richards30
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Wirtz is more necessary but if Musiala turned up then i for one wont be complaining!
The Squad planning thread
- Thread starter HaalandEffect
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Wirtz is more necessary but if Musiala turned up then i for one wont be complaining!
I hope and think we will break the bank trying to get Wirtz but I still think he will go to Bayern, the links with him and his family are very long term and strong.
richards30
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Leverkusen wanted Mcatee as well though? Maybe we can use that to our advantage?
It would be a great move for him, I could see him doing a Sancho and ripping it up in Germany and then getting a big move back to the PL.
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Gaz (FMwkdsoul)
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Stones i agree with, he's consistently put up poor availability over years, the rest are in one off seasons due to over playing/rushed back etc. (for now)
richards30
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Maybe £100m and Mcatee gets it done?
Ake has never had the chance to get properly fit this year but he ain't getting any younger.
But maybe we stick with them all, Reis and Khusanov will need time and having Stones and Ake around will be good for them and also take away the need to rush players back from potential injuries.
I think it will need more, even more so after his Orient performance (joking)
125 plus McAtee and we may have a chance, but will Wirtz want us , and what if we were to miss out on CL?
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Gaz (FMwkdsoul)
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Don't think McAtee moves abroad tbh, most likely takes a move to a North West club. Leeds if they come up, been tracking him for a few months now. Slim chance we keep him of course
Dribble
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Interesting... VERY interesting! Especially after reports last week that Wirtz, Musiala & Davies were signing extensions, with only Wirtz inserting a buy out clause to become active in 2027.
Wirtz is one of 5 players where imo, normal transfer fees don't apply. We're gradually losing one generational talent in KDB & urgently need to bring in his successor. Florian is the obvious heir to King Kev's throne.
The only negative is that it probably means that Foden would be pushed out wide again on the wings. I couldn’t see us playing both Foden and Wirtz in midfield in most games as we would be very weak defensively
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Gaz (FMwkdsoul)
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Sure there are ways around it. CB into DM box mid would be my first guess in a 325 again, either learning to play a deeper role, false wingers with FBs outwide, get all the toys and fuck it let them fight etc etc
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Dribble
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After what we've gone through this season, it'd be a nice problem to have.
This is a similar argument constantly held up regarding Rodri, in that no world class CDM will come here knowing if Rodders is available, he plays. Even Rodri himself spent 12 months complaining about his unreasonable workload.
If we expect to play 60+ games per season, elite players will easily get 40+ games each, & there's nothing to say a combination of Wirtz & Foden couldn't work, just as David Silva & KDB did.
Let's just get em in first, & sort the jigsaw puzzle afterwards. This is a season few of us ever want to see repeated.
That’s up to both of them to impress, who ever is on form plays in the middle.
I think the focus on attacking players is misplaced.
If you have been watching us this season and think that has been the problem, then I think you aren't watching clearly.
The defense (including GK) and midfield line is a HUGE problem.
Defense
Stones, Ake, Akanji are so massively injury prone. It's great we bought Khusanov and Reis, but we definitely still need 2 more defenders down the line considering their history and age (and Stones being a good defensive midfield option).
Ederson and Ortega... I think there is a GK problem, both have mistakes in them, a little too frequently.
Ederson is better, but also clearly wants to leave. Ortega is at best a 2nd choice keeper, if he can't accept that then maybe we have to sell him as well.
Midfield (controllers)
Gundog I assume is likely gone, while Bernie and Kova who are younger may stay, but they shouldn't be 1st choice, and in fact, I'd sell one of them, but I suspect both stay as backups.
In midfield, I'm pretty happy next season with Rodri, Nico G., Nico O, and Stones (moving him out of defense) as options for 1st choice "control" midfielders, but we need 1 more player of this type here like Bruno or Ederson type player.
Attack
We will have:
Haaland
Marmoush
Foden
Savio
Doku
Grealish
Bobb
Echeverri
Even if I assume KdB is gone, for only 4 or maybe 3 spots in a line up, this looks quite good.
It also seems like Grealish may have earned some trust back so maybe he stays longer than some thought.
So IMO, I think the summer focus will be on 3 players for defense and midfield, and atleast 1 GK (maybe 2 if both leave), so those would be my 4 players. The attacking options is more than good enough.
If you have been watching us this season and think that has been the problem, then I think you aren't watching clearly.
The defense (including GK) and midfield line is a HUGE problem.
Defense
Stones, Ake, Akanji are so massively injury prone. It's great we bought Khusanov and Reis, but we definitely still need 2 more defenders down the line considering their history and age (and Stones being a good defensive midfield option).
Ederson and Ortega... I think there is a GK problem, both have mistakes in them, a little too frequently.
Ederson is better, but also clearly wants to leave. Ortega is at best a 2nd choice keeper, if he can't accept that then maybe we have to sell him as well.
Midfield (controllers)
Gundog I assume is likely gone, while Bernie and Kova who are younger may stay, but they shouldn't be 1st choice, and in fact, I'd sell one of them, but I suspect both stay as backups.
In midfield, I'm pretty happy next season with Rodri, Nico G., Nico O, and Stones (moving him out of defense) as options for 1st choice "control" midfielders, but we need 1 more player of this type here like Bruno or Ederson type player.
Attack
We will have:
Haaland
Marmoush
Foden
Savio
Doku
Grealish
Bobb
Echeverri
Even if I assume KdB is gone, for only 4 or maybe 3 spots in a line up, this looks quite good.
It also seems like Grealish may have earned some trust back so maybe he stays longer than some thought.
So IMO, I think the summer focus will be on 3 players for defense and midfield, and atleast 1 GK (maybe 2 if both leave), so those would be my 4 players. The attacking options is more than good enough.
pavelsrnicek
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It doesn’t say he refused a new deal, it says we’re interested in Wirtz and Bernardo refused a new deal. In both cases it quotes Fichajes which is a Spanish website of made up nonsense. Ignore anything quoting Fichajes.
That'll teach me not to ONLY read the headline and the first few lines of an article!
I reckon they won’t touch the CB situation in the summer but will add a RB. Unless someone leaves but think they’ll try and keep the band of defenders for another season and direct all the focus on the midfield.
We signed 2 defenders in Jan too so there’s that.
We signed 2 defenders in Jan too so there’s that.
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Gaz (FMwkdsoul)
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Tend to agree, very outside chance on an Branthwaite move for Stones or Ake longer term if someone jump in with a bid but very very slim chance.
If we did go for Branthwaite, or Wirtz, that'd be a big chunk of money. We have quite a few positions to fill.
One option are kids like we've done with the young defenders this winter, but imo they're generally a bit too young. Not quite signings for 'now'.
Are there any more players mid-20s who are good (not necessarily World-beaters) who are currently out of favour, 1 year on their contract etc who we could get in as cheap options to supplement a big money signing?