I doubt it. I think we are just buying time to get more funds from selling. Sancho could be our only signing though and still great improvement to our squad.
Is signing nobody a possibility?
- Thread starter Schmeichel's Cartwheel
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City sold Sane for Torres don't forget. Time will tell if that was a good deal but right now I'd say that makes them weaker. Sane is a top top player. Torres is all potential.
And he stayed on holiday
I’d say it’s a little early to be panicking but it’s not like our concerns don’t have some basis in reality, I do have a very bad feeling about this window. I’ve mentioned it before but the fact there isn’t even a whisper of a signing concerns me.
Of course it is. Woodward is gormless anyway, and now he has the obstacle of a global, economy ruining pandemic. If you gave me the option now of just Sancho and nothing else from this window, I’d bite your hand off.
It may well be run by idiots but not buying players at this time isn't the reason why. Apart from the global economic crisis, players may well not want to uproot during a global pandemic.
That’d hold up if loads of other clubs weren’t signing players.
I agree. I think Sancho is our number one target, but I think the main stumbling blocks are the fees for the respective agents. We got stung with agent fees for the Pogba transfer, and I don't think the club want to go through this again, especially as Dortmund apparently are using a third party to negotiate the transfer, and he will want his slice of the cake.
I also agree with your assumption that we won't really buy anyone else unless we sell first, and obviously that depends on which clubs are willing to pay out for our players. Smalling looks like he has got some suitors, so there is s good chance we will get our £20 million for him, Rojo I think we will get rid of, but not for the money we want. Lingard and Pereira have also been linked with other clubs. Jones I think, will almost certainly still be with the club this season, as he is currently injured, so no one will buy a crocked player, and he will need to prove his fitness before anyone would come in for him, but I suppose he could go on loan to a club, with a view to a permanent switch if fitness is proven. Mata will stay, unless we get a ridiculous offer for him, same with Dalot. TFM will stay, I think, and will become a back four sub most weeks, will drop in to any of the defensive positions for some cup matches.
I can understand if we can't afford Sancho because of the virus. But if that is the case then we need to pull the plug sooner rather than later and really focus on getting a couple of cheaper players in that would hopefully improve our starting team or at the very least give us quality squad players.
What I fear is that we will keep chasing Sancho until the very end of the window, and then probably panic buy a couple of players that we could have easily sorted out earlier in the window while letting superior options go elsewhere in the meantime. Whether that is from incompetence in the boardroom or deliberate tactics ("we can't afford to buy Sancho now but don't want to piss off the fans so we'll pretend we're serious right till the end and blame Dortmund, which will also give us the excuse why we didn't buy others").
What I fear is that we will keep chasing Sancho until the very end of the window, and then probably panic buy a couple of players that we could have easily sorted out earlier in the window while letting superior options go elsewhere in the meantime. Whether that is from incompetence in the boardroom or deliberate tactics ("we can't afford to buy Sancho now but don't want to piss off the fans so we'll pretend we're serious right till the end and blame Dortmund, which will also give us the excuse why we didn't buy others").
We'll sign at least 1 player. 2 if we manage to sell few players.
"Our squad is more than good enough to challenge for the title". That is what Woodward thinks.
Also thinks that Ole is a good manager that can do the job.
Also thinks that Ole is a good manager that can do the job.
Thanks guys. Have to say it was a relatively low key exit considering.
I suppose like the last couple of seasons it all boils down to how many players we can offload before we know how much we have to spend. Obviously getting Sanchez off the books is massive but if we could also get players like Mata, Lingard, Peirera and at least 2 or 3 out of TFM, Jones, Bailly, Tuanzebe or Rojo (not sure who's paying his wages) off the books then more doors will open.
Partey could be an astute signing but I think we have enough young CBs of our own before we go looking outside and even though our defence will have to be eventually looked at I don't think it should be a priority this summer.
If a certain amount of money was available then I'd rather go all out for Sancho even if we didn't sign anyone else. These days players worth 40/50m are becoming very hit and miss but even though they could become good squad options I'd rather go for that generational talent who is exactly what we need right here right now. Just get it done Ed.
The rest of us don't know whats happening about our transfer activity and you are completely clueless about it if you don't even know that Sanchez got sold/released
Our first 11 is also over 30 points behind the Champions. It won`t just miraculously close the gap without investment. To answer your question a CB, LB, DM and RW possibly a ST and CAM for depth
To be fair, he would have some justification for the second part, as Ole did quite a good job in getting us to 3rd place.
Maybe Giggs has something lined up?
He told you this personally? You know this for certain?
Ole has done well and has done ‘a’ job. 3rd and 3 semi finals is not a disaster.
Oh look. Another one who's had a few too many beers after their Sunday lunch.
Just because I didn't have my nose stuck into the forum 24/7 over my summer holidays doesn't make me completely clueless about what's going on and if we can't speculate on a forum on what's going on what's the point of a forum?
I'd recommend at least an hours siesta. You might wake up feeling less grumpy.
Before the start of the new season? Yes.
It seems unthinkable that we wouldn't sign anyone over the course of the window, though. Woodward would be subject to an incredible level of scrutiny - he might be anyway if we don't get the Sancho deal over the line.
It seems unthinkable that we wouldn't sign anyone over the course of the window, though. Woodward would be subject to an incredible level of scrutiny - he might be anyway if we don't get the Sancho deal over the line.
Not just the forum it was everywhere for a couple of weeks. Didn't need the forum to know about it. Casual fans of other teams know about it.
Great post. I think a primary focus should be unloading some more squad members and lighten our salary burden. We dont have true depth. In the near term youth will have to step into the fold in case of an injury crisis but I think it will leave our club in a very strong and sustainable position.
Then yes we can consider who to bring in. Top quality and young potential in key areas.
This would be a nice mix and good sequence of events.
It's more likely than is signing what we need.
No, stop panicking there's 40+ days until the window closes.
You're right. Next time I go away on holiday instead of completely disconnecting for a couple of weeks I'll make sure I'm up to date on the important things in life. My bad
It's always a possibility but I seriously hope not.
If you are not going to sign a 100m player then surely invest in other positions as with teams level or below us like Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal are investing and will continue to do so in the case of the latter two after the bad seasons they had the only way is up for them now that they are used to their new managers and showed signs of good form and as it stands Chelsea are comfortably finishing ahead of us. City are buying and will obviously finish over us and even with minor buys Liverpool remain miles ahead of us when we should be closing the gap.There is a genuine possibility we have a repeat of the 18/19 season and we get left behind AGAIN, finish outside the top 4 AGAIN and find ourselves having to spend to get CL AGAIN. Not signing players this summer should not be looked at as an excuse it is sheer, utter and gross incompetence especially when clubs with vastly superior resources to us are already investing. We are one of 4 PL clubs yet to sign players for Gods sake
He did do a good job. Just no justification that what we have is good enough for the title. I guess we might aim for top 4 again and making more money to the owners.
I definitely agree.
The owners and Ed don’t give a flying fvck whether we close the gap on City or Liverpool, or Chelsea inevitably steaming way ahead of us either due to them actually caring about the football aspect of their club.
Idiotically though, their near-sighted and greedy approach may more than likely see us fall out of top 4 again, potentially for multiple seasons.
Once we get to the end of the season with a squad incapable of pushing on, Ed will come out and cite COVID, an easy excuse.
Idiotically though, their near-sighted and greedy approach may more than likely see us fall out of top 4 again, potentially for multiple seasons.
Once we get to the end of the season with a squad incapable of pushing on, Ed will come out and cite COVID, an easy excuse.
I agree IF he wants to come. IF he wants to come at a reasonable price on a reasonable salary.
Our starting 11 only just started playing together after lockdown, we don’t really know where we are at the moment. All we know is that we need serious depth.
Patience is not for everyone. I expect us to add more quality to help us make a gap between us and other top 4 hopefuls whilst also bridge a gap between us and the top 2. Those that expect us to mount a serious challenge next season are likely to be frustrated for most of the season.
Unless our players take a huge leap like Mane, Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Robertson we won't we won't challenge. But with growth over the next 2 years plus additions that will strengthen our 11 and squad I will expect a serious league challenge in 21/22.
4 or 5 sold or loan out and 1 player signed before the transfer window closes more of possibility.
Since the first transfer window under Ole in January 2019
Sold, loaned out or released.
Fellaini
Herrera
Rojo
Smalling
Valencia
Lukaku
Sánchez
Darmian
Young
Gomes
Bought or loaned in
Maguire
James
Bruno
Wan Bissaka
Ighalo
Since the first transfer window under Ole in January 2019
Sold, loaned out or released.
Fellaini
Herrera
Rojo
Smalling
Valencia
Lukaku
Sánchez
Darmian
Young
Gomes
Bought or loaned in
Maguire
James
Bruno
Wan Bissaka
Ighalo
Over optimistic thinking to imagine they will remain fit all season and maintain the post lockdown form for 38 games. Unless we either invest, have a perfect storm like Leicester all season or the key players make personal strides like Liverpool`s between 2018-2020 we will be lucky to finish 5th
I’m not denying we need investment, I just don’t think the starting 11 is a million miles away, I also don’t expect Liverpool to have a 3rd consecutive 90+ point season.
Liverpool are also unlikely to get below 75 points if worst comes to worst if they add Thiago they will definitely be in the 80+ region again wishful thinking if you can imagine us getting 70+ points this season unless we get an unbelievable amount of luck from fitness to key players instantly taking their game to the next level
Wasn't Spurs the first team not to sign a player in either window? That said, this is unprecedented times and so we should expect things we haven't seen or experienced before.....
And he stayed on holiday
I mean, we nearly got 70 points with key players missing for half the season so it’s not exactly going to be a miracle if we get above 70 next season. We had unfathomable bad luck with injuries last year, just having regular injury luck would be a big improvement.
We’re currently the 4th best team in the league. If we don’t strengthen we could well be in another fight for top 4