Not sure what to think about losing big Andy O'Dele. With Godfrey and Aaron's etc we saw them grow into their potential. Not sure we've enjoyed a chance to see Andy "blossom" before selling. Wish him well, but now it's "Batth time!"
If we hadn't waited as long as we did for Cantwell to " blossom" , we would be at least 20 mil better off. Same could be said, albeit to a lesser extent, about Aaron. Imo selling O'Dele is good business. Also surprised there appears to have been no reported offers for Sara as I fully expected him to have been on his way at the end of last season.
I think be sold O'Dele at a good time as he wasn't actually first choice this season, potential to be a good player, but we needd there here and now for this season I think
Omos' price was £11m, or was it £20m. News Now has many headline variations of the value of the deal.
According to the Pink'Un's final summary as the transfer window closed last night, the first team balance sheet looks like this: IN: total spend £1.7M (Fassnacht) OUT: total £37.5 NET: £35.8M So, as far as fees are concerned, we've spent more on youth and under 21 players than on the first team squad. Wages, of course, are a different story.
As someone that appreciates and likes the fact that our club is run on the self financing model, I think we've done really well this transfer window. We've freshened up the squad and made the bank manager happy at the same time. It's always sad to see talent go, but exciting to see what fresh talent coming in will do.
According to Southwell at the Pinkun the deal could rise to £20m, that must be a deal around £15m now, though it will likely be paid in installments. Considering the the total recruitment this window I think it's one of the best I can remember, especially considering our financial situation. Players were signed early and had a full preseason to gel and adapt to Wagner's tactics. There is still a focus for the future though with the 8 young players recruited, one of which, Kellen Fisher, has already been fast tracked into the first team. Others also looked good in the preseason and have strengthened our U21 squad hugely. Lima on loan and the latest, Daniel Ogwuru, the striker from ManCity, look like they could have a load of potential already, especially as the latter has already been at Colney on trial. It was nerve-wracking to go to the 11th hour and beyond, but we made it, just and pugged the gaps left by injuries. The Pinkun financial breakdown Robbie cites makes things look even better. Yes, some of the signings are short term, but should we somehow manage promotion, there will be a decent budget to work with. If not, hopefully we proceed with another window like this one.
According to the Pinkun, that's not the plan: "Norwich City centre-back Jonathan Tomkinson is set to join League Two Bradford City on a season-long loan deal. The American has missed the entirety of the Canaries’ 2023-24 campaign so far with an injury sustained in pre-season, but is expected to return to fitness after next week’s international break. He’s now set to join the Bantams on a temporary deal to increase his chances of game time."
I once remember shortly after moving to Australia I was being trained and came up to a stop sign on a dirt road where the top bolt had come out and it had swung upside down. I got a very strange look from the trainer when I said I was going to take a picture of it to send home
With the window now closed, we've added 11 new 1st team players (including Fisher) to replace 8 leaving and 6 U21 players to replace 3 leaving (including Tzolis on loan). That seems to accomplish the major reshaping promised with even a DM added as well in Forshaw and a net profit of around £35m added to the coffers. That leaves a 1st team squad of 22 senior players and 7 U21s, which is about right IMO. INS: Barnes Stacey Duffy Fassnacht Sainz Fisher Reyes Long Forshaw Batth Hwang Manning CM/AM Lima CM/AM/DM Forsyth AM Adegboyega CB/DM Montóia LB Ogwuru S OUTS: Pukki Byram Dowell McGovern Hayden Marquinhos Mumba Aarons Tzolis >L Krul Omobamidele
That is a major personnel shift, which at first glance is fairly positive. We have already, barring yesterday, seen some of the positive aspects of this shift. We may have to wait for many months to see any other real and positive enhancement of the squad as a whole. But I am feeling happier overall of our possibilitys. Edit:- I may have overused the possible word on this post. Soeey.
Webber has done about as good of a job as we could have hoped for with this window I feel. Lots of experience brought in to help the young team of players that we had, whilst adding almost an entire new crop of youngsters
Great summary, thanks RER I don’t think we should put too much faith in the £35m though. The board must be basing their budget on the loss of parachute payments so this will be needed to plug some of the gaps…
