Obviously, this isn't the complete list, but here are some choice names likely to be available in January, according to the papers and pundits. (Prices included) Drogba (5 M) Berbatov (12 M), Tevez (35 M), Defoe (12 M), Macheda from ManU, Pavyluchenko (8 M), Owen (5 M), Andy Carroll (20 M), Torres (30 M) Any interest? Drogba would be interesting as a sort-term solution. Defoe is 29, but I don't think he's much better than Andy Johnson. Owen gets injured pulling on his socks. Carroll's a drunk. Tevez is crazy.
Drogba is getting on a bit and Berbatov too. Plus Berbatov is too expensive. He's been a flop really for Utd. Defoe not for me. None unless someone is on loan. We should be looking elsewhere...
From the aforementioned list, "Berbatov" and that would have to be a lone until the end of the season.
The only way Fulham can get anywhere is by taking a punt on a foreign striker. Lacina Traore and Antony Stokes are the ones that come to mind.
Stokes, who as you know I have been sponsoring for a while, certainly. A stronger version of AJ - can hold the ball and has a better eye for goal. Probably tit for tat (no pun intended) money wise to buy/sell and substantially less in wages, Traore, from what I gather, is a cross between BZ and AJ. But £6m and top end of wage structure. Both would seem to fit the Jol style. An outside bet making the rounds is 'arry doing a BZ/Defoe swap. Not at all sure personally and anyway I suspect wages make this unlikely. Indeed that would be the stumbling block for most in DR's list. Interestingly Jol reacted quite strongly yesterday when a reporter suggested that being knocked out of Europe would hamper any sortie into the January transfer market. Jol said - "The Premier League is attractive enough for any player - that has got nothing to do with Europe." "Sometimes they use the Champions League as an excuse for top players."
I would prefer a more hold up based player. I consider Lacina a Demba Ba style player. I think Celtic would make it difficult to sign Stokes, while it would be far easier to get Traore.
Villareal are in a bit of trouble, both financial and in La Liga, close to the bottom, and they may wish to cash in on a couple of their players. Nilmar (27 ish, I think) is a current Brazilian International and a very good player who might be available cheapish given their plight, or they also have Giuseppe Rossi who is only 24 - played at Man Utd and Newcastle for a few games back in 2005/2006. United sold him to Villareal the next year. Scores virtually every other game. Problem with Rossi is he won't play again this season as he has crocked his knee but would be a hell of a player for next season.
I know it would be a bit of a long punt, but how about Jordan RHODES from HUDDERSFIELD? A decent young striker, has 19 goals already this season, (17 in the league), and would I think jump at the chance of Premier League football. He would be a cheaper option for JOL and Lee CLARK could even put in a good word or two to RHODES about FULHAM. From Dempsey's Revenge list, nearly all are unrealistic given the wage limit at FULAHM. Maybe JOL could get Pav on loan from Spurs until the end of the season, (wouldn't be too bad a gap filler until the end of the season), but that would be it from that list.....
He'll come to Norwich where his mate Pilkington is, Lambert will be perfect for developing Rhodes, proven record of taking gems from League 1 and turning them into Premiership Diamonds Hope that Ruiz scores more for you, I enjoyed that lob on match of the day!
Stokes isn't foreign is he? Defoe and AJ are too similar, so if we keep AJ then we basically won't be needing Defoe, if AJ goes then he will be a fine replacement.
Stokes is Irish - born in Dublin - so not British, Bandy. Defoe is much much better than AJ, DR, but I don't see it happening. Rhodes might be worth a punt, 67RD, but I don't see Huddersfield letting him go easily. Lee Clark wouldn't be likely to 'put in a good word', he's more likely to staple him to the changing room door to keep him. I see that today we are being linked with a £4m move for Bristol City's Nicky Maynard. His goal's per game ratio is good (1 in 2 for four of the last six seasons, 1 in 3 overall). He's 25 with getting on for 200 league games under his belt, so he's well seasoned. It's always a gamble going below the Premier League, but he could be a gamble worth taking. There are good strikers who are ready to step up from the championship, as Shane Long and Steve Morrison are currently showing. The fee and likely wages aren't off-putting either. It would be interesting to get a reaction from championship fans who probably know the player better than us, but the raw stats make me optimistic on this one.
Sorry DR, can't see any of those players on the list wanting to come to Fulham, couldn't afford to buy them, maybe a loan. Think Defoe if you are looking to replace Johnson, would fit the bill. A lot depends on departures of Johnson and Zamora which could free up wages. If Hughes and Duff are shown the door we already have players who can take their place, in Senderos/Baird and Ruiz. Replacing Murphy will be harder, maybe Jarolim from HSV, but he is about 30 years old. I like the look of Dries Mertens from PSV, but don't think we'd get him before the summer and maybe he'll go to a bigger team. Eden Hazard of Lille is another to take a look at. I've always liked Barry Robson of Middlesborough, might fit the bill, but is a gamble. Mikeal Lustig of Rosenborg would have been a good right-back to get but he's signed for Celtic. Maybe Libersky of Plzen or go back in for Zaccardo of Parma. Maynard (4.5m), Rhodes (5m) and Stokes(5m) would all be gambles as I think they would not be cheap. A better choice might be go for a loan for some one like Lukaku or DeFoe, and then get a striker on a permanent deal in the summer. Doumbia who we were linked with in the summer has done well in the Russian League.
Morning, SuperBrian. I like the idea of bringing in Mark Noble from West Ham as an understudy/long-term successor to Danny Murphy. Whether he will want to move when they look in good shape for an instant return to the Premier League is another matter, but if he's willing to move, he'd be a good signing. I don't know much about Robson, but I suspect that Hazard is bound for bigger fish than us. £4.5m or £5m sounds about the right price for a striker to play in the Premier League. I don't think we can expect to pay much less for someone decent, unless we're very lucky in picking up an untried youngster who blossoms spectacularly. I'd rather we got in a permanent signing of someone like Maynard (not necessarily him, but a seasoned goalscorer from the Championship at a mid-range price), even if we also get a bigger name - such as Defoe or others mentioned - on loan. AJ's suspension for the Odense game showed that what we don't have at the moment is depth to our striking options.
I think if were being realistic we'd be punching above our weight to get Eden Hazard. Was being touted to go to Arsenal for around £25-30m last summer and has already said he is leaving Lille at the end of the season. I think Man U may have an eye of him to resolve their central midfield issues. Some of the strikers mentioned are promising, defoe would be fantastic if AJ were to leave as Defoe is like AJ but a far better finisher. Could we afford his wages though which must be around £60k I guess. Noble is a player I like and would certainly be interested if that were to come off, while Lukaku as loan option for a targetman would be an improvement on a lazy zamora. With regard to midfield, on the way to the match on saturday my mate suggested Tom Huddlestone as a replacement for murphy? Don't know if he's fit at the moment but has strength, a great range of passing and cracks a fine shot from distance, something which all our midfielders lack and hes still mid 20s. Of course if he is seriously injured then maybe the summer would be a better time to look at this.
I've been asking about Maynard on the Bristol City board, and it sounds like he's just the thing we're looking for. They seem to think he'd fit into Jol's 4-2-3-1 perfectly. His strengths are his running off the ball and his striking ability, although heading isn't his strong suit. He sounds like a taller, stronger AJ with better finishing - just the thing! He is also stalling on a contract, so everyone there seems resigned to losing him sooner or later. They think he's premier league quality too, although the consensus is that he would do better at a smaller Premier league club - like us - rather than one of the bigger boys. I'm not saying there aren't other good options out there, but this sounds like a very strong candidate to take Bobby's place in January to me.
I wasn't really advocating that we pick up any of those people. The only name who'd interest me would be Pavyluchenko since he's young, fast and tall. Nicholas Bentner interests me in the same way, though neither are prolific goal scorers. Defoe's not a bad player, but we don't really need him or his high wages at this point. If we were at the bottom of the table and desperate for goals (which we're not), Drogba would interest me. Five mil to land him is cheap, but his wages are huge. He's over 30 and clearly on the descent, but playing him 60 minutes a game would be a big improvement to a struggling club - but not us.
I like the sound of Maynard, we have been tracking hi for some time now, I am syre we were linked with him when Roy was around. I would love us to Lewis Mcgugan of Forest, another we have been linked with before. He scored 13 goals last season from central midfield and got himself 13 assists. He must be able to pass well with assists like that and 13 goals from midfielder is impressive. It seems Diego, the guy that played for Juventus when we played them, is coming to the end of his contract. Good creative central midfielder.
I have the solution (well I think I have) AJ & BZ to go in the Jan window,for what 8/10m combined. AJ to Crystal Palace,"there he is a legend" plus 4/5m,and we take Wilfred Zaha. leaving 3/4m in kitty. Mark Noble from WH,4mil. Pavylechenko,or Berbadov till the end of season. Problem solved.!
