Transfer Rumours 2026/27 ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES

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Which positions do we need to recruit?

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SuffolkCanary

SuffolkCanary

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2013
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Suffolk
As discussed I though it time for a new thread to look ahead toward next season and the summers transfer business.

We currently have a squad of 30 players after the following were confirmed to be leaving the club:

(GK) Dan Barden
(CB) Shane Duffy
(LB) Jeffrey Schlupp
(LB) Harry Amass (Loan)
(CM) Sam Field (Loan)
(CAM) Emi Marcondes
(RW) Tony Springett

I'd suggest that we still need some further trimming if we want to bring more players in. At this point in time my suggestions for those that might leave us would be:

(GK) George Long - 4/5th choice keeper
(GK) Vicente Reyes - 4/5th choice keeper
(CB) Jakov Medic - Not getting enough game time
(CM) Anis Ben Slimane - Set to leave last summer, I think PC will want another 10 and we already have Maghoma and Schwartau
(CAM) Amankwah Forson - Not strong enough for the physicality of the league
(RW) Matej Jurasek - Not strong enough for the physicality of the league
(ST) Mathias Kvistgaarden - System doesn't suit him
 
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I would not be surprised if all those you list were sold/released. Slimane and Forson possibly the ones that may be kept, but Slimanes level is still not high enough for a promotion seeking club. I would add Stacey to that list. Good solid player but not very good defensively and minimal end product. I think PC will want to keep Forson though. He seems to have bulked up a bit.
 
Golden Eadie 2 said:
I would not be surprised if all those you list were sold/released. Slimane and Forson possibly the ones that may be kept, but Slimanes level is still not high enough for a promotion seeking club. I would add Stacey to that list. Good solid player but not very good defensively and minimal end product. I think PC will want to keep Forson though. He seems to have bulked up a bit.
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Slimane could be one that is kept but he was make shift in the 10 position and when everyone is fit I feel he would drop below Maghoma and Schwartau. Forson is 3rd best in any position at best now, RW behind Crnac and Jurasek/new signing, CAM behind the others in the Slimane conversation. He feels like a player that we would be carrying in the squad without a real need for him, not to mention his injury record since joining has been poor.
Agree with Stacey, right back could be a position to keep an eye on. Stacey is the number 2 when all are fit, is he happy to continue to serve that role? Fisher has been reportedly attracting interest from the Premier League which could change the picture again, but if he were to leave I would expect a new number RB to be signed rather than that clearing the path for Stacey.
 
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Golden Eadie 2 said:
I would not be surprised if all those you list were sold/released. Slimane and Forson possibly the ones that may be kept, but Slimanes level is still not high enough for a promotion seeking club. I would add Stacey to that list. Good solid player but not very good defensively and minimal end product. I think PC will want to keep Forson though. He seems to have bulked up a bit.
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I agree that Forson would be worth keeping. Kvistgaarden has tried hard this season and been very unlucky with not scoring more. Obviously if he goes we need a couple more strikers
 
Much will depend on whether the club can get on top of the injury problems. We have a young squad and young players are more susceptible to injuries, especially muscular ones. The indications so far are that PC is looking for quality in key positions rather than yet another overhaul. The performances since he arrived indicate that we have a squad capable of the top 6 even with all of the injuries. Ahmed, Maghoma and Touré have all had an immediate impact in half a season and they will improve further, as will others.Crnac, Topić, Mahovo and Diallo will be like new players as they return from injury. A few more improvements will have a big impact and make us two two contenders.
 
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My feeling is that Slimane has proved he's very capable in the 10 role, and it's not a given that a fit Maghoma or Schwartau start ahead of him. Great to have some depth there and our injury history means I now wonder if two is enough. I agree that Forson is down the pecking order but he too has proved useful when he's had his opportunities. I'm keen to see what PC has in mind for Jurasek and Crnac. Not a lot we can do either way about it while they remain injured though.
 
I saw some YouTube video with the Norwich squad recently, couple of things were interesting. Firstly Medic felt much more part of the squad than I probably expected given his minutes, and secondly Fisher described himself as a left back. Obviously Fisher has played that role on occasion this season, but perhaps that's where Clement sees him going forward?

Kvistgaarden is a tricky one because he's obviously talented, and also obviously isn't a perfect fit for Clement's style. I think third choice behind Toure and Makama is probably a waste of his talent (and from a club perspective he's probably got too high transfer value/wages for that role) so wouldn't be surprised to see both parties decide that a move is preferable. Have we seen him in the 10 at all? Doesn't feel like we've ever had sufficient strikers fit to really try it, but I wonder if that could be an option.
 
RiverEndRick said:
Much will depend on whether the club can get on top of the injury problems. We have a young squad and young players are more susceptible to injuries, especially muscular ones. The indications so far are that PC is looking for quality in key positions rather than yet another overhaul. The performances since he arrived indicate that we have a squad capable of the top 6 even with all of the injuries. Ahmed, Maghoma and Touré have all had an immediate impact in half a season and they will improve further, as will others.Crnac, Topić, Mahovo and Diallo will be like new players as they return from injury. A few more improvements will have a big impact and make us two two contenders.
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Plus Jovon - very exciting
 
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DHCanary said:
I saw some YouTube video with the Norwich squad recently, couple of things were interesting. Firstly Medic felt much more part of the squad than I probably expected given his minutes, and secondly Fisher described himself as a left back. Obviously Fisher has played that role on occasion this season, but perhaps that's where Clement sees him going forward?

Kvistgaarden is a tricky one because he's obviously talented, and also obviously isn't a perfect fit for Clement's style. I think third choice behind Toure and Makama is probably a waste of his talent (and from a club perspective he's probably got too high transfer value/wages for that role) so wouldn't be surprised to see both parties decide that a move is preferable. Have we seen him in the 10 at all? Doesn't feel like we've ever had sufficient strikers fit to really try it, but I wonder if that could be an option.
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Yes, Kvist seems more of a Charlie Boyer to me, rather than a pure striker.
 
DHCanary said:
I saw some YouTube video with the Norwich squad recently, couple of things were interesting. Firstly Medic felt much more part of the squad than I probably expected given his minutes, and secondly Fisher described himself as a left back. Obviously Fisher has played that role on occasion this season, but perhaps that's where Clement sees him going forward?

Kvistgaarden is a tricky one because he's obviously talented, and also obviously isn't a perfect fit for Clement's style. I think third choice behind Toure and Makama is probably a waste of his talent (and from a club perspective he's probably got too high transfer value/wages for that role) so wouldn't be surprised to see both parties decide that a move is preferable. Have we seen him in the 10 at all? Doesn't feel like we've ever had sufficient strikers fit to really try it, but I wonder if that could be an option.
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Regarding your first paragraph I think they have been really successful in cultivating a real togetherness in the squad, so that those that aren’t featuring in the matchday team still feel part of it. Whether that changes anything regarding a summer transfer window, I doubt it. See Springett, Duffy and Marcondes all said to be good figures in the dressing room but will be allowed to leave.

PC has made it clear that he wanta to bring in an experienced striker as well which would push Kvistgaarden down to 4th choice and likely not even making benches when everyone is fit. That would be an incredible waste as you say. PC deployed Kvistgaarden as a 10/second striker in his first game at Birmingham (4-1 loss) and swiftly parked the idea. It was a disappointing result but Kvistgaarden did score in that one. When he joined I am sure he was presented as someone that was primarily a striker but could play on the wings as well, perhaps PC doesn’t think he is defensively astute enough but we have never seen him tested in wide positions.
 
A couple of general points. It is all well and good saying we need to get rid of players but they are under contract and will only move if they get a better offer elsewhere. If they are not considered good enough for a mid table Championship squad then logically any interest would come from a lower level who could not afford the wages. How long was Duffy surplus to requirements in the same situation? Secondly, there has to be a career path open to the academy otherwise there is no point in having it. If,for example, we need two right backs and two left backs then the cover should be the academy and not another squad player who could cover both positions. In general terms I cannot see that a lot of change is necessary.
 
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I agree with 1950s that we need to utilise & monetise our wonderful academy.
I guess it depends on the strength of our young guns but it's much easier & cheaper to poach other good young talent that may handle the Championship.
IF we were good enough to go up there would be fewer opportunities other than the cups
 
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When he took over, PC said, if I remember correctly, that he believed the squad he was inheriting to be capable of winning promotion and surviving in the Premier League. The squad he was referring to included Sargent, Núñez, Marcondes and Duffy, all of whom are already, or will soon be, gone.
If Hogh had been signed rather than Touré, I doubt we would now be looking to add a "seasoned" striker. Maghoma for Marcondes strengthens us IMO, in a position where we already also have Schwartau and Wright. It sounds as if PC would willingly take Sam Field for Núñez; while Ali Ahmed is competition for Diallo but not obviously favourite for that left-side attacking role. As for Duffy, his departure represents a loss in terms of experience, but still leaves us with four CBs, Córdoba, Darling, McConville and Medić. The obvious hole left to fill is that right-side attacker, someone to compete with Crnac. As regards injury cover, specifically at left back, Fisher and Field -- if he comes -- would be more than adequate. And I haven't even mentioned the ubiquitous Gibbs!

So, as I see it, and assuming Sam Field is signed, unless PC has revised his opinion of several original members of the squad, there are only two really pressing (sic) vacancies to fill, namely a seasoned striker, and a quick, fully fit, wide right attacker, capable of accurately delivering the ball.

Having now got an EPL-ready Head Coach, if we have even more money to spend, let's make sure it's on EPL-ready players.
 
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Robbie BB said:
When he took over, PC said, if I remember correctly, that he believed the squad he was inheriting to be capable of winning promotion and surviving in the Premier League. The squad he was referring to included Sargent, Núñez, Marcondes and Duffy, all of whom are already, or will soon be, gone.
If Hogh had been signed rather than Touré, I doubt we would now be looking to add a "seasoned" striker. Maghoma for Marcondes strengthens us IMO, in a position where we already also have Schwartau and Wright. It sounds as if PC would willingly take Sam Field for Núñez; while Ali Ahmed is competition for Diallo but not obviously favourite for that left-side attacking role. As for Duffy, his departure represents a loss in terms of experience, but still leaves us with four CBs, Córdoba, Darling, McConville and Medić. The obvious hole left to fill is that right-side attacker, someone to compete with Crnac. As regards injury cover, specifically at left back, Fisher and Field -- if he comes -- would be more than adequate. And I haven't even mentioned the ubiquitous Gibbs!

So, as I see it, and assuming Sam Field is signed, unless PC has revised his opinion of several original members of the squad, there are only two really pressing (sic) vacancies to fill, namely a seasoned striker, and a quick, fully fit, wide right attacker, capable of accurately delivering the ball.

Having now got an EPL-ready Head Coach, if we have even more money to spend, let's make sure it's on EPL-ready players.
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Núñez wasn’t part of the squad that PC inherited, he had left by then but would have been part of the squad that started the season if that’s what you mean?

The opinion that you state may have been what he said when he first joined but he has now seen under the hood and will have a more informed opinion on each player and most importantly what he wants to see moving forward. It should now be about adding further quality to the squad not quantity - I could see 4/5 players max even with a couple leaving.

The PinkUn guys are probably the most informed of all and they are suggesting that areas that will be looked at will be left back, right wing, number 10 and a seasoned striker. I think that sounds sensible especially if Slimane for example were to leave. Wright was a makeshift at number 10 and should be considered as competition for McLean (tough) in that deeper role moving forward. The other position I guess they might look at would be CB if Medic were to leave, although we have signed that youngster Leonard - as 1950 suggest perhaps we could look to the youth for our back up in that position
 
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