I completely agree. For this window at least, it's time to ditch the "rinse the opposition" ideology with regards to trying to shift certain players on, just accept - within reason - the first offer that comes in to then focus on bringing players in, this applies to Dembele, Wanyama, GK, Janssen and Llorente. If we can get about £30m for that lot it'll be great, wages will be off the bill and it's £30m to go towards any potential new boys, that alone would pay for Barrios with a bit of change left over. Then whatever we do have set aside, can hopefully go on a CM of some sort.
On that end, in the past week or so there's been growing rumours that Wanyama is a January target for West Scam, which would surely clear the way to bring in Neighborhoods as that frees up a space in the squad as well as bringing in a little cash. In terms of moving on some deadwood in January, the main factor for consideration is whether another team is willing to meet their wage demands - which, according to Spotrac, break down as follows... Llorente - £75k Vorm - £62k Dembele - £55k GKN - £35k Janssen - £34k Wanyama - £26k Based on that, Wanyama is a player that plenty of clubs will be willing to meet his wages so if we receive an offer (and sign Neighborhoods) he'll be off in January, Janssen's injury history will mean a loan is far more likely in January, GKN's lack of playing time coupled with wages that feel at least £10k too much mean he'll probably be loaned, while Vorm and Llorente are most likely going to see out the last few months of their contract. This leaves us with Dembele, and while back in August a January sale seemed a possibility, his decline this season makes it just as likely he'll be seeing out his contract as well as which club will be willing to bring him in?
Has to be a misprint with Wanyama, no way is he on £26k, that's what he'd have earnt at Southampton. He'll draw interest regardless though. As for the rest, I'd like to think some could attract bids from: Janssen - Turkey, Portugal, Russia or Holland. GK - agree, likely a loan, hopefully to France where he enjoyed his best football. Vorm - agree, will see out his deal unless a club has an emergency requirement. Llorente - Spain or Italy. Dembele - China, their season starts in March I think, gives him a few weeks rest before pre-season.
Above all, what I'd like to see is us going out and getting players in early because we need them. Playing the game of moving players out first is something that you can do from a position of strength. Currently, our performances and our results against better teams, show that we're nowhere near that position. Yes, it would be great to shift Mousa Dembele or GKN or Wanyama but at this point, they're not proper first team options for a team with our ambitions. Okay we're paying them a wage but they're less of an effective option than Oliver Skipp and they need to be replaced with players that are going to get on the pitch and positively affect games, not just occupy space on the pitch, a seat on the bench or a place in the 25. We need new blood in midfield, even if we let current players go out on 'freebie' loans or drop them from our named 25 and have them play for the U23's until they leave. If we have to borrow more money to get it done, then so be it. We have reached a critical point in our development and there is no more time for thinking about options or lost possibilities......just sign 2 midfield players who can get in the first XI. That's all there is.
On the list of deadwood, GKN is easily the most expendable considering we not only are Son, Lamela and Lucas capable of playing in his position but are far more important to the team, but we've also got Georgiou as viable an option on the left wing - and he's got the added benefit of being match fit, given he regularly features for the U23s
Not really, he's actually played for us this season - Janssen, on the other hand, achieved Unperson status
He is injured as well, although whether that'd make any difference, apart from making him unsaleable as well as unplayable, is hard to say.
Not only did Janssen not receive a squad number, his squad photo on the OS is from last season. He'll be a goner in the summer, that's for sure - especially as he's got eighteen months left on his contract
Llorente's very close to being a non-option. To have someone in the same position, who's even less relevant is some achievement. I wonder if it would have been the same if he'd been have been likely to be fit a lot earlier and we had more foreign player slots available? I'd like to think that he'd get the same chance as the DoF and Toby but I'm not sure.
I'm not saying that he's no good. In the box, getting on the end of crosses, he's a bloody handful. We choose to play him like he's Harry Kane, which makes him next to useless to us...
Yeah, I can never blame him for his lack goals at the club. Really does make you wonder why on earth we signed him if we were never going to utilise his strengths. Was it literally just to spite Chelsea, as they were really keen at the time?
Tielemans Watch Here we go again... CalcioMercato are reporting that, with Monaco somehow languishing in Ligue 1's relegation zone and Thierry Henry already slagging off his players to the press within two weeks of taking the job, Tielemans could be on his way out of the club come January Do it, Levy. DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think we are all agreed that the minimum requirement in January is 2 central midfielders, with Barrios on the radar as 1, I think the other has to be able to hit the ground running and therefore should be playing in the premier league now, Doucoure at Watford would be one I would consider. There was talk of Ander Herrera not signing a new contract at United and I would be all over that if there was any possibility of getting him in - Is there anyone else (Grealish aside) that anyone would throw into the mix?
I’ve said about Doucoure in the past. Seems to be a 50-50 split on here though as to who wants him and who doesn’t. I suppose there’s different tiers to the CMs we’d want/ like, which all depends on how much money we actually have for transfers. The dream buys: SMS, N’Dombele, Rabiot and De Jong. Decent-to-Good buys: Doucoure, Grealish, Cook, Herrera. Wildcards: Carles Alena, Sander Berge.
Just as I don't like other team's fans picking our players for transfer...... However, if you were to insist , and ask the question differently; Which CM playing in the PL do I like the look of and would have at Spurs? Idrissa Gueye of Everton
Eberechi Eze who wycombe had on loan and is now getting first team action for qpr is only 20 years old and is a 2 footed striker who really looks impressive we should take a gamble on him in January before someone else snaps him up .he would be perfect for Poch to nurture.
If I was Wanyama and Spurs were paying me 26k...the tools would be down...that's an embarassing wage for someone of his quality. Yeah he's done in now but he was worth more than that when he signed for us and then you get Llorente on 75k and Vorm on 62k
