Summer transfer thread

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Sunderland: Black Cats ‘keen’ on Morgan Fox
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ByAdam Clancy
Posted on 22 August 2022, 20:05

Football League World editor Sam Rourke has revealed that Sunderland are among a number of clubs who are ‘keen’ on signing Morgan Fox.

THE LOWDOWN: DEFENSIVE REINFORCEMENTS
The Stadium of Light outfit are reportedly set to win the race to sign Brighton and Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke on loan for the season, after losing new signing Dan Ballard to injury.

It looks as if they want to strengthen at left-back as well, with Dennis Cirkin the only senior option in the squad at the moment in that role.

DEAL CLOSE: SUNDERLAND SET TO WIN BATTLE TO SIGN 'INTELLIGENT' 6 FOOT 3 COLOSSUS - REPORT

Taking to Twitter, Rourke revealed that Sunderland – along with Swansea City – are ‘keen’ on Fox, although Championship rivals Reading have ‘enquired’ over the Stoke City left-back.

The journalist tweeted: “Understand Reading have enquired about Stoke City left-back Morgan Fox. Swansea and Sunderland also keen.”

THE VERDICT: NEEDED
Alex Neil’s side certainly need cover in the left-back area, and Fox would help to provide just that.

The 6 foot 1 ace is vastly experienced in the Championship, with 199 games played in the division for three different clubs, scoring four goals and supplying 15 assists at that level (Transfermarkt).

SHOULD SUNDERLAND SIGN FOX?

When Stoke signed him from Sheffield Wednesday in 2020 after he rejected the latter’s offer of a long-term contract extension, Potters manager Michael O’Neill sung his praises, highlighting Fox’s ‘defensive acumen, athleticism and delivery from set-plays‘.

Also, at 28 years of age, Sunderland would be signing a player in his prime, so this could turn out to be a very shrewd piece of business from the Black Cats if it comes off.

At first I read this as Megan Fox... but didn't know she played football
 
He is our player. The only thing agreed is the fee if Spurs want to re- sign him. He’s under no obligation to agree a move to Spurs but they are likely to make it attractive if they pursued it.
No when we are in the champions league why would he want to take a step down to play for spurs, I would have put a laughing emoji but still haven't worked out how to do that
 
Yes that's true, but I can't see Spurs ( Levy ) leaving themselves open to that. If, come the time his 'market value' is, say £15 million, and Cirkin says no to Spurs and then we sell him for £15 million ( to Arsenal !! ) - can you imagine the fall out from them. It depends on the wording in the contract which obviously we are not privvy to. Anyway nothing to worry about in the short term, and hopefully Dennis will be happy to stay with us.
I think the basics of it is if we want to sell him Spurs get first refusal and will pay £6M if they want him if they don't we can sell to whoever, however if we don't want to sell him and he's under contract he doesn't go anywhere
 
I thought he was poor at left back last season. Good against Sheff Utd agreed, but poor in league 1 and struggled. He looks like a natural left sided in a back 3 up to now.

I’m a massive advocate for doing what’s best, but what we did worked against just about every club so far. Why change what is working. I don’t think we’ll move to a back 4. It’s just not he modern game to lay 4-4-2 all the time. It gets found wanting and has for quite some time unless the players are utterly outstanding. And I’m talking upper premier level. Ours (as much as I love how things are), aren’t there

Dunno what you were watching to think Cirkin was poor last season but it can’t have been us :emoticon-0102-bigsm

4-4-2 isn’t modern and I don’t like it, I agree there. But none of the best teams play with 3 CB’s either. Imagine TAA or Cancelo playing as a LCB with Salah/Grealish as a wing back? IMO even though Cirkin is playing well there it stifles both him and Clarke. Clarke is much better further up the pitch.
 
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What is Julio up to nowadays? Just the lad to help Jewison settle.
He went back to Argentina, mate. He's got a business which helps footballers relocate who are moving to a different country.
 
What's happened to Magnus and wheatsheaf?

I know nowt about either of them, but with the ownership changes you have to consider where they may have been getting some of their info from...

certain people that were at the top of the club and understood things happening during the takeover prior to Donald and Methven being bought out...
 
I know nowt about either of them, but with the ownership changes you have to consider where they may have been getting some of their info from...

certain people that were at the top of the club and understood things happening during the takeover prior to Donald and Methven being bought out...

During the KLD takeover I received a PM, on this forum, threatening me with legal action <laugh>

It came from someone who posts on RTG and came on here specifically to 'correct innacuracies'.

Now that Methven has gone various people seem to have posted much less or vanished altogether.

Which makes you wonder if it was a stooge of Methven or the big stooge himself.
 
Dunno what you were watching to think Cirkin was poor last season but it can’t have been us :emoticon-0102-bigsm

4-4-2 isn’t modern and I don’t like it, I agree there. But none of the best teams play with 3 CB’s either. Imagine TAA or Cancelo playing as a LCB with Salah/Grealish as a wing back? IMO even though Cirkin is playing well there it stifles both him and Clarke. Clarke is much better further up the pitch.
One thing you can be sure of is formations are like the moon, they keep reappearing. At some point 442 will make a comeback and a team will surprise everyone with it. We will even get commentators telling us it is new and create a name for it. A bit like this modern high press, except there is nothing modern about it of course...

One of the things, in my opinion, that makes Cirkin stand out is his ability on the ball. He has been coached to be a technically good footballer, before any positional side of his game has been thought about. This means when he plays in a 3 he is the one that can step into midfield with the ball, or carry it high up the pitch. I would suggest we would struggle to play a 3 without him because I dont see any of the others with that ability. You cant have 3 out and out centre backs in a team anymore. That doesnt mean he isnt a top class LB of course because I think he is. In that position too he can use his in possession skills to really give us a threat. I still think defensivley he has a couple of weaknesses, but those will disappear with experience. He can be vulnerable positionally at times, specifically a ball in behind him. But, as with all of our young players, he is on a massive learning curve, which has only been 1 year in when it comes to mens football for some. He is one that can keep growing with us and will inevitable play premier league football in my opinion, hopefully with us.
 
One thing you can be sure of is formations are like the moon, they keep reappearing. At some point 442 will make a comeback and a team will surprise everyone with it. We will even get commentators telling us it is new and create a name for it. A bit like this modern high press, except there is nothing modern about it of course...

One of the things, in my opinion, that makes Cirkin stand out is his ability on the ball. He has been coached to be a technically good footballer, before any positional side of his game has been thought about. This means when he plays in a 3 he is the one that can step into midfield with the ball, or carry it high up the pitch. I would suggest we would struggle to play a 3 without him because I dont see any of the others with that ability. You cant have 3 out and out centre backs in a team anymore. That doesnt mean he isnt a top class LB of course because I think he is. In that position too he can use his in possession skills to really give us a threat. I still think defensivley he has a couple of weaknesses, but those will disappear with experience. He can be vulnerable positionally at times, specifically a ball in behind him. But, as with all of our young players, he is on a massive learning curve, which has only been 1 year in when it comes to mens football for some. He is one that can keep growing with us and will inevitable play premier league football in my opinion, hopefully with us.

Good post mate. It seems to me that when we play a three at the back and we spread Dan Neil to the right and Pritch to the left,it's essential to have one of the three who can step into the middle,and Dennis is great at it. I agree he's vulnerable,especially to the ball played in behind him,but,he's still 20 and that's why we have coaching staff.He's a really important player to us atm.