Levy's Plan

[Baleforce]

It’s business as usual.

Opportunities of a certain level are taken.

 

[Lakey]

You on the board?

Not quite

 

[Grays_1890]

That's just a small scale partnership/sponsorship on the face of it

100%, absolutely nothing to do with the investment coming in

I suspect investment is coming from Levy selling some of his Stake, VV taking the more football operations role and Levy being kept around to oversee the entire project.

There is going to be a big report in the press this week about where some of the money is coming from

 

[BrainOfLevy]

I don't think we're doing anything unexpected - i always felt that when we were in a place that we needed fewer players then we would see these sorts of transfers. We've spent a few seasons turning around the squad where it was maybe a case of having to buy prospects/smart buys vs more expensive proven players due to the numbers needed - i expect our transfer spend net to be similar to what it has been post stadium build but with there being less players coming in but with a higher average cost.

1 more in at the level/cost of Kudus & MGW and then one or two at a lower price.

If things work out this season then I reckon we'd see a couple coming in next summer at a higher average cost per player again.

That would follow what I have always considered to be the plan.

I’m not following why we needed to sign prospects because of numbers. I think if we wanted to act this way last summer, or any other year, we could have. If the will, and the money was there.

This is something different. It’s moving earlier, more aggressive for big money targets. It’s also coinciding with a shake up in the leadership structure and a new CEO who may well have a bit of a different view on how to approach the market.

Part of the reason we waited until the end of windows was because we wanted other top clubs to get their business done so that we didn’t have to compete with them. Now we’re actively just going for these top players. So it’s not just about the profile we are signing, it’s also about how and when we are doing it. There’s definitely been a shift.

 

[billyiddo]

I’m not following why we needed to sign prospects because of numbers. I think if we wanted to act this way last summer, or any other year, we could have. If the will, and the money was there.

This is something different. It’s moving earlier, more aggressive for big money targets. It’s also coinciding with a shake up in the leadership structure and a new CEO who may well have a bit of a different view on how to approach the market.

Part of the reason we waited until the end of windows was because we wanted other top clubs to get their business done so that we didn’t have to compete with them. Now we’re actively just going for these top players. So it’s not just about the profile we are signing, it’s also about how and when we are doing it. There’s definitely been a shift.

We've bought players from non-CL PL clubs who would be considered their teams best player before, Solanke/Johnson/Richarlison/Bissouma/Maddison - i mean you could even say that's a key part of our recent transfer strategy looking at that list of players, so going in for Kudus & MGW fits that. We've bought in the 50m-60m bracket before and we've also bought players in the first week of preseason before (even earlier sometimes i think) so like I say I'm still not seeing what's so different here.

 

[scaramanga]

We've bought players from non-CL PL clubs who would be considered their teams best player before, Solanke/Johnson/Richarlison/Bissouma/Maddison - i mean you could even say that's a key part of our recent transfer strategy looking at that list of players, so going in for Kudus & MGW fits that. We've bought in the 50m-60m bracket before and we've also bought players in the first week of preseason before (even earlier sometimes i think) so like I say I'm still not seeing what's so different here.

Aside from Johnson, who may continue to improve, it doesn't sound like the best strategy.

We appear to have bought players at the peak of their value and they've returned little.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

We've bought players from non-CL PL clubs who would be considered their teams best player before, Solanke/Johnson/Richarlison/Bissouma/Maddison - i mean you could even say that's a key part of our recent transfer strategy looking at that list of players, so going in for Kudus & MGW fits that. We've bought in the 50m-60m bracket before and we've also bought players in the first week of preseason before (even earlier sometimes i think) so like I say I'm still not seeing what's so different here.

Usually it’s one of those players for the entire window, as opposed to two in the same couple of days. All indications that we aren’t done yet either. So I think we’re acting like a different club to last summer.

 

[billyiddo]

Usually it’s one of those players for the entire window, as opposed to two in the same couple of days. All indications that we aren’t done yet either. So I think we’re acting like a different club to last summer.

I think some of you convinced yourselves last summer (or during last season) that we were only ever going to be signing pure prospects moving forward — players like Gray, Bergvall, and Odobert. But that was never really the case. Yes, we leaned more toward that profile last summer, but doing so in one window didn’t mean it was going to become a permanent strategy.

A quick look at our business since Paratici came in shows that we’ve generally gone for a blend — not just raw teenagers, but also more developed younger players, typically aged 24/25 and under. There’s no fixed model beyond that, and our current targets seem to fit the same general mold.

We’ve spent a decent amount on transfers post-stadium, and this summer's activity fits in with that pattern. The squad is in a much better place overall, though we’re still a bit short of top-quality in a few starting positions. That’s clearly where the focus is now — strengthening the XI directly.

It was never realistic that we’d just keep stockpiling 17–21-year-olds without addressing the first team. If you look at our transfer activity over the past five years, it backs that up.

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

Just a thought here, but we always could have bought 2 or maybe 3 signature signings. However we always chose to buy 5 or 6

24/25 - Solanke, Gray, Odobert, Bergval, Kinsky. Yang - 185m Euros
23/24 - Johnson, Maddison, VDV, Porro, Kulu, Dragu, Vic, Veliz, Phillips - 272m
22/23 - Richarlison, Romero, Bissouma, Udogie, Spence - 180m

Once you remove the Kane money, we can see where the annual gross spending is. The other seasons we've perhaps scraped together about 50m in sales. In the season he left it was more like 120m.

This summer we've already followed a similar pattern - Kudus, Tel, Danso, Vuskovic, Takai - and are already at 140m Euro spend. I think we've had some back for Hojbjerg, Marcus Edwards and Cardoso (?).

So in a CL season, I can see us buying MGW and tipping closer to the 200m Euro mark.

Then if we carry on, without covering every other purchase with a few sales, the Wharton is a real possibility.

It's only after that do I think something bigger behind the scenes is happening at the club. Perhaps it is.

Just copying this post over from the enic thread, I guess a few people hadn’t seen it judging by the comments on this page.

If we continue to spend like this this summer then I might start thinking something’s going on, but at the moment it’s all quite normal. Just some people have convinced themselves we never spend.

 

[Craig_J]

100%, absolutely nothing to do with the investment coming in

I suspect investment is coming from Levy selling some of his Stake, VV taking the more football operations role and Levy being kept around to oversee the entire project.

There is going to be a big report in the press this week about where some of the money is coming from

Wait what’s this? Am I missing something?

 

[Grays_1890]

Wait what’s this? Am I missing something?

In what respect?

 

[Craig_J]

In what respect?

Sorry, all of it really!

I hadn’t seen anything about Levy selling shares and what’s this about an announcement in the press? Is this something confined or is this jus your opinion?

 

[Grays_1890]

Sorry, all of it really!

I hadn’t seen anything about Levy selling shares and what’s this about an announcement in the press? Is this something confined or is this jus your opinion?

I think he will, I think he will cash out some of his shares....its an opinion

But I do fully expect there to be a full report this week on our finances and where they are coming from in future this week

 

[Craig_J]

I think he will, I think he will cash out some of his shares....its an opinion

But I do fully expect there to be a full report this week on our finances and where they are coming from in future this week

Fair enough mate!

I feel it’s best for Levy to cash in because our competition for CL has increased dramatically the last few years but I don’t expect him too,

I’d assumed the transfers must be being covered by outgoings yet to come but I would love to be proved wrong

 

[BrainOfLevy]

I think some of you convinced yourselves last summer (or during last season) that we were only ever going to be signing pure prospects moving forward — players like Gray, Bergvall, and Odobert. But that was never really the case. Yes, we leaned more toward that profile last summer, but doing so in one window didn’t mean it was going to become a permanent strategy.

A quick look at our business since Paratici came in shows that we’ve generally gone for a blend — not just raw teenagers, but also more developed younger players, typically aged 24/25 and under. There’s no fixed model beyond that, and our current targets seem to fit the same general mold.

We’ve spent a decent amount on transfers post-stadium, and this summer's activity fits in with that pattern. The squad is in a much better place overall, though we’re still a bit short of top-quality in a few starting positions. That’s clearly where the focus is now — strengthening the XI directly.

It was never realistic that we’d just keep stockpiling 17–21-year-olds without addressing the first team. If you look at our transfer activity over the past five years, it backs that up.

But again, we’ve never signed two big players like this in such a quick timeframe. We have signed players of this price range before, but never more than one in the same window. MGW and Kudus this quickly at the start of the window with promise of more to come is absolutely not more of the same pattern.

And again, I’m still not sure why we would stockpile potential in the first place, rather than go for more proven quality last year, or the year before? Unless, the will to spend more, or the money available, or the people with influence on the decisions has changed. If we wanted to make a push to win the league, why is it starting now?

 

[Lilbaz]

But again, we’ve never signed two big players like this in such a quick timeframe. We have signed players of this price range before, but never more than one in the same window. MGW and Kudus this quickly at the start of the window with promise of more to come is absolutely not more of the same pattern.

And again, I’m still not sure why we would stockpile potential in the first place, rather than go for more proven quality last year, or the year before? Unless, the will to spend more, or the money available, or the people with influence on the decisions has changed. If we wanted to make a push to win the league, why is it starting now?

A few reasons.
Last summer we wanted some youngsters who can be club trained kn the future. Hence bergval and gray. We also needed a striker.
Ange in his first window got good backing even considering the sale of kane. Frank would expect the same.
We have cl football.

Enic have twice before invested. The first was under redknapp when we were in relegation position (2 from 8 games) Last season we finished 17th.

Now this isn't saying that there isn't outside investment. We know we've been looking. But even if there isn't there is enough reasons to invest in the squad this summer.

 

[billyiddo]

But again, we’ve never signed two big players like this in such a quick timeframe. We have signed players of this price range before, but never more than one in the same window. MGW and Kudus this quickly at the start of the window with promise of more to come is absolutely not more of the same pattern.

And again, I’m still not sure why we would stockpile potential in the first place, rather than go for more proven quality last year, or the year before? Unless, the will to spend more, or the money available, or the people with influence on the decisions has changed. If we wanted to make a push to win the league, why is it starting now?

I don't see Kudus or MGW to be a level of established player that we have not signed before (to repeat previous post non CL clubs best/better players) and some of the players listed previously have come in the same window as others, same as we have had windows where several players ready to go in to the first team were signed from abroad, so again I don't see this as anything new - maybe the timing of them coming out of the blue together has blindsighted you? Regarding the cost of the individual transfers - the key thing here is what our net spend looks like come the end of the window, I feel it will likely be around what we have seen over the post stadium years, maybe a bit more to account for CL qualification, but that just ties in to my overall point that this is what the plan has been and what we have been working towards - once there is/was less work to do the money available doesn't change, so in theory it can just go further wrt transfer fees. If our net spend rises way beyond what we have seen previously then it'd point to something going on wrt major outside investment.

We're in the CL, we've just won a major trophy - so we're simply in more of a position of strength wrt buying/attracting players than in a long while - this possibly explains why it's happening this summer rather than last summer - does Neto get his head turned by Chelsea if it was this summer instead of last? I mean that one deal alone if it had gone through would put a very different slant on last summer, don't you think - shows it's thin line

 

[BrainOfLevy]

I don't see Kudus or MGW to be a level of established player that we have not signed before (to repeat previous post non CL clubs best/better players) and some of the players listed previously have come in the same window as others, same as we have had windows where several players ready to go in to the first team were signed from abroad, so again I don't see this as anything new - maybe the timing of them coming out of the blue together has blindsighted you? Regarding the cost of the individual transfers - the key thing here is what our net spend looks like come the end of the window, I feel it will likely be around what we have seen over the post stadium years, maybe a bit more to account for CL qualification, but that just ties in to my overall point that this is what the plan has been and what we have been working towards - once there is/was less work to do the money available doesn't change, so in theory it can just go further wrt transfer fees. If our net spend rises way beyond what we have seen previously then it'd point to something going on wrt major outside investment.

We're in the CL, we've just won a major trophy - so we're simply in more of a position of strength wrt buying/attracting players than in a long while - this possibly explains why it's happening this summer rather than last summer - does Neto get his head turned by Chelsea if it was this summer instead of last? I mean that one deal alone if it had gone through would put a very different slant on last summer, don't you think - shows it's thin line

The closest to having two players of roughly a similar level coming in the same window would be Maddison and Johnson signing when we were losing Kane. I don’t think picking up Maddison from a relegated side and the Johnson of two years ago are entirely similar to the caliber we now seem to be signing, but it’s close. It’s also an obvious influx coming from losing our best ever player.

We’ve qualified for the CL before and haven’t been as aggressive. I think that’s the difference. I’m sure net spend wise it might come out similar, because we have assets that we can move on. Son, Richarlison, Bissouma could all fetch decent money, especially in Turkey or Saudi.

I just go back to it…if this is all business as usual, then I’m not following why the sequence needed to be signing a wider spread of younger players as opposed to fewer but more proven ones. I think something has changed. It might be investment. It might be VV, or the wider leadership shake up. It might be the level of ambition that now is the time to win the league. But Spurs being able to aggressively bully the market is not something we’ve really seen in the modern era.

 

[billyiddo]

It didn't need to be, that's just the path they took or how the path unfolded- i don't understand why that is a sticking point for you? So what?

Paying a release clause is not bullying the market and negotiating a cut price transfer due to the selling club being in financial difficulty is nothing new to Levy is it mate

We also bought VDV & Vicario alongside Madds & Johnson - 4 first team signings in one window
Kulu + Bentancur in a Jan window
Richy + Bissouma + Romero
Ndombele + GLC

You're talking like we've just been buying kids and the odd first team signing to supplement it - that just hasn't been the case. Last summer was an aberration in that sense - not the norm and even then we were in the market for more established players too (Neto/Calafori)

 

[Baleforce]

But again, we’ve never signed two big players like this in such a quick timeframe. We have signed players of this price range before, but never more than one in the same window. MGW and Kudus this quickly at the start of the window with promise of more to come is absolutely not more of the same pattern.

And again, I’m still not sure why we would stockpile potential in the first place, rather than go for more proven quality last year, or the year before? Unless, the will to spend more, or the money available, or the people with influence on the decisions has changed. If we wanted to make a push to win the league, why is it starting now?

reputation wise, is this any different to Solanke and Odobert, Johnson and Maddison, Lo Celso and Ndombele?

it's certainly not as big as Richi and Romero, and I would argue (maybe only me), Werner

the fees are big due to the market, but its a player who had a tough year in a team fighting relegation and an AM who had a great year, but in a club more used to being in the Championship

these are exactly the type of player we have targeted in ENIC's tenure