The left-winger market…

[NoPace]

I think there's no chance Dorgu is a starting LW long term. Doesn't have the dribbling or the passing to be a difference maker there. As another poster alluded when the difference between him and Amad is night and day on the ball, Dorgu can't be a LW for a top side.

Dorgu is a left back or a squad player long term (or both) I think.

It would be pretty shocking if any left-footed winger was our starting LW long term, right?

Of the top 25 LW on Transfermarkt only Raphinha is listed there and obviously he was a RW but Yamal is better and Raphinha more versatile, and he's probably playing centrally for Brazil.

The width being provided on the left Dorgu as an attacking LB overlapping a right-footed LW, with the RB tucked in and Amad wide on the touchline on the other side (opening up the halfspace on that side for Mbeumo or Amad himself to get into) seems likeliest. That right side is what Carrick did last game.

But yeah, Dorgu not having the first touch to retain possession with his back to goal would be a big problem at LW. He's got the physical tools to be a very good LB and he competes defensively.

I feel like we'll sign a right-footed young player and expect him to back up Cunha next year at LW, with Dorgu a defensive alternative option to close out games with a lead, but primarily getting healthy LB minutes as Shaw is played once a week to hope he stays healthy and Dorgu can hopefully be ready to take the job over for the 2027-28 season.

 

[RedSince82]

I think we are nailed on for Diomande with the Red Bull and Sesko links.

 

[davidmichael]

If West Ham go down then a double raid on them for Summervillle and Fernandes would be a great idea.

 

[Fracture90]

Should be all over Summerville

Everytime I've watched WHU, he was balling hard.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

I think there's no chance Dorgu is a starting LW long term. Doesn't have the dribbling or the passing to be a difference maker there. As another poster alluded when the difference between him and Amad is night and day on the ball, Dorgu can't be a LW for a top side.

Dorgu is a left back or a squad player long term (or both) I think.

Being a top winger though is about being able to get past your man and deliver an accurate delivery. Being a great dribbler is secondary as an attribute.

 

[DJ_21]

Should be all over Diomande

 

[Fracture90]

Should be all over Diomande

Like a wet blanket!

Edit: BTW i disagree, don't think that position is a priority right now.

 

[DJ_21]

Like a wet blanket!

Edit: BTW i disagree, don't think that position is a priority right now.

I agree it’s not… but it’s the LW we should be all over when we do need one but by then he’ll be at Bayern or Liverpool. He’ll also cost a bomb which we need to spend on midfield.

 

[Rossa]

Being a top winger though is about being able to get past your man and deliver an accurate delivery. Being a great dribbler is secondary as an attribute.

Many ways to get past a man, for sure. Neither David Silva nor Bernardo Silva were out and out wingers able to go past their man for fun, but they used the spaces, as did Beckham, to deliver an accurate cross, a through ball, or to interlink. However, what I think we truly need is someone to worry defenders one on one. We only really have Amad and Cunha, and both are a little erratic, and none of them are blistering for top speed. Mbuemo clearly has top speed even to challenge and go faster than someone like Adama Traore (who would have thought), but his acceleration and ability to go past a man isn't a strength of his.

 

[Fracture90]

I agree it’s not… but it’s the LW we should be all over when we do need one but by then he’ll be at Bayern or Liverpool. He’ll also cost a bomb which we need to spend on midfield.

I see that he's quite tall at 190cm. How is speed, ability to beat his man translate to EPL? EPL is much more physical, i can see him struggling.

 

[Lennon7]

Should be all over Summerville

Nah. Very tricky and takes people on but no end product, or certainly not at the level/consistency we’d need

 

[Invictus]

I see that he's quite tall at 190cm. How is speed, ability to beat his man translate to EPL? EPL is much more physical, i can see him struggling.

He is not 190cm. He is close to 181cm. Lots of wingers and wide forwards in that bracket, including some of the finest in modern as well as contemporary football: Cristiano, Robben, Yamal, Bale, Olise, Son, Kvaratskhelia and so forth.

For reference, Rômulo is 192cm and Diomandé is clearly much shorter...

Also, struggle on what basis? Sure, the Premier League is qualitatively and athletically superior to the Bundesliga and there might be relative drop-off, but he has some of the best volume dribbling statistics in club football...

 

[DJ_21]

I see that he's quite tall at 190cm. How is speed, ability to beat his man translate to EPL? EPL is much more physical, i can see him struggling.

I don’t think he will to be fair. I think he’ll beat a lot of prem full backs. Looks quite quick with his feet

 

[AngeloHenriquez]

Does Mane for Wolves play on the left or is he central? He looked great when he came on vs us

 

[RedEarth]

Definitely worth keeping an eye on Kevin and his progress. He looked lightning fast yesterday, and we already know that he can play, and do the cut-inside-shoot thing. But he does occasionally pass and cross the ball too, or at least tries to.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Many ways to get past a man, for sure. Neither David Silva nor Bernardo Silva were out and out wingers able to go past their man for fun, but they used the spaces, as did Beckham, to deliver an accurate cross, a through ball, or to interlink. However, what I think we truly need is someone to worry defenders one on one. We only really have Amad and Cunha, and both are a little erratic, and none of them are blistering for top speed. Mbuemo clearly has top speed even to challenge and go faster than someone like Adama Traore (who would have thought), but his acceleration and ability to go past a man isn't a strength of his.

Personally I just desire an Antonio Valencia like flanker. Get past you and cross accurately whether you like it or not 9/10 times type. Some times that type of simplicity beats 1v1 wizardry.

 

[Fracture90]

He is not 190cm. He is close to 181cm. Lots of wingers and wide forwards in that bracket, including some of the finest in modern as well as contemporary football: Cristiano, Robben, Yamal, Bale, Olise, Son, Kvaratskhelia and so forth.

For reference, Rômulo is 192cm and Diomandé is clearly much shorter...

Also, struggle on what basis? Sure, the Premier League is qualitatively and athletically superior to the Bundesliga and there might be relative drop-off, but he has some of the best volume dribbling statistics in club football...

I don’t think he will to be fair. I think he’ll beat a lot of prem full backs. Looks quite quick with his feet

It is quite possible that i have confused him with Diomande from Sporting!

Edit : and to make matters worse, Sporting Diomande is a CB! Brainfart from my side.

 

[DJ_21]

It is quite possible that i have confused him with Diomande from Sporting!

Edit : and to make matters worse, Sporting Diomande is a CB! Brainfart from my side.

Ye I was going to say isn’t the sporting one a CB

 

[Fracture90]

Ye I was going to say isn’t the sporting one a CB

Is what it is buddy

One thing though, I would reluctant to add any more crucial players that would be going to AFCON.

 

[Chipper]

Does Mane for Wolves play on the left or is he central? He looked great when he came on vs us

Think he's playing as a number 10, or even as more an 8 in a CM role lately.

That's what transfermarkt has him down for. Could awlays check out heat maps on sofascore for a more detailed look.

 

[AngeloHenriquez]

Think he's playing as a number 10, or even as more an 8 in a CM role lately.

That's what transfermarkt has him down for. Could awlays check out heat maps on sofascore for a more detailed look.

That's why I asked, didn't know if we had any Wolves fans as his heat map suggests he operates wide left but the websites all have him down as starting centrally, kind of the opposite to Cunha!

 

[Zumbi]

Is what it is buddy

One thing though, I would reluctant to add any more crucial players that would be going to AFCON.

Not really an issue anymore. AFCON 2027 has just been moved to the summer to bring it in line with the rest of the football calendar, and from 2028 onwards it’s only going to be every four years instead of every two years. So it shouldn’t figure into our calculations when buying players any more than the Euros currently do.

 

[red_de_pologne]

I'd be surprised if Diomande didn't sign for Bayern

 

[Fracture90]

Not really an issue anymore. AFCON 2027 has just been moved to the summer to bring it in line with the rest of the football calendar, and from 2028 onwards it’s only going to be every four years instead of every two years. So it shouldn’t figure into our calculations when buying players any more than the Euros currently do.

That's interesting. Had no clue about it.

 

[Zumbi]

That's interesting. Had no clue about it.

Yeah, overall good changes for any clubs with African players.

 

[Fracture90]

Yeah, overall good changes for any clubs with African players.

Provided if the players themselves survive summer AFCON in the northern parts of Africa.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

Any reports that we are actually looking for a left winger?

I had it 3rd or 4th on the priority list.

 

[Zumbi]

Any reports that we are actually looking for a left winger?

I had it 3rd or 4th on the priority list.

Yes. Reported interest in Semenyo, Diomande. It’s been reported that we’re prioritising a couple CMs and either a LW and/or a LB this summer. Us actively looking for a LW is not mutually exclusive with it being 3rd or 4th on the priority list - CM will still be the main priority.

Us wanting a LW is unsurprising given the fact that we have no natural left wingers in th squad and Rashford is due to leave.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

I'd be surprised if Diomande didn't sign for Bayern

He’s best off at a club where he will play the most minutes and be the guy.

At Leipzig everything flows through him and he’s given an unprecedented amount of responsibility to be the driving force of the side.

I can’t see him wanting to be a rotation option at Bayern with Diaz and Olise.

 

[bb8]

Being a top winger though is about being able to get past your man and deliver an accurate delivery. Being a great dribbler is secondary as an attribute.

Is it? I would've thought being a great dribbler is the easiest way to get past your defender. Unless you just mean using pure pace, which of course is also an important factor (and Dorgu is fast, but not at the extreme top end).

 

[Rossa]

Personally I just desire an Antonio Valencia like flanker. Get past you and cross accurately whether you like it or not 9/10 times type. Some times that type of simplicity beats 1v1 wizardry.

Nani became much more efficient when he stopped dribbling as much and instead just ran at his defenders. I think that 1-2 seasons of prime Nani was the best since prime Giggs for me, but I certainly enjoyed Valencia!

 

[goldenboy]

Being a top winger though is about being able to get past your man and deliver an accurate delivery. Being a great dribbler is secondary as an attribute.

Is it? I would've thought being a great dribbler is the easiest way to get past your defender. Unless you just mean using pure pace, which of course is also an important factor (and Dorgu is fast, but not at the extreme top end).

RICTR still has as his main reference point the distant days when football was 44-f'ing-2 and lump it in to the big man.

 

[Rozay]

What we need first is a LW who actually wants to play LW. So a player who operates ON the left, not FROM the left.

Then I think you want a player who is a threat with and without the ball.

The second sounds obvious, but is becoming rare to find at the top end of the game these days. A lot of players are a threat either with the ball, or without it, but rarely both to a high level. I think a player like Dembele is one of such players, for example - and it’s really something we lack in attack. If we want to transition at speed, we generally have to get the ball to Amad who has to carry the ball himself. Don’t get him the ball early enough, and he’s half as threatening - he’s the player you want running forward with the ball, but not so much without it. We have missed that since Rashford offered it. But Rashford himself was half the threat with the ball. He couldn’t run past players like Amad does.

Some players have both threats, but one is clearly a lot stronger than the other. Dembele is the best where you don’t want to have him on the shoulder to run in behind, or 1v1 out wide. Doku too, but end product is limited. Then you have players like Kevin Schade who is far more threatening without the ball than with it.

Diomande really does look the sort of profile who could fulfil this, and seems to be emerging as the standout candidate on the market this summer. Rafa Leao is starting to approach the age where the price would need to come down a fair bit to be worth it.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

RICTR still has as his main reference point the distant days when football was 44-f'ing-2 and lump it in to the big man.

Raphinha Barcelona last season. Left footer on the left. Deadly. No spending much time beating people for fun like he is capable of. Just getting past them and wrecking havok with goals, and accurate pick outs and crosses. No 4-4-2 big man in the center in sight. I suggest you expand your football watching depth.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Nani became much more efficient when he stopped dribbling as much and instead just ran at his defenders. I think that 1-2 seasons of prime Nani was the best since prime Giggs for me, but I certainly enjoyed Valencia!

I agree

 

[Lash]

Is it? I would've thought being a great dribbler is the easiest way to get past your defender. Unless you just mean using pure pace, which of course is also an important factor (and Dorgu is fast, but not at the extreme top end).

Entirely depends what you do after dribbling past the player and where you're going past your man. Zaha is prime example who was far less effective than he should have been.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Is it? I would've thought being a great dribbler is the easiest way to get past your defender. Unless you just mean using pure pace, which of course is also an important factor (and Dorgu is fast, but not at the extreme top end).

Thomas Muller on the right flank at Bayern. Neither had pure pace no dribbling skill. Hardly any fullback could live with him out there. Simply because he was too wily. Frankly as long as you can often get past or straight up out wit your marker to deliver consistent accurate balls from wide, you will make a top winger/wide attacker. If you can also dribble to you'd the be in "great" category.

 

[RedKnight88]

Any reports that we are actually looking for a left winger?

I had it 3rd or 4th on the priority list.

Why would a left winger be 3rd or 4th priority ? We need a couple midfielders first, don't think anyone would debate that.
Dorgu, Shaw and even Amass as LB
Dalot and Mazraoui as RB - although, i'd like to replace Dalot, but it isn't really high up as priority.
Lisandro Martinez, Mathijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven, Harry Maguire. for CB
Amad, Bryan Mbuemo and even Shea Lacey for RW.
Who do we have as a starter LW? Matheus Cunha is more comfortable centrally. Even in his days as Atletico Madrid player he never played out wide.

 

[Poborsky's hair]

Does Mane for Wolves play on the left or is he central? He looked great when he came on vs us

hes very raw but future league star imho. We could use Wolves going down and get him on the discount even though he's still quite raw. After we missed out on Quenda think we should try for these top potential players who already have experience in men's footy. Would be fun to watch him and Amad running around players.

 

[red_de_pologne]