Summer Silly Season Transfer Thread 2025

[General]

I know I will get shouted down but i'd take Timo Werner as our 2/3rd striker and cover on the wing. Leipzig wanted him gone for dirt cheap earlier in the pre-season and i just think with Marco being the great man manager he is could get Werner back in confidence again   

As a squad player on dirt cheap, definitely an option - but hasn't really set the world alight for Chelsea or Spurs, so wouldn't want to spend much on him or give guarantees over a starting spot. Would strengthen the squad though for sure.

[FFC1987]

Pavel, good spot, but I can't seem to see a rule on how many you are allowed then, is it 4? Then isn't there a limitation to how many you're allowed in the match day squad?

[General]

https://twitter.com/jackellyffc/status/1950149314849698102

I'd bloody love this.....But seeing Spurs linked and he's probably a player that benefits that squad, be hard to see him come our way over there's.

He chased Bayern, hardly played and his relationships seemingly gone to pot with his partner in the same time.

I wouldn't rule out the possibility that he would just want to come back to a club, manager and squad that he's familiar with and known he thrived in.

A loan works perfectly for us. We got a strong outlay for him in fee and he's 30, so too old for resale value.

I wonder what his wages would be though, as I imagine he got a good pay rise moving.

Him leaving and then coming back on loan, could possibly end up being a perfect scenario for us.

[FFC1987]

According to Capology, 192k euros a week.

[DevonFFC]

 

Forest bid 25million for MacAtee.
Turned down by City.

Oscar Bobb is 💯 better than MacAtee

Are you his agent or dad?

[General]

https://twitter.com/fulhamtransfer/status/1950164733463499142

Look I'm a fan - if Sterling brings down his wage demands, and the fee isn't extortionate, then It'd be a Berbatov-esque signing for me.

I've ummed and ahhd about the signing, and know it's contested, but if you look at his actual stats g/a for the amount of minutes he's actually played, it's still pretty impressive.

Last season, he got 5 assists and 1 goal in 28 appearances.. which on the face of it isn't special.

But when you put that into minutes played.. 1,143 mins- it equates to a total of 12.7 matches, which is a g/a every other game

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/raheem-sterling/leistungsdaten/spieler/134425/plus/0?saison=2024


If you take it back to his last season at Chelsea, just two seasons ago - across all comps he got 21 goals/assists in that season - and most of us would think he's been off the boil for even longer.

In g/a per minute, he played a total of 2,759 minutes - which totals 30.65 games including cup games, which means he was closing in on a goal/assist every game.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/raheem-sterling/leistungsdaten/spieler/134425/plus/0?saison=2023


I can't help but think he'd suit us/Marco/the squad very well and would add another level.. he'd also be at a club where the pressure of expectations and lack of appreciation is no longer a thing.

If he kept up the 1 g/a every other game, or even more frequently for even two or three years, then we'd all be laughing.

He'd be one of the most prolific PL strikers/attackers we'd have ever had.

In fact, for some reason it looks like his reputation was disproportionately biased in a negative way from just one season, which was his first season at Chelsea where he got 9goals and 4 assists in 38 games (which would still be a decent turnover to add to our attacking play).. that was the 22/23 season.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/raheem-sterling/leistungsdaten/spieler/134425/plus/0?saison=2022

The season before that, his last at city before going to Chelsea 21/22, where he was unceremoniously left out of Guardiola's future plans he scored 17 goals and got 9 assists..

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/raheem-sterling/leistungsdaten/spieler/134425/plus/0?saison=2021

The guy has seemingly only had one poor season in terms of mins to attacking output.

It could be that he's just not hit the headlines as much recently because he's not grabbing them through starting as often, or doing as well - perhaps he's playing for high performing teams, or teams and squad that are highly competitive... doesn't mean he's dropped off. Could just be wrong place at wrong time.

[General]

According to Capology, 192k euros a week.

We'll pay half his wage.. 

[Angus Telford]

The brilliant thing about signing Lecomte, Nelson, Sterling and KDH is that we'll have managed to raise our average age, all without incurring the expense of scouting far flung places like South America and Scandinavia.

[KJS]

If Marco can regenerate Sterling like he did with Willian when he first came to us then it's a no brainer

[FFC1987]

The brilliant thing about signing Lecomte, Nelson, Sterling and KDH is that we'll have managed to raise our average age, all without incurring the expense of scouting far flung places like South America and Scandinavia.

Struggling to follow the logic here but, Nelson replacing Nelson(24/25 age), a backup yet experienced GK'er, a 26 year old (27 in season), and Sterling who is presumably a replacement for Willian, and we're raising the age? Math seems off here mate. 

[MarcusPage]

The brilliant thing about signing Lecomte, Nelson, Sterling and KDH is that we'll have managed to raise our average age, all without incurring the expense of scouting far flung places like South America and Scandinavia.

Struggling to follow the logic here but, Nelson replacing Nelson(24/25 age), a backup yet experienced GK'er, a 26 year old (27 in season), and Sterling who is presumably a replacement for Willian, and we're raising the age? Math seems off here mate. 

Truth isn't important when you're moaning.

[Kemosabe]

Pavel, good spot, but I can't seem to see a rule on how many you are allowed then, is it 4? Then isn't there a limitation to how many you're allowed in the match day squad?

Premier League teams can have no more than two loan players from any English club (which for these purposes would also include Welsh clubs playing in the English leagues at any one time.

Premier League teams may not loan more than four players in the same season, and cannot loan two or more players from one other English club.

A Premier League team cannot loan out a player that it has acquired in the same transfer window.

Important:  loans from a club that is a member of another National Association (excluding Welsh clubs as above), such as Germany, do not count towards this quota.

Can't immediately see a reference to a maximum number of loan players in a matchday squad (including those from overseas leagues) but you couldn't have more than two loanees from English teams, as that's the domestic cap.

[Count Flapula]

https://twitter.com/jackellyffc/status/1950149314849698102

I'd bloody love this.....But seeing Spurs linked and he's probably a player that benefits that squad, be hard to see him come our way over there's.

Spuds may well be the more likely option but what shouldn't be ruled out is the fact it's World Cup year so maybe a loan to us for a season with more chance of first team minutes appeals: especially if, longer term, he really does want to stay and fight for his place in Munich as has been reported.

Also loan-wise he knows the club and (re)integration requirements will be minimal to none as knows the manager, team and system of play so could hit the ground running.

Given the above, maybe a loan to us might be preferable. Who knows?

[sunburywhite]

Forest bid 25million for MacAtee.
Turned down by City.

Oscar Bobb is 💯 better than MacAtee

https://twitter.com/jackellyffc/status/1950149314849698102

I'd bloody love this.....But seeing Spurs linked and he's probably a player that benefits that squad, be hard to see him come our way over there's.

Spuds may well be the more likely option but what shouldn't be ruled out is the fact it's World Cup year so maybe a loan to us for a season with more chance of first team minutes appeals: especially if, longer term, he really does want to stay and fight for his place in Munich as has been reported.

Also loan-wise he knows the club and (re)integration requirements will be minimal to none as knows the manager, team and system of play so could hit the ground running.

Given the above, maybe a loan to us might be preferable. Who knows?

I will drive him here

[Angus Telford]

The brilliant thing about signing Lecomte, Nelson, Sterling and KDH is that we'll have managed to raise our average age, all without incurring the expense of scouting far flung places like South America and Scandinavia.

Struggling to follow the logic here but, Nelson replacing Nelson(24/25 age), a backup yet experienced GK'er, a 26 year old (27 in season), and Sterling who is presumably a replacement for Willian, and we're raising the age? Math seems off here mate. 

As of today, 29 July 2025

Sterling 30
Nelson 25
Lecomte  34
Average: 29.7

As of same date last year

Willian 35
Nelson 24
Benda 25
Average: 28

Dewsbury Hall new addition at 26. Average age across squad last year was 27.2 on Transfermarkt. May bring it down by approx 0.05 but wouldn't offset the above.

[Rambler]

The brilliant thing about signing Lecomte, Nelson, Sterling and KDH is that we'll have managed to raise our average age, all without incurring the expense of scouting far flung places like South America and Scandinavia.

Struggling to follow the logic here but, Nelson replacing Nelson(24/25 age), a backup yet experienced GK'er, a 26 year old (27 in season), and Sterling who is presumably a replacement for Willian, and we're raising the age? Math seems off here mate. 

As of today, 29 July 2025

Sterling 30
Nelson 25
Lecomte  34
Average: 29.7

As of same date last year

Willian 35
Nelson 24
Benda 25
Average: 28

Dewsbury Hall new addition at 26. Average age across squad last year was 27.2. May bring it down by approx 0.05 but wouldn't offset the above.

Add in a 30 yr old Palhinha perhaps.

[Deeping_white]

https://twitter.com/frazfletcher/status/1950154438292713791

Wording in the linked article that suggests a deal for Sterling is close

[Deeping_white]

The brilliant thing about signing Lecomte, Nelson, Sterling and KDH is that we'll have managed to raise our average age, all without incurring the expense of scouting far flung places like South America and Scandinavia.

Struggling to follow the logic here but, Nelson replacing Nelson(24/25 age), a backup yet experienced GK'er, a 26 year old (27 in season), and Sterling who is presumably a replacement for Willian, and we're raising the age? Math seems off here mate. 

As of today, 29 July 2025

Sterling 30
Nelson 25
Lecomte  34
Average: 29.7

As of same date last year

Willian 35
Nelson 24
Benda 25
Average: 28

Dewsbury Hall new addition at 26. Average age across squad last year was 27.2 on Transfermarkt. May bring it down by approx 0.05 but wouldn't offset the above.

I would counter that having an older backup keeper isn't the end of the world given we were probably an outlier in having a second choice keeper under 30 last season, and if you did have to pick a comfortably 30+ member of the squad, backup keeper is where you'd want them

[St Eve]

The brilliant thing about signing Lecomte, Nelson, Sterling and KDH is that we'll have managed to raise our average age, all without incurring the expense of scouting far flung places like South America and Scandinavia.

Struggling to follow the logic here but, Nelson replacing Nelson(24/25 age), a backup yet experienced GK'er, a 26 year old (27 in season), and Sterling who is presumably a replacement for Willian, and we're raising the age? Math seems off here mate. 

As of today, 29 July 2025

Sterling 30
Nelson 25
Lecomte  34
Average: 29.7

As of same date last year

Willian 35
Nelson 24
Benda 25
Average: 28

Dewsbury Hall new addition at 26. Average age across squad last year was 27.2. May bring it down by approx 0.05 but wouldn't offset the above.

Add in a 30 yr old Palhinha perhaps.

Take out a 30 year old Vinicius

[Angus Telford]

I would counter that having an older backup keeper isn't the end of the world given we were probably an outlier in having a second choice keeper under 30 last season, and if you did have to pick a comfortably 30+ member of the squad, backup keeper is where you'd want them

It's a fair point, I don't necessarily have a problem with the signings in isolation. It's just there was substantially a consensus on here coming into this window that a key (probably our biggest) aim was to bring down the average age, and the links at the moment, bar that fading Romulo rumours, are the same late 20s, high wage, Arsenal/Chelsea cast-offs.