Well, the season is over and we are into the most frustrating part of the year – the transfer window. The problem with finishing second is that, although you didn’t win anything, there are fewer things to sort out. With us, it’s as simple as building a midfield.
Xhaka will depart. I refuse to believe Partey will be gone, because he was our best player on the pitch for most of the season. Plus, a transitioning is what we need than buying players outright and mirroring the Chelsea’s situation. My expectations would be to buy a Partey’s competition and replace Xhaka with a starter. Both Rice and Caicedo are defensive midfielders. I would like both of them, but not on the cost of playing Vieira in place of Xhaka in Premier League and Champions League games.
Xhaka had his best season with us but we still need an upgrade on him. We need someone in the same mould, tough, not so injury prone, can score some from distance and pick up the ball from Partey to move forward when the lines are shut. Yes, ESR fits that profile but we will never know. And, with his injury record, I don’t trust him for playing 2 games a week.
So, get in either Rice / Caicedo, I don’t have a personal preference here. Get someone who can pick up from where Xhaka left. When everyone and their dog knew we needed bodies in midfield last season, we were out there buying Jorginho and extending Elneny. I don’t have anything against both of them, but we need to move forward and upward.
Fab is reporting Liverpool has already agreed a medical for Mac Allister next week and are having concrete talks with Manu Kone. That’s two for their midfield and they are sorting it out early. News are that we have the bid ready for Rice but we are waiting for West Ham’s Conference League final. Fair enough, respect should be given to clubs and players. I would love to see the deal go over the line as soon as possible though, because we leave things for the very late and then end up with the likes of Jorginho.
City, will probably make the treble, are already IN for Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea. They are making their move. Ten Haag would have his plans I’m sure. We can’t afford to lag behind this time because it’s going to be hell of a season and Mikel n Co. must make sure it’s an exciting one for us.
We overpaid for Ben White. We did for Ramsdale and Vieira too. But I don’t care if we do the same for Rice and/or Caicedo. We need a strong midfield, and we are in the Champions League. It’s the last piece of the puzzle and Klopp showed with VVD that it’s a bargain if you fill your only weakness with a 75m defender. Pay what it takes, tie down Saliba and get Tomiyasu/Martinelli/ESR back to fitness.
And if you still have some money left, buy a CF ‘who can score’.
Short one today. Though the new look do not comes with dark theme, hope it’s better for readability and loads faster. Don’t hesitate to point out if something you don’t like.
Just read thi:
“Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) owns 80% of the Magpies and yesterday acquired FOUR of the Kingdom’s biggest clubs. Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal have all been set up as newly founded companies 75% owned by the PIF.”
Guess who plays in those clubs? Ronaldo, Messi and Benzema.
“Sides under multi-club ownership can trade players, meaning in theory Newcastle could sign all three on a loan.”
Thanks Aitcho.
Killroy,
Ronaldo, Messi and Benzema playing for magpies? I would pay extra to watch them. It will only be a popularity stunt and will likely end in a laugh, if it happens.
TRVL
A good shout, though we missed on Bruno. I think we would go hard on Rice and might get him over the line, Caicedo then would depend on how much we can negotiate. Personally, I have 0 confidence we are getting both of them. I am more worried about the Xhaka’s replacement, have zero trust in Vieira and don’t think Arteta is going to try ESR in that position.
A DM, an attacking midfielder, And a CF would be good addition for me. We have enough body in defense, Tomi will be back, KT will likely stay and Kiwior has joined the pack. Saliba and Gabriel will be preferred partnership and White moves to RB.
Cancelo link up and that RB bid which was rejected is again non-sense. Our season collapse was because Saliba and Tomi got injured at the same time but we were in winking situations in enough games to prepare Kiwior and Holding. We didn’t rotate, when the players got injured, we got them from the bench but with no match fitness.
A good manager can perform in adversities.
Ambarish, if we replace Holding with a RB it would allow White or TT to play as RCB.
Tony made a very good point the other day that if we have two strong CMs playing the need for an inverted FB is less valuable. Fresneda could fit the bill or Boey.
Bob
But both Tomi and White played and can play at RB.
We have Saliba, Gabriel, Holding and Kiwior in for the 2 CBs position . It’s less tiring in defence and with some rotation, we can manage that. If Holding is gone, let’s gets a competent CB rather than a RB.
But I would like to see the midfield sorted first. Defence is the least of a priority when Saliba is back.
I’d rather have a specialist RB than CBs who can play RB. Both TT and White are versatile footballers but most observers would argue that they’re at their best at CB.
Having a young energetic RB who can meaningfully run up and down the right flank could be just what we’re looking for.
The issue we had when Saliba was injured was that TT was injured in the same game. White couldn’t play in two positions so Holding came in.
We have Gabriel, TT, White, Kiwior and Saliba who can play CB.
You see Tomi and White fit to play as CBs, and I believe they are doing great specially White at the RB. I am inclined to not disturb two positions (if we move White to CB, and someone else to RB) when one of the CBs are injured.
If we go by that route, even KT can deputize at CB.
I also think it’s a question of opportunity. If we can get a top young RCB at a decent price, fair enough but if a decent RB option, a player who specialises in that position, is available I think it’s a very reasonable option.
The main thing is to replace Holding with a player in our defence, who has the capability to perform in the way we want to play whether it is a RB or a RCB, in this Amabarish we are in total agreement! That said White is a very comfortable replacement for Saliba, if we had a RB who could step up.
Yes, Holding’s position need to be upgraded. Of course we can’t stack 4 Saliba’s on 200k/week wages but there is room for improvement.
Looks like we are interested in Ivan Fresneda but haven’t bid yet. Valladolid has been relegated and his release clause is reduced to 20m Euros. Won’t mind that one.
But I will come back to haunt Arteta about it in September if we don’t fix the midfield.
Fresneda is a player that gets my ducts flowing… A fine physical specimen, rapid, fully committed, ambitious and keen to get forward.
But I’d also give labrador-luvvin Nuno another season if KT leaves. Utilise him sparingly against top teams but let them both have a rip at the lower half teams.
Bob
As you said, it’s a question of opportunity. We have one in front. 20m Euros for a decent RB is no problem at all.
KP
Is it Nuno Tavares you are referring to? I don’t know why but I have an inclination towards chaotic players (may be because of Alexis).
He is one. He can outrun, out muscle anyone and then pass to an opposition player lol, won’t mind him picking up the KT’s role. We have got a lot of games coming season.
A big ‘no’ to Nuno from me. His strength is as a marauding wing back or even as a left attacker. I understand Zinchenko’s strength is not in defence but I do not trust Nuno to defend with any decent level of skill. There also seems to be a question mark over his professionalism. ‘Yes’ to Fresneda.
I’d like both Caceido and Rice but I’d be willing to pay a premium on Rice if we then got Fresneda and say Veiga.
KP-I would have both Nuno and Marquinhos back in the squad, for tactical versatility purposes whether late in matches, during Cup affairs or whenever a particular matchup suggests that deploying wingbacks would be best…let’s face it, MA isn’t going to all of sudden flip his rotational script, so I would use the bulk of our available budget on securing 2 top drawer midfield starters then worry about everything else afterwards…just think how deadly Marts and Saka could be if they had those two bombing about in wider spaces, especially if we actually secured a bona fide DM for defensive zone coverage purposes
btw the handful of times I watched Fresneda play the results were rather mixed, albeit sometimes it’s quite diffcult to properly evaluate when they’re playing on a shit team…that said, I do like what some rather notable managers and pundits have said about him, so he could be well worth the gamble…just think he will invariably land with one of the usual La Liga suspects, especially with that modified release clause figure
I saw Marquinhos play his first game on loan at Norwich. He looked like an Arsenal player and dominated the Canaries’ attack. His style is not dissimilar from a certain Mr Saka and I agree that he deserves some more time or a clever PL loan, maybe at a club like Forest where Cooper might be able to hone his talents. Nuno is a massive risk, but it’s easier to c oach defensive ability into someone than it is to make them an attacking threat. We’ll see.
here are a couple of concerns that could impact the effectiveness of our upcoming window
(1) if we dither in regards to Caicedo we could lose out…with MacAllister’s move to Pool basically done and dusted, Caicedo’s price will climb, as they don’t NEED to sell him and they’ve clearly changed their expectations with DeZerbi at the helm
(2) it appears as if the only stumbling block with regards to Gundogan heading to Barca is his wage demands…I’m worried that we will offer a ridiculously inappropriate wage to secure his services, with at least a 2 year term to boot, which could limit our ability to bring in proper long-term top class talent…now with the re-upping of Saka, Marts, Ramsdale and the pending raises for Saliba, Ode and Nelson, we need to be careful about how we manage our wage bill…this appears to be another short-sighted maneuver by our always two steps behind management duo, as there’s no doubt they believe that their window is now, whereas I believe that we’re a year away from truly competing on multiple fronts so we should take a bit longer view when it comes to this window
(3) as Ive said on multiple occasions I think this window is going to be too complicated for this organization, as it’s presently constructed, to naviagte, especially considering all the variables in play…from numerous re-uppings to a handful or so of outgoing assets, combined with the all-important recruitment process, which could include 5 or 6 players, I’m deeply concerned about their collective abilities to get all this done at an exceedingly high level
KP-I was just watching him at the U20s and I think it might be best to have him in-house for the first-half of the season, when the second tier Cup games are in play, then have a rethink come January…that way if it’s clear that he needs more gametime he can be logically loaned out…I feel that he’s the kind of player who plays to the level of his competition, much like both Marts and Saka, who were fucntionally better in the PL than against lesser talent