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

[Matt C]

If we are in the transfer paralysis we’re led to believe, what if we had signed Gallagher in January or played Elliott more than three times, I wonder? For either player that 30m or so would be due now. Was it a problem they just kicked down the road or was there some other plan?

[PeterWithesShin]

As has been said it's way easier to bed in and improve the team when you're 11-17th than it is when you're in the CL and after trophies. Taking a while so your club finishes 12th instead of 10th isn't a disaster, taking a while and your club finishes 6th instead of 4th potentially is.

[Dante Lavelli]

As Percy pointed out, our calculated gambles have (mostly) paid offf - Watkins, Doug, mings etc - so we should be using them as insurance whilst we “do a Bournemouth”, using the extra European games as the incentive to join.  Using PaulWinch’s list, we are arguably underspending in this area by comparison to Bournemouth. 

Rayan £22m - Alysson £10m
Huijsen £21m - Cisse/Turkish fella ~£7m
Kroupi £10m - Madjo?  Too early to say.
Scott £21m - Could’ve got Hackney for £17m
Kerkez £18m - Garcia for £6m?
Truffert £12m - Ned for £8m

[Mister E]

As Percy pointed out, our calculated gambles have (mostly) paid offf - Watkins, Doug, mings etc - so we should be using them as insurance whilst we “do a Bournemouth”, using the extra European games as the incentive to join.  Using PaulWinch’s list, we are arguably underspending in this area by comparison to Bournemouth. 

Rayan £22m - Alysson £10m
Huijsen £21m - Cisse/Turkish fella ~£7m
Kroupi £10m - Madjo?  Too early to say.
Scott £21m - Could’ve got Hackney for £17m
Kerkez £18m - Garcia for £6m?
Truffert £12m - Ned for £8m

Yeah, interesting comparisons.
All of the Bournemouth players went straight into their first team; ours were seen as possible back-ups, which is why Cash and others are not being pushed for their starting place.
Also, Maatsen was a case of overpaying compared with a Bournemouth (although he was also part of the financial engineering between us and Chelsea).

[algy]

Surprised people are arguing that we should be buying more players like Bournemouth and Brighton have.

They’re mid table teams who are happy to be sitting at the grown ups’ table*., We’re trying to establish ourselves as Champions League perennials whilst operating under some of the most restrictive financial constraints in world football (PSR + SCR + additional UEFA measures)



* not to dismiss this achievement, they’ve done incredibly well - but the rules as they are very much put a glass ceiling on what they can do - and they’ve reached that ceiling

[PeterWithesShin]

Over the last few seasons Bournemouth have brought in over 300m worth of players.

[Dogtanian]

They’ll now have to comply with the more restrictive UEFA SCR this season, though.

Although, maybe being banned from Europe for a year isn’t so scary when you’ve only ever managed to qualify once and aren’t reliant on it.

[Mister E]

Surprised people are arguing that we should be buying more players like Bournemouth and Brighton have.

I don't think people are necessarily suggesting an acquisition strategy which mirrors theirs; more that they seem to get better value from players and move them on at top-dollar rates. I'd like to have seen us blend, for example, Rayan, Mitoma, Schade or Huijsen into our matchday squad.
Which is not to say I'm unhappy with where we are (just for the sake of clarity)!

[Rigadon]

At some point, like Brighton, Bournemouth will have a spell where they don’t manage to cope after selling players.

[Dogtanian]

At some point, like Brighton, Bournemouth will have a spell where they don’t manage to cope after selling players.

Leicester came a cropper with that, but I think Brighton at least seem much more focused on sustainability and not taking risks.

[PeterWithesShin]

Swansea, Saints, Leicester are examples of being the blueprint of success, all are shit now.

[PeterWithesShin]

We bought Rogers, Tielemans and Kamara for a similar amount that Bournemouth paid for Romain Faivre. Cherry picking can make most things look good or bad.

[Dante Lavelli]

We bought Rogers, Tielemans and Kamara for a similar amount that Bournemouth paid for Romain Faivre. Cherry picking can make most things look good or bad.

Cherry picking. Well played 👏

[Dante Lavelli]

Surprised people are arguing that we should be buying more players like Bournemouth and Brighton

My observation is that we regularly speculate on £6m players whereas the sweet spot seems to be a touch higher. Hopefully as our commercial income grows we can target youngsters whereas the probability of success is higher.

[Villatillidie25]

Surprised people are arguing that we should be buying more players like Bournemouth and Brighton

My observation is that we regularly speculate on £6m players whereas the sweet spot seems to be a touch higher. Hopefully as our commercial income grows we can target youngsters whereas the probability of success is higher.

Think that’s fair although I’d probably say even we knock around the £8-£15m mark but you probably need to be spending £15-£20m and the kid needs to be playing first team football already.