Summer Targets - choose 4 - You are the Manager.

[BrainOfLevy]

My point is that although it might not be a summer of disaster should we sell those two players it will be a very risky project at the best of times and those pointing out 5-6 players we should buy to be alright are assuming that those players settle in quickly and that they work out at a high level. We obviously can't buy like for like replacements and will have to be smart should we end up in that predicament, but it will be a real obstacle for the club and management both short and long term.

Fair enough, but you're in the thread discussing what to do if they go, I was only joining in.

But let's say we only sell Modric and keep Bale. We may get ?ú35M for him as an optimistic estimate. Let's say we can raise another ?ú25M from selling Defoe plus the rest of the deadwood in the squad. We should still bring in Vertonghen so that's ?ú50M left. We should still bring in Hoilett because we need someone to give us some winger option if Lennon or Bale are injured. So that's probably over ?ú45M left. Let's say we trust Townsend as Bale's back up left sided option because no good player is going to want to be back up to Bale and sign for us, plus Lennon and Hoilett can switch wings. We'd still need to find a quality central midfielder to replace Modric, and 3 quality forwards, all for ?ú45M. It's harder. Let's say we bring Ade back for around ?ú15M (probably a ?ú10M fee but to cover his lost wages would take some crazy signing on fee or some other clever instrument from Levy). That's ?ú30M left to replace Modric and get 2 more forwards in.

Actually, to be fair, it probably can be done. I don't know who the players will be, but at an average cost of ?ú10M each, it should be able to be done. Let's say the midfielder and striker cost ?ú12.5M each, as the 4th choice striker only needs to be someone who can come in and do a job, and we might get there. We do need to fill out some positions in the squad though, but really all I'm advocating is replacing deadwood like Niko and Pienaar with players that can help us maintain our system when injuries occur, and bring in quality forwards because Ade would be our only one.

So even then, if we keep Bale, and sell Modric. It still doesn't have to all be doom and gloom! Sell Bale next summer when he has 2 years left and inevitably agitates for a move, and use that money to get in a seriously good quality left winger, a seriously good new goalkeeper, and a Parker replacement because he will be getting on in years. We will then have negotiated a tough time for the club after coming out from a period where the footballing gods seemingly hated us for no reason (is it because we live within our means and don't pump as much money into the game?) and having lost our 2 key players with a young squad that has balance right the way through, quality in all positions and is able to hold up to injuries.

It's a bit annoying we don't get one or two glamour ties in the upcoming season, but thinnking it through and calming down a bit, we should be ok provided we are clever.

 

[Rorschach]

I've just been youtubing Sahin and now I want him. He seems surplus to requirements at Madrid so could be used in a make-weight in a deal for Modric. Sahin and....em... Kaka...should do it.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

Just a thought also, Levy should just offer to find some projects for Ade in Togo. Make him the highest paid player on 80/90/100k (whatever the club can withstand), then split whatever other money we are going to try and use to make this deal work between a decent signing on fee and charitable projects. Don't see how he could turn that down really.