So I think Pukki is unlikely - surely no-one will stump up the £10m or more he’s worth to us, given his age. Aarons I think we are all resigned to, but then again he’s not exactly been a game-changer for us given his position, so if we can sell and invest wisely then great. As for Hanley - I imagine there will be one or, no actually just one poster, who thinks the article is wrong to even contemplate Hanley there… but I only see a promoted club buying him. I would sell personally, because by the time we get re-promoted he will not be so valuable to us.
Question around Hanley is probably similar to Pukki really, although perhaps less season-defining. Do we trust our recruitment team enough to believe we can effectively replace Hanley at a similar/cheaper price? He's never going to be worth any more than he is now, but equally very capable of another acceptable season. With Krul & Aarons perhaps leaving, Gibson & Giannoulis seemingly out of favour, not sure trying to rebuild an entire first choice backline by selling Hanley as well is a low-risk decision.
I am not sure Giannoulis is out of favour? He’s obviously not been considered premier league material, but he has had enough game time especially recently to make me think he will feature as our first choice LB next season
Big bag of cash plus a young England right back in return for Aarons ? https://www.express.co.uk/sport/foo...fer-news-Norwich-City-Max-Aarons-Erik-ten-Hag
Saw a later/different report of this. Laird would only be a loan signing, not a permanent, so not sure how it can be classified as a swap deal.
At his best Max plays most of the game in the opposition half as a modern wing back , he's not actually that good at defending in my opinion
Don't know Laird, who is the same age and even looks like Bali Mumba and I'm a bit sceptical about loans after last season. I'd rather we developed Mumba for the future as backup for Byram. He'll have acquired good experience at Peterborough, though he only played in his usual position once. Laird and ManUtd would want a lot of playing time at the expense of our players and any benefit to us would disappear at the end of the season.
Unless it was a try before you buy deal where we agree to sign him permanently if we go up. These have worked in the past. He did well at Bournemouth and didn't stay on so possibly not an option to buy .
I really hope we don't try to bring Williams back this year, his passion was great but I still disagree that he is a LB - constantly out of position and loses the ball in the air, it never felt natural watching a right footer play there. I would have liked to have seen what he could do at RB. As far as I am concerned the full back slots are already filled for next season, if Max moves on, we have Byram and Mumba for RB with Gianoulis and Mcallum at LB. Only thing to consider is maybe DS sees Mumba as CDM?
That's a possibility. I recall that he came to us as a DM, but because of his age he was moved to RB to gain experience. Peterborough played him in 5 different positions, including DM and CM as well as RB and LB.
I agree with that, I was hoping when Sargent got injured Max would be playing as right midfield and Byram as RB, but alas the gaffer had other ideas
Smith states that he is planning an immediate return to the EPL. Why would he want to make an immediate return when all he will get is another relegation?
I think we all would want a return to the premiership, but I understand what Robbie is saying in so far as it might take longer than one season to build a squad capable of playing a style and way that makes survival possible. However it is an incredible gamble seeing that our finances require us to sell to keep going.
By my reckoning we need to sign roughly 4 players to boast the squad. Obviously this will change if others were to go. I think this squad would do well in the Championship, providing the new signings are of a reasonable quality. GK: Krul, Gunn, McGovern RB: Byram, Mumba CB: Zimmerman, Gibson, Hanley, Omobamidele LB: Giannoulis, McCallum CM: Mclean, Lees-Melou, Sorensen, New CDM, New CM CAM/Wide: Dowell, Rashica, Hernandez, Tzolis, Cantwell (Possibly), Sinani/ New CAM CF: Pukki, Idah, Sargent, New CF Sell: Aarons Cantwell (possibly) Release/sell: Placheta Hugill Loan out: Rowe Springett Tomkinson Kamara
Tzolis to Club Brugge is being reported by the same Greek journos who originally reported our interest in him last summer. Supposedly loan with an option to buy, where the fee agreed would be around the £10m we initially paid.
Weird one Tzolis. Played against Bournemouth in the League Cup and looked like a World beater . Snatched the ball away to take a penalty out of turn and never played well again . Both him Gilmore and Cantwell have massively underperformed for whatever reason .
