What do we still need? Aka The never ending story

In a dream scenario something like this

Get rid of
Telles
Bailly
Maguire
Martial
Van De Beek
Henderson
Elanga
maybe Fred / McTominay (doubt we get rid of both in one window)

Get in:
Costa / Verbruggen (and keep De Gea for a season as keeper is bedded in?)
Kim Min-jae
Xavi Simmons / Maddison (the latter is cheaper and pl proven)
Caicedo
Rabiot (free agent)
Kane
Højlund

Squad for next season:
GK: Costa / Vrebruggen + De Gea
DR: AWB + Dalot
DL: Luke Shaw + Malacia
DC: Varane + Kim + Martinez + Lindelof
CM: Casemiro + Eriksen + Bruno + Xavi Simmons / Maddison + Caicedo + Rabiot
MR: Antony + Sancho (Diallo/ Pellistri)
ML: Rashford + Garnacho (Diallo / Pellistri)
ST: Kane + Højlund

Maybe keep Mejbri for depth or loan? Not sure, if we could sell with buy back clause might be smart

or something, time to turn off my Fifa
You can’t register that squad 7 homegrown players at most, you must have 8 and that’s if we buy Maddison over Xavi Simmons
 
Does anyone else feel like we’re a bit stuck in the transfer market until the ownership situation is clear? We don’t know what our budget is going to be, or the transfer strategy of the prospective new owners.

Clubs won’t want to negotiate seriously with us when they know we can’t commit to anything yet. I’m sure that ETH would have loved Mac Allister but we had to sit idly by and let someone else pick him up for next to nothing in the current climate.

I feel like we’ll be scrabbling over scraps come later in the window.
 
Does anyone else feel like we’re a bit stuck in the transfer market until the ownership situation is clear? We don’t know what our budget is going to be, or the transfer strategy of the prospective new owners.

Clubs won’t want to negotiate seriously with us when they know we can’t commit to anything yet. I’m sure that ETH would have loved Mac Allister but we had to sit idly by and let someone else pick him up for next to nothing in the current climate.

I feel like we’ll be scrabbling over scraps come later in the window.
Even Ten Haag said when he got here last year they discussed transfers and they have a plan and nothing has changed. A business does not stop just because its being sold. Has anthing else changed awaiting the new owners like are we getting no new academy players, no new staff in the canteen, reduced spending accross the club etc? Whether the Glaziers sell or stay we have to run like a football club and that means having a budget and a plan for transfers. The budget will be based on FFP and sales. It will be business as usual. Probably around 200 mill plus minus based on sales. The only thing that can change is if we get a new owner quickly and they manage to change FFP by clearing debt etc and increasing the spend amount.
 
Does anyone else feel like we’re a bit stuck in the transfer market until the ownership situation is clear? We don’t know what our budget is going to be, or the transfer strategy of the prospective new owners.

Clubs won’t want to negotiate seriously with us when they know we can’t commit to anything yet. I’m sure that ETH would have loved Mac Allister but we had to sit idly by and let someone else pick him up for next to nothing in the current climate.

I feel like we’ll be scrabbling over scraps come later in the window.

Yeah scrabbling late in window is what we do,however it's certainly not what Erik wants
 
You can’t register that squad 7 homegrown players at most, you must have 8 and that’s if we buy Maddison over Xavi Simmons

That's not the rules, you can register your squad with just 4 homegrown players too, instead of 25 players, you will register only 21 players, with 4 unused slots.

Rule is, squad should register only 17 foreign players (Non-home grown), not more than that. Which leaves 8 slots for HG players.
 
GK : Costa (65M)
CM : Mount(50M)
CF : Muani or Hojlund(50-70M)

CB : Kim Min-Jae(45M)
DM : Idk who, but someone young who can deputise for Casemiro for ~20M


This would be a decent window for us. Bolded ones are priorities. Realistic also I feel like.
 
GK : Costa (65M)
CM : Mount(50M)
CF : Muani or Hojlund(50-70M)

CB : Kim Min-Jae(45M)
DM : Idk who, but someone young who can deputise for Casemiro for ~20M


This would be a decent window for us. Bolded ones are priorities. Realistic also I feel like.

So you wouldn't take Rabiot as someone to deputise but can also cover other positions
 
So you wouldn't take Rabiot as someone to deputise but can also cover other positions

Dont think Rabiot is a perfect solution to play as that lone #6, also since our midfield is already old, we should target younger players.
 
Dont think Rabiot is a perfect solution to play as that lone #6, also since our midfield is already old, we should target younger players.

He just turned 28 in April and is better than what we have in a younger McTominay and older Fred but yeah not a natural 6. For free though he would be a real good addition in my opinion.

Someone like Caicedo or Rice would be better of course but I just don’t think this club will get them because we will be, as always, a bit of an indecisive mess in the transfer window.
 
GK : Costa (65M)
CM : Mount(50M)
CF : Muani or Hojlund(50-70M)

CB : Kim Min-Jae(45M)
DM : Idk who, but someone young who can deputise for Casemiro for ~20M


This would be a decent window for us. Bolded ones are priorities. Realistic also I feel like.
Lavia would surely fit the bill for the Case cover no? But would most likely cost around 40m

If we are shipping out Fred & McT, Rabiot might be a decent option as Mount being our only upgrade in Midfield doesn't inspire confidence nor does having a young unproven striker as the leading line #9
 
He just turned 28 in April and is better than what we have in a younger McTominay and older Fred but yeah not a natural 6. For free though he would be a real good addition in my opinion.

Someone like Caicedo or Rice would be better of course but I just don’t think this club will get them because we will be, as always, a bit of an indecisive mess in the transfer window.
Lavia would surely fit the bill for the Case cover no? But would most likely cost around 40m

If we are shipping out Fred & McT, Rabiot might be a decent option as Mount being our only upgrade in Midfield doesn't inspire confidence nor does having a young unproven striker as the leading line #9

Yeah Lavia seems to be Chelsea bound.

Caicedo/Rice are too expensive, I hope our scouting team can find a decent prospect DM.

Rabiot is the same age as Bruno, 28, but Case and Eriksen are both on the wrong side of 30, and in 3-4 years, all of them will have their best years behind them. We need to think of the future will building our squad, and a young deputy for Casemiro makes sense.
 
Yeah Lavia seems to be Chelsea bound.

Caicedo/Rice are too expensive, I hope our scouting team can find a decent prospect DM.

Rabiot is the same age as Bruno, 28, but Case and Eriksen are both on the wrong side of 30, and in 3-4 years, all of them will have their best years behind them. We need to think of the future will building our squad, and a young deputy for Casemiro makes sense.
Absolutely despise Chelsea, since they got the original take over all they seem to do is buy as much talent as possible and ruin them just so no other club can get them.

We really seem to be looking at Amrabat too, 26, not sure of Italian league players being able to hand the pace or the prem.
 
Absolutely despise Chelsea, since they got the original take over all they seem to do is buy as much talent as possible and ruin them just so no other club can get them.

We really seem to be looking at Amrabat too, 26, not sure of Italian league players being able to hand the pace or the prem.

Hate Chelsea's hording of talent. Sickens me to think they will have a midfield of

Caicedo--Enzo
-----Nkunku

Sorted for so many years. We can still make good shrewd signings, just hoping this takeover bs gets done soon. Dont think Amrabat is a DM anyway.
 
Well, it didn't take long for our transfer window to go quiet. Seems like nothing is imminent, lots of uncertainty over ownership and budget. Our first signing seems a long way off.

Yeah we are in stalemate territory
 
Out - Henderson, Bailly, Maguire, Telles, VDB, McTominay, Fred, Sacho, Martial, Elanga, Williams - £175m

In
Yehvann Diouf £15m
Kim-Man Jae £50m
Alan Varela £15m
Caicedo £70m
Caqueret £35m
Hoijlund £50m

£235m

£55m net spend

AMine Giouri £35m if Greenwood leave on loan or permanently



DeGea - Diouf
Bissaka - DAlot
Jae - Varane
Martiez - Lindelof
Casemeiro - Varela
Caqueret
- Caicedo
Fernandes - Eriksen
Rashford - Garnacho
Antony - Pellestri
Hoijlund - Giouri/Greenwood

Heaton - Alvaro Fernandez - Hannibal - Mainoo - Amad - Iqbal
 
Watching the CL final today made me realise that we have two absolute critical positions to fill.

The first is a goalkeeper and Diego Costa or Onana from inter Milan are essential, either will do, pay the £55-65m get it down asap.


The second is an elite experienced striker, this is going to come down to whose left at the end of the Transfer window. Kane will be gone to Madrid, Muani to Bayern, Victor Oshimen will be the only left as no one wants to pay the £140m, I think £125m with add ons gets this one done too.

These two positions are critical, then we need a BTB 8, Back up striker and Young mobile number 6, sell Maguire and the obvious others and make sure we do the KMJ deal to.

The perfect window;
D Costa(GK), D Dumfries(RB), KMJ (CB), Caciedo(DM/CM) A Rabiot(CM),
V Osimhen(CF) R Hojlund(B/Striker)

That lost cost £400m and we might get £125m if we sold well so £275m net
 
If Bellingham signs for Madrid. Is there a chance we could get Valverde ?

Dream window:
Costa
Kim
Frimpomg
New midfielder (Vlaverde if available
Kane

Realistic window

Raya
Disasi
Mount
Hojlund
 
If Bellingham signs for Madrid. Is there a chance we could get Valverde ?

Dream window:
Costa
Kim
Frimpomg
New midfielder (Vlaverde if available
Kane

Realistic window

Raya
Disasi
Mount
Hojlund

Would take Valverde/Camavinga/Tchouameni
 
Dream window.

In:
Onana £45m
Kim Min Jae £40m
Timber £45m
Lavia £35m
Xavi Simons £45m
Rabiot Free
Kane £100m (or Osimhen)

Out:
AWB £25m
McTominay £25m
Fred £10m
Elanga £15m
Maguire £20m
Donny £15m or Loan
Henderson £25m
Bailly £5m or Loan
B. Williams £5m or Loan
Pellistri Prem Loan
Hannibal Ligue 1 Loan
Mainoo Loan
 
Dream window.

In:
Onana £45m
Kim Min Jae £40m
Timber £45m
Lavia £35m
Xavi Simons £45m
Rabiot Free
Kane £100m (or Osimhen)

Out:
AWB £25m
McTominay £25m
Fred £10m
Elanga £15m
Maguire £20m
Donny £15m or Loan
Henderson £25m
Bailly £5m or Loan
B. Williams £5m or Loan
Pellistri Prem Loan
Hannibal Ligue 1 Loan
Mainoo Loan

Still want Mount but don't know whether he is closer in style to Lavia/Simons
 
Still want Mount but don't know whether he is closer in style to Lavia/Simons

Mount would be closer to Simons - so you could swap the two if we needed more experience or Homegrown players.
 
Dream window.

In:
Onana £45m
Kim Min Jae £40m
Timber £45m
Lavia £35m
Xavi Simons £45m
Rabiot Free
Kane £100m (or Osimhen)

Out:
AWB £25m
McTominay £25m
Fred £10m
Elanga £15m
Maguire £20m
Donny £15m or Loan
Henderson £25m
Bailly £5m or Loan
B. Williams £5m or Loan
Pellistri Prem Loan
Hannibal Ligue 1 Loan
Mainoo Loan

That is some extreme undervaluation of our players.
 
That is some extreme undervaluation of our players.

Not really. With their wages we're unlikely to get high transfer fees.

I’m being a little conservative on some maybe but I have also taken into account the likelihood of us having to subsidise wages for players like Maguire, AWB, etc too.

I’ve seen plenty of posters get slated for going too far the other way haha!
 
No shit. Hasn't stopped Liverpool, Real Madrid and many. others getting things done.
"Window isn't open" is one of those meaningless talking points that inevitably gets brought up every summer. So predictable.
 
IMO our midfield needs some serious investing. It’s criminal how it has been neglected for more than a decade.

Completely agree with Neville that we have two midfielders who are good on the ball but have no legs and two who have legs but aren’t good enough on the ball.

We desperately need both steel, legs, composure and creativity. Rice would have added most of that but he’s off to Arsenal. Caicedo is an option even if he lacks some creativity but I have no hope we will get him either.