Summer 2023 Transfer Thread

[Aventus]

2 hours ago, Dave D said:

The Saudi league won’t take hold as the mass of players they are targeting will eventually (looking at you Grealish/Foden) fall foul of the religious laws. The whole football “package” that is on offer in Europes capitals simply can’t be replicated there.

 

They'll be part of the elites, they will have avenues to do what they want. 

 

Not necessarily going on bar crawls, but they'll still have plenty of opportunity to get pissed and smash slags.

[Lee909]

23 hours ago, Jose Jones said:

Well we haven’t actually sold Fabinho and Henderson yet. So probably when they actually go we’ll sign someone.

And you’re really counting Ramsay, Rhys Williams and van den Berg?

How many games did they play for us last season?

 

I'm a bit surprised we didn't keep van den Berg to fill in Phillips role amd play Europa games as he's got time at Fullback at Preston so fits the formation. Especially with our shortage of home grown players

[TheHowieLama]

13 minutes ago, Aventus said:

They'll be part of the elites, they will have avenues to do what they want. 

 

Not necessarily going on bar crawls, but they'll still have plenty of opportunity to get pissed and smash slags.

 

Fuck yea Arabia!

[The Midnight Rambler]

3 hours ago, Aventus said:

How much money do the Saudis have? I know we've slagged off the blue mancs for shitting on FFP, but that's one team, spending a few billion. 

 

How much is it going to cost to build an entire league? Or even half a league. 

 

Getting ridiculous now. 

Just been reading some mad shit about them heavily investing in their 3rd & 4th tier this summer too.

[Torvald Utne]

Bless 'em, they must be really panicking about life after oil

[Ronnie Whelan]

4 hours ago, Joey8FrogsLegs said:

The part in bold sums up everything that is wrong with football these days.

 

Also apart from that a great post. If the Saudis have a long term plan to take full control of European football, including having their own teams play in the PL or a European Super League or whatever, I have no doubt they will succeed. The PL, UEFA and not least FIFA are all following the money, and if

the Saudi pay up they will all obey orders.

 

Question is if the Saudis have such a long term plan or not, as the objective is clearly sportswashing, and doing a complete takeover/integrasjon may not be required and/or may cost more than the benefit.

 You just wouldn't have faith in any of the associations not being turned by the money. Even the media would be turned. The governments well certainly ours would be easy to buy off.They seem to have a vision of using sport for their broader goals. 

 

You would have to worry about Mo being tempted in the next 12-18 months. Certainly, FSG would be tempted to sell imo. 

 

This really will feel like the end of the road for me in terms of football. Obviously, I'll still watch our games and big games with other teams at club or international tournaments, but possibly waiting for a Saudi club to take your best player every transfer window or one of their clubs knocking us out of Europe would be football dystopia.

 

As I said when historical clubs like AC can't keep their golden boy who was a huge boyhood fan from going to Newcastle, it's a preview of what is to come. It's been happening a while in fairness. At least, the Geordies are football mad people and they are historically a big club. The Mancs will be possibly bought by the Qataris. We may be next in a few months or years. They get influence in Serie A or La Liga and then they have Europe in their hands because who is going to buy a club off them. Football is linked to politics and people's opinions are changed by success. I have heard Newcastle fans defend Saudi laws on the radio. Laughable and horrific. At least, the ones who say they just want success at any price are honest.

 

[Megadrive Man]

1 hour ago, 3 Stacks said:

Injured, has a bad lifestyle, is a bottler. He's one of the biggest wastes of talent of his generation.

Could see United getting him as a replacement for Pogba?

[Jurgen Knows]

5 hours ago, Pidge said:

How's Yemen getting on these days. Was the ceasefire renewed?

The angels who supply the weapons will know better about the status of their business interests in the region.

[Scott_M]

8 hours ago, FrenchEyeGlass said:

Don’t know anything about him, my immediate thoughts would be this is underwhelming.

 

Hopefully it’s just we’re talking to his agent and getting feelers out there for plans B onwards.

[El Dangerous]

2 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

Don’t know anything about him, my immediate thoughts would be this is underwhelming.

 

.

Based on what?

[Scott_M]

6 minutes ago, El Dangerous said:

Based on what?

Nothing really, gut feeling. As I said, I know nothing about him. 
 

I’ll do some Googling…

[Scott_M]

This was in The Athletic around the time he was linked to Forest…

 

 

…reading elsewhere, he’s 6’3, good in the air, his passing and dribbling have improved significantly in Netherlands, loves a tackle, likes to defend the inside right channel (which is always a concern with TAA), is good under a press and passes forwards.
 

I think lack of enthusiasm is around if he’s was so good, why are only Forest after him?

[razor]

3 hours ago, Jurgen Knows said:

The angels who supply the weapons will know better about the status of their business interests in the region.

 

The people who make guns are the worse than the people who kill people with them.  Ok.

 

I wouldn't be so quick to go for that line.  I'd go for a shared responsibility.  With a smidge more culpability placed on the people firing the guns into people's heads.

 

"Wasn't my fault I shot him, governor.  It was the fault of the people what make the things what I bought and used."

[Guest]

A good touch for a big man. A big touch for a good man. A big man for a good touch. A man touch for a big good.

[Razoray]

32 minutes ago, Shooter in the Motor said:

A good touch for a big man. A big touch for a good man. A big man for a good touch. A man touch for a big good.

He is a bully, can pass the ball, scores a few and has quick reactions. I like the look of him but the problem with these youtube videos is that they do not highlight the weaknesses. It seems like he takes a chance when pressed. That wouldn’t be ideal as a defensive midfielder 

[Carvalho Diablo]

I mentioned Sangare months ago as a possible midfield target, he's a good player who'd be a definite upgrade on Fabinho.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Supposed to have a release clause too, right?

[TD_LFC]

He was one of the 2022 summer transfer threads players 'I might die if we don't sign' wasn't he?

 

 

[Scott_M]

45 minutes ago, Carvalho Diablo said:

I mentioned Sangare months ago as a possible midfield target, he's a good player who'd be a definite upgrade on Fabinho.

Better than peak Fabinho or just better than Fabinho last season?

[Carvalho Diablo]

3 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

Better than peak Fabinho or just better than Fabinho last season?

Last season, easily.

 

Reminds me of Momo.

[Scott_M]

1 minute ago, Carvalho Diablo said:

Last season, easily.

 

Reminds me of Momo.

That feels a low bar. 

[El Dangerous]

I hope that’s a reference to Fabinho’s drop off and not the comparison to Momo. Imagine a peak Momo in a Klopp midfield!

[etho]

I haven't seen anyone i've linked with who seems particularly impressive as a Fabinho replacement. It's tricky as we don't know which Fabinho were replacing, the world class holding midfielder or whatever the fuck he was last season. Lavia to come in and learn the ropes looked great, as the starter now it doesn't look that impressive.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Mac Allister lining up there first game of the season

 

 

[Daisy]

I dont think whoever we sign now will start in midield against Chelsea or start any decent games for a while so could easily expect us to go for a young project like Lavia 

 

Think it will be Mac Allister and Trent in the double six then Jones and Szoboszlai in the 8's.

 

 

[Scott_M]

21 minutes ago, El Dangerous said:

I hope that’s a reference to Fabinho’s drop off and not the comparison to Momo. Imagine a peak Momo in a Klopp midfield!

I liked Momo, he did put in some phenomenal performances. However, at times he did give it away almost as much as he won it back. 
 

If the best comparison we can make is Momo Sissoko, I feel we can do better.