Official Summer Signings / Rumours / Information Thread

Christian Atsu would be a decent signing for £3m - represent low risk because a) of the low fee and b) he's only 21 so we can recoup our money in 12 months time if he doesn't work out.

Very raw player but with a lot of potential and bags of pace. With Assaidi and Downing likely to leave, we'll be short on natural wingers and Atsu would provide this. He's highly regarded at Porto and he has some good top level experience there so I welcome this signing (if it materialises).

With regards to the defence - we have been linked with a few. Rodgers wants one top class defender who can slot into the first team and another youngster. Alderweirald and Papa are the main targets whilst Ilori is the 'youngster'. We don't really need much as else.

Now that Carroll has gone, hopefully we can push through some deals - Alberto, Mkhi and Papa please

 

Kolo Toure...?

 

astu? assaidi..... the word raw means to me hasn't a clue and runs down blind alleys. I still wonder why people think downing will go. I wish he would but don't see anyone wanting him.

 

Yep - he replaced Carra as the 'experienced head' in the squad.

So all in all, we don't need to sign many more defenders - none more so than the players I outlined previously.

Papa is obviously the main target and I pray that we get him. Such a good player and he's only 21. Schalke are over valuing him which could scupper the deal

 

Are you expecting Skrtel ('slot in' player) and Coates (youngster) to leave then?

 

Pretty much. He's young and needs to improve on his game intelligence and hopefully that will come with time and experience. One thing he does have is big club experience (with Porto).

 

I hear wisdom is off on loan to fulham. If true and if he plays for say 30 games that would be a huge step forward IMO for our young players and what we can go do with loans.....

Oh and on right back if wisdom goes on loan the player i would most like to see in pre-season. is Ryan Mclaughlin. Buying a right back now would be a terrible thing to go do.

Oh and flanno was a huge shock to me he got games under kenny despite him being a real carra lite type but i just don't see it. I am eager to see robinson back and see if he learned yet how to defend robinson is a very big talent IMO if he can catch up on lost time and just improve his decision making (an experience thing)

 

we've lots of guys who don't have the experience. Teixteria for example. we have to loan suso and wisdom... so we go buy another guy in? well i suppose its needs must but 3mil is a lot for a risk we'll see cos that 3mil could tip the scales on 2-3 players we are negotiating on it seems.

 

Difference is Atsu is closer to the first team than the players you have mentioned. He plays for Porto and established himself as one of their better players and is an international.

 

So he's a first team player in your view then. you tell me i guess. My thing is we don't need an assaidi we need a first team player. As we see with sterling you can get a cap so what does international mean?

If we have sterling to bring on and honestly he is the only real winger we have in the squad right now thats young (all others in my view are middle of the park type players) then is it a good thing to bring in more guys to sit on the bench. In short if we have aspas coutinho and suarez where would he fit in?

3mil is fine for a team even with arsenal's issue to go experiment with but every 3mil we have is crucial. I just wonder if its needed to tip the scales on a player who can play and improve the first team right now would that not be better?

 

Buy first team players and the squad will take care of itself. If a youngsters is good enough then he will force his way past the stars, cream always raises etc

 

Assaidi and Downing could both be leaving - if so, we lack out and out wingers apart from Ibe and Sterling who are both young and inexperienced, and shouldn't be thrown in at the deep end.

He has the ability to go into the first team but more likely, he is someone who can contribute and improve squad depth. I would feel a lot more comfortable knowing that we have a player like Atsu coming off the bench then Downing, Assaidi.

And I do agree with you that I want players who can go straight into the first team. But I think £3m is a low risk investment in a player who is already established at one of the top clubs in Europe and has won a league title with them and that experience counts a lot more.

Which wingers have a chance of playing in the first team, and who do I have confidence in to actually contribute to the team.

Ibe or Sterling - No, they're still young and I don't want them thrown in at the deep end.
Downing - No
Assaidi - I do liek him but he won't get a chance.
Aspas - Yes
Coutinho - Yes
Suarez - Yes but I'll be surprised if he's still here.

We may have quantity but we don't have enough quality and I believe Atsu is currently better than majority of those players.

 

Overall, there are two players I want this summer - Papa and Mkhi. These are two top class players who can help get us CL qualification and beyond - they are first team quality and would instantly improve our spine.

Anything else is a bonus IMO.

 

Such as Neymar on loan

 

Who she??

 

If you think about it, if we sign all these targets our attacking players will look like this:

Suarez
Sturridge
Countinho
Henri
Sterling
Suso
Atsu
Aspas
Borini
Luis Alberto
Downing
Assaidi


**** me, that's possibly the most exciting and depth attack I've ever seen for our club.

Obviously, Assaidi and Downing will likely leave or not play but we apcan go for games like this:

Suarez-Coutinho-Henri
Sturridge

Then we need to change it

Atsu-Henri-Sterling
Suarez

In f.a cup and league games:

Suso-Luis Alberto-Sterling
Borini/Aspas

Have we really ever had more exciting times with our attacking line up?

 

That list doesn't fill me with as much confidence as it clearly does for you

 

A lot of variety and potential. Whether they all can have an impact in the first team and contribute like Coutinho, Sturridge and Suarez, is debatable.

 

Twat.

 

There is definitely variance in there but there are also a few question marks on ability / potential impact, not to mention them settling in.