2016-2017 additions

[Furey1878]

• A Playmaker who's comfortable playing off the striker and on the left
• A right-back
• A more creative CM

Also see how Niasse settles and if he doesn't then a 2nd striker. Give Robles to the rest of the season to see if we need a first-team goalie or not.

 

[eternal_defiance]

don't think they'd do much good in getting a Ukrainian to sign for us mate

 

[Zatara]

Without the promise of Europe mate, no chance.

We need a keeper, and a right back. Holgate's going to be a centre half.

Presuming Kev goes, what we need is a player who can play that left wing role but in a similar way to how Pienaar did it mixed with what Kev can do, if you get me. Those players cost the big money, and I'd imagine that (depending how much we spend on a keeper - which in turn depends on how Joel does from now until the end of this season), that will be the major 'marquee' signing.

Anything on top of that I imagine would be a cheapish deal for a youngster.

That is presuming that none of Stones or Lukaku leave, however.

If they do the money has to be spent on a replacement.

I thought we'd been through this?

GK - We need the absolute best available. If not Butland then Rico or Leno....theres also alot more obtainable keepers out there who are 22/23 and top notch now and still improving...fits our profile for signings.

RB -- Holgate is going to follow a similar path to Stones and then Galoway at full back first. Perhaps he is a year away still but then how about Browning, Pennington or perhaps even Kenny? Thats 4 players who could deputise for coleman. This of course excludes Mattioni as well but im sure we'll know more in the summer and its more a question for @catcherintherye or @blueloon than me. Id hope Holgate gets some minutes at RB before the season end, same as Galloway last season-- then we can see.

LW -- Im confident on Yarmolenko as its clear Martinez wants him and also we have the money now. No idea if he will end up at LW of course but i doubt we will sign another RW or ACM so i'll put him as a LW and i guess he would rotate. I hope @bluestevon gets his wish this summer.

DM -- You've posted a lot about Barry being "unique" for his role and i suppose he is. Martinez also said before that when Barry goes we will need to change our playing style, but that was before the new owner came in. Were obviously not signing Busquets nor a mid 20s or late 20s superstar for the role,its going to have to be another player of 30+ or an u23 player.

Niguez is far fetched perhaps but never know till you try, Sergi Roberto probably similar bracket to him now after this season...but dont you think they can perform Barrys duties if they came in as CM players for a season and then learnt and were mentored by Barry? Otherwise Tielemans and Neves are exceptional talents who could be taught as well.

makes sense to get someone like that in now a season before Barry leaves and slowly bring them into the role. But also have them being effective in other positions for 12 months.

CM -- If we have the money and made those 3 signings we should then look at a playmaker. Not essential but gives an option in CM/LW/RW/ACM if needed, perfect for games like WBA.

 

[toffeeblue9]

Even though he has played well this season, still can't shake the feeling that we will be better off without Barry - if it means we have to alter the way we play and the shape we have as a team then so be it.

The one centre mid we have that IF he can stay fit looks to be pivotal is Besic, McCarthy is decent and on his day very good but limited, Cleverley - decent squad player no more than that

Think the one part of the team we seriously overate is our centre mid pairing of Barry and McCarthy though, don't think either player would get into the spurs best 11 or Arsenals for example, hell dunno if either would get into Leicesters really

There isn't really any objective way of proving you wrong here, but I couldn't possibly disagree more.

He is the only player we have capable of controlling play from deep alongside the fact that he is absolutely brilliant from a positional perspective. His one major weakness is pace, granted, but I don't think that means we'll be better off without him. Would Barca be better off without Busquets? Also not the quickest

 

[Bluebonic]

It shows how peoples expectations have gone up, not one shout for Manny Fernandez! i saw on the telly yesterday that Butland is in contract negotioations with Stoke? Surely if that is the case it is the ideal time to tap him up?

 

[Whistlin' Dixie]

I seen something this morning that tottenham are after some turkish 'keeper.

Lloris or Vorm'd do.....

 

[bluespeter2]

Reading the article in the Echo this morning with Phil Jagielka, got me thinking about what our needs actually are for the summer transfer window.

Obviously this depends on if we lose anyone important, but assuming we give them all new contracts and they agree to give it one more season to get in the CL with Everton...what do we really need?

From the article: "Martinez will be given the funds by Moshiri this summer to bolster his squad with big-money signings and Jagielka believes the Blues are only an "exciting few tweaks" away from being regular contenders for Champions League qualification.

But the Blues skipper insists there is no need for the club to go wild in the transfer market.

"The fans can see the potential in this squad but if you can go and buy that one extra, special player then it will be nice," Jagielka told the ECHO.

"But let's be honest, we've spent pretty decent money in these last couple of seasons and the chairman has done well."

We all know we've underachieved this season, and with Robles solidifying the keeper position, and the addition of Niasse (still don't know if he's the genuine article, but we paid enough to assume he will at least be productive in some role), along with the potential progress of the lads in the U21s (Dowell, Ledson, Walsh, etc. for potential bench depth, What do we really need?

Not saying we go into next season with the exact same squad, but Yarmalenko aside, are there really any areas that are demonstrably weak? We've shipped goals this year, but that seems to have been fixed and it's not down to talent in my opinion.

Assuming we all want Yarmalenko...who else or what positions should we target for recruitment?

 

[BlueToff]

I thought we'd been through this?

GK - We need the absolute best available. If not Butland then Rico or Leno....theres also alot more obtainable keepers out there who are 22/23 and top notch now and still improving...fits our profile for signings.

RB -- Holgate is going to follow a similar path to Stones and then Galoway at full back first. Perhaps he is a year away still but then how about Browning, Pennington or perhaps even Kenny? Thats 4 players who could deputise for coleman. This of course excludes Mattioni as well but im sure we'll know more in the summer and its more a question for @catcherintherye or @blueloon than me. Id hope Holgate gets some minutes at RB before the season end, same as Galloway last season-- then we can see.

LW -- Im confident on Yarmolenko as its clear Martinez wants him and also we have the money now. No idea if he will end up at LW of course but i doubt we will sign another RW or ACM so i'll put him as a LW and i guess he would rotate. I hope @bluestevon gets his wish this summer.

DM -- You've posted a lot about Barry being "unique" for his role and i suppose he is. Martinez also said before that when Barry goes we will need to change our playing style, but that was before the new owner came in. Were obviously not signing Busquets nor a mid 20s or late 20s superstar for the role,its going to have to be another player of 30+ or an u23 player.

Niguez is far fetched perhaps but never know till you try, Sergi Roberto probably similar bracket to him now after this season...but dont you think they can perform Barrys duties if they came in as CM players for a season and then learnt and were mentored by Barry? Otherwise Tielemans and Neves are exceptional talents who could be taught as well.

makes sense to get someone like that in now a season before Barry leaves and slowly bring them into the role. But also have them being effective in other positions for 12 months.

CM -- If we have the money and made those 3 signings we should then look at a playmaker. Not essential but gives an option in CM/LW/RW/ACM if needed, perfect for games like WBA.

GK - I agree Zat, we nee quality and the best we can get. But who we sign does depend on Joel's form. If he establishes himself as good enough to be no.1 then we may have to go for a quality keeper who is willing to bide his time for first team football... Joel deserves the chance to prove himself this season and then if he does he will start next term as No.1

RB - Holgate may see a few games at right back mate but he's deffo a centre half. He shouldn't be used as a back up right back. Browning also solves that issue for centre back as well as he's much better there than he is at right back, so what we need is potentially a young player who is and is going to carry on to be a full-back. Not a centre half forced to play out of position.

LW - Yep agree. It needs to be somebody who can play either Left wing or move inside to a no.10 position if needed. Basically a playmaker for anywhere behind the front three positions. This is what costs the big money and I see the majority of our budget being spent on this position assuming we don't sell a big player.

As for the DM, I just don't think it's needed if we bring in that playmaker mate. If we need a creative source from deep, it means Barkley can drop back. If we need a more experienced head we have Barry and we have Besic who he can mentor and will be his long-term successor as a deep-lying playmaker next to a defensive midfielder (McCarthy). Besic is better and more proven than Nevez or Tielmens and equal to Niguez. So if we had money to spend left over then yeh, sure, but if not the answer is right in front of us already.

 

[BlueToff]

I seen something this morning that tottenham are after some turkish 'keeper.

Lloris or Vorm'd do.....

Wouldn't surprise me.

Can see United making a big move for Lloris if/when De Gea inevitably leaves.

Though Lloris wouldn't definitely leave of course.

Vorm would be good but he's liable to an error. If Joel proved himself fit for no.1 though then Vorm would be a decent option as a proven, quality back up.

If not and we need somebody to come in as guaranteed first choice, we go for Sommer (IMO).

 

[bluespeter2]

The only problem we'll have in buying new players next season is that everyone knows we have money and the prices will shoot up,anyone else think the same

 

[toffeejack]

I seen something this morning that tottenham are after some turkish 'keeper.

Lloris or Vorm'd do.....

i like vorm, but not tall enough for us imo. We need a tall commanding type.

 

[BlueToff]

The only problem we'll have in buying new players next season is that everyone knows we have money and the prices will shoot up,anyone else think the same

No mate it'll be no different.

The TV money already meant that Prem teams had to pay more. This investment means very little in terms of an affect on that

 

[.....!]

Heard that Guardiola is after a sweeper keeper in the style of Neuer (probably Neuer) at Shitteh so can't see Hart wanting to be a bench warmer. Contratced til 2019 and on 120,000 a week though...

 

[toffeemax]

Neur and Messi and we'll be challenging for europa league spot

 

[Pat Butcher]

Wouldn't surprise me.

Can see United making a big move for Lloris if/when De Gea inevitably leaves.

Though Lloris wouldn't definitely leave of course.

Vorm would be good but he's liable to an error. If Joel proved himself fit for no.1 though then Vorm would be a decent option as a proven, quality back up.

If not and we need somebody to come in as guaranteed first choice, we go for Sommer (IMO).

I don't think Lloris will leave Spurs anytime soon tbh, if we could get Vorm that would be great. Oh and Trippier he's been outstanding recently. If not Muslera for the keeper.