Transfer Speculation (1st June onwards)

Lukerz

I’ve just seen a comment on Twitter that Ex updated this morning that Zouma is expected (by the club) to have a medical today.

OldCastleSwift

OutcastLondoner said:

I thought Cornet was a winger who was converted to wing back based on watching him on Champions League. I’m sure he’s not a left back. He might make sense.

Not convinced. I think we need a left-sided player, but one that can play as an orthodox left-back as well as a wing-back. Neither Cresswell, Masuaku or Cornet can do both, IMO.

That said, Cresswell has had a very good start to the season.

Hamstew

OutcastLondoner said:

I thought Cornet was a winger who was converted to wing back based on watching him on Champions League. I’m sure he’s not a left back. He might make sense.

He thinks he's better than he actually is. Really blows his own trumpet.

Lukerz

I don't see an upgrade to Cress as essential now. Of all the times to replace him, this is not the time. We have had ample opportunity to replace him in the past, based on underwhelming seasons, but he is currently playing some of his best football in Claret & Blue &, whilst no doubt there are a few doubts about his pace & defensive abilities, his attacking threat outweighs that for me. He was my Hammer of the Year behind Souček last season.

OldCastleSwift

But again, it's not necessarily about upgrading Cresswell. If he gets injured on Saturday, or sent off, we're looking at playing Masuaku, who is a) getting over an injury and b) not defensively great, or one of Fredericks or Johnson, both of whom would be out of position and lack the final-third ability of Cresswell.

I would prefer we brought someone else in that can cover/compete with Cresswell on their natural side, but I accept that it's unlikely in this window.

IronHerb

It’s not necessarily replacement but rotation for cup ties as well as embedding players into the set up as per Benrahma.

OldCastleSwift

And I think there should be an element of succession planning, too. I like what Leicester have done with Daka, for example; he's essentially Vardy's long-term replacement but has a season to bed in without the pressure or expectation.

Cresswell has maybe another season or two in him at the top level (he'll be 32 in December and will only get slower), so I think it would be good to get someone in that can, as Herbie says, rotate with him this season with a view to being his replacement from next season.

Maybe Longelo is that player, but ideally he'd have a season of first-team football under his belt.

I get that we probably don't have the finances to fund a shadow eleven, but someone like Josh Doig could be an option (and we have been linked). Only 19, but already has a season of Scottish PL football and a U21 call-up in the bag. Reported to be valued at £5m, which should be affordable to a club like us.

OutcastLondoner

OldCastleSwift said:

OutcastLondoner said:

I thought Cornet was a winger who was converted to wing back based on watching him on Champions League. I’m sure he’s not a left back. He might make sense.

Not convinced. I think we need a left-sided player, but one that can play as an orthodox left-back as well as a wing-back. Neither Cresswell, Masuaku or Cornet can do both, IMO.

That said, Cresswell has had a very good start to the season.

See your point. Maybe the thinking though is he would help cover our attacking option and let us play a back 5 when we don’t have Masuaku.

IronHerb

But Masuaku is replaceable imo.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Lukerz said:

I’ve just seen a comment on Twitter that Ex updated this morning that Zouma is expected (by the club) to have a medical today.

From ex
"There are a few steps to go plus obvious medical. The deal is now more advanced than the Milenkovic one ever was"

horshamhammer

If you look at our British players almost all will need to be replaced in the next couple of years, Cresswell, Dawson and Antonio will be 33-34, Noble will have retired, Randolph probably will have left, and Rice...

Dodger58

If we bring in another left back option what sign does that send to the Academy/Development Squad guys? Longelo appears to be well thought of, so maybe we should regard him as the back-up, give him some matches and check he has the ability. I would expect him to be frustrated if we were to bring in another U21.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

horshamhammer said:

If you look at our British players almost all will need to be replaced in the next couple of years, Cresswell, Dawson and Antonio will be 33-34, Noble will have retired, Randolph probably will have left, and Rice...

Thays what Johnson, Baptiste, Coventry (Irish I know), Odubeko, Alese, Oxo-Flex (also Irish) and the rest are for

OldCastleSwift

That's why I said Longelo needs a season of first-team football really. He's a year younger than Doig and with considerably less first-team experience.

Not his fault, obviously, but if Moyes fancied him and considered him ready, he'd have been involved with the first-team in pre-season.

The fact he wasn't makes me think he isn't currently an option.

alderz

Dodger58 said:

If we bring in another left back option what sign does that send to the Academy/Development Squad guys? Longelo appears to be well thought of, so maybe we should regard him as the back-up, give him some matches and check he has the ability. I would expect him to be frustrated if we were to bring in another U21.

I think the message it sends is that if you're good enough you'll get a chance and if you're not you won't. Remember that Rice and Johnson have both broken through. If Moyes thought that Longelo was the answer at left back then he'd be playing, but instead he thinks Johnson out of position is a better option.

Lukerz

Ex says Zouma will earn around £80k-£85k a week.

IronHerb

Nice

Hamstew

IronHerb said:

Nice

What's he doing over there?

alderz

Hamstew said:

IronHerb said:

Nice

What's he doing over there?

Lukerz

Agreement (€ 25m) between Chelsea and West Ham regarding the transfer of Kurt Zouma.

Contractual agreement between the player and the Hammers.

The Frenchman should pass his medical examination this Wednesday.

[@lequipe]

IronHerb

Agent wants €5m 😭

Hamstew

yoyo

We should pull out of the deal, scuppering Chelsea's plans of signing Kounde and they might meet the agents fees. They want him gone as much as we want to take him.

OutcastLondoner

https://twitter.com/fabrizioromano/status/1430282178089431046

£20m? We might’ve found the Antonio back up we can afford.

ASLEFshrugged

Kane tweets "I will be staying at Tottenham this summer"

ianbishoplegend

3 at the back with Dawson- Zouma-Ogbonna as we march through Europe

Lukerz

The Athletic says that Lingard is looking unlikely as we made another enquiry this week but are not prepared to pay the £30m asking price. Seems for this deal to happen Lingard needs to force it or United need a last minute panic & reduce the fee. I do feel £30m given he has a year left is excessive.

Fortuneseeker

Lukerz, I reckon that’s very excessive. Do we have that amount of money if the transfer pot is really only £45 million?

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

Man Utd are bluffing and it looks like it will backfire. We could give them £20m and save them his salary for a year, but instead he will be warming their bench for £100k a week or whatever, then very likely leave for nothing next summer.

Lukerz

I think if he remains he'll sign a new two-year deal.