With the additions of Walcott and Tosun I don't think our squad is quite as bad as most of you believe. It is still very unbalanced and in need of improvement in certain area's, plus we need to offload a lot of deadwood. But I would say that there are only 5 positions that we need to fill for next season (plus a back up keeper which hopefully won't cost us much), and if 3/4 of those are of the right quality I believe we can definitely throw a challenge to the top 6.
First and foremost, we need to bring in a manager who is prepared to properly integrate our group of younger players into the squad/team. I'm not saying that they should all be regular starters next season, but in my mind they will form the bulk of the squad places rather than the load of deadbeats that have blighted our club over the last few seasons. I'm confident that the drive and ambition (not to mention skill) of this younger group will challenge the senior players to perform at a high level.
As regards the new players to be brought in, they need to be of the right quality to help us challenge the top 6. Just being better than what we have is simply not good enough. They also need to be motivated and challenged to be here. No more retirement homers. When deciding on players we also need to cover two basic imbalances in our current squad. Namely, left footed players and height. Our lack of left footed players this season has made us so one dimensional and easy to defend, as you can see from our chances created stats. This has improved so much just in the last 2 games with the return of Baines. And our lack of height has left us so exposed at set pieces, I can't stress how much we have missed Lukaku in that regard this season, a side to his game that always went unheralded I thought. Plus, what's the point in having a dead ball specialist like Sigurdsson when we have nobody on the end of it. So I'd like to see 2/3 left footers in the new signings and a couple of big six footers (not necessarily defenders). At the start of the season I'd have said we also lacked pace, but we have now bought Walcott, Bolasie and Seamus are back from injury, and we have Henry Onyekuru hopefully coming into the fold next season provided he can get a permit.
As regards positions that need filling, I don't think there will be any surprises. We need a new left sided centre back, a new left back, a big strong defensive midfielder and a midfield playmaker. We also need another striker to challenge/compliment Tosun with DCL becoming the back up. Oumar, despite his cult status, is just not good enough and I'm afraid Sandro just doesn't fit sadly. Then there's also the back up keeper as mentioned.
The left back needs to be a younger player who we can groom to takeover from Baines, but good enough to rotate regularly with him now. Baines is still an asset but ne that needs using sparingly to keep him fresh. Ideally I'd like that Tierney lad, but would go with Shaw if he was available. Maybe somebody from abroad who I'm not familiar with. We really missed a trick with Robertson last year which is so annoying.
The centre back is where we need to spend serious money on quality. Ideally he would be left footed, quick and comfortable on the ball. Height would also be a preference, but not essential if we brought in a tall midfielder and striker. I can't think of anybody from the premier that would fit the bill so would have to be somebody from abroad.
Defensive midfielder I would go for somebody tried and tested but still hungry, preferably a big lad. I like that N'Zonzi guy, or someone like William Carvalho.
Midfield playmaker I would seriously go for Wilshire if we could get him on a free. Yes I know he's a nob, not to mention injury prone. But he has everything we are missing in our midfield and I'm certain he'll still have a point to prove. If not him, a player of his ilk currently playing abroad.
Up front I'm undecided about somebody to lead the line or somebody who plays on the shoulder and runs the channels. Probably the latter. Again, I would prefer somebody who is already established and proven, but doesn't necessarily have to be top quality.
Players I would sell/loan out are Stek, Niasse, Williams, Martina, Funes Mori, Schneiderlin, Besic, Mirralas, Sandro, plus Robles whose contract expires. In addition we need to sell half a dozen of the younger players; the likes of Galloway, Browning, Pennington, Williams, the Swiss lad etc.
That would leave a possible squad similar to below
Keepers
Pickford
AnOther
Full backs
Coleman
Baines
Kenny
Shaw
Centre Backs
Manolas
Holgate
Keane
Jagielka
Defensive Midfielders
Gana Gueye
N'Zonzi
Baningime
Mccarthy
Midfielders
Wilshire
Rooney
Klaassen
Davies
Attacking Midfielders
Sigurdsson
Dowell
Vlasic
Wingers
Walcott
Bolasie
Lookman
Onyekuru
Strikers
Tosun
AnOther
Calvert-Lewin
.
. There are a lot of players in their team whom I think are getting wasted under their stupid management .