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

[London Villan]

Has Stones signed for anyone yet. Still think he could do a job.

[Sexual Ealing]

It'd certainly ease our injury worries.

[Villan For Life]

I imagine that John Stones is a shoo-in for the David Moyes retirement home

[Ozzjim]

Until last night we needed 2 wingers, a centre mid and a utility full back while keeping the squad together. I think we need to do a clever deal to loan in another midfielder now. Kamara, Barkley can't be relied on to stay fit, which leaves Youri and Victor. Not ideal going into a champions League campaign.

[Somniloquism]

Nah, we need to look younger for backups to become first choice. If we got Stones we currently have a CB squad of 33, 32, 31, 29 and 28. Mings should be off to remove 33 but Stones is probably going to not want to cut much from his £250k a week and is also injured alot.

[Ozzjim]

Nah, we need to look younger for backups to become first choice. If we got Stones we currently have a CB squad of 33, 32, 31, 29 and 28. Mings should be off to remove 33 but Stones is probably going to not want to cut much from his £250k a week and is also injured alot.

Stones is a good player but he'd never be fit.

[Somniloquism]

The last three times I have seen Stones, he has been dumped on his arse twice in the lead up to goals and almost scored a shit last minute own goal / made an inch-perfect clearance.

[paul_e]

Nah, we need to look younger for backups to become first choice. If we got Stones we currently have a CB squad of 33, 32, 31, 29 and 28. Mings should be off to remove 33 but Stones is probably going to not want to cut much from his £250k a week and is also injured alot.

and this was all prompted by talk about how good the 20year old CB we've just signed is. Maybe give him a chance rather than looking at another old man.

[chrisw1]

Unfortunately, I think the Onana injury will have a knock-on effect on the Rogers decision and probably the fee too.  Clubs know we now really don't have a choice - we really need to free up the financial headroom to reshuffle the squad.

I also suspect any Bogarde sale will be put on ice whilst we work things through.

[olaftab]

No. I don't think Onana being out will have any seismic impact on our strategy or how other clubs think about our situation. He's never been a regular and we have managed prolonged periods of his absence every season , sometimes twice or thrice a season.

[Beard82]

So do we basically have e to sale to buy - even with these new rules?

[Lsvilla]

So do we basically have e to sale to buy - even with these new rules?

I may be wrong but that’s how I understand it. And we can’t just sell anyone but to count towards uefa’s management of our position must be sold from within last season’s EL squad - so not including Guessand. Obviously Sancho and Luiz are gone so wages space freed up but they can’t be replaced by anyone we pay a fee for. Seems entirely fair and above board.
Please let me know if I’ve got that right or otherwise please put me on the right path.

[chrisw1]

No. I don't think Onana being out will have any seismic impact on our strategy or how other clubs think about our situation. He's never been a regular and we have managed prolonged periods of his absence every season , sometimes twice or thrice a season.

I disagree.  In theory, we could have 'gone again' with the same squad (with just a few minor tweaks around the edges) for another season.  There's no chance of that now, particularly as we don't know how well Kamara will recover or if he can stay fit.  However injury-prone Onana is, he still plays a significant number of minutes and shares the workload over the season.  He can't do that now in a CL season. I'd be shocked if we don't make a significant CM signing, and that will mean selling Rogers.

[andyh]

No. I don't think Onana being out will have any seismic impact on our strategy or how other clubs think about our situation. He's never been a regular and we have managed prolonged periods of his absence every season , sometimes twice or thrice a season.

I disagree.  In theory, we could have 'gone again' with the same squad (with just a few minor tweaks around the edges) for another season.  There's no chance of that now, particularly as we don't know how well Kamara will recover or if he can stay fit.  However injury-prone Onana is, he still plays a significant number of minutes and shares the workload over the season.  He can't do that now in a CL season. I'd be shocked if we don't make a significant CM signing, and that will mean selling Rogers.

I have to agree that this makes some sense.
This once again highlights the bollocks rules and constraints we are under.
We lose a player, not even while playing for us, and may need to sell a prized asset to replace him and subsequently balance the books, whereas any of the protected 6, including those up to their eyes in debt, would just go out and spend £100m on a replacement without blinking.

[PaulWinch again]

The balance the books thing doesn’t really seem so much of an issue given what the chaps have said on the Onana thread about his amortised fee. His injury is so unfortunate, but it creates a gap. We might need to review what we do, but don’t think it materially impacts the need to sell.