I feel we’re two short in the front line - a top drawer LWF - Diomande? - and an Agahowa type - age / ability profile, not necessarily same style - to challenge Dom.
A lot will depend on where we finish and how able the owners are to pump in the required cash as for those two alone you’d be looking at around £150m.
I said a while ago that I think Agahowa could be a good fit in the PL. I'd go for Said El Mala instead of Diomande though. He would cost half as much and I think we'd have much more chance of actually getting him.
Assuming we remain in the PL next season (not guaranteed by any means) then, taking our squad right now, minus those currently here on loan who will return their clubs, I think our needs are, in order of importance:
1. New first choice GK.
2. Competition/cover at left back
3. Top class deep lying midfield play maker
4. New left sided attacker
5. Competition/cover at centre forward
6. New back-up keeper (Kinsky needs to go on loan and play)
Assuming we have no European football (very, very likely) then we're not going to have mega money to spend on transfers and wages (unless the owners change the habit of a lifetime) so I'm trying to be a bit sensible for who we could get:
1. Gregor Kobel from Dortmund would be my top pick, Switzerland's number 1, 28 years old, no weaknesses to his game. I reckon he could be bought for about £40m. Would take some persuading to step down from Dortmund to Spurs (from a Europe perspective) but wage money talks. If we're looking for a cheap slightly shorter term option then Jose Sa might be an OK fit, with Wolves going down I'm sure they would sell their 33 year old keeper for a reasonable fee - certainly under £10m
2. Robertson (free transfer). We need his experience and leadership. An alternative free transfer would be Rico Henry from Brentford. Doesn't have Robertson's experience or knowledge of what it means to be in a winning dressing room but, at 28, should be able to give us 3 or 4 good years, there is also the advantage that Henry is an association trained player.
3. Angelo Stiller. Germany have a tradition of excellent deep midfield playmakers and Stiller is the next one off the production line. He has a great all round game and is really classy on the ball, makes great progressive passes. I think he would cost £50m but soon prove to be worth a lot more. Plays for Stuttgart, so usually you'd say we have a good chance of being able to attract him. However, they're going along well in 4th place this season, though our wage offer would dwarf what he is earning there.
4. Said El Malia. Left sided attacker with huge potential but could play a part right from the start. Great pace, good dribbler, scores goals. Sometimes looks a bit awkward on the ball and kind of dribbles through his opponent as opposed to around them but is really effective. He also has a good build for PL football. I think he'd be about £45m. Plays for FC Koln so should be gettable for us.
5. Agahowa would be great, I think he would cost as much as £75m though and I'm not sure we'll have that kind of money. Not sure who would be good alternatives, I've been quite impressed with Brian Brobbey at Sunderland this season. £40m would be Sunderland doubling their money on him but i'm still not sure they would sell. Maybe we try to muddle through here keeping Richarlison and assume that Solanke, Richarlison plus Tel being able to fill in is enough for a season with no European football and then if we did qualify for Europe again the season after we then spend a large proportion of our available transfer funds on a new CF.
6. I'd go for Aaron Ramsdale. He is a good, reliable, experienced keeper. I think he would only cost about £10m. I'd have no worries if our first choice got injured and was out for a lengthy period if we had him. IMO he would even be an upgrade on Vicario as first choice. If we don't want to spend any money on a backup keeper then Yann Sommer is out of contract at Inter this summer. He is now 38, so at the back end of his career but could be a good, experienced backup for a season while Kinsky goes out and plays.
So:
GK: Kobel (£40m)
LB: Robertson/Henry (free)
CM: Stiller (£50m)
LW: El Malia (£45m)
GK: Ramsdale (£10m)
Total: £145m
Sales:
Vicario: £15m
Dragusin: £15m
Bentancur: £15m
Solomon, Veliz, Devine: £10m total
Total: £55m
Net spend - about £90m (might be a bit punchy with no European football?0
-------------------------------------Kobel/Ramsdale
Porro/Spence----------Romero/Danso--------VDV/Vuskovic---------Udogie/Robertson
---------------------Stiller/Gray--------------------Gallagher/Bergval
-------------------------------------Simmons/Maddison
------Kulu/Kudus-----------------Solanke/Richarlison------------El Malia/Odobert
Other players in squad: Austin, Sarr, Tel, Souza
That feels like a sensible sized, talented, well balanced, young squad that can grow together. Feels like there is genuine competition for places across multiple positions and the drop off from first choice to back up isn't huge in most cases, which might mean we could nick one of the domestic cups but also hopefully, qualify for european football again. We'd then have a decent platform to improve from there and try to push for CL football again in the following seasons if we continue to make 2 or 3 new smart signings each season.
If one of the two current first choice central defenders do go (and I think we can only afford to lose one of them) then that would give a lot of money to find a replacement as well as money on top that perhaps would allow us to sell Richarlison and go out and get a really good CF.