Summer Silly Season Transfer Thread 2024

[Deuce]

Judging by the paucity of posts on here in the last day or two, it's either the calm before the storm (of incoming signings), or we've basically packed up for now and will get back to it on deadline day.

Well to me this just confirms that McTominay and, obviously, André were our main priorities but since both negotiations has stalled, its only natural for things to go quiet.

I reckon we will play the waiting game on those two. And if we are still in for Chalobah, I can deffo see us waiting out Chelsea who doesnt seem to be too tough to negotiate with considering the players they are selling

If its true what the ITK member on here says about us not going to spend more than 60 mil on the rest of our signings, it makes sense for us to bargain pretty hard here since 20 mil per signing is the absolute minimum to get quality players.

Think this is spot on. These 3 are in all likelihood are our main targets. All 3 clubs are desperate to sell and with all 3 we think we can get them for way less closer to the end of the window if we play chicken. I reckon we'll spend more than £60 million but every penny counts when looking at FFP as amortised fees as with us for 5 years so the lower the better. I think we feel we can start the season with what we have and squeeze ever penny out of these deals with the position the selling clubs are in. Frustrating as hell but the more I think about it the more it makes sense. Sure we are prepared but if these 3 go wrong for any reason hope we are well lined up end of the window just in case as defo short at the mo in these positions.

I think its a good decision to wait as well as there seems to be not too much interest revolving around our targets. Im guessing this has to do with what someone on here wrote earlier: this summer is clearly divided into those who can spend and those who cant (and need to sell before they spend). We can spend, so if we need to act fast with a transfer we can.

Previously our strategy of waiting results in other clubs going in for our targets, but thankfully so far that doesnt seem to be the case.

I know he's only played one friendly but Cuenca looks to be the player other teams seem to have missed. So well spotted by the scouting team. Like Iwobe, Castagne and Traore were.
The Smith Rowe signing is something completely different. Persuading a recognised talent to step down to a smaller club with no European Football and a perceived mid table finish and at the price, remarkable.
Andre's club need the money but don't want to lose him as they're winning. Nobody else seems interested. Same with McTominay. We seem to be playing a waiting game, who will blink first. Have our recruitment team stepped up, turned a corner and are finding that balance between tough negotiations and landing the targets Marco and his team want?

How are established prem players like Traore, Iwobi and Castagne "well spotted" by our scouting team? Their qualities were already well known long before they signed for us

[hovewhite]

Wouldn't mind Longstaff as an alternative to McTominay one bit. Think that could be a smart pickup.

that would be a smart signing and still under or around mid 20s I believe.

[S.F.Sorrow]

Watched Andre again tonight and yeah, he remains to be "meh" to me. Doesn't put much effort. Stats are deceiving as the two tackles he made were because the opponent's strikers turned into him, after he had leisurely jogged (think Lukic last season vs Chelsea away) back after being caught out of position. His teammates tried to find him in the dying moments of the match, but he hid behind the winger, and didn't check away to give any type of a passing angle. He doesn't receive the ball on the half-turn from the defenders because he's sandwiched between the opponent. He gets the ball in the back because those opponents then drop back in low block.

Rumors of Longstaff? Yes, please. If not, I'm fine with Lukic. There's praise about Cuenca? Yes. Should he start? Yes. Then put Bassey in the 6. He's done it before for Ajax and was quite the force. We know we'd get the aggression that we want, then the calmness and precision passing from Cuenca. It's still that RCB spot that needs the most attention though.

I'm not saying you are wrong, but is it possible that Andre may be holding back a bit at the moment? He probably doesn't want to risk another injury at a point where it seems extremely likely that he will move to a bigger league (Fulham or not) within the next couple of weeks. I didn't watch yesterday's game but his player ratings/stats suggest that he performed WAY below his usual standard. To be honest I haven't seen much of him, mainly highlights from various older Fluminense games, but what I've seen looked very impressive. His stats also suggest he has some extreme qualities that should (at least in theory) be perfect fit for us. Of course there's no guarantee that he will adapt to the Premier League, or how long he will need. Like all young Brazilians coming straight from the Brazilian league there will be an element of risk. But also a potentially huge reward.

Personally this is the ONE transfer I really hope will happen. But I trust the club to make the right decision. For all I know he could be massively overrated, and the whole thing just a smokescreen while the club is secretly targeting other DMs. After all, that seems to be the way we do most of our business.

[ffc73]

From BBC, & seems are rumours are often similar to West Ham & Palace. Chalobah this time,

West Ham are interested in Chelsea's English defender Trevoh Chalobah, 26, and 35-year-old Germany centre-back Mats Hummels, who is a free agent after leaving Borussia Dortmund. (Sky Sports), external

Crystal Palace are also eyeing Chelsea defender Chalobah, and looking at French Wolfsburg defender Maxence Lacroix, 24, as a centre-back option. (Telegraph - subscription required)

[Hoppus]

Once upon a time we were heavily linked with a move for Sander Berge I don't think we've been linked with him once this summer
Isn't he the kind of player we should be looking at, knows the English game inside out so a relatively short time to adjust, surely Burnley would be open to a sale.

Teamtalk:

As per the latest reports in the English press, Burnley are aware of Man Utd's interest in Berge and have set his price tag at £30m.

A deal at that price would see Burnley make a significant profit on the Norwegian as they only spent £12m to sign him from Sheffield United last summer.

Man Utd are also planning to offer Berge a contract worth £100,000 a week as they try to finalise his signing.

[hovewhite]

Manure sign him it leaves Andre free.

[sarnian]

Manure sign him it leaves Andre free.

To procrastinate in Brazil.   

[SerbianLad]

Once upon a time we were heavily linked with a move for Sander Berge I don't think we've been linked with him once this summer
Isn't he the kind of player we should be looking at, knows the English game inside out so a relatively short time to adjust, surely Burnley would be open to a sale.

Teamtalk:

As per the latest reports in the English press, Burnley are aware of Man Utd's interest in Berge and have set his price tag at £30m.

A deal at that price would see Burnley make a significant profit on the Norwegian as they only spent £12m to sign him from Sheffield United last summer.

Man Utd are also planning to offer Berge a contract worth £100,000 a week as they try to finalise his signing.

That's a crazy price for Berge. He's worth the third of that. I personaly think he's one of the most overrated player that played in the PL in recent years. Everytime I've watched him, he was below average. He does make 1 or 2 "highlight plays" every game but he's a passenger for the rest of the game. I guess that's why his highlights always look like he's a world beater, when ij reality, I think he's a pretty poor footballer. I'd steer clear of him...

[@jolslover]

Once upon a time we were heavily linked with a move for Sander Berge I don't think we've been linked with him once this summer
Isn't he the kind of player we should be looking at, knows the English game inside out so a relatively short time to adjust, surely Burnley would be open to a sale.

Yeah I'd have Sander Berge definitely, was thinking this the other day. Saw him linked with United and don't think he will be at Sheffield United next season

Although not for the reason he 'knows the English game' as this could be said for any 34 year old with 500 appearances in league 2..

Well he is not 34 he is 26 and he knows the English game which is a huge advantage and crucial, and in both Fulhams and the players best interest.

Point was lost but if the best thing you can say about a potential signing is they 'know the English game' then it says a lot about them as a player ..

[hovewhite]

Wouldn't it be nice to have our team settled and ready to go for the start of the season, that means all new players here for the pre season matches say in just two months time.
That means Marc must have his in/out short list on the table by now, love to have a peep at it.

Definitely need the CB's to be signed before the pre-season matches, give them time to bed in and form partnerships is crucial. Can't be having them come in as last minute window transfer signings and waiting weeks while they bed in.

Didn't seem to be an issue for Joachim Anderson when we signed him, he was good at CB from the jump having signed late in the window, our issue that year was scoring.

Calvin Bassey signed just  2 weeks before the new season started. He was great from the start.

Issa Diop signed a couple days before the season started and has done well for us generally (was the starter over Tosin most of the time early this season and I suspect we only started Tosin later because we were trying to convince him to re sign with us and there was little to choose between the two) . That year we finished 10th following a great start to the season after a whole summer of people making this argument about how if you get players in later you're doomed to start badly.

I would always prefer better players late than lesser players just because they can be got in early if it's a choice. We have most of those players, presumably, for years after being signed. It's most important to get the right ones long term.

So I don't agree that we "definately need" that. I'd like that, sure, everyone always would of course.... but we already have a defence featuring Diop, Bassey and Ream with Luc DF in reserve currently. That's more than fine to not have to rush for the sake of it. If our top targets are available at a good price early and want the move, happy days, if we have to play the negotiating game like we did with others before, and if the player or agent wants to see what the options are, so be it. Thats the game

Issa Diop didn't start properly in the 1st team until week 11 in the Premier against Bournemouth after he joined us.
Calvin Bassey didn't start his run of always starting in the Premier until week 9 last season against Tottenham when he had to play Right CB.

that is spot on RCB against spuds but in a way when he did switch back he was assured from the start and so consistent and as long as Diop has been very good the odd mistakes they always turn into goals the Brentford game last season is the glaring one last season.
But generally he's a sound CB.my worry is he seems to pick up nagging injury's with him out the side.

[Jims Dentist]

Have admired Longstaff's abilities for a while and think he could be really good for us.

[We Are Premier League]

Do we think Reed might leave I we sign 2 CMs towards the end of the window? We looks to be 3rd choice atm and I doubt we can have him as 5th choice...

[Craven Mad]

Do we think Reed might leave I we sign 2 CMs towards the end of the window? We looksvto be 3rd

I was wondering the same thing...

He's 29, seems to be moving further away from being a first choice, and it feels like he'd be perfect for one of the promoted teams (including back to Southampton).

I hope he stays, but I do wonder if we're going to have a job on our hands keeping him if we bring in two new CMs...

[Arthur]

Watched Andre again tonight and yeah, he remains to be "meh" to me. Doesn't put much effort. Stats are deceiving as the two tackles he made were because the opponent's strikers turned into him, after he had leisurely jogged (think Lukic last season vs Chelsea away) back after being caught out of position. His teammates tried to find him in the dying moments of the match, but he hid behind the winger, and didn't check away to give any type of a passing angle. He doesn't receive the ball on the half-turn from the defenders because he's sandwiched between the opponent. He gets the ball in the back because those opponents then drop back in low block.

I've never seen Andre play. The clamour on this forum for us to sign him, however, gave me the impression we would be missing out on a player who is significantly better than anyone else we might find in that position. I'm less inclined to believe so following your posts on his recent outings. If we sign him in the next couple of weeks, I'll see that as a good thing because it's evident he's the Club's first choice. Yet if we sign someone else, it won't seem such a lost opportunity.

[AJW48361]

Sander Berge don't see the fit now. Yes 12 months ago.

[FFC1987]

In regards to Berge, I was very keen two seasons ago, but I just don't feel like he's progressed and certainly don't see him as a £30m midfielder currently. He's 26 now but I haven't seen enough to suggest his ceiling is much higher. So, whilst I like him, and definitely would of been in the yes camp previously, at that price now, it's a no from me.

[Pavel Dempsey]

Is it me or is it Longstaff not much of an upgrade on Harrison Reed?

[Craven Mad]

I'd take Sander Berge, as he's a decent enough Prem player and we could do much worse, but there's no way he's a £30m/£100k(p/w) player.

He's also far more defensive than Longstaff/McTominay/Rios, and lacks the passing/retention of Andre, so I don't think he's the profile we're after this window.

[jayffc]

Is it me or is it Longstaff not much of an upgrade on Harrison Reed?

The only rumours I've seen have been absolute garbage sources, have I missed something more concrete?
Doesn't seem to be anything in it to think about at this point.

[Craven Mad]

Is it me or is it Longstaff not much of an upgrade on Harrison Reed?

He's more attacking than Harrison, but I've always thought he looks a tad clumsy on the ball. His main skill seems to be popping up in the right place at the right time.

I'd rate Harrison's passing, defensive work and overall vision more highly tbh...

I think Longstaff's appeal would be that he's a bit of a budget-McTominay, and he's in the last year of his contract so should be affordable... the rumours look pretty shoddy though, so I'm not convinced we're after him