Whilst I actively dislike a decent proportion of our squad, I think we have to accept that moving on a lot of the bad eggs is going to be very, very difficult given the potent combo of limited ability and huge wages. We also can't expect to move on 15+ players in one window, it just doesn't happen.
Already gone:
Stekelenburg, Baines, Garbutt, Martina, Sidibe, Dowell, Schneiderlin, Hornby, Niasse. That's a damn good start, we'll miss absolutely none of them bar Baines and it's criminal that they were all on our books. 9 out.
The following offer less than nothing and need punting:
Tosun, Baningime, Lössl, Pennington, Besic, Bolasie, Sandro. About 300k p/w in wages there on absolutely nothing. 7 more to go.
And that's before we get to anyone else. Walcott is limited on huge wages but he's our best right mid by a mile. Sigurdsson has fallen off a cliff and needs moving on but Carlo likes him, as per a report from the Athletic. Same source states that he likes Delph too so he's probably going nowhere. Iwobi only arrived last year for big money, again, going nowhere. Pickford will also stay, although I like to think we'll punt on an experienced keeper which would relegate Pickford to number 2, such as Sergio Romero.
Reading between the lines then, who else can we get rid of to help with FFP who also offers very little? That leaves Bernard, and local lads Davies and Kenny. I'd sell them all and try and sign a new first choice RB. 3 more out.
So, that would be 19 players out. It won't happen because it's almost impossible the shift the likes of Sandro and Tosun, but this has to be our priority number one. What I certainly wouldn't do, is make many expensive signings who would potentially add to the dross listed above and be stuck on huge wages for a 4+ years, we cannot afford that. We're in a precarious situation thanks to Walsh et al, and we can't afford to add to our woes.
I'd absolutely be looking for loan moves, the odd freebie, young lads ala Branthwaite, and for the best the Championship has to offer. Picking up players who are eager to prove themselves will serve us far better going forward. Go for the likes of Watkins, Benrahma, Buendia, Brooks, King, Aarons, Cash, etc; perhaps not them specifically, but you know what I'm saying. The only exception I’d make is to spend big on a centre mid as it’s cripplingly obvious we need at least one, but we need to get it right.