Maybe. Maybe not. Stoke certainly have 1 player I'd like to see back in the city. If he is there purely on an opposition reccie he needs to get his finger out better than WBA or QPR.
He's providing DM cover for Aspi there isn't he... Believe that's how Woods played at RWB too. Used to be common. Rarely seen in the last few years though, playing a wide DM with an overlapper behind, but maybe it's coming back into fashion as things tend to do in a 30 year cycle. It's almost a throwback to the Italians in the 90's
Tymon is currently injured so would fit our recruitment model. He's grown into one of the best wingbacks in the league over the last couple seasons, so doubt we could afford him anyway
Spot on, I think (hopefully) gone are the days of turning over half the squad every 12-18 months. We should now be in a period where we can gradually improve the squad rather than huge windows like we've just had. Will mean we can hit the ground running next season.
I largely agree, but we are signing a few - who could become key - only on loan with an option to buy. It makes me wonder if we can't get those players on a permanent now, what choices will we need to make next summer if they do well? That said, we'll already have agreed a fee, so we're not in a cycle of adding transfer value which then puts them totally out of reach financially. But that's a slight concern for the future, not for now. I'm kinda wanting to have my cake and eat it there.
Noe’s the time to definitely go for Morelos. Get him at a decent price, he’ll destroy the championship, especially with Estupinan being Columbian. I’d stick a cheeky bid in for Barisic too, awesome left back.
I think it's a tad optimistic to think we'll only have to sign 1/2 additions next summer. We'll probably sign another 3/4 in January and 6/7 next summer. We'll have at least 4 loanees to sort and then we'll lose players too. Some will work this season and others won't but we've still got a fair amount of squad turnover to go.
Yup. Not all our signings will work out. Even Fergie signed his fair share of duds. Then there's the ones who smash it and we can't keep, but hopefully the profit on those will be there to reinvest. It's the game we're in now, but that's a million times better than selling to line pockets in Melton and gambling on L1 and L2 free transfers and Sunderland and, 'Boro rejects on small fees who's careers we rehabilitate then get offended when we only offer to double their wages' cos we want to have a proper push and they won't be golden boys anymore.
If we're counting converting loans into permanents as signings then yes we will likely make 5-6 next summer. But that's still about a third of what we've done this summer. Of course in saying all this, IF we were to be promoted there'd be another big overhaul. Which has been our lot in life the last 15 or so years. Either a promotion or relegation every 2 years on average (by my count 8 promotions or relegations since 07/08 inclusive). Inherent in that is a lot of squad turnover. It would be nice to be in the same division for 5+ years (preferably the PL) and getting something of a settled squad at some stage.
Do you not think the likes of Oscar, Tufan, Pelkas - if he's made permanent, Greaves and perhaps some unforseen others; then the only way we will keep them longer term is if we do actually get promoted? A certain amount of churn is inevitable, whichever way you look at it, though I certainly agree if we can minimise that, it will be a huge advantage.
I don't think any of the players there would leave at the end of this season if we were still in the Championship, no. The only circumstance would be if we had a complete implosion and almost got relegated. Even then I think Acun is keen to bankroll a promotion push so would spend plenty next summer to ensure we push on not fall apart.
If that happened then we would probably need to flip a few for profit to clear FFP though. We are spending a lot of money here, and though revenues have risen - and there's no reason that won't continue, we're still held to the 13m average loss over 3 years, no matter how much cash he would like to chuck at it.
Honestly mate I wasn't trying anything. I just think its more of a consideration - though not a concern per-se at this stage - than you do.
Not sure I you read Tans interview in the Yorkshire post on Saturday, but it sounded like we’ve promised Greaves he can go if a prem club comes in for him next year
