Winter Silly Season Transfer Thread 2025/2026

[C Block]

I'm Norwegian but as you may have noticed (or not, since i don't post much) I never go out of my way to defend Norwegian players. I do watch the international matches through, and from what i have seen Bobb is only surpassed by Nusa and, of course, Haaland for Norway. He has a crazy high ceiling. As Jay says, prizes have inflated horribly. Comparing a winger being bought from City in the January window of 2026 to some relative unknown we bought 4-5 years ago that in years time got to shine is to me a bit nonsensical, with all due respect. So we buy Bobb for 35 now and possibly sell him for a 100 if he reaches his potential. I really don't see the problem.

What's his preferred position?

[jayffc]

https://x.com/TheMatchdayHQ/status/2015751747868795241?s=20

Also in the same price bracket at 28 years old.

Be a good signing for someone. Parker really did ruin what could have been some great signings for us back then. But hey - if he'd succeeded we quite likely wouldn't have had the Silva years.

[Rambler]

Happy for him to come. Hope it's not £35mil spent on a position where cover is adequate leaving 0 available for more pressing positions (CM, RB, striker)

CM- I absolutely agree with, but how is RB and ST more pressing than a winger, considering the fact that Marco confirmed Adama is leaving. We have Tete and Castagne at RB, Tete is easily one of the best players in the league in his position and Castagne is a starting fullback for a top national team in Belgium. We have Muniz and Raul as strikers, both of which are more than good enough to be starters and we also have a young talent in JKA. We only play with one striker. Once Adama leaves, we don't have as much depth there, as Marco sometimes plays Iwobi or Wilson in the middle.

Yeah fair enough.
I'm thinking slightly of 2 players in each position. Which even if Adama leaves we still have chuk and Wilson for RW both of whom arguably are starters. So presuming we resign Wilson on a longer contract adding bobb to the RW slot to me, is less important than getting rid of and improving on castagne who a) is quite a lot weaker than tete and in tete's case spends roughly 50% of the year on the treatment table.

As for a striker, again I'd see Raul leaving soon and needing replaced, leaving Muniz the only reliable striker (in 6 months). JKA hasn't impressed and will go back to Munich I would have thought.

Thus my thoughts on why a RB and striker are more important than a RW right now.

[Bronaldinho]

Looking at this thread (Man City Forum) their opinions are interesting, especially as a few comments hint his preferred position is central, but he hasn't been able to play there a lot.

https://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/threads/oscar-bobb-fulham-in-talks-over-%C2%A335m-deal-romano.370495/page-17

Mixed opinions from City fans (A few shared below):

I think £35M is fair. He has a higher ceiling than that but won't get the chance to prove it here so it seems about right. I'd have been disappointed with much less and Fulham would likely be disappointed with any more.

I hope he goes on to be a success. I suspect a regular run of games will build his confidence and he'll start to produce some good numbers.

Really thought he was going to break out last season but that broken leg really seems to have set him back a lot. Good luck to him if he goes.

I haven't seen much from Bobb to consider him an outstanding talent, worthy of our first XI. He's going to struggle for minutes with Semenyo here. 30-35m seems a good deal for us.

He isn't really a winger though. I think he'll do very well when played in his best position. We have Cherki and Foden that both play there though, so he probably wouldn't get the minutes with us.

Hopefully a good move for all parties but I suspect that we may come to regret it a little in the future. Time will tell.

I think he'll flourish there if they play him centrally, which is his preferred position.

Good luck to the lad.

[ArcticOctopus]

In that context, makes sense why we would want him then. Fixes our creative competition in the midfield problem and still provides some depth on the wings. A reverse Iwobi if you will.

[jayffc]

Happy for him to come. Hope it's not £35mil spent on a position where cover is adequate leaving 0 available for more pressing positions (CM, RB, striker)

CM- I absolutely agree with, but how is RB and ST more pressing than a winger, considering the fact that Marco confirmed Adama is leaving. We have Tete and Castagne at RB, Tete is easily one of the best players in the league in his position and Castagne is a starting fullback for a top national team in Belgium. We have Muniz and Raul as strikers, both of which are more than good enough to be starters and we also have a young talent in JKA. We only play with one striker. Once Adama leaves, we don't have as much depth there, as Marco sometimes plays Iwobi or Wilson in the middle.

Yeah fair enough.
I'm thinking slightly of 2 players in each position. Which even if Adama leaves we still have chuk and Wilson for RW both of whom arguably are starters. So presuming we resign Wilson on a longer contract adding bobb to the RW slot to me, is less important than getting rid of and improving on castagne who a) is quite a lot weaker than tete and in tete's case spends roughly 50% of the year on the treatment table.

As for a striker, again I'd see Raul leaving soon and needing replaced, leaving Muniz the only reliable striker (in 6 months). JKA hasn't impressed and will go back to Munich I would have thought.

Thus my thoughts on why a RB and striker are more important than a RW right now.

He's not just a RW. He can play across the front line.
RB is fine, our main fullback is absolutely brilliant, our backup is good enough till summer.
Striker we're trying to sign Pepi regardless.

Adama leaves and we need a winger far more than we need a new RB in january.

CM I agree is another matter and one we're linked to several options. Not sure if Bobb is being considered to potentially be an option at the 8 and 10 too, but so far he's much more been deployed out wide

[MickyAdamsFamily]

When Oscar Bobb began with Man City and started breaking into the first team, many at City considered him to be a future superstar. His close control and change of pace are extraordinary. He was the main reason that they felt comfortable selling Cole Palmer, as Bobb was considered ahead of Palmer. He then lost a year with a serious injury, and fell out of the rotation, plus City spent big in his position with Marmoush and now Semenyo. This puts him behind those 2, plus Foden and Doku, all of whom are world class. He has struggled to get meaningful minutes since his recovery, but he's still only 22 and has an exceptionally high ceiling as a player.

[FishaPrice]

https://x.com/TheMatchdayHQ/status/2015751747868795241?s=20

Also in the same price bracket at 28 years old.

Be a good signing for someone. Parker really did ruin what could have been some great signings for us back then. But hey - if he'd succeeded we quite likely wouldn't have had the Silva years.

Good player, but difficult to forgive that Panenka attempt. The player put his ego above the club's needs in that moment.

[Drewry66]

When Oscar Bobb began with Man City and started breaking into the first team, many at City considered him to be a future superstar. His close control and change of pace are extraordinary. He was the main reason that they felt comfortable selling Cole Palmer, as Bobb was considered ahead of Palmer. He then lost a year with a serious injury, and fell out of the rotation, plus City spent big in his position with Marmoush and now Semenyo. This puts him behind those 2, plus Foden and Doku, all of whom are world class. He has struggled to get meaningful minutes since his recovery, but he's still only 22 and has an exceptionally high ceiling as a player.

Yeah it's exciting this one. They really thought he was going to start for them before breaking his leg by all accounts and if you're expected to start for City you've got serious ability. Looked like he had an absolute stormer of a pre season before that injury. Saw someone say he hasn't done much for a 22 year old but not easy to break into City's team at 18 and then at 20 odd he was going to but nightmare injury. Sounds like he's struggled a bit with confidence since coming back but if he was flying we wouldn't be getting him. Broken legs usually have full recovery. Looked at injury history and only really that and this current hammy so everything crossed. If he can fulfil his potential we could have a star on our hands. 🙏

[jayffc]

https://x.com/FulhamTransfer/status/2015826305342648648?s=20

[I Ronic]

Clubs, now have very sophisticated systems for unearthing bargain players. I think we're a little behind on this. So why not play to our strengths. Marco doesn't play new players until he feels they're fully up to speed. They usually join us 5 minutes before the window closes and we get to see them months later.
Why not switch buying in the winter window. Yes apparently it's more expensive  but we wouldn't be at the back of a queue. Our target may be more amenable to joining as they're not getting much game time. The seasons in full swing. Any injuries, we've got the new boy. Tired legs, we've got the new boy etc etc. Plus with new signings on board. The club can then evaluate. As the end of the season draws close, who we could sell, who we should or shouldn't offer a new contract to and potential gaps to be filled.
Then we start the following season with a full squad and a complete pre season.

[Drewry66]

To note as well that many of us on here said for years that this tactic of buying established older prem players may well just be to stabilise us in the prem and that we would then switch to younger incredibly exciting prospects. Kevin may not have hit the heights quite yet but defo looks like this is what we are doing and great to see.

Don't want to go too far with it of course but with the great core we have built this is starting to provide real balance. Maybe there was actually method in the madness all along?! 😊👍

[hovewhite]

https://x.com/FulhamTransfer/status/2015826305342648648?s=20

spam have more competition we have American owners,less competition a more settled club ,that's not even competian.

[alfie]

https://x.com/TheMatchdayHQ/status/2015751747868795241?s=20

Also in the same price bracket at 28 years old.

Be a good signing for someone. Parker really did ruin what could have been some great signings for us back then. But hey - if he'd succeeded we quite likely wouldn't have had the Silva years.

Good player, but difficult to forgive that Panenka attempt. The player put his ego above the club's needs in that moment.

Of course you can forgive him, it was an attempt that he messed up, he was pretty gutted at the time.

[SerbianLad]

Yeah fair enough.
I'm thinking slightly of 2 players in each position. Which even if Adama leaves we still have chuk and Wilson for RW both of whom arguably are starters. So presuming we resign Wilson on a longer contract adding bobb to the RW slot to me, is less important than getting rid of and improving on castagne who a) is quite a lot weaker than tete and in tete's case spends roughly 50% of the year on the treatment table.

As for a striker, again I'd see Raul leaving soon and needing replaced, leaving Muniz the only reliable striker (in 6 months). JKA hasn't impressed and will go back to Munich I would have thought.

Thus my thoughts on why a RB and striker are more important than a RW right now.

The thing is, Muniz, Raul and e.g. Pepi can all play only as a striker, while Chukwueze, Wilson, Iwobi and Bobb can all play in multiple positions. So despite us having the 4 of them + Kevin fighting for 2 positions, it's still makes way more sense than having 3 strikers or 3 rightbacks.

[bencher]

https://x.com/TheMatchdayHQ/status/2015751747868795241?s=20

Also in the same price bracket at 28 years old.

Be a good signing for someone. Parker really did ruin what could have been some great signings for us back then. But hey - if he'd succeeded we quite likely wouldn't have had the Silva years.

Good player, but difficult to forgive that Panenka attempt. The player put his ego above the club's needs in that moment.

Of course you can forgive him, it was an attempt that he messed up, he was pretty gutted at the time.

I thought he was our best player that season, failed Panenka notwithstanding. He has gone on to become borderline world class, winning silverware, individual accolades, and scoring almost 1 in 2 in the Italian league. I'd have him in a heartbeat.

[hopper]

Forest apparently going in for Mateta after I stuck my neck out to say he wouldn't make a sideways move. Well it would be very interesting if that somehow ended up happening and would prove me wrong.

No idea where they keep finding this money from there.

[Volz]

I'm Norwegian but as you may have noticed (or not, since i don't post much) I never go out of my way to defend Norwegian players. I do watch the international matches through, and from what i have seen Bobb is only surpassed by Nusa and, of course, Haaland for Norway. He has a crazy high ceiling. As Jay says, prizes have inflated horribly. Comparing a winger being bought from City in the January window of 2026 to some relative unknown we bought 4-5 years ago that in years time got to shine is to me a bit nonsensical, with all due respect. So we buy Bobb for 35 now and possibly sell him for a 100 if he reaches his potential. I really don't see the problem.

What's his preferred position?

In his 16 senior appearances for Norway he has been mostly utilized on the right wing in a 4-3-3, or as a right attacking mid in a 4-4-2. He cuts in, has good crosses, puts in a defensive shift, and although that may sound like a typical inverted winger he has played more like a right-sided inverted playmaker, if that makes sense? Especially so when Ødegaard has been out.

[KentFulham]

https://x.com/TheMatchdayHQ/status/2015751747868795241?s=20

Also in the same price bracket at 28 years old.

Be a good signing for someone. Parker really did ruin what could have been some great signings for us back then. But hey - if he'd succeeded we quite likely wouldn't have had the Silva years.

Good player, but difficult to forgive that Panenka attempt. The player put his ego above the club's needs in that moment.

Of course you can forgive him, it was an attempt that he messed up, he was pretty gutted at the time.

I thought he was our best player that season, failed Panenka notwithstanding. He has gone on to become borderline world class, winning silverware, individual accolades, and scoring almost 1 in 2 in the Italian league. I'd have him in a heartbeat.

Worth signing for sure, and would fit right in

[Drewry66]

I'm Norwegian but as you may have noticed (or not, since i don't post much) I never go out of my way to defend Norwegian players. I do watch the international matches through, and from what i have seen Bobb is only surpassed by Nusa and, of course, Haaland for Norway. He has a crazy high ceiling. As Jay says, prizes have inflated horribly. Comparing a winger being bought from City in the January window of 2026 to some relative unknown we bought 4-5 years ago that in years time got to shine is to me a bit nonsensical, with all due respect. So we buy Bobb for 35 now and possibly sell him for a 100 if he reaches his potential. I really don't see the problem.

What's his preferred position?

In his 16 senior appearances for Norway he has been mostly utilized on the right wing in a 4-3-3, or as a right attacking mid in a 4-4-2. He cuts in, has good crosses, puts in a defensive shift, and although that may sound like a typical inverted winger he has played more like a right-sided inverted playmaker, if that makes sense? Especially so when Ødegaard has been out.

Wow that is interesting. So he could be used as an 8 you think?

Also you heard when he is due back from his current injury mate?