The Squad planning thread

[Xhavenjoe]

If Eddy is off in the summer, would Kelleher from Liverpool be a potential replacement? Less then 2 years on contact, good with his feet

Either him or Allison are off at the end of this season
I've heard a lot worse suggestions

 

[Gabriel]

If Bernardo reps come with any sort of deal I think he will be off, the guy looks shot and way off previous levels and if we are honest he has not been himself for sometime.

Stones would be difficult to move on with his injuries and wage but maybe he could be used in some sort of swop deal, maybe even going back to Everton if their takeover goes through?

There are a number of players that cause me greater concern than Silva, and he’s one of the few senior players Guardiola can call still upon without hesitation. With only one year left, I think he’ll see out his contract, aged 31, and either take a lucrative two-year deal in Italy, or return home to Benfica.

 

[Keeper!]

There are a number of players that cause me greater concern than Silva, and he’s one of the few senior players Guardiola can call still upon without hesitation. With only one year left, I think he’ll see out his contract, aged 31, and either take a lucrative two-year deal in Italy, or return home to Benfica.

No doubting the little fella's effort but as a top player he is not doing it for me.

 

[Gabriel]

No doubting the little fella's effort but as a top player he is not doing it for me.

I’ve never thought of Silva like the other stars that shoot through and light up the sky. Rather, I’ve seen him as the one constant, even in these ‘dark’ moments. Over 30 League games in 6 of his 7 seasons in midfield (26 in his other season) and I suspect that only when he leaves will we fully appreciate how much one player can hold a team together. Slightly different roles but quite similar in importance to Kante at Chelsea.

 

[supercity88]

Bernardo and Stones have contracts through to summer '26, so I cannot see either leaving with a year left. De Bruyne's situation may be dependent on whether we can land Wirtz. If it looks like we cannot and de Bruyne can remain fit and play out the rest of this season, I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's offered a new deal.

It will be Viana's first summer at the club, and if he's anything like Begiristain, I think he'll rely on his knowledge of where he comes from and the international Portuguese market (including those in England/elsewhere) to sign players. In his first summer window, I think, Begiristain brought Naves, Negredo, and Demechelis, all of whom had been playing in Spain, along with Fernandinho and Jovetic. Viana appears to be just as quiet and just as patient, so rather than bring in a host of players, and run the risk of making mistakes, I think he'll be shrewd and look for a similar collection of 4 experienced players and 1 youngster. That would help bring the age down and strike a better balance in what may be another transitional season. It may also be that those he brings in are not necessarily the 100 million players everyone wanted (none of that 2013 harvest were really 'box office') but players who turn out to be the parts of the puzzle we are missing. Of course, such a conservative read would also mean there is no mass exodus.

Our transfer targets don't come down to one man. The reason we've had more success than failure is because of how holistic our approach to the market has been. The whole board and Pep are involved. They identify short and long term issues. The scouts provide a host of names. The likely financial package is discussed. Then we can draw up a list of options to go and explore. If one transfer is going to cost you from getting other players you compromise. That's why we've seen a preference for buy out clauses - you know what you have to spend and it's therefore very easy to make all the moves you want to.

I don't think Viana is going to come in and be much different. He'll work under that strategic approach and he'll just bring a different skillset to the table when it comes to assessing options and getting deals over the line.

We've had such success under Txiki until the past couple of seasons where question marks start to be raised over a number of players we've purchased. We've yet to see Doku, Savinho or Nunes deliver to the level we expect (early days) and we've seen Phillips completely flop. But then we've got Akanji and Gvardiol who have clearly been excellent acquisitions. And we've bagged Haaland.

The big job is replacing Walker, De Bruyne and Gundo and then it's finding back-up for Rodri and Haaland. Sounds like a lot on paper, but it's doable. We didn't have Gundo last season and won the league. De Bruyne was injured for large parts of it. Walker was replaced by Akanji for the CL final. There are already options at the club. It's about bringing in the right quality moving forwards.

A lot of the hard work will have been done behind the scenes.

We couldn't have planned for the injuries we've had. But it's revealed how critical it is for us to invest in the next version of Pep's side to take us forward over the next 2-5 years.

There are other players that will come and go in that time, but I'm sure we already have a list drawn up to deal with the most pressing issues.

 

[Gabriel]

Our transfer targets don't come down to one man. The reason we've had more success than failure is because of how holistic our approach to the market has been. The whole board and Pep are involved. They identify short and long term issues. The scouts provide a host of names. The likely financial package is discussed. Then we can draw up a list of options to go and explore. If one transfer is going to cost you from getting other players you compromise. That's why we've seen a preference for buy out clauses - you know what you have to spend and it's therefore very easy to make all the moves you want to.

I don't think Viana is going to come in and be much different. He'll work under that strategic approach and he'll just bring a different skillset to the table when it comes to assessing options and getting deals over the line.

We've had such success under Txiki until the past couple of seasons where question marks start to be raised over a number of players we've purchased. We've yet to see Doku, Savinho or Nunes deliver to the level we expect (early days) and we've seen Phillips completely flop. But then we've got Akanji and Gvardiol who have clearly been excellent acquisitions. And we've bagged Haaland.

The big job is replacing Walker, De Bruyne and Gundo and then it's finding back-up for Rodri and Haaland. Sounds like a lot on paper, but it's doable. We didn't have Gundo last season and won the league. De Bruyne was injured for large parts of it. Walker was replaced by Akanji for the CL final. There are already options at the club. It's about bringing in the right quality moving forwards.

A lot of the hard work will have been done behind the scenes.

We couldn't have planned for the injuries we've had. But it's revealed how critical it is for us to invest in the next version of Pep's side to take us forward over the next 2-5 years.

There are other players that will come and go in that time, but I'm sure we already have a list drawn up to deal with the most pressing issues.

Many good points, and while I know Viana will work within the established parameters, we wanted him above anyone else for a reason. I still think he'll begin by working with what he's most familiar and that might also be important given how hit and miss our more recent transfer business has been.

On the injury front, I'm just a little less sure. The sheer amount and intensity of the football played was going to have foreseeable consequences, and the issue has been exacerbated by us also extending contracts and bringing players back. Food for thought as the squad develops.

In some respects, I think the club is still 'young' in this regard and it's only by going through these experiences that we can learn what to do and what not to do in future. It took us a good few seasons to develop a squad capable of winning the treble, but across the three fronts we looked jaded last season and the evidence this season suggests even more. As such, I'll be interested in seeing whether we stick with the system of slow development and loyalty (holistic?), or whether we'll adapt and adopt a more pragmatic (?) approach with slightly higher turnover to keep the squad fresher and challenging more consistently.

 

[Gumzy97]

If Eddy is off in the summer, would Kelleher from Liverpool be a potential replacement? Less then 2 years on contact, good with his feet

We have scouted the keeper at Milan a few times this season and been linked last summer. I think we go for him.

 

[supercity88]

Many good points, and while I know Viana will work within the established parameters, we wanted him above anyone else for a reason. I still think he'll begin by working with what he's most familiar and that might also be important given how hit and miss our more recent transfer business has been.

On the injury front, I'm just a little less sure. The sheer amount and intensity of the football played was going to have foreseeable consequences, and the issue has been exacerbated by us also extending contracts and bringing players back. Food for thought as the squad develops.

In some respects, I think the club is still 'young' in this regard and it's only by going through these experiences that we can learn what to do and what not to do in future. It took us a good few seasons to develop a squad capable of winning the treble, but across the three fronts we looked jaded last season and the evidence this season suggests even more. As such, I'll be interested in seeing whether we stick with the system of slow development and loyalty (holistic?), or whether we'll adapt and adopt a more pragmatic (?) approach with slightly higher turnover to keep the squad fresher and challenging more consistently.

We’ll undoubtedly stick to the approach of building for the long term. I don't think we'll see short term signings unless it's for a bit of experience just to bolster the odd position where required.

You are right in terms of burnout. Our players have played so much, and at such an intensity. We’ve got a CWC this summer, which means we’ll unlikely see many of our senior players at the start of next season. There’s a World Cup the following summer.

I’d like to see Pep expand the squad. I know it’s a tricky balance, but we need to have more options. We have talked about a lack of cover for Rodri and Haaland a lot. And we are being stung by that this season.

I think we'd have managed had Rodri been fit. I think we'd have been close to Liverpool and probably have masked a lot of the issues. So the injuries definitely make things appear a lot worse. But it's a big summer.

Jury is out on De Bruyne, but unless he plays a part until the end of the season we probably have to let him go. Gundo and Walker have to go too. That's three players who have been critical in years gone by. Not easy at all. Then there's cover for Rodri and Haaland. I'd say that's necessary next summer too. Will the club want to make so many changes in one summer though?

 

[VOOMER]

We’ll undoubtedly stick to the approach of building for the long term. I don't think we'll see short term signings unless it's for a bit of experience just to bolster the odd position where required.

You are right in terms of burnout. Our players have played so much, and at such an intensity. We’ve got a CWC this summer, which means we’ll unlikely see many of our senior players at the start of next season. There’s a World Cup the following summer.

I’d like to see Pep expand the squad. I know it’s a tricky balance, but we need to have more options. We have talked about a lack of cover for Rodri and Haaland a lot. And we are being stung by that this season.

I think we'd have managed had Rodri been fit. I think we'd have been close to Liverpool and probably have masked a lot of the issues. So the injuries definitely make things appear a lot worse. But it's a big summer.

Jury is out on De Bruyne, but unless he plays a part until the end of the season we probably have to let him go. Gundo and Walker have to go too. That's three players who have been critical in years gone by. Not easy at all. Then there's cover for Rodri and Haaland. I'd say that's necessary next summer too. Will the club want to make so many changes in one summer though?

It depends on who comes through from the youth team.

 

[Gabriel]

We’ll undoubtedly stick to the approach of building for the long term. I don't think we'll see short term signings unless it's for a bit of experience just to bolster the odd position where required.

You are right in terms of burnout. Our players have played so much, and at such an intensity. We’ve got a CWC this summer, which means we’ll unlikely see many of our senior players at the start of next season. There’s a World Cup the following summer.

I’d like to see Pep expand the squad. I know it’s a tricky balance, but we need to have more options. We have talked about a lack of cover for Rodri and Haaland a lot. And we are being stung by that this season.

I think we'd have managed had Rodri been fit. I think we'd have been close to Liverpool and probably have masked a lot of the issues. So the injuries definitely make things appear a lot worse. But it's a big summer.

Jury is out on De Bruyne, but unless he plays a part until the end of the season we probably have to let him go. Gundo and Walker have to go too. That's three players who have been critical in years gone by. Not easy at all. Then there's cover for Rodri and Haaland. I'd say that's necessary next summer too. Will the club want to make so many changes in one summer though?

I don't think we'll necessarily make short-term signings, though I can see us picking up the occasional player for a season or two if we think it makes sense. For example, I'd take someone like Nelson Semedo from Wolves in the summer. Wrong side of 30, true, but out of contract, knows the League, and is physically fit. The fact that he's come through Barcelona/Benfica also means he has the technical ability and football intelligence to play under Guardiola. Not a long-term signing, true, but when we need big money to spend elsewhere, these kinds of deals would be understandable.

I still think that Bobb will be used through the middle and his return will fill the Alvarez role, which may then see us rest Haaland and play the false 9 again. If, in the spring, we see Bobb as an option to continue through the middle, then we may not seek another striker. I've said elsewhere that I think de Bruyne's fate may be connected to any pursuit for Wirtz; if that looks like a dead end and de Bruyne can stay fit and find form, then I can see an extension being given. Cover for Rodri needs to be found, however. There can be no guarantee that he will return the same player, and we had ample warning of what his absence entailed last fall.

I still think that to give ourselves the best chance of beating Real Madrid, who are the benchmark, we'll either need to adjust the squad size up a little- and deal with occasional disgruntlement- or we'll need to refresh more often. After all, our domestic schedule is no longer just metaphorically crippling, it's literally crippling, too.