100%, no chance a bloke of this calibre becomes our DoF and has to answer to Speakman, we will have to have done some major convincing just to get him to come here
Yeah 2 more, I wouldn't want to see him having to be relied on at all and Ballard although looking back to his best recently has consistent fitness problems - essentially I don't want us to sign caleta car
Yeh I think bringing in 3 centre backs without one of Ballard and O'Nien leaving just isn't going to happen. So its a flat no from you!
Pretty much, don't like him as a player in our system and don't really like how he went on attitude wise while in a relegation battle with Southampton.
I think he’s one for depth more than anything, free transfer and top flight experience is relatively risk free, so long we sign somebody we are fully confident can start games
Seems like the same style of player to Ballard and something that we do need (whether its this lad or not), we have nobody like him currently and RLB seemed to want to get Ballard straight back in once fit We really need some pace at CB so hopefully keeping the big bucks for that profile
Oh I thought I seen earlier in the thread that Lyon wouldn’t him leave in a free, might be wrong on that haha
I think there was a misunderstanding, no worries Report said they were using him to free up wages but they still want to sell him.
Wonder if our new mate from Rome will be bringing some of their targets to the conversation. Not necessarily this one but just a thought about anyone they'd been linked to over the last few weeks.
I think the official announcement on FG will be at pains to make it clear what the new structure is and what responsibility lies with who.
The lower block question is on my mind too. Feels like we can't assume that we will set up as we did at the start of last year. The level is different. Shape, pressing intent etc are all up for question. Wonder if sitting deeper and having pace in attack to break does something to counteract the concerns that @SourPatch2 has about JH too? If he's not expected to plug the gaps in an expansive team as he has been at Ajax he may be able to cope much better (due to his experience and organisational abilities).
I don't think Mepham would replace Mepham if that makes sense. All about cost this one, for me. Its generally true that I hope we spend as little as possible to get the talent we need this summer, but its particularly important for squad options. The money we spend needs to be on the pitch as much as humanly possible.
Its hard to know the decision making process at the club as it is. If KLD is heavily involved and signs off on all signings, contracts etc, then its entirely plausible that FG and KS will work together on everything and just share the workload between them. If neither one of them is the end decision maker, they can both work together to then take decisions to KLD. That could work. I'd obviously rather one person had responsibility for transfers and scouting, but it could definitely work with them both being responsible and working together in constant dialogue.
Some fans really need clarity on this, they need to know who to tweet when we havent signed players yet or when we sign a player they dont know or want