I like your list although I would have Todibo ahead of Branthwaite and Tapsoba, unless Branthwaite and Tapsoba are your LCB options? Yoro is amazing but I don't think we can bring him in as a starting RCB. He's still very inexperienced and needs some filling out. He's two footed and plays at LCB at times for Lille, so if we brought in Yoro and Diomande/Todibo, that would be a great pairing. We could probably pay 100m for those two players and have our defense set for the next decade. Yoro could rotate with Martinez and be an upgrade on him in a year easily, whilst Diomande/Todibo would be our starting RCB from day 1.
I also like Lucumi as a LCB option. Able to play at LCB and LB
I don't even think we stand a chance at signing Yoro, to be honest. The reason I mentioned him is because I think he's one of, if not the best prospect out there at the moment. He's probably going to Madrid, though.
Branthwaite would be my LCB option, without a doubt. Tapsoba is more of a RCB if I'm not mistaken, but he can play on both sides as well.
Why do we need two CBs? How departures are you expecting?
New CB, Martinez, Varane, Maguire, Lindelof, Evans
- Reports are Evans may retire, which is fine.
- Varane may leave, but there’s also been reports he’d be happy to extend on a lower salary.
- Maguire is also a maybe, I think he’s now settled now that the football world has moved on from collectively memeing him and now he’s a sort of 20-30 game a season player.
- Lindelof - would be happy to get him out, but haven’t seen any rumours about his departure. It’s like he’s hiding in the back whilst everyone is focussed on Varane and Maguire.
Two seems overkill unless two are leaving (excluding Evans).
Right now, I think Martínez is our only centre back that's completely suited to a high line and possession-based football. That's the reason I'd try to get two new players in that position, but I wouldn't be surprised if we had to settle for only one this summer, and probably another in summer 2025.
I'm expecting at least one departure from the trio of Maguire, Varane, and Lindelöf, but I could also see two, to be honest.
I'd be keeping Maguire, if I had to choose one.