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

[N'ZMAV]

I just don't see it with Barnes at all, he's a decent finisher and is pretty quick but his all round game is perfectly suited to what he is, which is a rotation option at a mid-table team. Given he'll be 29 this year I just don't see any appeal at all and I honestly don't think he'd get mentioned on here if he hadn't scored a few against us.

I tend to agree - he seems to save his best for us

[PaulWinch again]

Barnes strikes me as the type of player who hits a streak of scoring and you go, “I’d forgotten about him”, but the reason is when he’s not scoring he does barely anything.

[Ger Regan]

Yeah wouldn't be sold on Barnes at all. The sort of player you remember being good about 3 seasons ago but not much since. Hoping we've other options on the go, but if unai wants someone, I suppose he may have just built up a small bit of credit in the bank

[Dante Lavelli]

I read Chelsea need to find £150m before the end of June so a strategic offer for one of their massive squad might be wise; and we are one of few clubs that might tempt the players. 

They’ve an abundance of CBs and wingers but identifying which are actually good is not easy.

[Toronto Villa]

The thing we have to also account for over the summer is just because a player doesn’t do it at club x doesn’t mean he cannot do it for us/Emery in our system. What we need this window and January are players who are in the 23-25 range who will ultimately displace our tried and trusted. I don’t mind Barnes, but getting players with a Premier League price premium in our position doesn’t strike me as the best option unless they are coming at a bit of a discount due to the other club needing to sell. We need a mix of that but also adopt the Brighton, Bournemouth model of finding really excellent talent outside of the PL that are magically PL ready.

[jwarry]

I read Chelsea need to find £150m before the end of June so a strategic offer for one of their massive squad might be wise; and we are one of few clubs that might tempt the players. 

They’ve an abundance of CBs and wingers but identifying which are actually good is not easy.

Neto please

[Rudy Can't Fail]

If we have to sacrifice some of our established older players on high wages I'd hate to think the money would be spent on players like Barnes. Tough decisions to be made this summer but Barnes is an easy one. No thanks.

[SamTheMouse]

I would like players I’ve never heard of please.

Exactly. This is why we have scouts. Otherwise, Olabe and co' might just as well use this thread to make their shortlist.

[Dante Lavelli]

The Bs are prepared to throw players into the teams and allow them to develop/drown.  Not sure our fan base is equally accommodating.

The middle ground might be re-thinking how we use of the loan system, think Arsenal with Saliba and possibly Brighton wth Mitoma, where chunky amounts of money are invested but the return is not expected for a season (or two) further down the line.

(Mainly in response to Toronto’s comment above).

[algy]

Not for me. Too injury-prone. Also turned Scotland down so fuck him.

Edit: that's for Barnes, though the first part also applies to Ramsey. Wouldn't be signing either.

Rashford and a bunch of cool young dudes wingers from mad countries, please.

FTFY

Also agree with SE that we should prioritise players that I haven’t got a clue who they are, but they turn out to be shit hot.

[PaulWinch again]

I don’t mind a couple of players I’ve heard of, but they need to be a higher level than Barnes. But we need some younger “finds” as well.

[Dante Lavelli]

I read Chelsea need to find £150m before the end of June so a strategic offer for one of their massive squad might be wise; and we are one of few clubs that might tempt the players. 

They’ve an abundance of CBs and wingers but identifying which are actually good is not easy.

Neto please

Thats the player I immediately thought of too.  He ca play both left and right wing and is lightening quick, so ticks lots of boxes. 
I read he turned 26 in March so still young enough to have sell-on value.  Would be low risk if the money was right - for me that’s about £45m.

[olaftab]

I read Chelsea need to find £150m before the end of June so a strategic offer for one of their massive squad might be wise; and we are one of few clubs that might tempt the players. 

They’ve an abundance of CBs and wingers but identifying which are actually good is not easy.

Neto please

Neto is a lazy disruptive ******.

[Chip Butty 111]

Scienza at Southampton might be worth a punt after the Spygate fiasco.

[olaftab]

I'd be surprised (and extremely disappointed) if we sell Rogers this summer.

He's won a trophy and we are in the Champions League so not sure why he would want to leave? And will be even more flabbergasted if the Club sold him.