crap.

It's not "crap", it's understrength. Because of all the injuries.

And because it would have been understrength, it's not "Bogarde, Onana and Barkley", it's "Bogarde, Onana, Barkley and Douglas Luiz".

[john e]

Luiz needs to hit the ground running because if we're honest with ourselves a midfield of Bogarde, Onana and Barkley is crap.

It’s not crap but it’s not a top 3 quality midfield which is where we are at the moment

[ChicagoLion]

Getting Luiz match fit is obviously critical, not sure how long that will take.

[aj2k77]

It's not a top 6/7 midfield either with glaring limitations. Luiz has been anonymous for 2 years. It's a big ask to see him resurrected but I don't doubt that if there is still a player there then Emery will coax it out.

A huge question mark hangs over him though, what Luiz are we getting?

[Rigadon]

I’d say Onana is by far the most critical we keep fit now.  Keep him
Going for the duration and we can win enough games to keep us going.