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

[Smithy]

Tariq Lamptey has had his contract cancelled by Fiorentina and is a free agent. Doesn’t seem to have recovered fitness after an ACL.

That's shocking.  He did his cruciate in his first game after signing for them, didn't he? The fact they're cancelling his contract must mean the injury is so bad they don't think they'll get any sort of return from him?  Given the advances in modern medicine, I've always assumed that any ACL these days is just a matter "when" they return, rather than "if". 

It would be a shame for the lad if that's his career done, but he wouldn't be the first.

[Ads]

I think we need:

Number 10 and a wide forward with pace who can come into the starting XI.

I'd be wanting two midfielders as well, likely younger but with a profile of sorts that let's us keep the style we have with McGinn and Onana/Kamara out the side. A left side centre half too.

Quite a few I'd trim, but if we could get 5 in: 2 first team, 3 for the squad, I think we'd have another excellent season.

[Drummond]

I'd have Summerville and Wan Bissaka from West Ham if they go.

[Tuscans]

 NEW: Aston Villa are keeping a very close eye on Betis winger Abde Ezzalzouli (24).
@manu_colchon
@deportesDDS

[LeeS]

I'd have Summerville and Wan Bissaka from West Ham if they go.

Not sure on Summerville. Had one purple patch in his career and that ended months ago. I guess players have had big moves for less.

[KevinGage]

Would prob opt for him over Harry Wilson.

But would pref an upgrade on both TBH.

Summerville would at least give us the pace we so badly lack in the final third.

[Somniloquism]

FootyInsider is selling Tielemans for us.

On other clubs, Teamtalk are saying Forest's Pereira might be replaced by Silva from Fulham

[algy]

I don't think the summer overhaul needed is quite as major as is being made out.  At the end of the day, the squad we have now has qualified for Europe 4 seasons out of 4 under Emery. Champions League at least once, hopefully twice, a Conference League semi-final, and Europa League final (hopefully winners).  We're a good side.

Plus, it's perfectly normal for players to be still playing at a top level through to their mid 30s (34-36), so players like Matty Cash or Ezri Konsa - both 28 years old - will have a few more seasons in them before we have to seriously consider replacing them.  Most of the players hitting that mid 30s range are squad players, so replacing them with younger models (which I assume is what Olabe has been brought in to do) is the right thing to do as far as I'm concerned.  Get in younger players who will be happy as Champions League squad players with the longer term aim of transitioning them in to first team regulars, whilst the current (older) first team players drop to more of a 'squad player' status.

[paul_e]

I don't think the summer overhaul needed is quite as major as is being made out.  At the end of the day, the squad we have now has qualified for Europe 4 seasons out of 4 under Emery. Champions League at least once, hopefully twice, a Conference League semi-final, and Europa League final (hopefully winners).  We're a good side.

Plus, it's perfectly normal for players to be still playing at a top level through to their mid 30s (34-36), so players like Matty Cash or Ezri Konsa - both 28 years old - will have a few more seasons in them before we have to seriously consider replacing them.  Most of the players hitting that mid 30s range are squad players, so replacing them with younger models (which I assume is what Olabe has been brought in to do) is the right thing to do as far as I'm concerned.  Get in younger players who will be happy as Champions League squad players with the longer term aim of transitioning them in to first team regulars, whilst the current (older) first team players drop to more of a 'squad player' status.

I mostly agree, we do need to get the average age down a little as we're one of the oldest squads in the league but that's mostly by having more early 20s rotation players than necessarily needing to replace key starters. What I would like us to avoid though is signing anyone else in the 28+ age range, which just adds more numbers to what is a big chunk of the squad who are at risk of dropping from their peak over the next couple of years.

[Dante Lavelli]

As I see it, the main downside of our aging squad is we have fewer players that can be sold for a decent profit.  Clubs seem happy to pay for potential up to the age of about 25 and values diminish after say 29.

We don't have many assets in that sweet spot that can be sold and therefore we may be forced to sell a good 'un to balance the books.

[Somniloquism]

I would state that Mings and Salah are perfect examples of a the player drop-off that can happen though when playing at the high-end of the table/Europe. So although players can play into their mid-30s, it doesn't happen as often at the top end unless they can be carried slightly by other members of the team, in a similar way that they carry the teens in some matches.

[Smithy]

I don't think the summer overhaul needed is quite as major as is being made out.  At the end of the day, the squad we have now has qualified for Europe 4 seasons out of 4 under Emery. Champions League at least once, hopefully twice, a Conference League semi-final, and Europa League final (hopefully winners).  We're a good side.

Plus, it's perfectly normal for players to be still playing at a top level through to their mid 30s (34-36), so players like Matty Cash or Ezri Konsa - both 28 years old - will have a few more seasons in them before we have to seriously consider replacing them.  Most of the players hitting that mid 30s range are squad players, so replacing them with younger models (which I assume is what Olabe has been brought in to do) is the right thing to do as far as I'm concerned.  Get in younger players who will be happy as Champions League squad players with the longer term aim of transitioning them in to first team regulars, whilst the current (older) first team players drop to more of a 'squad player' status.

I think you're perhaps underestimating the challenge ahead.  Our squad is old, because many of those we bought in their early twenties have developed and met the challenges as we've improved as a club.  This is a GOOD thing.  But it also means we have the core of the team all getting old at the same time.

By this time next season, all of these players will be in their 30s (some WELL into them):

Big Emi
Mings
Digne
Barkley
Lindelof
McGinn
Watkins
Tielemens
Buendia
Pau

Then you'll have Konsa and Cash at 29, and even young Bouba will be 27.

That is a VERY high age profile, and a lot of players to move on in potentially one or two windows.  To replace the above players properly, we need to be signing 2 or 3 younger players capable of being first-team ready players in each of the next three close seasons.  That way, in three years time, none of those players in the 30s group is unlikely to be close to our first-11.

You are right, however, in that they could ALL potentially play to the same level next season, but then we're just another season closer to the cliff-edge where they could all drop off together and leave us with a massive squad overhaul and potential transitional period where we're not as competitive.

Having them all age out together is a sign we recruited really well in the past, but it's something we absolutely HAVE to start addressing this summer.

[Drummond]

Of that list, I can see 4 going this summer, replaced by younger, hungrier players, and that would help hugely.

[Mister E]

... we need to be signing 2 or 3 younger players capable of being first-team ready players in each of the next three close seasons ... 

We certainly need to be adding youngsters to the matchday squad, and giving them gametime, whether they're acquired from elsewhere or promoted from the Academy. A key reason is the age-profile of the current squad but the other benefit is that the team would benefit from have some younger legs on the pitch, reducing the amount of time the team is 'resting' as a whole during the game. We need more energy and intensity on the pitch, and youth brings that.