Generally the consensus is we could use another CB, we need a 4th striker, and a Tevez replacement (read that as someone to replace his quality).
Still others believe we need more depth at CM and another or better winger.
To me the answer to all of this is obvious (assuming we continue with the 4-2-2-2):
Sell Kolo and Ned
Sell Tevez
Sell AJ
Buy Hazard
Buy Vertonghen
Right now Kolo, Tevez and AJ are not contributing to the squad. You can argue that AJ is somewhat, but I will argue against that, and I think most will agree he is not happy with his role and that role likely won't change much.
Hazard would immediately take AJ's role as squad winger, and even AJ's most ardent fans would likely agree that Hazard is an upgrade. (upgrade on winger, check)
Hazard is not just a winger though. He also would immediately slot into the 4th striker role. I don't expect to see him play there much but he gives us good insurance if we lose one of the big three to injury. (4th striker, check)
Many will say that Hazard won't come here to ride the bench. They are right; Hazard is on pace to become world class; he simply is too good to put on the bench. (Tevez replacement, check). With proper rotation we need three players for every two positions. That gives each of the three players roughly 40 starts a season. Hazard would take AJ's starts; he would take the occasional striker start and then primarily rotate with Silva and Nasri. This in effect pushes Yaya and Milner back into more traditional CM roles, giving that position the depth that is needed. (Added depth at CM, check).
In short, Hazard in one player adds depth to our striker position, gives us a world class winger, gives us adequate rotation in the playmaking area and allows our Center Mids to play CM (see Milner). The biggest loser of this move would likely be Barry as I expect he will see less games as Milner continues to show what he can do. That said, YaYa will be gone for a while in February so it would probably be next year when Barry really starts to lose minutes (which is probably the right time in his career).
Vertoghen, to me, seems perfect for the club. He would immediately step in at at least Lescott's level. For the rest of the season we would have three experienced professionals and a youngster with a ton of upside at CB. Come August I expect to start to see Lescott begin to be be rotated out leaving us with Kompany, Vertonghen, Savic, Boyata, and Lescott in that order.
Belgium has a shit hot young international team. We would have four of their internationals. Kompany would be playing along side a fellow Belgian. Boyata will continue to learn and be mentored by international teammates. All three would likely welcome the addition of their country's most talented player in Hazard.
Much like the eastern bloc contingent of Savic, Kola, and Dzeko, and the Spanish speaking bloc of Zabs, Aguero, and Silva, we would have a Belgian bloc of players that would help the new players bed in quickly.
Best of all, these moves would make us money. Even in the most conservative of scenarios, we should get 25 for Tevez, 15 for AJ and a combined 7 for Kolo and Ned. 47 million should be more than enough to land Hazard and Vertonghen. So for no money and no personnel loss of any significance, we basically add Hazard and Vertonghen to the squad. The quadruple becomes just a little less of a fantasy.
Over the summer a few key contracts would have to be extended (Komps and De Jong) but otherwise no serious additions would be needed. Bobby will finally have his squad and transfer activities can be shifted toward recruiting the best teenagers to come to our Academy.
Lille will be out of the CL soon making it easier to pry Hazard away. Ajax is bordering on making the knockout stages which could make it tougher to get Vertonghen, but I expect they would sell if the price was right.
Still others believe we need more depth at CM and another or better winger.
To me the answer to all of this is obvious (assuming we continue with the 4-2-2-2):
Sell Kolo and Ned
Sell Tevez
Sell AJ
Buy Hazard
Buy Vertonghen
Right now Kolo, Tevez and AJ are not contributing to the squad. You can argue that AJ is somewhat, but I will argue against that, and I think most will agree he is not happy with his role and that role likely won't change much.
Hazard would immediately take AJ's role as squad winger, and even AJ's most ardent fans would likely agree that Hazard is an upgrade. (upgrade on winger, check)
Hazard is not just a winger though. He also would immediately slot into the 4th striker role. I don't expect to see him play there much but he gives us good insurance if we lose one of the big three to injury. (4th striker, check)
Many will say that Hazard won't come here to ride the bench. They are right; Hazard is on pace to become world class; he simply is too good to put on the bench. (Tevez replacement, check). With proper rotation we need three players for every two positions. That gives each of the three players roughly 40 starts a season. Hazard would take AJ's starts; he would take the occasional striker start and then primarily rotate with Silva and Nasri. This in effect pushes Yaya and Milner back into more traditional CM roles, giving that position the depth that is needed. (Added depth at CM, check).
In short, Hazard in one player adds depth to our striker position, gives us a world class winger, gives us adequate rotation in the playmaking area and allows our Center Mids to play CM (see Milner). The biggest loser of this move would likely be Barry as I expect he will see less games as Milner continues to show what he can do. That said, YaYa will be gone for a while in February so it would probably be next year when Barry really starts to lose minutes (which is probably the right time in his career).
Vertoghen, to me, seems perfect for the club. He would immediately step in at at least Lescott's level. For the rest of the season we would have three experienced professionals and a youngster with a ton of upside at CB. Come August I expect to start to see Lescott begin to be be rotated out leaving us with Kompany, Vertonghen, Savic, Boyata, and Lescott in that order.
Belgium has a shit hot young international team. We would have four of their internationals. Kompany would be playing along side a fellow Belgian. Boyata will continue to learn and be mentored by international teammates. All three would likely welcome the addition of their country's most talented player in Hazard.
Much like the eastern bloc contingent of Savic, Kola, and Dzeko, and the Spanish speaking bloc of Zabs, Aguero, and Silva, we would have a Belgian bloc of players that would help the new players bed in quickly.
Best of all, these moves would make us money. Even in the most conservative of scenarios, we should get 25 for Tevez, 15 for AJ and a combined 7 for Kolo and Ned. 47 million should be more than enough to land Hazard and Vertonghen. So for no money and no personnel loss of any significance, we basically add Hazard and Vertonghen to the squad. The quadruple becomes just a little less of a fantasy.
Over the summer a few key contracts would have to be extended (Komps and De Jong) but otherwise no serious additions would be needed. Bobby will finally have his squad and transfer activities can be shifted toward recruiting the best teenagers to come to our Academy.
Lille will be out of the CL soon making it easier to pry Hazard away. Ajax is bordering on making the knockout stages which could make it tougher to get Vertonghen, but I expect they would sell if the price was right.