Transfer Speculation

eskimoking

Interesting dilemma with someone like Masuaku is that he makes wing backs work but is poor cover for Lb in a 4. So having him aids our tactical versatility but hinders our strength in depth. Tough one to weigh up. I would still like to see us flip that formation to have right as the focus rather than left (for the right match) and have Coufal do Cresswells job with Fredericks or a winger on the right.

Anyway, I digress. Striker is a must obviously and it needs to be someone that can bully like Antonio. It’s the main reason I would be ok if Moyes did decide to give arnie another shot. Giroud would work I think.

I don’t want to lose Lanzini, I think even though he’s injury prone he’s so good.

Wouldn’t want Diop to go. I think Moyes needs to consider balance more with the cbs. I think Diop isn’t the ball playing cb we thought he was when he signed. When he plays with Dawson he’s asked to be the ball player and can’t do it. You need one ball player and one lump it clear, I think we need cover for Ogbonna as the former.

CM I’m not sure what we need. Rice and Soucek won’t be displaced and Noble, Lanzini did well when they did come in. So unsure if I’d prioritise it.

eskimoking

Oh, also I’d spend max £22m on lingard and I would like us to sign one of the young strikers we’ve been linked to from Europe in addition to the Antonio like for like I mentioned.

IronHerb

IronHerb said:

For £10m maybe. Then, maybe not.

That's Barkley by the way, not Hazard.

OutcastLondoner

I thought Anderson’s main problem by the end was a lack of confidence. He just drifted through games. There were plenty of times he showed he could track back. I think it would be a good idea for Moyes to work on him during the summer because we’ve seen him improve other players and I don’t think too many others need the help now. If Anderson can help out in the Europa League games or get at least to a standard to make some decent cameo performances pre-season and in the early cup games then at least it might help to shift him. It might feel unrealistic but having a decent Anderson would make such a big difference to the squad.

OldCastleSwift

eskimoking said:

CM I’m not sure what we need. Rice and Soucek won’t be displaced and Noble, Lanzini did well when they did come in. So unsure if I’d prioritise it.

I'm on the other end of the spectrum. It's one of our absolute priorities, IMO.

We're lucky that neither Rice nor Soucek are injury prone, but we saw the impact of losing Rice for those six games and not having adequate cover. With a minimum of 46 games being played next season, we need a third option so we can rotate; we shouldn't expect Rice and Soucek to carry that burden. They need to have someone else who can cover any form or fitness issues.

Which is why I think Kral would be a good signing. Arguably we're a step up from Spartak Moscow, and he would already have Soucek and Coufal here to help him settle, and he can play box-to-box as well as a more disciplined DM role and has good European experience for a 23-year-old.

buffybegood

CM is the priority after CF imo; Noble must be 4th choice at best.

Fortuneseeker

On the subject of transfers did anyone else hear Joe Cole say on BT last night that DM needs to be allowed to sign his own targets & not a player or two as someone knows their agent? Take note Sully!

OldCastleSwift

So, according to Ex, we have signed, or are about to sign, Thierry Nevers from Reading on a free. He's 19, a winger/striker and his agent is Will Salthouse.

We are interested in Sam Johnstone, whose agent is Will Salthouse.

We are also interested in Olivier Ntcham, who has been released by Celtic and is available on a free, whose agent is Will Salthouse.

Yeoldhammer

Will Salthouses client list. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/unique-sports-management/beraterfirma/berater/4142

Cuz1

IronHerb said:

IronHerb said:

For £10m maybe. Then, maybe not.

That's Barkley by the way, not Hazard.

Wouldn’t want Barkley on a free overrated imo

Fortuneseeker

Please see @ 1.53!

IronHerb

https://twitter.com/WestHam_Central/status/1396807685870399488

Well, we live in hope.

alderz

OldCastleSwift said:

So, according to Ex, we have signed, or are about to sign, Thierry Nevers from Reading on a free. He's 19, a winger/striker and his agent is Will Salthouse.

We are interested in Sam Johnstone, whose agent is Will Salthouse.

We are also interested in Olivier Ntcham, who has been released by Celtic and is available on a free, whose agent is Will Salthouse.

Ntcham is a decent player.

I see David Brooks and Dwight McNeil are on that list of his clients. And one of my absolute favourites. Che Adams.

OldCastleSwift

Seems to contradict Ex's statement on the podcast which was £50-60m plus any sales.

Which considering Moyes had £30m to spend in January, doesn't sound like a great deal considering how many players we are likely to need.

baracks_a_hammer

Both could be right. It could be £75m gross.

But £60m after accounting for the sales of Anderson and Yarmo

alderz

Just looking at the squad list and contract expiry, and I think that we have 9 first team and development squad players out of contract this summer.

David Martin, Fabian Balbuena, Jesse Lingard, Tunji Akinola, Ossama Ashley, Alfie Lewis, Xande Silva, Dapo Afolayan and Sean Adarkwa

OldCastleSwift

alderz said:

Just looking at the squad list and contract expiry, and I think that we have 9 first team and development squad players out of contract this summer.

David Martin, Fabian Balbuena, Jesse Lingard, Tunji Akinola, Ossama Ashley, Alfie Lewis, Xande Silva, Dapo Afolayan and Sean Adarkwa

I'd expect them all to go (Lingard may come back, obvs).

Work to do this summer. As you've said before alderz, our first team squad should have two players in each position, and then ideally we'd have U23 option for each position too.

Trott (GK), Ashby (RB), Longelo (LB), Baptiste (CB), Coventry (CM), Diallo (AM) and Odubeko (ST) are all highly rated and could be used to supplement the first team squad as and when required.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

alderz said:

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years said:

IronHerb said:

RW: Bowen, ?????
AM: Lingard, Lanzini
LW: Fornals, Benrahma

I think those five cover all and each of the positions so would we really need a sixth?

Gotta agree with this

Benrahma already can't get in the team

We have 5 players for 3 positions plus if we get a new striker Antonio can still play on the wings, it's not a priority (unless Lingard doesn't stay)

Also if we really do get 3 injuries to the 5 at one time we can always go back to a back 5 as that only requires two wingers to work

Centre Mid and Striker are priorities

Then a new CB and GK (sorry othink Fab has regressed a lot and is too injured prone) if it's possible

Dont see why we can't try rake advantage of the loan market again, don't think Man City or United (or even Liverpool/Chelsea even though it was close this year) would think of us as a genuine contender/rival even after the year we've had

Someone like Daniel James, Ethan Ampadu, Harvey Elliot, Rhys Williams etc. Think we'd be quite appealing for those teams

Daniel James and Harvey Elliott are wingers though?

Sorry I meant more the level of players we can get, and yes if Lignard doesn't join one of those could be relatively cheap and risk free option

ScotHammer

There is a good argument for getting your business done early this year, before the shop window that is the Euros pushes prices up. (e.g. I think many people will be watching the Czech team with interest!).

However, I’m worried that some of our players, or signings we may make, could be crocked. I’m still stung from Ashton......and more recently Rice! 🤕

Deanscaleshammer

Also, if you are a selling club, player or agent the balance is probably in favour of leaving it later from a negotiating viewpoint.

IronHerb

That can work both ways though. If the player has a stinker then his value drops maybe.

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

I'm just really excited to see who we go for this summer. Recent signings have been spot on, so anybody we go for will get my backing.

I wasn't keen on Lingard and that's taught me to just trust the Moyesiah from now on.

Bazshuayi

Yeoldhammer said:

If we cant get Lingard on a perm, Peirera from West Brom would be a decent buy

I'd prefer Pereira (age, ability, plays anywhere across the park and potential) but he'll be coveted by plenty of clubs and will cost a lot IMO

Kuchinghammer

From the Salthouse stable, Fulham's Reed has impressed me in the past. But LB/LWB to support Cresswell is the vital one. When Cress was injured, the whole team went out of shape.

ASLEFshrugged

Cresswell and Masuaku were both injured at the same time, Johnson played LWB against Newcastle and Fredericks against Chelsea (arguably the better of the two) so we have four players who can fill that position.

Why do we need a fifth?

We need another striker plus a central midfielder who is prepared to spend a lot of time on the bench watching Rice and Soucek.

ASLEFshrugged

Teamtalk say we're looking at Sunderland U23 Josh Hawkes (AMC but seems to have played in every midfield role), signed a 2 year deal last summer after he was released by Hartlepool (63 apps, 13 goals in League Two, Conference, FA Cup). Newcastle and Leeds also interested

Mundo Deportivo claim we want to sign Barcelona backup keeper Norberto Neto who only played 12 times this season and asked to leave in January. He will be 32 in July so hardly a long term replacement for Fabianski or Randolph, Arsenal and Everton also interested.

Randolph has been called up for Ireland's friendlies in June

Tammy Abraham was absent from the Chelsea bench on Sunday , it will be interesting to see if he's there on Saturday.

OldCastleSwift

ASLEFshrugged said:

Cresswell and Masuaku were both injured at the same time, Johnson played LWB against Newcastle and Fredericks against Chelsea (arguably the better of the two) so we have four players who can fill that position.

Why do we need a fifth?

Technically we have 20+ players that can fill that position. We could retain David Martin and play him there, but surely it's better to have a natural left back to cover the left back position.

And, for me at least, it's more than that; it's about improving the position. Cresswell is better now as a LCB rather than a LB, as he is almost always done for pace down the flanks. Masuaku isn't good enough defensively to be considered a LB, and neither Johnson nor Fredericks are naturally left-sided players. I'd rather we sign someone that can compete with Cresswell, use Fredericks as cover for Coufal and loan out Johnson so he can get a season of football under his belt.

OutcastLondoner

ASLEFshrugged said:

Cresswell and Masuaku were both injured at the same time, Johnson played LWB against Newcastle and Fredericks against Chelsea (arguably the better of the two) so we have four players who can fill that position.

Why do we need a fifth?

We need another striker plus a central midfielder who is prepared to spend a lot of time on the bench watching Rice and Soucek.

Because Fredericks and Johnson weren’t good at it.

We could do with an upgrade to both Masuaku and Cresswell who both have their weaknesses, depending on which formation we use.

ASLEFshrugged

I disagree, I thought Fredericks played well against Chelsea

I still reckon that striker and central midfielder are bigger priorities than a left sided defender. Get those sorted and anything else is a bonus

OldCastleSwift

ASLEFshrugged said:

I disagree, I thought Fredericks played well against Chelsea

I still reckon that striker and central midfielder are bigger priorities than a left sided defender. Get those sorted and anything else is a bonus

Whilst I agree that a ST and CM are bigger priorities, I don't think we should see anything else as a bonus. We've just finished 6th and are in the Europa League group stages for the first time; the squad should be strengthened to give us the best opportunity to compete on both fronts, and left back is definitely an area of weakness that needs strengthening, IMO.