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

[ASHTONVILLA]

Hull and Trabzonspor linked with Guessand this morning, maybe that explains the links to Espi.

Am I the only person that can see some merit in switching out 30 year old Watkins for Jackson? Jackson is a good player, and much younger.

[eamonn]

We're not getting Jackson for 2 reasons, we can't loan another player from Chelsea & if we sign him within 45 days of the Rogers deal for £65m it's classed as a swap & drastically reduces the profit on that deal. The whole reason for selling Rogers was to book the profit. The 46th day is the day after the window closes.

Fingers-crossed!

[Smithy]

Hull and Trabzonspor linked with Guessand this morning, maybe that explains the links to Espi.

Am I the only person that can see some merit in switching out 30 year old Watkins for Jackson? Jackson is a good player, and much younger.

There is merit in that you would hope the transfer fees would be comparable for PSR purposts, and Jackson is much younger - BUT - you're swapping a known Premier League performer, one who guarantees you 15+ league goals every season, for one who still has question marks over his ability to perform in his league.  That's a BIG risk to take.

If Unai wants to do it, then fine, I'll back him, but Ollie is so central to the way we play and press, that it feels like a MASSIVE gamble to change him in the season where there is going to be so much change already.

But, as always, in Unai we trust.

[Sexual Ealing]

Nobody guarantees us anything. Keeping Watkins is as much of a gamble as replacing him. It's not like he can fall back on his technique if his body starts to decline.

[kippaxvilla2]

Re Jackson it is a big no from me.  Whilst I obviously hero worship Unai he did sign Pepe for £70m.

[Mister E]

It's the price I baulk at: even if the authorities allow us to bring Jackson in without it affecting what we can book for Rogers, £65m seems excessive for a player who has yet to prove he can play PL football and score goals.
Why give Abraham a - was it 4 or 5 years? - long term contract 8 months ago and then spend £65m for Jackson? It doesn't make sense to me.

I'd prefer to bring in Espi, keep Watkins for 12 more months and sell Abraham.
Watkins goes in July 2027.

If Watkins forces a move now, bring in Espi, keep Abraham and get Espi and Brian up to speed over the course of the season. Spend the Watkins money on another RHS player.

[Mister E]

Re Jackson it is a big no from me.  Whilst I obviously hero worship Unai he did sign Pepe for £70m.

I think Pepe was signed over his head; Emery wanted Saha.

[andyh]

Hull and Trabzonspor linked with Guessand this morning, maybe that explains the links to Espi.

Sorry….being thick here. How does Guessand link explain the Espi link ?

[eamonn]

Re Jackson it is a big no from me.  Whilst I obviously hero worship Unai he did sign Pepe for £70m.

I think Pepe was signed over his head; Emery wanted Saha.

Louis was old and shit by then, think you mean Wilfried Zaha.

[ASHTONVILLA]

Hull and Trabzonspor linked with Guessand this morning, maybe that explains the links to Espi.

Sorry….being thick here. How does Guessand link explain the Espi link ?

Money in money out. Not suggesting they are like for like, just that if we are able to sell we are able to buy.

[Smithy]

Nobody guarantees us anything. Keeping Watkins is as much of a gamble as replacing him. It's not like he can fall back on his technique if his body starts to decline.

Yes, "guarantees" is probably too strong a way to put it. 

But with Ollie he's a known quantity. We know what we're getting. Some frustrating performances, but also goals. The chances of him dropping off physically this season are small (he's only 30), but they're also not zero.  He's always looked after himself, shown himself to be pretty resistant to injury, so I'd expect him to have another couple of seasons without any significant drop off in his physical attributes.  32+? Then, maybe, yes, but he'd had very little sell-on value by that point, so I guess if we want his fee to cover the cost of his replacement, it might be we have to sell him and watch him have a couple of good seasons elsewhere while wondering "what if?" if things back home don't go as well as we'd hope.