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

[Tayls_7]

Whilst it seems that we're about to enter a window of squad regeneration and I hope the background team are busy hoovering up much of the world's top young talent, is there a world class senior player out there in the twilight of his career who could grace the CL/PL for a couple of seasons, lured by the best manager running the best club? I'm thinking more Luc Nilis and less Robert Pires.

[cdbearsfan]

Rashford?

Edit: only 28 so probably doesn't qualify as a "senior player".

[LeeB]

Rashford?

Edit: only 28 so probably doesn't qualify as a "senior player".

I'm going to stop pining for him as he's clearly going to end up playing against us for that shower of bastards again.

[cdbearsfan]

I still reckon he ends up moving in the last few days/hours of the transfer window. Probably not to us.

[Sexual Ealing]

Whilst it seems that we're about to enter a window of squad regeneration and I hope the background team are busy hoovering up much of the world's top young talent, is there a world class senior player out there in the twilight of his career who could grace the CL/PL for a couple of seasons, lured by the best manager running the best club? I'm thinking more Luc Nilis and less Robert Pires.

[Tayls_7]

Not just his age but Rashford thinks we're slightly beneath his ceiling. I don't think we are.

[Tayls_7]

Whilst it seems that we're about to enter a window of squad regeneration and I hope the background team are busy hoovering up much of the world's top young talent, is there a world class senior player out there in the twilight of his career who could grace the CL/PL for a couple of seasons, lured by the best manager running the best club? I'm thinking more Luc Nilis and less Robert Pires.

World class not galactic.

[cdbearsfan]

I've never heard Rashford say anything less than complimentary about us. If he were given a hypothetical choice between playing for us or Barcelona, he would probably choose Barcelona. As would ~99% of players. That doesn't mean he thinks we're beneath him, especially given that he already signed for us once.

[Dogtanian]

Yeah, I wouldn't rule us out on that score.

It's more the finances and timing, and it looks like Rashford and the club are playing a nice game of chicken at the minute.

I still don't believe he wants to play there or that they want him to play there. But there will be a breaking point where some sort of financial compromise is reached and he gets to go somewhere else.

That could be us, but only if those pesky finances and the timing fall the right way.

[Tayls_7]

I've never heard Rashford say anything less than complimentary about us. If he were given a hypothetical choice between playing for us or Barcelona, he would probably choose Barcelona. As would ~99% of players. That doesn't mean he thinks we're beneath him, especially given that he already signed for us once.

I'm not knocking Rashford, particularly as he exceeded many expectations and put in a shift for us and clearly enjoyed his time at VP. I just get frustrated at being used as a stepping stone. There are some top quality players who flourish when given the responsibility of bringing their team up to higher levels rather than exist as a small fish in a bigger pond. We've lost so much quality to more successful teams when the players own contribution to that success has gone from hugely impactful with Villa to barely negligible at Glory Hunting FC.

[Tuscans]

On, Off...you decide.

Andrés García is travelling to Madrid today to finalise his loan move to Getafe.
@J_Tanswell

Andrés García to Getafe is OFF.
@MatteMoretto

[Dogtanian]

I'm not sure it matters really, it's about working together to each goals.

If a player comes to us and over 2-3 seasons helps us achieve our goals, and in return that helps him achieve his goals - which may to be play for someone else or in another league - surely we have still done well?

[john2710]

On, Off...you decide.

Andrés García is travelling to Madrid today to finalise his loan move to Getafe.
@J_Tanswell

Andrés García to Getafe is OFF.
@MatteMoretto

He was rumoured to be going to Valencia, maybe they've been promted to step in.

[cdbearsfan]

The latter seems to be a mis-translation off Twitter. Suggestion he means it's "a done deal" rather than cancelled.

[algy]

After consideration, on hearing the multiple departures are we really surprised? Many commented that the side last season were approaching the end of their time, which made the victory on May 20th so much more meaningful.

The side needs a rebuild and players will leave and arrive but the only departure that would seriously worry me is that of the Manager. Long term success is based on being able to build a number of successful sides and hopefully we will see Emery's team MK2.

Personally, having won us a major trophy for the first time in 30 years the players can do what they like. Admittedly, joining Newton Heath is fucking horrible but we need to rise above it.

Rebuilding at pace is always a risk. Newcastle mismanaged their effort last summer by letting the Isak situation drag on too long. Now they can't hold onto their best players and Eddie Howe possibly is a bad start away from being fired. Leicester did a lot right after winning the PL but still fell away badly. As many of us thought last summer, this rebuilding likely would have started last summer only for the OT debacle.

It's to Emerys immense credit that after our shambles of the OT debacle/transfer window/horror start, that he managed to turn around things around spectacularly with the existing players. Only for an injury crisis we would have had a top 4 spot wrapped up by March and we pissed up the Europa league.

Different challenge this summer but a huge one nonetheless. Tielemans joining a direct rival is sickening but part of the cycle of rebuilding the team. Bigger question is on Martinez and Watkins, can we squeeze another 50+ game season out of them or it time to cash in our chips there too.

Broadly agree with you here, Bronte.

Have to say, I don't see why we'd choose to sell Big Emi.  We're unlikely to get a high transfer fee for him, and he'll be incredibly hard to replace.  Also, and this I think will turn to our advantage, he clearly needs to share some of the goalkeeping load these days.  That's great for us, gives us the chance to bring in a young goalkeeper and blood them in slowly, get them to learn from Emi, and let Emi just have the games he feels like he can play.  I suspect with management he might be able to go on a little while longer.  Not to say that I think we don't need to deal with that soon, but it wouldn't bother me if it wasn't sorted out this summer either.

Ollie is a different kettle of fish.  I think he'll be very hard to replace, but he's at an age where in principle we might get a very good fee for him now.  Whereas in a couple of years time, we probably won't.  Like Tielemans in that regard.  I'd not be chomping at the bit to flog him, I think he's more than decent.  However, if a high offer came in I could see it as an opportunity rather than something we had to fend off at all costs.  Not sure anyone would slap down the £50m or so it'd take to fund a replacement, though.