summer transfers

[sageyefc]

Jesus Navas on loan anyone?
We should be aiming high, not considering the likes of Marc Albrighton and Colbeck. I'd much rather give the kids a go in the Europa and League Cup rather than bring in "squad fillers".

Agree, everyone is saying bring these mediocre players in as 'backups', i dont want to see back ups, i want to see players for the first team whos gonna challenge for places not players who'd only be used as stand in now and again

 

[bluemangroup]

Agree, everyone is saying bring these mediocre players in as 'backups', i dont want to see back ups, i want to see players for the first team whos gonna challenge for places not players who'd only be used as stand in now and again

Our real strength has been a small collective of players who don't seemingly have an ego between them, get on very well and are familiar or adapt to how we play. Shoehorning great talents into the side has risks.

 

[RaleighBlue]

Our real strength has been a small collective of players who don't seemingly have an ego between them, get on very well and are familiar or adapt to how we play. Shoehorning great talents into the side has risks.

I agree with this. We do have a few that seem to have an ego (Kev), but the collective seem to be just that - a team. And it's strong enough that even ego'ed players want to impress the team. If we bring in too many that are aiming to go straight into the first team it's very easy to go the way of Spurs this year. I'd rather bring in maybe one new first teamer, then get Lukaku and Barry back because they're already part of the collective and then bring in what we need to build the squad.

I personally think we need to be thinking long term - build the team by addition here and there, fill out where needed, promote where we can and try to get into the top 4 that way. If we just buy the best players we can buy then I think we're doomed, because there are more than 5 teams that can afford to buy better than us.

 

[bluemangroup]

I agree with this. We do have a few that seem to have an ego (Kev), but the collective seem to be just that - a team. And it's strong enough that even ego'ed players want to impress the team. If we bring in too many that are aiming to go straight into the first team it's very easy to go the way of Spurs this year. I'd rather bring in maybe one new first teamer, then get Lukaku and Barry back because they're already part of the collective and then bring in what we need to build the squad.

I personally think we need to be thinking long term - build the team by addition here and there, fill out where needed, promote where we can and try to get into the top 4 that way. If we just buy the best players we can buy then I think we're doomed, because there are more than 5 teams that can afford to buy better than us.

I think a balance has to be struck between the best player and the most effective player for the team. Naismith is a very good example of a limited footballer who understands what he has to do, fits in well and plays a team game and he has flourished this season, I think.
I'm not saying buy a team of Naismiths, but he's the consummate professional and his attitude has reaped rewards. Find some players of a similar ilk, with maybe a little bit better skill level and ease them in. It should be organic for us.

 

[Tree13]

Ba will be 29 this month... £8m a bit pricy?

Don't know anything about this Batshuayi bloke, but he's always mentioned as being an £8million striker - which for a 20 year old makes more sense.

Assuming he's any good...

Jesus Navas on loan anyone?
We should be aiming high, not considering the likes of Marc Albrighton and Colbeck. I'd much rather give the kids a go in the Europa and League Cup rather than bring in "squad fillers".

Agree, everyone is saying bring these mediocre players in as 'backups', i dont want to see back ups, i want to see players for the first team whos gonna challenge for places not players who'd only be used as stand in now and again

I think Martinez has shown us the way this season: Loans.

Lukaku - I think we'd all have him back on loan, wouldn't we? A permanent transfer is going to be difficult due to a possibly big fee.

Deulofeu - would have him back on another loan in a heartbeat. Buying him is not an option because of the likely huge transfer fee.

Barry - on loan he was amazing. As a money transfer we would have to think very carefully. As a FREE transfer, we just have to make the signing-on fee and wages fit within our financial means.

So here it is.

Demba Ba is a good example - if we could choose between buying him for £8m or loaning him for a season, I would take him on loan. Because in our financial situation we need to carefully consider the returns we can get on investing financially in a player purchase, but our Prem and Europa ambitions demand a player of decent calibre.

Batshuayi (spelling?) - at £8m, he's a gamble worth taking, because he's young. However, what do we do with him? We play a single striker most of the time, so if we buy him, does he become the starting striker? If we buy him AND Ba, aren't we spending more money than we NEED to on two players in that position? Or do we buy him and loan him out, perhaps back to his current club?

One thing I will say for Martinez is that his only BIG signing so far has worked beautifully.

I wonder if we could do the following:

1) Get Ba on loan for a season with an option to buy - cost for the year would be his wages and a fee (maybe £2m);
2) Buy Batshuayi and loan him straight back to his current club - cost would be the transfer fee, but we get his club to pay his wage for the period of the loan;

Rather than buy them both for £16m and struggling to fit them both in the team when we only play one striker, and thereby indirectly reducing Kone's chances of making a contribution, AND worrying about how we can get a financial return on BA, we instead get a proven prem striker for a year, and a good young prospect who won't just rot away waitIng for chances to play. And it costs less, and gives Kone a chance.

If not Ba, then maybe Jovetic? Or Benteke? My point is, can we get a prem-experienced striker on the cheap by loaning him?

If not Batshuayi, then maybe Weimann from Villa for the younger permanent transfer?

 

[RaleighBlue]

I think a balance has to be struck between the best player and the most effective player for the team. Naismith is a very good example of a limited footballer who understands what he has to do, fits in well and plays a team game and he has flourished this season, I think.
I'm not saying buy a team of Naismiths, but he's the consummate professional and his attitude has reaped rewards. Find some players of a similar ilk, with maybe a little bit better skill level and ease them in. It should be organic for us.

Yep. I think Mirallas is the perfect example here. He was absolutely a step up on every one of our wingers at the time. He added a new dimension to the team, and he's cocky. He added swagger. Which we needed. But we don't want 11 of him either, or you end up with a team full of divas and egos that think they're better than they are.

I'd like us to add a Center Mid of some attacking quality. Or a winger. We need the player that can pick out the killer pass. But I don't want to see us load up on players that are going to displace our first team right away. Our first team is pretty good and has a good understanding of itself. It's a huge risk to unsettle that. It's why Martinez keeps talking about the right 'fit' and 'personality'.

Other that that one first teamer (assuming we can pull the impossible and get Lukaku/Barry back). I'd rather us not spend loads of money, but rather pick up younger squad players for cheap or free, players that can do a job in Europe, sit on the bench, and if they're terrible we didn't waste a lot.

If we can't get Lukaku and Barry, then we need a few more first teamers.

 

[bluemangroup]

Yep. I think Mirallas is the perfect example here. He was absolutely a step up on every one of our wingers at the time. He added a new dimension to the team, and he's cocky. He added swagger. Which we needed. But we don't want 11 of him either, or you end up with a team full of divas and egos that think they're better than they are.

I'd like us to add a Center Mid of some attacking quality. Or a winger. We need the player that can pick out the killer pass. But I don't want to see us load up on players that are going to displace our first team right away. Our first team is pretty good and has a good understanding of itself. It's a huge risk to unsettle that. It's why Martinez keeps talking about the right 'fit' and 'personality'.

Other that that one first teamer (assuming we can pull the impossible and get Lukaku/Barry back). I'd rather us not spend loads of money, but rather pick up younger squad players for cheap or free, players that can do a job in Europe, sit on the bench, and if they're terrible we didn't waste a lot.

If we can't get Lukaku and Barry, then we need a few more first teamers.

I think we'd probably need more than that as well as the youngsters, if we are theoretically (and hopefully) competing on four fronts next year. Traore is already here so I'd happily have him as back up or for rotation, Kone will be fit and I have a sneaky suspicion we will get Lukaku over the summer. I think we'd need another midfielder to flesh out that area a bit and Barry will most likely sign up for another year or two as well.

I don't think we have loads of money, but I suspect we have enough to be able to dictate who we buy rather than who we can afford, which would be refreshing. As you say, buying a load of players would be unsettling for what is a fairly cohesive unit that is greater than the sum of its parts. Additional support and the introduction of a little magic either up top, the left wing or in the middle of the park is what's required.

 

[CahillsCornerFlag]

Just been reading Sunerland's forum on Jack Colback. It's ranged from some calling him their best midfielder this year to some calling him cack, with the majority calling him a decent squad player.

I'm not sure I can trust any of them though, because they all seem to rate Cattermole.

 

[Azza]

Have we signed Kevin Kampl yet?


He has the hair of Scharner (perfect for Martinez), the speed of Mirallas, the vision of Barkley and the trickery of Deulofeu.

 

[BlueToff]

For all those wondering who Tadic is and why me, @DutchToffee and @bluestevon would all blow our collective loads if we signed him, heres some highlights of his season. I know YouTube made Billy look like the Siberian Ronaldo a few years ago, but he really is a quality player. If we (or anyone else) can get him for anything less than 10mil. it would be a steal!

 

[ijjysmith]

Have we signed Kevin Kampl yet?


He has the hair of Scharner (perfect for Martinez), the speed of Mirallas, the vision of Barkley and the trickery of Deulofeu.

But does he have the stepovers of Neville?

 

[CahillsCornerFlag]

For all those wondering who Tadic is and why me, @DutchToffee and @bluestevon would all blow our collective loads if we signed him, heres some highlights of his season. I know YouTube made Billy look like the Siberian Ronaldo a few years ago, but he really is a quality player. If we (or anyone else) can get him for anything less than 10mil. it would be a steal!

No matter what league you play in, its obvious if you have good technique, vision, a range of passing and intelligence. He has those things.


Also what do people think of Robert Snodgrass? For me he looked the best of a bad bunch by some margin, and just read he's got more key passes this season than anyone playing outside the top 4 clubs, Erikson aside.

 

[luimneach]

Barry - Free
Deulofeu - season loan again
Lukaku - 20m?
Tadic - 8m plus Gueye
Jovetic - season long loan
Lescott - Free

Add the returning from loan players like Duffy, Lundstrum etc should be enough for Premiership, Cups and Europa League!
No need to sign 10 new players putting us in major financial trouble and not getting chance to blood kids we've got already!

 

[West]

Barry - Free
Deulofeu - season loan again
Lukaku - 20m?
Tadic - 8m plus Gueye
Jovetic - season long loan
Lescott - Free

Add the returning from loan players like Duffy, Lundstrum etc should be enough for Premiership, Cups and Europa League!
No need to sign 10 new players putting us in major financial trouble and not getting chance to blood kids we've got already!

Defiantly keen to add players like jovetic but city would be astronomically stupid to loan us a player of that ilk

 

[Barkley85]

For all those wondering who Tadic is and why me, @DutchToffee and @bluestevon would all blow our collective loads if we signed him, heres some highlights of his season. I know YouTube made Billy look like the Siberian Ronaldo a few years ago, but he really is a quality player. If we (or anyone else) can get him for anything less than 10mil. it would be a steal!

Di Canio likes this