The transfer thread

[Jurgen the German]

Getting the right player is vastly more important than what time you get a player. Seems you'd be happy with anyone, as long as they got signed early, for then to lambast levy for signing the wrong player.
If a deal is there to be made for a player we want, we make it,as with Gray. If not we wait or move to the next.

That’s not what I want at all. But just admit there are downsides to signing players later in windows.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

You should have the majority of your transfer business done well before the season starts. Obviously you may get one or two stragglers on deadline day. It just seems like a bonkers strategy to essentially put saving a few quid above getting business done sooner and risking getting less points which could cost us a trophy or a top 4 place.

Fully agree
But no one has done any deals in reality
The best two teams in the country have added players to areas they were already so well stocked in
The 3rd best side haven’t brought anyone
The 4th best side have brought a whole new team and have had a really poor pre season possibly because of it (they have lost their best player too which won’t have helped)
We were the 5th best
The 6th best team don’t appear to have brought any players for their first team … hard to tell with Chelsea
The seventh team have sold a few and I don’t know who they have brought if I’m honest
It goes on
With tournaments, tours and holidays it was always gonna be a late buying summer. We’re not unique in that

 

[tommysvr]

You should have the majority of your transfer business done well before the season starts. Obviously you may get one or two stragglers on deadline day. It just seems like a bonkers strategy to essentially put saving a few quid above getting business done sooner and risking getting less points which could cost us a trophy or a top 4 place.

Why are the only two options getting business done early or doing it late to save money?

Sounds like you have absolutely zero clue. Just like me. Just like every other fan.

 

[Mikey10]

Why are the only two options getting business done early or doing it late to save money?

Sounds like you have absolutely zero clue. Just like me. Just like every other fan.

They’re not the only two options, but they are the ones that make by far the most sense. That’s pretty obvious.

 

[tommysvr]

They’re not the only two options, but they are the ones that make by far the most sense. That’s pretty obvious.

No it's not. Especially when you consider Ange Postecoglou literally told us what is happening:

Sometimes the timings don’t work out and it doesn’t happen as quickly as you want and you don’t get them [players] in at the right time but I think it’s really important you stay disciplined and not run off and chase other things.

So, what we started with at the start of summer are still there, and I wouldn’t want to put timelines on it.

A lot of that is out of our control and we just need to be patient. From where I sit at the moment we’re still in that phase where what we identified is still what we’re after.

The funny thing is, if we did go and drop a big fee on Conor Gallagher or Dominic Solanke, I'd bet you and Jurgen would still complain. Because if it's not exactly as you want it, it's not good enough. About as childish as you can get.

 

[harr1984]

Why are the only two options getting business done early or doing it late to save money?

Sounds like you have absolutely zero clue. Just like me. Just like every other fan.

That is the problem, no fans have any clue what is going on hence the traditional hysteria around transfers. The funny thing is I bet our transfer team are completely relaxed and in control of the situation knowing exactly what the plan is and sticking to it.

Specifically around transfers, we are I'd say one CF and one CM from looking a serious outfit. Say what you want about fees but a Solanke or Toney rotating with Richi would get a hell of a lot of goals with Kulu also in the mix to cover. Either of them or someone left field would be good this window, not easy deals to make so completely understandable why that would take time. And Bissouma or Bentancur both have quality traits but just show themselves to be too inconsistent - we have Gray and Bergvall who will step up but too young to expect them to cope with the rigours of PL football in the middle of the pitch week in week out just yet.

So an established boss would be amazing, but might have to wait a window or two for that and if we do then fine - we aren't desperate for it and we have clearly learnt our lesson from buying for the sake of it. Point being, we are close and getting closer....

 

[RunTMC]

That is the problem, no fans have any clue what is going on hence the traditional hysteria around transfers. The funny thing is I bet our transfer team are completely relaxed and in control of the situation knowing exactly what the plan is and sticking to it.

Specifically around transfers, we are I'd say one CF and one CM from looking a serious outfit. Say what you want about fees but a Solanke or Toney rotating with Richi would get a hell of a lot of goals with Kulu also in the mix to cover. Either of them or someone left field would be good this window, not easy deals to make so completely understandable why that would take time. And Bissouma or Bentancur both have quality traits but just show themselves to be too inconsistent - we have Gray and Bergvall who will step up but too young to expect them to cope with the rigours of PL football in the middle of the pitch week in week out just yet.

So an established boss would be amazing, but might have to wait a window or two for that and if we do then fine - we aren't desperate for it and we have clearly learnt our lesson from buying for the sake of it. Point being, we are close and getting closer....

It’s funny as fans we often like to talk out of both sides of our mouth. There’s been lots of discussion on Toney, Solanke and Gallagher recently. Many might say yeah decent signings for £20m but hell no at £50m.

So what should the club do? Spend time haggling to get down to a decent price and miss the start of the season? Or just pay the hell no price that they’re not worth? Fans will be unhappy with either. Unfortunately not all transfers can be done for the right player at the right time for the right price.

 

[Gutter Boy]

It’s funny as fans we often like to talk out of both sides of our mouth. There’s been lots of discussion on Toney, Solanke and Gallagher recently. Many might say yeah decent signings for £20m but hell no at £50m.

So what should the club do? Spend time haggling to get down to a decent price and miss the start of the season? Or just pay the hell no price that they’re not worth? Fans will be unhappy with either. Unfortunately not all transfers can be done for the right player at the right time for the right price.

We've found a much better model in recent years though - either signing less well-known players (Vicario, vdV) or signing them a year before they are ready (Sarr, Udogie).

We've done the latter again with Gray and Bergvall for CM, Vuskovic for CB, Yang for LWF. We just need to do the former again with RWF and CF over the next month.

 

[Grays_1890]

I realise that but it seemed like we had turned a corner in that regard in the last couple of seasons by getting business done early so it is possible.

I agree its ideal to get it done early, this year just seems a minefield though. I get a real sense the dynamic of the transfer market have changed, loads of politics and juggling of finances versus the clubs playing interests means the markets dead really, the winter window was the quietest I have ever known it as this is not far behind

 

[braineclipse]

We've found a much better model in recent years though - either signing less well-known players (Vicario, vdV) or signing them a year before they are ready (Sarr, Udogie).

We've done the latter again with Gray and Bergvall for CM, Vuskovic for CB, Yang for LWF. We just need to do the former again with RWF and CF over the next month.

Doesn't have to be so either or. Can splash out some real money on good signings without quite as much potential too if they're right for what the team needs right now.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Doesn't have to be so either or. Can splash out some real money on good signings without quite as much potential too if they're right for what the team needs right now.

There was no way we were signing Gray and Gallagher (for example). It's double the cost (£80m) and either i) Gray's development pathway gets blocked and he doesn't fulfil his potential or ii) Gallagher becomes instant deadwood who we can't sell for about 3 years.

The squad size and wage limits mean you can't hoard players so much these days, which is actually a good thing. So we do have to choose sometimes between ok for now or brilliant for later (and hopefully veer towards the latter).

I guess the nearest we've done to the 'ok for now' recently is used the Werner loan to cover LWF in the short-term, but allowed for Moore (and Yang re Son's age) to have a pathway into the side as the season progresses.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I agree its ideal to get it done early, this year just seems a minefield though. I get a real sense the dynamic of the transfer market have changed, loads of politics and juggling of finances versus the clubs playing interests means the markets dead really, the winter window was the quietest I have ever known it as this is not far behind

Tournaments
Holidays
Tours
Barely any club has done business for senior players so far in reality
City brought a guy they already owned
Arsenal have brought one guy in and that took an age
Pool… no one
Villa… everyone but none that anyone else wanted
Chelsea haven’t brought a first teamer yet form what I can tell
It goes on

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

Too much sanity, I'm missing Levy you tight wad rants.

 

[Chrissivad]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1820442114678735185

 

[braineclipse]

There was no way we were signing Gray and Gallagher (for example). It's double the cost (£80m) and either i) Gray's development pathway gets blocked and he doesn't fulfil his potential or ii) Gallagher becomes instant deadwood who we can't sell for about 3 years.

The squad size and wage limits mean you can't hoard players so much these days, which is actually a good thing. So we do have to choose sometimes between ok for now or brilliant for later (and hopefully veer towards the latter).

I guess the nearest we've done to the 'ok for now' recently is used the Werner loan to cover LWF in the short-term, but allowed for Moore (and Yang re Son's age) to have a pathway into the side as the season progresses.

True. But I'd rather spend a bit over the top for a good or very good player that fits the system and helps us play better if that's the only realistic option.

Solanke for example if that happens. Not world beater, probably "too expensive", but if he's seen as a good fit by Ange that could well be worth paying "too much" for. Rather than going down the route of another young player with potential, we already have those for that position.

I think for the really good young players we have now to really push on having a well functional team that can play well most weeks and get good enough short term results to keep the good vibes going can be quite import and useful.

 

[Yiddo]

It’s amazing how its constantly mentioned on here that no one has any money to spend on players yet everyone is out there spending more money than us.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

It’s amazing how its constantly mentioned on here that no one has any money to spend on players yet everyone is out there spending more money than us.

Who is?
Who has?

 

[camspur]

It’s amazing how its constantly mentioned on here that no one has any money to spend on players yet everyone is out there spending more money than us.

There's spending money and then there's spending money on who the manager wants at the right price, I don't think Levy does the first and struggles with the second.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Who is?
Who has?

Just West Ham really. £100m so far with Killman, Somerville and the German striker

 

[Gazza]

Just West Ham really. £100m so far with Killman, Somerville and the German striker

Chelsea spent some change, as have Manchester uniter but all in all it's been a but quiet.

Don't really know how I feel about the team if we don't add to it