Summer 2010 Transfer Talk / Unfounded Speculation

[paulanddonya]

I think you are right on all counts to be fair (which is why I put "I doubt") - but the point was in the quality not the name.

Personally, I'd still test Sunderlands resolve with Bent first up front. If they value him at 20m then maybe a player plus one or two of our "availables" may tempt them. I could see Bruce being interested in Heskey, Young and NRC.

I think we will buy one of Bellamy or Keane, I think one of them is a given to be honest. I'd prefer Bellamy but I think Keane is younger so it's swings and roundabouts.

But you are right, there are 1000's of players in Europe and many many quality ones available. I don't think VdV is out of reach, you may be correct about being over rated though. Certainly Hleb is, and at 29, is a short term fix.

For a "squad member" I'd also knock off Heskey and try and hijack Spurs loan for Gudjohnsson - I don't think Spurs will have him next year, and would a far far far better option than bloody donkey on the bench.

there are loads out there, I can't name them, but I ain't paid 2 million quid a year to !

(oh by the way, I think we have missed a trick with Foster, and personally, now it is known that Joe Hart will be staying at Man City (which must mean he will be no.1) I'd try for Given.

I don't want to see Brad go that season too far, we should be planning, and at this time, I don't think Guzan is up to it.

[Rob182]

I really can't believe some of the people being mentioned on here.

If David O'Leary and Doug Ellis had even mentioned signing some of these there would have been uproar.

Players like Fletcher / Cattermole etc.. are the type of players West Brom and Leicester / Cardiff should consider to keep them in the league (Newcastle will probably even aim higher)

We need quality and class.

this means a bracket O'Neill hasn't gone for before and needs to now.

I'd take Ireland, that is the one I would, I see in him what we bought in David Platt - I think he will be quality. And I would take a gamble (but that is what it would be) on Richards, two seasons ago when he was Englands right back the guy was unstoppable - he must surely still have it somewhere.

But for the main priorites (creative midfield and attack) we need the likes of Van de Vaart, if we can (but doubt) Joe Cole, if we can (but doubt) Darren Bent, and if not, then we will have to look abroad for a striker as there is no one else that fits the bill in this country, maybe Bellamy or Keane would fit the system, Forlan mentioned, could be.

But what I am saying is the MINIMUM quality we need is someone of Keane / Bellamy / Bent or even higher up front , and the quality of Joe Cole / van de Vaart in midfield.

Couple this with "potential but gambles" like Richards / Ireland etc.. and we may get there.

But we certainly ain't with Ricardo Fuller, Mark Noble, Anton Ferdinand, Danny Gabbidon and Lee Cattermole.

Jeez - someone will mention Robbie Savage next for the ball winner !

So.. you're either hoping that we sell one of our best players or that MON starts sh*tting money?

Van Der Vaart/ Forlan/ Bent... I think it's a bit optimistic to this we could fork out £20m on a striker. It's not likely that we'll be able to do that as well as replacing the players that leave this summer.

Also - Are you assuming that the people mentioning Fletcher/ O'Hara/ KP Boateng are saying that we buy them and them only?

Because I'd like us to sign a decent striker & midfielder AS WELL as some of these cheaper players to fill up our squad.

[Rob182]

I agree that Keane and Bellamy are the most realistic options (also Carlton Cole - as he seems like a MON signing) and I'd prefer Bellamy but Keane would probably be with us for longer and isn't as injury prone

[AVFC-Prideofbrum]

I think you are right on all counts to be fair (which is why I put "I doubt") - but the point was in the quality not the name.

Personally, I'd still test Sunderlands resolve with Bent first up front. If they value him at 20m then maybe a player plus one or two of our "availables" may tempt them. I could see Bruce being interested in Heskey, Young and NRC.

I think we will buy one of Bellamy or Keane, I think one of them is a given to be honest. I'd prefer Bellamy but I think Keane is younger so it's swings and roundabouts.

But you are right, there are 1000's of players in Europe and many many quality ones available. I don't think VdV is out of reach, you may be correct about being over rated though. Certainly Hleb is, and at 29, is a short term fix.

For a "squad member" I'd also knock off Heskey and try and hijack Spurs loan for Gudjohnsson - I don't think Spurs will have him next year, and would a far far far better option than bloody donkey on the bench.

there are loads out there, I can't name them, but I ain't paid 2 million quid a year to !

(oh by the way, I think we have missed a trick with Foster, and personally, now it is known that Joe Hart will be staying at Man City (which must mean he will be no.1) I'd try for Given.

I don't want to see Brad go that season too far, we should be planning, and at this time, I don't think Guzan is up to it.

A couple things:

I would like to see Boateng, Fletcher in our squad, that's it. Squad, Fletcher as 3rd/4th choice and Boateng can play either flank or through the middle. Both fairly cheap and good squad players.

I would also want to see bigger names signed but we also don't have that much money. For example, you've mentioned say:

Given - £10 Million.

Richards - £8-10 Million.

Ireland - £7-8 Million.

Darren Bent - £18-20 Million.

Van Der Vaart - £12-14 Million.

Plus wages on top of these etc...we don't have that sort of money.

[paulanddonya]

O'Hara aside, because I think he is slightly different.

There is a reason the likes of Pompey and Burnley were relegated - their players weren'r good enough. How many seasons under Ellis did we do it, buy a player from a relegated side saying "They were too good for the side".

In fact, and youet may prove me wrong here because on a law of averages, there must be one.

But can you name me one player that has moved from a relegated club , to a club that were either in the Champions League, or got to the champions league. And if you can name one, then I bet that is all you can name.

And as I said, quality doesn't mean splashing 30m quid up the wall. How much did Tim cahill / Mikel Arteta cost Everton ? , how much did Arshavin cost Arsenal, how much did the likes of Malouda / kalou cost Chelsea , or even the likes of Mordic cost Spurs...and on and on...

None of those were anywhere near 30m, and I would be surprised if most of them cost much more than 15 million - which when you consider we paid 12 for Downing proves you can get top quality for the amount we pay.

And, as I said, the one thing O'Neill is poor on is taking advantage of loan signings - Gudjohnsson would have been perfect for us, he ended up at Spurs, Hleb would have been ideal, he ended up in Germany.

As I said last week, if, and it is if Torres goes to Chelsea - we could get Daniel Sturridge on loan probably (I am sure Chelsea won't put him in ahead of Drogba, Torres, Anelka and Kalou, but they probabl won't sell due to Drogbas age. So use the loan market - look what it did for Blues this year !!

We don't have to spend a lot, you just need a manager who is tactical and astute in the market. Unfortunately, for all MON's plus points, this is his big negative.

[BOF]

If Chelsea buy Torres we should go for Anelka.

[Richard]

Yes, ideally I would totally agree with you. It's just that if we sell a couple as suggested I think we'll need additional cover

Say Bouma leaves , we sell Young and Davies ?

That leaves Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Clark and Cuellar unless I have missed something

For all intents, Bouma is gone and so is Shorey. If we sell Luke and Curtis then we are left with; as you say; 4 central defenders and a left back. For me that only emphasises that we need to buy on the flanks, not in the centre.

and again I do not see a world of difference between us, it's just that I think MON sees Cuellar as the right back which leaves us a little exposed in the middle as well with two regular first teamers and a relatively untried centre back

But then who knows what we will end up with this summer.

For me , as you I think, a striker is priority. I also think a creative midfielder and a right back should be sought

[Rob182]

But can you name me one player that has moved from a relegated club , to a club that were either in the Champions League, or got to the champions league. And if you can name one, then I bet that is all you can name.

I'm not great of thinking of these little footall questions.. but a few similar examples to what you asked (baring in mind that we're not IN the champions league) -

Fulham have loaned Greening from Baggies and they got to the Europa League Final.

West Ham used to have Joe Cole/ Terry/ Lampard etc - I can't remember who left when they got relegated (or how many of them stayed in the team to bring them back up to the prem)

Leeds had Aaron Lennon, Milner, Paul Robinson etc.. (again - I can't remember who was with them when they got relegated)

If a player has potential, they could do a job at your club and their team is getting relegated - it's better to pounce on the player while they might want to move to keep their career in the Prem League (imo).

[Nigel]

If Chelsea buy Torres we should go for Anelka.

Wholeheartedly agree!

However hasn't he just signed a new contract?

May be worth a cheaky enquirey though if for nothing else than to put the idea in his head!

[BOF]

and again I do not see a world of difference between us, it's just that I think MON sees Cuellar as the right back which leaves us a little exposed in the middle as well with two regular first teamers and a relatively untried centre back

But then who knows what we will end up with this summer.

For me , as you I think, a striker is priority. I also think a creative midfielder and a right back should be sought

Yep and I'd add a backup left back to that. I'd say Beye is gone too (thank McGrath).

[paulanddonya]

By the way, the one link from last year that hasn't arisen yet, but I would imagine he will be available is Kenwye Jones.

I am 50/50 on him to be honest, one week he looks like a world beater, one week he looks like Emiles twin brother.

Just seems weird that there hasn't been a link yet.

[Richard]

Forgot about him. Mind you I am in good company as MON seemed to as well

[Phumfeinz]

If Chelsea buy Torres we should go for Anelka.

Wholeheartedly agree!

However hasn't he just signed a new contract?

May be worth a cheaky enquirey though if for nothing else than to put the idea in his head!

Yeah I think he just signed a 2-year extension.

[paulanddonya]

I THINK DAVID VILLA IS GOING TO SIGN FOR ASTON VILLA.

Well his medical isn't until Friday and bear in mind what happened with Harewood - it could be an exciting 48 hours down Bodymoor !

[kid_villain]

salifou has a new contract till june 2011 according to wiki

[rjw63]

[AVFC-Prideofbrum]

But can you name me one player that has moved from a relegated club , to a club that were either in the Champions League, or got to the champions league. And if you can name one, then I bet that is all you can name.

And as I said, quality doesn't mean splashing 30m quid up the wall. How much did Tim cahill / Mikel Arteta cost Everton ? , how much did Arshavin cost Arsenal, how much did the likes of Malouda / kalou cost Chelsea , or even the likes of Mordic cost Spurs...and on and on...

Just to say, we did buy Ashley Young from a team that was in the relegation zone and were later relegated. James Milner from a relegated club. Both of those have won young player of the year last two seasons and to be fair, don't really need to tell you how good they have been for us since moving here.

Again, I don't dispute transfer fee's but wages have to come into play, we have a strict wage structure, Arsharvin for £16.9 Million.

Malouda cost £13.5 Million, Kalou cost £8 Million but is no better than what we have.

Modric cost £15.8 Million.

While Cahill and Arteta were great buys and Arteta the sort of player I believe we should sometimes risk in terms of paying £2-4 Million for a foreign midfielder as it's a small risk.....Cahill doesn't really strengthen your point as he was playing in a Millwall side in the championship!

I know why teams go down because overal they are not good enough but that doesn't mean the whole team isn't good enough. Steven Fletcher for example whenever I saw Burnley seemed to create or score or be involved in a major way in almost every attack and goal. He was a real clever player aswell as a good finisher, something we are missing here and for £3-4 million you can't tell me he wouldn't do a better job than Heskey, while also spending £££ on a striker to replace Carew.

[lexicon]

This myth about MON being bad in the transfer market... such horseshit. Look at the first team members he bought... Friedel, Dunne, Warnock, Cuellar, Collins, Milner, A.Young, Petrov, Downing, Carew...... all good players. He's hardly spunked a load of money up the wall and compared to every other manager in the league he is up there with those that have a good record.

[Benno-Levin]

Benayoun moved to Liverpool from Wham (who were very nearly relegated) so it is possible to get quality. Just none from Hull please MON

[Hanky]

salifou has a new contract till june 2011 according to wiki

If this is true (and I am debating that due to it being Wiki) then that is ridiculous. He doesn't play, even for the reserves now.