How would you spend our next 200 million?

[Desert Eagle]

With the January transfer window approaching and stories like this:

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It feels like we're in the middle of a rebuild squadwise. With that in mind we are faced with a few questions, do we go for youth or experience; quantity or quality and what positions need to be addressed most urgently.

Keeper isa question mark. I'm a fan of Onana but he's made too many mistakes and there are legitimate question marks about his technique. I would not spend in this position yet but can understand if some might.

Defenders. We need reinforcements especially if we're moving on from Varane. I don't want us giving Maguire a new contract either so it could be time to move him on too. A couple center backs and a couple full backs wouldn't be ridiculous.

Midfielders. We need physicality and technique. Someone more experienced with a skillset similar to Mainoo.

Forwards. Also a definite area of need. Martial needs to go and we need to buy a couple forward players preferably with the ability to play out wide as well.

So I would go Jan window : A 40-50 million forward player, one defender and one midfielder for about 30 million each and do something similar in the summer with a higher budget and possibly one more player being brought in.

 

[Marcus]

Young players with promise.

 

[Oranges038]

I'd put it all on Mbappe.

 

[Shane88]

Ronaldo.

#BringHimHomeAgain

 

[Zlatan 7]

For January

A striker with premier league experience around mid to late twenties for about fifty mil would be a dream

could do with a young centre back who will stay fit

 

[Redstain]

I wouldn't be letting the manager or Murtough negotiate any deals for a player. Let Jim come in and the new DOF spearhead recruitment with deliberation down to the management. Ashworth or Mitchell whoever these should be the decision makers.

 

[AneRu]

I think we should focus more on leagues that historically have proved easier for players coming from there to settle in the PL and to me that is the Portuguese and French leagues. Don't sign anyone from any other league other than those two and the PL.

 

[Phil Osophy]

Borna Sosa, Rensch, Bergwijn, Kenneth Taylor and Brobbey.

 

[Samid]

I wouldn't be letting the manager or Murtough negotiate any deals for a player. Let Jim come in and the new DOF spearhead recruitment with deliberation down to the management. Ashworth or Mitchell whoever these should be the decision makers.

This. These chuckle brothers have flushed hundreds of millions down the toilet in the past 18 months. Wouldn't let either spend another dime.

 

[MadMike]

With the January transfer window approaching and stories like this:

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Excellent news. Now just make sure he can't come back from Saudi.

 

[RuudTom83]

No quick fixes please...look at what the squad needs long term, and start to steer the recruitment towards that goal.

 

[GMoore23]

I'd spend it on 2 class players no older than 26/27. It's the top class players who truly make the difference.

 

[Rojofiam]

New RB who can attack and sell Dalot

New first choice RCB who's good on the ball

Tall LCB who's good on the ball to compete with Martínez

New CDM who can play single pivot (Amrabat can't, Casemiro's getting old)

Left footed RW who's a significant upgrade on Antony and can make it in the PL as a winger

Probably need an older stop-gap striker like Cavani who can share the responsibilities with Hojlund for one or two seasons

 

[Remember the geese]

£200m wouldn't even touch the sides. So much needs to be done, as there are probably only half a dozen players I'd want to keep.

 

[DickDastardly]

CF - Toney
RW - Kudus
DM - De Jong
CB - Antonio Silva

We don't need that much.
4 players that would transform this team.

Sell Martial.
Casemiro.
Sancho
Varane
Pellistri
Antony

 

[Pexbo]

Athletes.

Tall, strong, powerful players with fantastic engines.

 

[Rojofiam]

CF - Toney
RW - Kudus
DM - De Jong
CB - Antonio Silva

We don't need that much.
4 players that would transform this team.

Sell Martial.
Casemiro.
Sancho
Varane
Pellistri
Antony

Antonio Silva isn't what we need.

 

[Rojofiam]

Athletes.

Tall, strong, powerful players with fantastic engines.

If Ineos appoint Paul Mitchell, I think this will be prioritized until our squad is "athletic" enough.

 

[Gandalf]

From what we are hearing regards FFP and the calamity of our European exit it could be a while before we have any significant money to spend and so we need to take care.

I would hope we will just go ahead and cut the deadwood free in January. We are in no danger of not being able to field a team even if we make some sales and with only 2 competitions left to focus on the squad is more than big enough. Donny is gone and regardless of their merits Case, Sancho and Varane appear to be on the block too and of course Martial will be gone in the summer for free.

We need to be patient and finish this season with what we have. Erik can focus on getting his ideas across and as players come back from injury we can get an idea of his best XI and then in the summer spend sensibly and to a plan.

We do definitely need the following though;

Striker
RB
CB
CM

That little lot alone will cost 200M minimum if we are buying players who are good enough and realistically the rest of the season may reveal more holes such as RW. We need to get lucky with sales and still we are not going to be able to complete the rebuild we need without the promised cash injection from Ineos.

 

[The Cat]

Why fly to Saudi? Has this been answered elsewhere?

 

[luke511]

GK - Onana, Heaton, low value high potential signing (£10-20 mil range)
RB - Dalot, AWB
CB - Varane, Martinez, Maguire (if no buyers), Kambwala, Evans, new CB (£40-60 mil range)
LB - Shaw, Fernandez, Malacia, Dalot
CDM - Mainoo, Casemiro, new CDM that can also play as an 8 (£40-70 mil range)
CM - Casemiro, Mainoo, Mejbri, Hansen-Aaroen, Bruno, new CM/CDM, new CM (£40-70 mil range)
CAM - Bruno, Mount, Mejbri, Amad
RW - Amad, Antony, Greenwood, Mount
CF - Greenwood, Hojlund, Rashford, new CF (if funds left over)
LW - Garnacho, Rashford, Mount

So a new GK, CB, CDM/CM, CM, for total of £150 to £200 million. If there's money left over then a low value high potential striker too. If Casemiro is sold then we'd need 3 centre midfielders, I think we should be selling McTominay before him but I guess if the Saudis offer a fair wedge then he has to go.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

I wouldn't be letting the manager or Murtough negotiate any deals for a player. Let Jim come in and the new DOF spearhead recruitment with deliberation down to the management. Ashworth or Mitchell whoever these should be the decision makers.

Agreed, even if it means we have to wait until summer and play out the rest of the season with holes in our squad. Take the short-term pain for longer-term gain and all that.

 

[tomaldinho1]

I'd happily - as extreme as it sounds - sanction the sale of all senior players above 28 or so to be honest. It doesn't have to be done all in one window but we have to look to the future and think of a 2-3 year timeline for a team to challenge for major honours. I think some players we have now will definitely be in that group - Garnacho, Mainoo, Licha, Hojlund, maybe Amad - as starters and likely others as squad players like Hannibal, Dalot, Antony.

The real weakness in our team is the midfield - this season has proven you can get away with 'ok' defenders when you play more basic football (Evans, AWB, Dalot, Lindelof, Maguire, Amrabat at LB) really aren't the level we need.

Big money will need to be spent on a DM. Then I would be tempted to then get a very fast and aerially strong CB and a young CM again with dynamism and a lot better passing/ball retention skills than what we have. A young Kovacic would be the mould of what I'd look for - fast with the ball, can drop in, can score/assist, is always solid without people saying he's world class. That would immediately improve us in my opinion.

 

[Desert Eagle]

CF - Toney
RW - Kudus
DM - De Jong
CB - Antonio Silva

We don't need that much.
4 players that would transform this team.

Sell Martial.
Casemiro.
Sancho
Varane
Pellistri
Antony

Toney and de Jong probably cost 200 mil by themselves but could be worth it.

 

[RomfordRed75]

These 4 players would transform us but would probably cost north of £200m

Toney
Paulinha
Todibo
Bowen

onana
AWB martinez todibo Shaw
Paulinha mainoo fernandez
bowen toney Garnacho

I'd get rid of Sancho, Antony, lindelof,
Keep Casemiro and Varane

 

[andersj]

With the January transfer window approaching and stories like this:

Tweet

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It feels like we're in the middle of a rebuild squadwise. With that in mind we are faced with a few questions, do we go for youth or experience; quantity or quality and what positions need to be addressed most urgently.

Keeper isa question mark. I'm a fan of Onana but he's made too many mistakes and there are legitimate question marks about his technique. I would not spend in this position yet but can understand if some might.

Defenders. We need reinforcements especially if we're moving on from Varane. I don't want us giving Maguire a new contract either so it could be time to move him on too. A couple center backs and a couple full backs wouldn't be ridiculous.

Midfielders. We need physicality and technique. Someone more experienced with a skillset similar to Mainoo.

Forwards. Also a definite area of need. Martial needs to go and we need to buy a couple forward players preferably with the ability to play out wide as well.

So I would go Jan window : A 40-50 million forward player, one defender and one midfielder for about 30 million each and do something similar in the summer with a higher budget and possibly one more player being brought in.

I’m not gonna start a discussion on the entire £200 mill, but I’m increasingly confident we should consider bringing in Solanke.

He is a very well-rounded striker at 26. PL-proven. Decent technically. His npxg is currently north of 0,5. And he is extremely hard working.

«He does a tremendous amount of work leading the Bournemouth press, with only Son Heung-min (66) having made more pressures in the final third leading to a turnover in the Premier League this season than Solanke (54), and only five players having directly won the ball in the final third more times than him (15).»

 

[D. Grayson]

Maxence Caqueret

Mikel Oyarzabal

Dani Olmo (If fit)

We need players who can pass and keep the ball.

 

[VP89]

Todibo - 30
Frimpong (or similar) -25
Paulinha - 50
Guirassy - 20
+ then either a big CM signing or a big winger signing for 75m. I'd try to push for Bowen/Mitoma.

Obviously there are other names scouts would know about, but these are just considerations.

 

[Teja]

Really need a proper goalscorer that can just bang in the goals. Kane would've been so perfect for us and would've papered over so many cracks.

My primary target would be a goal-scoring RW player and a CF for rotating with Hojlund.

If Mainoo, Hojlund, Garnacho, Mount, Martinez don't come good we'll have more problems than 200M can solve.

 

[Ballache]

Zubimendi 53m
Kubo 50m
I think those are release clauses
Tobido 40m
How much would Solanke cost? Was impressed with him against us but I don't know if that is because of us or if he's actually improved.

 

[neon_badger]

Take a huge punt on an up and coming talent, if we leave it to Ten Hag/Murtough we'll get more Mason Mount wastefulness, if we don't spend it the glazers will spend it on harvesting organs or whatever it is they do.

 

[daba]

If we are serious about rebuilding we need to build a squad of young hungry players with a sprinkle of experienced players who are highly professionals and ideally winners although not entirely necessary (eg. players like Kane). Funnily enough we have some of the latter who are also winners, but they are seemingly set to leave to reduce the wage bill and generate funds.

Here would be my picks over the next two windows:

CB - Todibo £35m
RB - Frimpong £35m
CM - Kone £40m
RW - Bardhji £10m (not a priority position but too cheap to miss out on)
ST - Gimenez £50m

If we can sell a couple more players such as McTominay and another CB leaves (ie. two out of Maguire, Lindelof, Varane have left) I’d look to bring in:

LCB - Medina £30m
DM - Wieffer or Onana £30-50m

These are obvious options that are all in the right age bracket to both improve the team from the off and continue to improve with us. If there are less obvious options out there like a Caicedo or Pape Sarr for like £5m that our scouting team spot then great, but judging by past records I don’t hold out much hope.

 

[Revan]

Give it to Murtough and EtH and watch them burn 200m.

 

[Mickeza]

I’d buy two top attacking players. Genuinely baffling to me how people bang on about CBs or CMs when not a single one of our attackers outside of Rashford (if not in his off year) starts for another top 8 side. Our attacking options are absolutely brutal and that’s the most important area of the pitch.

 

[kaku06]

Whether it’s January or the summer I would go for this

DM Amadou Onana - 40/50m
RW Kudus - 50m
CB Todibo - 40m
RB Frimpong - 30/40m
ST Guirassy -20/25m

 

[Gopher Brown]

Certainly nobody with a chequered injury history. Certainly nobody over 27. Fed up of buying players who are out for months at a time and take forever to get fit again.

I’d take a compromise on talent for players that are reliable.

 

[SER19]

A modern right back with good crossing ability

A right sided Centre back, who can pass very confidently.

A proper, defensive midfielder than can be paired with mainoo.

an experienced striker to share burden with hojlund.

 

[RedBanker]

Get a proper manager for the first time in a decade.

 

[KiD MoYeS]

A striker
A holding midfielder
A right winger
A right back
A goalkeeper

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

I’d give it all to a certain RedCafe member who lives in Los Angeles. The change to the team will be about the same but I guarantee I will have a lot more fun with that loot than if we spunked it on a bunch of crocks (again).