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

[brontebilly]

Might be easier to just get JJ back. Hard to find another McGinn, I thought that could have been Elliot with another stone of muscle but Emery gave up on him after a few training sessions.

[eamonn]

Ramsey, dodgy red-card aside the other night, is getting starts now for Newcastle and improving. Don't think they'd be in a hurry to sell. If we make CL and they don't...maybe?

But we've probably got back with enough former lovers as it is, just recently. And I loved JJ very much.

[SamTheMouse]

Ramsey's too injury-prone. We need to target players who don't have knees and ankles made of wet cardboard.

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

We should probably just give up and not bother then.

If we are sticking with the narrow midfield four, then yes. Never replaced Ramsey and still no proper cover or competition for McGinn.

Bailey, Diaby, Philogene, Sancho, Elliot, Guessand, Buendia, Malen, Rashford, Zaniolo - think they all got a go playing in midfield for Emery and impact been mixed.

Different type of player required.

I hate the idea of having no tricky wingers, as they're basically the most fun.

But I think you're right. Emery's tactics seem to work best with, essentially, four central midfielders, two of whom are versatile enough to function as old-fashioned inside forwards when the situation demands.

Yeah, we all want wingers and some actual fucking pace, but it doesn't feel like Emery's style. Hopefully that can change.

Did he have many pacey wingers in Spain?

[Dave]

Did he have many pacey wingers in Spain?

He gave Danjuma the one brilliant season of his career at Villarreal. But I think he turned him more from a winger into a Rogers-style auxiliary forward in doing so.

[Percy McCarthy]

Did he have many pacey wingers in Spain?

He gave Danjuma the one brilliant season of his career at Villarreal. But I think he turned him more from a winger into a Rogers-style auxiliary forward in doing so.

And Jackson. He played on the wing for Emery and was converted (with immediate success) to a striker after Unai left to join us.

[Dante Lavelli]

West Ham supporting mate said Bowen has made it known that if they go down he is off, I know it may be more than we could manage but he is just what we need, he's a leader too.

He'll be on his last big contract, with little resale value (he'll be 30 in December).  I'd love him at the club, and think he'd be decent for at least a couple of seasons, but I don't see it happening, unfortunately.  He could become a 'maybe' if we get Champions League football, I suppose.  But he would cost a fair bit (unless he has a generous relegation release clause), and his wages would be high (he's already on £150k a week).

He feels like a Spurs-style signing - in the same vein as their James Maddison signing - if he were to move.  I think we're more in the market for a Jarrod Bowen of 2020 signings.  Mid-twenties, £20-30m. We tried it with Guessand, it didn't work, but I think these are the sort of gambles we have to take these days.

Summerville is more likely.  I cannot see us - or want us - to commit that sort of cash on a bloke of that age.

[Dante Lavelli]

We should probably just give up and not bother then.

If we are sticking with the narrow midfield four, then yes. Never replaced Ramsey and still no proper cover or competition for McGinn.

Bailey, Diaby, Philogene, Sancho, Elliot, Guessand, Buendia, Malen, Rashford, Zaniolo - think they all got a go playing in midfield for Emery and impact been mixed.

Different type of player required.

I hate the idea of having no tricky wingers, as they're basically the most fun.

But I think you're right. Emery's tactics seem to work best with, essentially, four central midfielders, two of whom are versatile enough to function as old-fashioned inside forwards when the situation demands.

I think you're mostly right but the team needs one bloke that can put the afterburners on and skin the full back, otherwise we become too predictable.  It's a tough gig, given Emery's tactics, but variety is needed. 

[Ian.]

Wingers are a funny bread. Quite often they are world beaters for a while then become inconsistent. Also from the outside looking in, they look great, then you speak to fans of that club and they have a negative opinion that player.

[Tony Daleys Shorts]

Even Salah doesn’t seem immune to it, consistently very good for years but completely crap this season.

[LeeS]

Even Salah doesn’t seem immune to it, consistently very good for years but completely crap this season.

I’d say he is the literally the opposite of an inconsistent winger. He has been the best player in the league for years. He’s just past his best now. That happens

[Dave]

Even Salah doesn’t seem immune to it, consistently very good for years but completely crap this season.

I’d say he is the literally the opposite of an inconsistent winger. He has been the best player in the league for years. He’s just past his best now. That happens

And has the comfort of a massive new contract to see him into his later years.

I'd take it easy too if I were him.

[PaulWinch again]

He has massively missed what Alexander-Arnold did.

[eamonn]

I don't think he's taking it easy, he's just not as good as he was.

[exigo]

Wingers are a funny bread. Quite often they are world beaters for a while then become inconsistent. Also from the outside looking in, they look great, then you speak to fans of that club and they have a negative opinion that player.

Gonna take a lot of dough to find a good one this summer.