January Transfer Window

OldCastleSwift

So is Moyes looking at waiting for the summer now? Lingard and/or Nketiah on a free to replace Yarmolenko, and then En-Nesyri as the big money move?

Caleta-Car seems like a no-brainer to me. Left-sided CB, good age, 20 international caps, CL and EL experience. Him and Zouma could be our CB pairing for the next five years. £17m seems like a good price for all of that, IMO. If we can get him this month, I really think we should.

I wonder, if money is tight this month, whether Moyes is hoping to get Lingard on the cheap to solve the striker issue in the short-term so he can spend on DCC this month? And then the summer money will go on En-Nesyri as Antonio's long-term successor?

Hamstew

So what is that Newman fella doing.

OldCastleSwift

Hamstew said:

So what is that Newman fella doing.

Good question. This window feels very much like every window under Sullivan. Leaving it late, look for bargains and chasing loans.

If a Head of Recruitment fails to recruit, is there a problem?

Maybe he's doing his job of identifying targets and negotiating the deals, but Moyes is turning them down.

OutcastLondoner

Is his job even to negotiate or just identify? We seem to be offering loans for every deal so maybe that's the problem.

Pearces_Left_Foot

I think his job is to identify players and give a list to Moyes then go out and get them once they decide who they want. The problem seems to be Moyes not deciding he is like a kid in a toy shop trying to decide how to spend him birthday money whilst his mum keeps telling him the shop is about to close.

OldCastleSwift

My understanding was that Newman heads up the scouting team and the general recruitment, i.e. identifying and negotiating with the players etc., but I think maybe Sullivan is still doing the liaising with the clubs re fees and deal structure etc.

Fortuneseeker

P_L_F, If I was that child I would be quick to learn from the previous times the shop closed or someone came in & bought the toy I wanted as I had taken too long to decide leaving me disappointed.

PrestonHammer

In other words, nothing has changed hahaha

ScotHammer

steve said:

Can we all .yes you to Mr Moyes let this Lingard thing go and move on

Couldn’t agree more!

He did really well for us, but we also did really well for him. We put him in the shop window, leading to a return to the England squad. Another loan may just be about him getting back into the reckoning for the World Cup squad. He doesn’t seem that keen on us as a permanent option, and I think our time this month would be better off looking for others, in the needed positions.

Slacker

So to summarise then:
Nobody knows what’s going on at the club.

IronHerb

Slacker said:

So to summarise then:
Nobody knows what’s going on at the club.

Do you mean nobody outside the club knows what's going on or nobody at the club knows what's going on? Or maybe both?

PrestonHammer

They've turned into Manuel from Fawlty Towers hahaha

thornburyiron

Sky News reporting that Utd and Newcastle are at odds over the loan fee while showing Jesse hugging Antonio and Declan at Old Trafford.

Hamstew

It's all happening ain't it

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

Close the thread. We're not signing anybody.

steve

But Newcastle are

OldCastleSwift

Hamstew said:

It's all happening ain't it

Narrator: "Nothing was happening"

PrestonHammer

If we don't sign anybody, I don't want to hear anything from Moyes regarding top 4 or top 6.

IronHerb

We can get top 6 with what we have though a freshen up wouldn't go amiss.

yoyo

There's more interest and updates reading the wordle thread.....and I don't even know what it is!

OldCastleSwift

PrestonHammer said:

If we don't sign anybody, I don't want to hear anything from Moyes regarding top 4 or top 6.

Yeah, can't say I disagree. Moyes recently talking up our goal of a top four finish is hard to reconcile with making no improvements to the squad, particularly given the obvious need to replace Ogbonna and have a genuine Antonio alternative.

If, by Tuesday morning, we have, say, DCC, Lingard and Origi in the squad, then I think we can solidify top six. If we sign no-one, I think we're looking at 8th/9th place finish.

OldCastleSwift

IronHerb said:

We can get top 6 with what we have though a freshen up wouldn't go amiss.

I think there's a heavy caveat associated with this. An injury to Antonio or Bowen means we're relying on Yarmolenko and Vlasic to step up, and nothing I've seen from either of them this season makes me think they can do that. A setback for Zouma means we're back to Dawson and Diop at CB, who have struggled as a two.

This current squad have proven that they can get sixth (although Vlasic's impact has been considerably less than Lingard's was), but I wouldn't be at all confident that they will, particularly if we progress in the EL and FA Cup. All being well we'll have a lot of games to play in the second half of the season, but I don't think the squad, as it is, is in a position to cope particularly well with it.

OutcastLondoner

yoyo said:

There's more interest and updates reading the wordle thread.....and I don't even know what it is!

It is a thing to take the pain away.

OldCastleSwift

OutcastLondoner said:

yoyo said:

There's more interest and updates reading the wordle thread.....and I don't even know what it is!

It is a thing to take the pain away.

You weren't saying that yesterday...

Slacker

Does anyone seriously think that they’re sitting back having a nice cup of tea and not doing anything to sign players that will improve us.
Really?

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Think everyone wants us to strengthen to challenge top 4

But don't see United, Arsenal, Wolves strengthening either

Only Tottenham have done business but its Conte, he would've demanded he be backed when he signed

We're 6th on merit with the squad we have.

I'm frustrated but you look around and we aren't the only ones struggling in Jan to find the right player

alderz

Slacker said:

Does anyone seriously think that they’re sitting back having a nice cup of tea and not doing anything to sign players that will improve us.
Really?

I don’t think anyone thinks that, but I think intention isn’t good enough. They have to deliver something, I don’t care if they tried if they then fail to bring players in.

OldCastleSwift

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years said:

Think everyone wants us to strengthen to challenge top 4

But don't see United, Arsenal, Wolves strengthening either

True, but arguably their need isn't as great as ours. You only have to look at who Man U brought off the bench against us and the impact it had to see that they at least have options.

I've no great knowledge of their respective squads, but I would imagine none of those three clubs only have one senior striker and are missing a key defender going into the second half of the season.

I'm in a two hour dial in; I may actually have a look into it.

Slacker

alderz said:

Slacker said:

Does anyone seriously think that they’re sitting back having a nice cup of tea and not doing anything to sign players that will improve us.
Really?

I don’t think anyone thinks that, but I think intention isn’t good enough. They have to deliver something, I don’t care if they tried if they then fail to bring players in.

My point exactly. I can’t believe they haven’t tried. Transfers are not easy, as I said earlier on this thread there are so many variables that can scupper a deal. It’s not as easy as “ Ooh he’s a good player, we should be all over that”.
Apart from Villa and the murderers in the north-east I can’t think(I know someone will remind me) of many clubs who’ve brought in much.

OldCastleSwift

alderz said:

Slacker said:

Does anyone seriously think that they’re sitting back having a nice cup of tea and not doing anything to sign players that will improve us.
Really?

I don’t think anyone thinks that, but I think intention isn’t good enough. They have to deliver something, I don’t care if they tried if they then fail to bring players in.

Yeah, it's exactly this. I've no doubt that Newman and Moyes have done their research and know who they want, and no doubt that Sullivan is aware of who's on the list.

What I do have concerns about is whether Sullivan/Kretinsky can afford the players Moyes wants, or whether Moyes is willing to accept anyone else.

Evidence in this window so far would suggest not.