Centre Midfielder Transfer Links
- Thread starter luke511
- Start date
Cheeky bid for Szoboszlai?
I think M Fernandez has a high ceiling. Gutted that there are no links to him
Yep, and we got 2 good years of Case despite spending £150M (£60M transfer fee and £80-90M wages). Now we're right back in the same place with needing a other huge money transfer. It was a really poor use of resources, and Case was significantly better than Bruno at his peak.
Idk if folks realize, but spending £60M+ and mega wages for a 3-4 year replacement is a pretty silly way to spend money. You can often get a 23 year old for less overall (bit higher transfer fee but lower wages) and have them for 7-10 years before needing to shell out a huge transfer fee again, or sell them before that to recoup most of your fee if you choose.
I wouldn't touch Guimarães for any significant fee at this point.
Agreed he should be our primary target for box to box / no 8 spot along with no 6 / defensive midfielder .
I hope 3 midfielders will be bought, because we truly need the balance. A proper DM, a CM and an attacking CM. 2 big signings (Baleba, Anderson?) and one for addition, something less expensive, but still proven. Can be someone in their prime, in late 20's. Then we have enough options tactically and some depth too. If Ugarte is sold, then we'd be very thin in midfield.
I think the balance that every club should try to achieve is the Modric-Kroos-Casemiro, Vidal-Pogba-Marchisio or Xavi-Busquets-Iniesta style. Perfect midfields.
I think the balance that every club should try to achieve is the Modric-Kroos-Casemiro, Vidal-Pogba-Marchisio or Xavi-Busquets-Iniesta style. Perfect midfields.
I think we can afford one older player who we know is a top premier league player in midfield, even if it means gambling on the rest.
And this led to a multi-post debate but I think Casemiro ended up being above average business for us relative to our other moves post-Fergie because we've had so many absolute lemons in the transfers we made, often of 23/24 year olds who had high transfer fees and wages (Sancho, Mount) or high fees but lower wages (Antony, Van De Beek, Lindelof).
This sounds more realistic to me:
2026 summer: Sign Guimarães and the best young CM/DM we can, even if it means going cheap elsewhere and hoping Cunha, Dorgu and Shaw can hold the 2 left-sided spots.
2026-27 plan: Mainoo-Guimarães-BrunoFernandes is our midfield next year along with a young CM or DM competing with Mainoo but neither having to truly carry the midfield right away, and Ugarte around for one last year as the 3rd/4th CM.
2027 summer: Sign another young CM, Ugarte out, or maybe we've promoted a CM like Kone.
2028 summer: Bruno Fernandes out, sign a new #10 or a goalscoring box to box type, unless Mainoo turns into one, though even then a 4-3-3 can work with 2 box to box types who like to get forward a lot and play in the half-spaces and the right DM.
Elliot Anderson is the priority.
And could we land Baleba as well, then it would look amazing.
Selling Ugarte and getting CL, we will need one more. One who is not so expensive.
How about Ethan Ampadu. One year remaining at his deal with Leeds. He is a 6, a leader and can play football as well. Forget he is playing for Leeds. Steve Holland will know him from the Chelsea-days probably. Might be worth checking out as a back up for a few years, until maybe one of the academy boys are ready (Thwaites, Fletcher or ?)..
And could we land Baleba as well, then it would look amazing.
Selling Ugarte and getting CL, we will need one more. One who is not so expensive.
How about Ethan Ampadu. One year remaining at his deal with Leeds. He is a 6, a leader and can play football as well. Forget he is playing for Leeds. Steve Holland will know him from the Chelsea-days probably. Might be worth checking out as a back up for a few years, until maybe one of the academy boys are ready (Thwaites, Fletcher or ?)..
Ampadu is a consistent, solid premier league player, but not sure if he’s at this level.
I'd love 2 of the 3 above. Until recently didn't think the two Newcastle Mids were available.
But those two are safer bets than Baleba and Wharton.
And whilst I generally disagree with Big money moves for a 29yo. Bruno G strikes me as someone who could play at a high level into his early 30s (pure speculation I know). And midfield is one area where I think experience counts especially if surrounded by younger midfielders.
Linked with a young lad Caleb Yirenkyi. They had me at the description “next Michael Essen”.
Go all out on Elliot Anderson and pinch Mateus Fernandes for cheaper than the other Midfield targets when West Ham go down, this will hopefully leave cash left over for strengthening other positions.
Mateus Fernandes seems to be getting a lot of rave reviews from West Ham faithful. If they are relegated, could be available for cheap. No links with anyone though given his age, Chelsea's directors must be getting a 10 year contract ready.
We need someone with at least some European experience.
They paid close to 45m for him. Don't think they'll sell for anything less than 60-65. With the amount of money in the English game even relegated teams don't need to sell nowadays.
I think so too, because the first XI may not always be available - Mainoo for example has had his injury problems, we need to have enough cover that the levels don't drop.
Ampadu joined Chelsea a couple of months after Holland left.
Honestly, he does remind me of Essien, regardless of them being the same nationality. He has got a great engine, athleticism and his passing ability is going up in leaps and bounds. Scandinavian leagues are quite physical and he is dominating midfields as a 19 year old. He's played both 6 and 8. If we are unsure of Baleba and want to pair getting Anderson with a young athletic midfielder that won't blow the budget, we should seriously look at him. He's probably one that came up using data analysis and speaks to how our scouting and use of data is improving.
Seems like you've watched some of Nordsjaelland this season - how does Yirenkyi compare to 19 year-old Justin Janssen of the same team?
Using data analysis, Janssen came up as one of the best young 6es outside the Big 5 leagues, while Yirenkyi's profile got filtered out for that role. The overall quality/impact of their stats look fairly similar, but Janssen seems to have better ball-winning and deep-lying playmaking, while Yirenkyi seems to be more of a dribbler and '8' type who plays on the front foot. Correct, or?
Also on the subject of Scandinavian leagues, if you've seen some of Nordsjaelland in Denmark, any chance you're away of Matias Siltanen at Djugardens? He was one of the other few who showed up really well in the data for young 6es outside the top leagues.
Last edited:
I have watched one or two games but not extensively to be honest to comment on other players.
I picked up on Yirenkyi through Scouted as he kept on coming up on their list of players who come up in their data analysis which is when I watched a couple of their games. I also watch him when he plays for Ghana as I am Ghanaian and follow the team. I am surprised that he didn't come up on the data as he has played for them at 6 but it may be because they sometimes use him as a right sided 8. Like I said, he can play both 6 and 8 really well. At 6, he has the ability to dribble out of press and play the right pass between the lines. Since he's moved there, he has shown very good traits to his playmaking, in addition to his athletic gifts. Yirenkyi is seen as one of Nordsjaelland's stars for the future and I think is more regarded than Janssen. I will have to watch one or two of their games and focus on Janssen.
Siltanen has come up before and is definitely one to watch. Don't know if he is as good as Bergvall was at the same age.
Tonali is good but he runs around pressing.
He doesn’t sit and dictate.
He doesn’t sit and dictate.
Thanks for the reply.
Yirenkyi got filtered out of the two most detailed DM data deep-dives on a few data-points:
- He seems to make a relatively low number of Progressive Passes. He seems to progress the ball more adeptly with his dribbling. Ideally a DM should be "pass first" rather than "dribble first", as dribble-minded players vacate the space behind them when progressing the ball and thus risk being caught out.
- Following on from this, his Accurate Long-Pass % of 29th percentile was below what one would ideally wish for from a DM expected to pass from deep.
- His Pass-Adjusted Tackles + Interceptions was is at 41st percentile, which while not terrible and likely to improve, is below the cut-off I'd expect for a DM.
- On my second deep-dive, he also would have lacked the aerial ability requirements.
He certainly has some nice attributes, but definitely looks more of a front-footed 8 to me.
His stats suggest he is at an incredibly similar level to Bergvall at the same age. Albeit Bergvall was a more front-footed 8/10, while Siltanen is more a deep-lying DM/play-maker. From the limited highlights I've seen, Siltanen certainly has an incredible long-range pass on him.
What was all that shite about a deal being done for Kone in the summer?
We all know that we want Baleba and he wants us so that one is nailed down.
We all know that we want Baleba and he wants us so that one is nailed down.
I would be far from certain that we sign or even attempt to sign Baleba.
Agreed. Especially in case they still ask for 100m
Interesting that he’s linked as Brighton’s favoured Baleba replacement.
Honestly, I think getting Tonali and Anderson (and keeping Bruno) would make us title contenders.
Mateus Fernandes is getting better and better. He really should be close to the top of our list along with Anderson.
You don't rate Fabrizio then?
I think the great news for us is in 4 months we have Sancho, Rashford and Casemiro all leaving making around a million a week on wages saved, I think we can go to town, offer a very good packet for the midfield of our choosing.
Given the way we're playing, the stature of the club in the game I think we will have a great window, I trust INEOS to sign the right players after the last 2 summers, really good squad building.
I don’t rate Baleba.
Why did no one else pick him up I wonder. But he is a great talent and him and Anderson would be top signings
Agree.
If we continue to play like we do now, I think we're attractive for new players. Given we have some money in our pockets of course is a big plus.
How much would Mateus Fernandes cost? I’m a huge fan.
55m. 45m if WH goes down
Wouldn’t solve the Casemiro issue, but for that price we should 100% be looking at him.
Unless he has a release clause we arent getting him for 55 m or 45 m even if they get relegated .
Im still having a hard time finding someone to partner Mainoo in a two. I want someone to be able to shield the defence while dictating tempo, and one more box to box with more energy and creativity a bit further forward. Mainoo kinda drops out of the starting eleven unless we go three cms.
Thanks for the reply.
Yirenkyi got filtered out of the two most detailed DM data deep-dives on a few data-points:
- He seems to make a relatively low number of Progressive Passes. He seems to progress the ball more adeptly with his dribbling. Ideally a DM should be "pass first" rather than "dribble first", as dribble-minded players vacate the space behind them when progressing the ball and thus risk being caught out.
- Following on from this, his Accurate Long-Pass % of 29th percentile was below what one would ideally wish for from a DM expected to pass from deep.
- His Pass-Adjusted Tackles + Interceptions was is at 41st percentile, which while not terrible and likely to improve, is below the cut-off I'd expect for a DM.
- On my second deep-dive, he also would have lacked the aerial ability requirements.
He certainly has some nice attributes, but definitely looks more of a front-footed 8 to me.
His stats suggest he is at an incredibly similar level to Bergvall at the same age. Albeit Bergvall was a more front-footed 8/10, while Siltanen is more a deep-lying DM/play-maker. From the limited highlights I've seen, Siltanen certainly has an incredible long-range pass on him.
Thanks for the deep dive on him. I think his progressive passing is still low because he has played quite a few games at right sided 8, where his dribbling from deep is more useful. Whenever he has played as a 6, he has impressed with his passing from deep. It's definitely an area he can improve, but I think he has shown enough with his displays to show that if instructed, he can fulfil that role and more. I don't think he will ever be a metronome like a Zubimendi but his dynanism makes him an exciting option in that area. He does lack with his aerial ability, but he has a decent leap and is tall enough, so I'm quite surprised.
I think Siltanen is an exciting prospect but probably needs a step to Germany, Portugal etc before the EPL whereas I think Yirenkyi would cope well just based on his athleticism and physicality.