Transfer thread for 2016-17 season

Olivier Giroud's gone on record saying he attempted to convince Sissoko to join the Nomads during the summer. So for those of you keeping score, we got one over Arsenal, Chelsea and Everton while also hitting Newcastle with one hell of a Levy.

Also, it's been less than a week since the window shut but we're already getting those clickbait articles saying who Spurs "could" sell in January - which mainly consist of Carroll, Trippier, Vorm, Son and (proving these hacks haven't been keeping up with current events) Eriksen. They obviously didn't learn from all the clickbait they were publishing nine months ago predicting Wimmer'd be off in January, did they?

 

That is surely cause enough for the man to take a selfie.


"Also, it's been less than a week since the window shut but we're already getting those clickbait articles saying who Spurs "could" sell in January - which mainly consist of Carroll, Trippier, Vorm, Son and (proving these hacks haven't been keeping up with current events) Eriksen. They obviously didn't learn from all the clickbait they were publishing nine months ago predicting Wimmer'd be off in January, did they?"

You have to admire their forward planning / dedication / persistence.

 

Boooom!

 

There's talk about a number of other senior players signing up, too. Good news, if true.

 

Standard is gonna need to find a new story...Deli to Juventus?

 

Yeah it's a great period for the club, no fear of losing a key player with most happily tying themselves down for their best years to come, likely due to the gaffer and his vision for us. Jan and Erik seem next in line if reports are to be true, superb if so.

 

Only for the winter transfer window.
Though depending on our PL/CL progress etc, they may still find their OCD compels
them to get going again.

 

Good news this. Don't get me wrong he's definitely got areas to improve on, particularly in terms of becoming more consistent, but for what he brings to the team it's great to have his future committed to the club. I think he's a harder worker than many realise, especially those who don't see him week in week out, and on his day a player of sublime quality. He's also got a lot of experience at the top table for a player his age which is only good news for us as we take on the CL this year.

 

Even after signing a new deal the Standard won't give up on their "Eriksen to Juventus" story: http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/foo...enham-contract-worth-75k-a-week-a3337756.html

 

Yeah consistency is definitely an issue for him, if he could maintain his level like how Toby and Dier can, chances are we'd have been trying to fend off £50m/£60m bids from Real or Barca during the window.

Great player though and despite the dip in form recently, I'd say we're grateful to have him, sheer class on his day, for me he's one of the best play-makers in Europe without a doubt.

 

The double-edged sword of the CL for Spurs.

Any player who puts in a great CL/PL performance this season but Spurs do not
qualify for the CL next season, then you have to expect some state-sponsored unsettling
from Spain come summer.

 

Yes, it will come but something that Christian Eriksen said yesterday was different from the 2010/11 team. He emphasised the togetherness of thesquad and team - there really is a sense that they are in this together and learning as a group. It's enabled us to keep those who are on the fringe of the team - Kevin Wimmer, Kieran Trippier, Ben Davies, Mitch Vorm happy and at the club when most will have been the subject of enquiries.

There's also the acceptance of personal responsibility that Mauricio Pochettino has instilled in them all. If they fail, then it is they who have failed and need to put it right. Add to that the pull of playing in the new stadium from 2018 and I reckon we've got 3 seasons before we may need to face this issue. Let's hope we don't!

 

I'd say good luck to anyone that'll try to buy one of our key players in the near future, not only will they be dealing with a Levy that's in a market full of inflated figures but I'm pretty damn sure Poch will be doing all he can to prevent any sales too.
If 'good' Prem players are going for circa £30m (Wijnaldum, Mane, Sissoko etc) then imagine what Kane, Toby, Eriksen, Dier and Alli would all each command?!

 

I get the feeling world records are going to be made and broken on a regular basis for transfers in the near future. If some of our younger players carry on the way they have been, I bet Levy will be involved in a few of those world records.

 

A squad that believes it is equals (no prima donnas etc) , selected on pragma/merit
(no manager favourites etc) , will want to remain together.

But money + glory hunting still ultimately talks.

 

Nabs seems to be settling in at Schalke: http://www.schalke04.de/en/news/160907_bentalebinterview/page/2453--86-86-.html?

 

The Telegraph have an interesting article about the strength of the second XI's of those teams expected to compete at the top of the PL -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...-league-title-contenders-has-the-strongest-s/

It's a decent subject for an article but our second string has an issue with it. "Ou est GKN?" We all had a good laugh about the longest transfer saga in history and whether he really existed, with good cause. However, the lad's ours now. We paid £9m for him and there have been pictures of him holding up a shirt and everything. He's got to be in the line-up, non?

Put Sissoko alongside Wanyama and GKN, Son and maybe Marcus Edwards as the three (Onomah's not really shown it from playing in the three and is probably more of a Dembele-type midfielder driving from deep) and it looks significantly better than The Telegraph have shown and pretty strong with quality experienced players in all departments.

Come on The Telegraph and Luke Brown, would Chelsea's team not have Alonso or The Gooners lack Perez Martinez because they haven't played yet?

 

I think that they were only one or two players out though, to be fair.
Sissoko alongside Wanyama and N'Koudou out wide, dropping Winks to the bench, I'd say.
Carroll for Onomah is debatable, too.

 

“Sissoko is a great player. But when I bought into Everton I made it clear I was proud to join a family. And we don’t turn our backs on our own."
“Keeping James McCarthy was a priority and ultimately we could not proceed with a deal that would jeopardise his place at Everton."
"We wish Sissoko the best.” - Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, 1/9/16.

"We had a disappointment on the last day, but that happens in football, because you don't get always what you like to have.
"It was not in our hands with Sissoko." - Everton manager Ronald Koeman, 8/9/16.

Oops.