Transfer Rumours Summer Transfer window

Talbi seems to be a RW but can also cover on the left, I personally don't see another winger coming in after Lauriente but maybe.

He only played 4 games on the left last season (Talbi)

 

Can definitely see a versatile player such as Elliot coming in to supplement what we already have

 

We had 4 wingers this last season without afcon being a thing and ended up with only 1 of them available for half the season.

 

Fair point about afcon but I’m not sure that’s worse. Only having three wingers for a four game stretch isn’t worse than having a winger sat in the stands for the other 34 weeks of the year. We’d have three strikers that can all operate out wide too (if the mikautadze deal gets done). That’s a lot of players for not many minutes.

 

One of the Belgian podcast people this week said Talbi only played right because a more established player already had the left spot.

Probably agree that Lauriente will be the last one. Personally don’t think that’s perfect, but he looks a good player. There’s been talk that we may get another one in who can double up centrally, which may alleviate things. However it’d be better to get that balance with the initial players imo, rather than trying to compensate and cover with subsequent moves.

 

Happy Reinildo announcement day to all who celebrate

(i think it's today)

 

We can't rely on Mundle's fitness. He's great when fully fit but how often is that the case.

 

I think Mayenda could see minutes from the right too

 

Realistically only Mayenda can to some degree but I think he's about 50% effectiveness out there. It's a better situation to be in where you don't need players to play out of position than having one player not in a given matchday squad.

The likelihood with explosive players like we would have out wide is that niggly injuries occur more often and we need the depth.

For what it's worth though I expect if a fifth did come in it's a player who's very comfortable on the right but also as an attacking midfielder, so gametime doesn't necessarily get limited.

 

The crack seems to be that we want a squad capable of competing in the cups as well as the league, so that alters the conversation a bit.

 

Forgot we could also hear about Petrovic today, forgot about that due to the Mikautadze stuff

 

i've heard that too funnily enough

 

Very possibly. However that’s the sort of thing you largely rely on for injury cover (Isidor on the left too). It’s not ideal to have our only left footed re option beyond Roberts to be either Mundle or Rigg doing a bit of moonlighting.

 

LW: Lauriente, Mundle
RW: Roberts, Talbi
ST: Mika, Mayenda, Isidor

I think that's alright numbers wise. But if there's a more proven option that we can bring in to start on the right (and can cover the left) I would still take it. We don't know how quickly (if at all) Lauriente/Talbi will adapt to the league, I think Roberts could struggle and although I'm personally confident Mundle can step up it'll take time for him to get up to speed as well.

 

And new staff announcements

 

I'd be happy with that tbh

 

The Lauriente news came out right as I was signing him in my Sunderland career mode, so the stars are aligning lads

I also had Talbi in my shortlist from weeks ago, funny how we have actually signed him