Transfer goss and rumours, Summer 2016.

So where are we now with strikers? Jerome has extended his contract - all of us hoping he will find the back of the net more often in the Championship than 3 goals in Prem. RvW is roaming across Europe trying to find a new home? Lafferty is a smell under AN nose and is not likely to be back in NCFC colours next season. Grabban was hastily sold and Hooper was shown the exit door because he was not the big, athletic lone striker than AN favours. Mbokani has gone back to Russia and Bamford is, by all accounts, being sought after by other clubs, but not NCFC. Loza has been given his cards. It would appear that we have one striker on the books for now. Assuming that we need at least 3 or possibly 4 strikers for next season's 46 + matches where are they coming from? Any half decent striker is not going to come cheap. Are we expecting the mid-field to come up with a good percentage of goals? Answers on a postcard to...................................................Sorry, forgot about young lad at Hamilton last season

 

I think new strikers are our greatest need. I'm pleased that Jerome has signed a new contract but we'll still need at least 2 more strikers. There's a rumour that we're interested in Fletcher on a free from Sunderland. We were interested in him a while back and he has a reasonable scoring rate over his career (23 goals in 72 starts and 22 sub appearances for Sunderland). Sunderland paid £12m for him, so he could be a sensible signing on a free, but we' d still need at least one more striker after that.

 

Most ?

 

If Fletcher is prepared to take championship wages then he wouldn't be a terrible option for free. He improved towards the end of his Marseille loan, and if he could rediscover his mojo could be very good at championship level. Suspect if Villa, etc are interested then we'll be outbid for wages though.

 

Jerome will presumably be number 1 choice and I wonder whether Lafferty will be given a slight chance in the Championship as number 3 choice. Morris has to be in the squad as number 4 choice or they may as well let him go which just leaves the crucial recruitment of the second choice. That is where AN & Co have to earn their corn!! Whoever comes it is a sure bet that more goals will be looked for from Wes and Naismith as well. I really cannot see how Grabban was ' hastily sold' though

 

I'd very hastily sell him for what Bournemouth offered!

Bah!

 

I'm not inclined to speak for everybody, unlike some on here.

The second striker will be our most important signing IMO. If we were to sign Fletcher, I think we'd still sign another striker and Lafferty would move on.

Grabban only made 2 appearances with no goals. I wonder if they feel he was 'value for money'?

 

RvW as second striker?

 

Or might Mbokani come back on a free?

 

Well he did cost a lot of money so he must be good.

 

Of course Jerome would be a great second choice if we could bring in someone better with the Remond money. Still need to sort out our other really pressing issue our CB's.

 

We have Klose, Martin and Turner who are virtually certain to stay. I don't think Bennett is out of place in the Championship and the same could be said for Bassong. Is it really a pressing issue?

 

I'd be astounded and amazed if Klose doesn't attract interest from PL clubs or get offers from abroad. Bennett has already been linked with a move away (Middlesbrough and Hull, I think?) - would you seriously feel even comfortable if Martin, Bassong and Turner were the nucleus of our central defence next year?
I sure as hell wouldn't!

 

If Klose, Bennett and Bassong stay, I don't think it is a pressing issue, as we have Martin and Turner as well. That's a big IF though! If any of the first 3 leave, they would certainly need replacing.

 

Absolutely it is. I heard the same thing in the PL and look where that got us. A half decent striker and a second decent CB and we probably wouldn't have got relegated. If Klose stays and plays every game, then we MAY be alright as he could probably drag the other CB along. But without Klose we have no leadership in defence and certainly no chance of promotion.

 

Is it the end of the world if we start the season with those defenders? No. Particularly if Klose stays.

But, if the aim is to win promotion and then establish ourselves as a Prem side, we need players who can develop into Premier League CBs. I can't see Bassong, Turner, Martin or even Bennett becoming mid-table Premier League CBs in 2-3 years time. With 5 CBs on our books, we can afford to sell one (most likely Bassong or Bennett depending on who generates interest) and risk not replacing them. I'm sure Klose can make even Turner look half-respectable at championship level.

So sell one at really little risk, and bring in someone younger with more potential, who hasn't quite developed sufficiently for Premier League clubs to be interested. If we don't sign anyone we still have sufficient cover, and I can't imagine anyone we'd sign isn't good enough to be 4th/5th choice CB.

Is central defence more pressing than our depleted frontline, probably not, but in terms of developing the squad it's the next target and we should have funds/free up cash to allow us to make more changes this summer than just signing 2 strikers. Bennett is our youngest CB at 26, with nobody looking to roll off the Colney "production line" any time soon. We have youth on our books at full back, defensive midfield, wingers, attacking midfield and up front.

 

I doubt that Klose played enough to attract PL interest so I think he will stay and it was on that basis that I made my original comment. If Klose goes then all changes.

 

I'm not comfortable going into yet another season with our defence as it is. Klose has shown his class and Bennett alongside him seemed effective most of the time. But in Martin, Turner and Bassong as the logical replacements when Klose or Bennett undoubtedly get injured or suspended, i'm concerned that we'll ship goals or surrender any lead we have next season AGAIN.

Jerome, Lafferty, Naismith or even the Winkel up front with other yoofs coming through showing promise makes me feel that whilst an upgrade would be welcome, the striker dept is 2nd priority after defence.

 

The trouble is what if Klose stays and two weeks into the new season he breaks his leg ?

 

Klose would cost about £10m to sign from us , he is also recovering from Injury and has just been relegated.

I can't see many Continental clubs affording him or Prem clubs seeing him as good value .
Klose will start for us next season .