Summer 26 Transfer Window - hopes, speculation, rumours etc.

[ROBBO]

Against Burnley only Rogers was under twenty eight years old, that's alarming.

[Mister E]

I think if we keep:

Martinez
Bizot ...

... Bogarde

And replace:

Sancho
Elliott
Bailey
Guessand
Malen
Barkley
Mings
…with better players who can be relied on to make more of a contribution in those positions, plus a right-back and a centre-half, we’ll be in pretty good shape.

Garcia is presumably an exit-player, too. And I wonder whether Martinez will stay.
Sounds like potentially 7-8 new players; a tall order with our finances. The key is to find younger, better versions; also, how to blend into matchday squads the products of our Academy, getting gametime under the belts of 4 or 5 of the best.
We need to decide what role Bogarde should play: plugging him in as a 'universal infill' is not helping the team or him.

[LeeB]

Against Burnley only Rogers was under twenty eight years old, that's alarming.

Maatsen?

[paul_e]

I think if we keep:

Martinez
Bizot ...

... Bogarde

And replace:

Sancho
Elliott
Bailey
Guessand
Malen
Barkley
Mings
…with better players who can be relied on to make more of a contribution in those positions, plus a right-back and a centre-half, we’ll be in pretty good shape.

Garcia is presumably an exit-player, too. And I wonder whether Martinez will stay.
Sounds like potentially 7-8 new players; a tall order with our finances. The key is to find younger, better versions; also, how to blend into matchday squads the products of our Academy, getting gametime under the belts of 4 or 5 of the best.
We need to decide what role Bogarde should play: plugging him in as a 'universal infill' is not helping the team or him.

I'd agree with that. I think Barkley will stay so long as he is happy with the role he's got in the squad. He's similar to Lindelof in that he's an experienced option who can step in a play a few games to a decent standard but is never going to be a regular starter.

Bogarde has, in my opinion, been a victim of Garcia struggling to get fit. Without that I think he'd have been fully set as cover at DM but he's had to fill in a right back too often because he's the only option we've had for long periods.

I think Alysson and Tammy are already filling the Sancho and Malen gaps and Bailey/Guessand are 2 players for the same spot 1 replacement for them and 1 for Elliott is all the attacking recruitment I'd expect (unless we add another youngster or 2) then a CB and RB are the other big gaps and suddenly things don't look quite so difficult. Another CM is an outside chance as well but we might keep that gap free for Hemmings who Unai seems to really rate.

I'd hope Broggio and Burrowes get rewarded for how well they've done over the summer to give them a shot at being around the squad next year as well.

[Smithy]

Over the next three years, we will need to replace most of our entire best 11.  Bouba, Rogers and Maatsen will all still be in their 20s (Bouba only just).   So that means we probably need 7 or 8 first-choice replacements in that time (plus squad players - I'm talking first-choices in our best team here).  I think it's unrealistic that we do that in one go, or even two, so we probably need to be looking at 2 or 3 players this summer who are ready to become first choices in our 11.  And then we need to do that in each of the next two seasons, too.

It's going to be a difficult transition from the Smith/Gerrard-era players who have served us brilliantly, to a new side moulded entirely by Unai - but this is what the great managers do, time and again.  They can build multiple teams, each capable of challenging towards the top.

And it HAS to start this summer. 

[Mister E]

... I think Alysson and Tammy are already filling the Sancho and Malen gaps and Bailey/Guessand are 2 players for the same spot 1 replacement for them and 1 for Elliott is all the attacking recruitment I'd expect (unless we add another youngster or 2) then a CB and RB are the other big gaps and suddenly things don't look quite so difficult. Another CM is an outside chance as well but we might keep that gap free for Hemmings who Unai seems to really rate.
I'd hope Broggio and Burrowes get rewarded for how well they've done over the summer to give them a shot at being around the squad next year as well.

And, there's Brian, of course, whom we've committed a fair old transfer fee on. And Tristan Rowe has been getting paludits in the French league ....

[ADVILLAFAN]

Not sure who would sign Martinez now. Probably only Chelsea really need him in Prem and they're likely to be struggling financially.

[paul_e]

... I think Alysson and Tammy are already filling the Sancho and Malen gaps and Bailey/Guessand are 2 players for the same spot 1 replacement for them and 1 for Elliott is all the attacking recruitment I'd expect (unless we add another youngster or 2) then a CB and RB are the other big gaps and suddenly things don't look quite so difficult. Another CM is an outside chance as well but we might keep that gap free for Hemmings who Unai seems to really rate.
I'd hope Broggio and Burrowes get rewarded for how well they've done over the summer to give them a shot at being around the squad next year as well.

And, there's Brian, of course, whom we've committed a fair old transfer fee on. And Tristan Rowe has been getting paludits in the French league ....

Oh there are loads of them that will be involved over pre-season because the first few friendlies are going to be without a lot of players. Brian will seemingly have to wain until next January but hopefully he's just putting his head down in training and getting to know the club.

I also like the look of Kone in midfield (and of course we've already got Cisse on his way who may be the Mings replacement). Meade will need a look as well after how he's played in the last few months.

And more obviously Young and JJA will be back from their loans (which haven't gone well) and how they react will be telling as well. I personally believe that JJA and Young would've offered more than Elliott and Bailey since January and hopefully they both come back determined to prove that.

[paul_e]

Oh, and Redmond should be fit and hopefully will be wanting to really push on after losing a year to injury so soon after arriving.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Had forgotten about Redmond.

[KevinGage]

Over the next three years, we will need to replace most of our entire best 11.  Bouba, Rogers and Maatsen will all still be in their 20s (Bouba only just).   So that means we probably need 7 or 8 first-choice replacements in that time (plus squad players - I'm talking first-choices in our best team here).  I think it's unrealistic that we do that in one go, or even two, so we probably need to be looking at 2 or 3 players this summer who are ready to become first choices in our 11.  And then we need to do that in each of the next two seasons, too.

It's going to be a difficult transition from the Smith/Gerrard-era players who have served us brilliantly, to a new side moulded entirely by Unai - but this is what the great managers do, time and again.  They can build multiple teams, each capable of challenging towards the top.

And it HAS to start this summer. 

Agreed Smithy

[ROBBO]

Against Burnley only Rogers was under twenty eight years old, that's alarming.

Maatsen?

Give you that one but he played like he was so much older.

[eamonn]

What's the latest with Rory Wilson?

[Drummond]

We'll need to evolve, and adding a couple each year is key. Olabe seems to prefer younger players, which helps.

                                           Trafford/Bizot
Cash/Garcia/New Guy   Konsa/ Lindelof  Torres/Senesi    Maatsen/New Guy
                            Kamara/Bogarde   Onana/Tielemans
McGinn/Wilson                  Rogers/Buendia                Alysson/New Guy
                                  Watkins/Abraham

Gone
Martinez
Mings
Digne
Bailey
Sancho
Malen
Luiz

You could see that sort of change this summer.

[OCD]

We'll need to evolve, and adding a couple each year is key. Olabe seems to prefer younger players, which helps.

                                           Trafford/Bizot
Cash/Garcia/New Guy   Konsa/ Lindelof  Torres/Senesi    Maatsen/New Guy
                            Kamara/Bogarde   Onana/Tielemans
McGinn/Wilson                  Rogers/Buendia                Alysson/New Guy
                                  Watkins/Abraham

Gone
Martinez
Mings
Digne
Bailey
Sancho
Malen
Luiz

You could see that sort of change this summer.

Minguez for the right back.

Talk is that Senesi's going to Spurs provided they stay up.