🌞Summer Silly Season Transfer thread 2026

[hovewhite]

After losing Wilson on a free maybe the policy now is to make a decision and older players with a sell on value then use it.

[KJS]

After losing Wilson on a free maybe the policy now is to make a decision and older players with a sell on value then use it.

If a player won't sign a contract then there's nothing a club can do about it, yes you can sell before his contract expires but in that case we would not have had Wilson last season so the rest is pretty irrelevant

[bencher]

All the talk of SCR, having to sell to buy, selling your best homegrown players etc, clubs looking for loopholes and sometimes getting points deductions, makes me appreciate the purer aspects of supporting a national team. Ok, there's a bit of nonsense with players being born in country x playing for country y, and obviously pointless friendlies, but for the most part, it's just about making the most of the eligible players available, and let the best team win, and meanwhile the whole nation can unite behind a squad of players. This World Cup has been quite the tonic to club football, which has become harder and harder to enjoy.

[Bassey the warrior]

All the talk of SCR, having to sell to buy, selling your best homegrown players etc, clubs looking for loopholes and sometimes getting points deductions, makes me appreciate the purer aspects of supporting a national team. Ok, there's a bit of nonsense with players being born in country x playing for country y, and obviously pointless friendlies, but for the most part, it's just about making the most of the eligible players available, and let the best team win, and meanwhile the whole nation can unite behind a squad of players. This World Cup has been quite the tonic to club football, which has become harder and harder to enjoy.

I really enjoyed watching Cabo Verde, who attacked with flair and bravery. Gave Argentina a real game.

[hovewhite]

After losing Wilson on a free maybe the policy now is to make a decision and older players with a sell on value then use it.

If a player won't sign a contract then there's nothing a club can do about it, yes you can sell before his contract expires but in that case we would not have had Wilson last season so the rest is pretty irrelevant

season before we could have got a sell on to Leeds u.

[iansthailand]

I've enjoyed a lot of the World Cup despite it's location. England invented the game and have only had the tournament once.
However, i would rather watch PL matches, especially Fulham, than the WC or any International teams.

[Bassey the warrior]

Striker will likely be one of last positions to fill I imagine as someone mentioned above, many clubs looking for one.

Seems the traditional 9 is becoming a rarer breed, which may make it harder to see Raul leave.

Some good options out there from top of mind.

Tolu Arokodare - Available for loan, and was great before Wolves, deserves a chance.

Sasa Kalajzdic - Forgotten target man at wolves due to injury, but played in the hole at LASK last year and was so good. Linked up play and scored. If he can stay injury free he'd be class.

Evan Ferguson - Another forgotten man, but Brighton will still want good money.

Lorenzo Lucca - Didn't get a good run at Forest last year but a force at Udinese.

Pedro - Flamengo goal machine, been linked in the past.

Promise David - Him plus Sasa would be the two I'd take and would be relatively in our budget. Would give us 4 good options up top. Even better if AA goes 442 Diamond.

Most of those are target men, if Arbeloa uses a high press as has been mentioned you'd assume he'd want a more mobile striker.

Yeah definitely - I think when looking at no9s Arbeloa has played in the past he prioritises the below criteria:

Mobile rather than static
Works hard in the press
Runs channels
Attacks space behind the defence
Links play but can also threaten in transition
Athletic enough to lead the line on his own

So I don't think he would want a target man or a striker that isn't highly mobile.

If it is how AA intends to set up, does leave me struggling to see how Muniz will fit.

I think Muniz fits description pretty well tbh to be a NO.2 ..

I'd say Muniz gives: Running power, pressing intensity, physicality, ability to stretch defences, willingness to work off the ball

I didn't see much of that last season, he looked pretty slow and stationary. Jimenez however is exactly the sort of striker to fit this criteria.

He was coming back from a major injury to be fair - out for 6 months. Needs a better showing this year for sure than last, but I think people underestimate how much of an impact such things have on players and that it can take serious time to get back confidence and sharpness- especially when ya dropped back in mid-season. Prior to that he was certainly more mobile than Raul.

Jiminez in his recent years has never been the mobile type with running power and able to stretch defences? He worked his socks off for sure, could link things well etc but didn't score a huge amount from open play and couldn't beat a man off the dribble.

Much as I love Raul, we really gotta move on from the idea we needed to keep him imo. With SCR now in affect: At £100k + it just was simply not tenable for him to be in the squad at this point, unless people wanted him as starting striker to justify it. 50k? Maybe, but that wasn't gonna happen here, he chose Wolves and its absolutely the right move for his story and legacy

He's not getting any younger, more mobile or quicker, and whilst the penalties did a lot of heavy lifting for his scoring stats, so often the attack felt laboured and slow last year... so if ever there was a time to move on, it's now, under a new manager with new direction - and a new spearhead.

I'm not saying Jimenez was quick, but he was better at pressing and finding space. Maybe Arbeloa can help Muniz to improve these aspects of his game.

Muniz is much better at winning headers and holding up the ball than Jimenez though.

[@jolslover]

I also think if we were getting rid of one Arbeloa would prefer to keep Diop over Andersen. Arbeloa is known for playing a high line, front foot system...

Diop has faster recovery pace and is therefore more suited to a system where CBs are often exposed due to an aggressive pressing structure as he's more comfortable defending large spaces in transition.

[jayffc]

Striker will likely be one of last positions to fill I imagine as someone mentioned above, many clubs looking for one.

Seems the traditional 9 is becoming a rarer breed, which may make it harder to see Raul leave.

Some good options out there from top of mind.

Tolu Arokodare - Available for loan, and was great before Wolves, deserves a chance.

Sasa Kalajzdic - Forgotten target man at wolves due to injury, but played in the hole at LASK last year and was so good. Linked up play and scored. If he can stay injury free he'd be class.

Evan Ferguson - Another forgotten man, but Brighton will still want good money.

Lorenzo Lucca - Didn't get a good run at Forest last year but a force at Udinese.

Pedro - Flamengo goal machine, been linked in the past.

Promise David - Him plus Sasa would be the two I'd take and would be relatively in our budget. Would give us 4 good options up top. Even better if AA goes 442 Diamond.

Most of those are target men, if Arbeloa uses a high press as has been mentioned you'd assume he'd want a more mobile striker.

Yeah definitely - I think when looking at no9s Arbeloa has played in the past he prioritises the below criteria:

Mobile rather than static
Works hard in the press
Runs channels
Attacks space behind the defence
Links play but can also threaten in transition
Athletic enough to lead the line on his own

So I don't think he would want a target man or a striker that isn't highly mobile.

If it is how AA intends to set up, does leave me struggling to see how Muniz will fit.

I think Muniz fits description pretty well tbh to be a NO.2 ..

I'd say Muniz gives: Running power, pressing intensity, physicality, ability to stretch defences, willingness to work off the ball

I didn't see much of that last season, he looked pretty slow and stationary. Jimenez however is exactly the sort of striker to fit this criteria.

He was coming back from a major injury to be fair - out for 6 months. Needs a better showing this year for sure than last, but I think people underestimate how much of an impact such things have on players and that it can take serious time to get back confidence and sharpness- especially when ya dropped back in mid-season. Prior to that he was certainly more mobile than Raul.

Jiminez in his recent years has never been the mobile type with running power and able to stretch defences? He worked his socks off for sure, could link things well etc but didn't score a huge amount from open play and couldn't beat a man off the dribble.

Much as I love Raul, we really gotta move on from the idea we needed to keep him imo. With SCR now in affect: At £100k + it just was simply not tenable for him to be in the squad at this point, unless people wanted him as starting striker to justify it. 50k? Maybe, but that wasn't gonna happen here, he chose Wolves and its absolutely the right move for his story and legacy

He's not getting any younger, more mobile or quicker, and whilst the penalties did a lot of heavy lifting for his scoring stats, so often the attack felt laboured and slow last year... so if ever there was a time to move on, it's now, under a new manager with new direction - and a new spearhead.

I'm not saying Jimenez was quick, but he was better at pressing and finding space. Maybe Arbeloa can help Muniz to improve these aspects of his game.

Muniz is much better at winning headers and holding up the ball than Jimenez though.

Certainly hope so. When on form and with confidence Muniz can certainly be an efficient scorer and works hard for the team. Hoping with match fitness and sharpness built through pre season + serious young competition we can see him back at his best again. Definitely Raul's movement and football IQ was one of his biggest strengths but in that stretch where Muniz was firing on all cylinders, a lot of it came finding good pockets of space in the box and finishing cooly. So he has it in him, just gotta sharpen up.

Hopefully AA can find a way to give better service to our striker whoever it is. A rejuvinated Kevin and Bobb will be key to that

[Surlyc]

I also think if we were getting rid of one Arbeloa would prefer to keep Diop over Andersen. Arbeloa is known for playing a high line, front foot system...

Diop has faster recovery pace and is therefore more suited to a system where CBs are often exposed due to an aggressive pressing structure as he's more comfortable defending large spaces in transition.

While I agree, it would depend on the level of CB replacement we bring in. If it is someone like Nwaiwu, I think we'd need the cash from a Diop sale.

[jayffc]

I also think if we were getting rid of one Arbeloa would prefer to keep Diop over Andersen. Arbeloa is known for playing a high line, front foot system...

Diop has faster recovery pace and is therefore more suited to a system where CBs are often exposed due to an aggressive pressing structure as he's more comfortable defending large spaces in transition.

Pretty sure it will purely be about finances though. I think alot of us would rather keep Issa purely on recent form. But financially a deal for diop makes far more sense.

We've paid off vast majority of his fee I'd think, his value is high, it might well be he isn't interested in re signing a contract - and so we might lose him for free next year when we could make £15m+ now. That's important for ongoing finances.

Meanwhile Anderson isn't in the same demand and in terms of amortisation we still presumably have a fair bit on the books to pay down on him + he has more years on his contract. Can't see us spending 25m on a CB and convincing Issa to re-sign knowing we've spent big on his competition again and he might just end up backup CB again. He'll have offers to be starting CB I elsewhere I'd think.

[@jolslover]

I also think if we were getting rid of one Arbeloa would prefer to keep Diop over Andersen. Arbeloa is known for playing a high line, front foot system...

Diop has faster recovery pace and is therefore more suited to a system where CBs are often exposed due to an aggressive pressing structure as he's more comfortable defending large spaces in transition.

Pretty sure it will purely be about finances though. I think alot of us would rather keep Issa purely on recent form. But financially a deal for diop makes far more sense.

We've paid off vast majority of his fee I'd think, his value is high, it might well be he isn't interested in re signing a contract - and so we might lose him for free next year when we could make £15m+ now. That's important for ongoing finances.

Meanwhile Anderson isn't in the same demand and in terms of amortisation we still presumably have a fair bit on the books to pay down on him + he has more years on his contract. Can't see us spending 25m on a CB and convincing Issa to re-sign knowing we've spent big on his competition again and he might just end up backup CB again. He'll have offers to be starting CB I elsewhere I'd think.

I understand and makes sense- but why sign a new first choice CB when we could just keep Diop, offer him a new contact with promise of increased minutes and spend that 25m elsewhere?

[jayffc]

I also think if we were getting rid of one Arbeloa would prefer to keep Diop over Andersen. Arbeloa is known for playing a high line, front foot system...

Diop has faster recovery pace and is therefore more suited to a system where CBs are often exposed due to an aggressive pressing structure as he's more comfortable defending large spaces in transition.

Pretty sure it will purely be about finances though. I think alot of us would rather keep Issa purely on recent form. But financially a deal for diop makes far more sense.

We've paid off vast majority of his fee I'd think, his value is high, it might well be he isn't interested in re signing a contract - and so we might lose him for free next year when we could make £15m+ now. That's important for ongoing finances.

Meanwhile Anderson isn't in the same demand and in terms of amortisation we still presumably have a fair bit on the books to pay down on him + he has more years on his contract. Can't see us spending 25m on a CB and convincing Issa to re-sign knowing we've spent big on his competition again and he might just end up backup CB again. He'll have offers to be starting CB I elsewhere I'd think.

I understand and makes sense- but why sign a new first choice CB when we could just keep Diop, offer him a new contact with promise of increased minutes and spend that 25m elsewhere?

We won't be spending 25m though - it will be net £8-10m in theory for a potential young CB upgrade.

So Presumably:

1. Because Issa is 29 and our other main RCB is 30 - this allows us to transition to the future, especially if the club aren't sold on LDF yet who's only 20 and might not be deemed ready (but might be once Andersons contract ends)

2. We don't know that Issa wants to sign. Quite possible he doesn't... and even if he does, we make no money in a couple years when he departs and is older and therefore the rebuild becomes harder.

3. The club feel this defender has the potential be a better player and therefor can go for top money in the future.

Issa will likely never be worth more than he is right now for us financially. Financial turnover is a necessary part of ongoing success and squad building - we can't just keep letting players go for little to nothing or risking , as with wilson, them not signing and walking for free when we could have got 15m+

In this instance, we have an opportunity to sell our 2nd choice RCB For £15m+. And put that straight towards a potential 1st choice CB for the next 4 years for only maybe £8-10m net cost.  A young player with a ton of upside. Everyone says they want to lower the squad age...well, this is how you do it, by selling high and replacing young.

Also SCR. Do people think Issa will just sign an extension with no upgrade on pay? He's in a position to ask for more and that would mean a worse position for wages elsewhere. Diop is on 70k currently. Nwaiwu is on 14k. even if we offer the new guy somewhere around 40 were saving a couple mil most likely on wages per year.

[@jolslover]

I also think if we were getting rid of one Arbeloa would prefer to keep Diop over Andersen. Arbeloa is known for playing a high line, front foot system...

Diop has faster recovery pace and is therefore more suited to a system where CBs are often exposed due to an aggressive pressing structure as he's more comfortable defending large spaces in transition.

Pretty sure it will purely be about finances though. I think alot of us would rather keep Issa purely on recent form. But financially a deal for diop makes far more sense.

We've paid off vast majority of his fee I'd think, his value is high, it might well be he isn't interested in re signing a contract - and so we might lose him for free next year when we could make £15m+ now. That's important for ongoing finances.

Meanwhile Anderson isn't in the same demand and in terms of amortisation we still presumably have a fair bit on the books to pay down on him + he has more years on his contract. Can't see us spending 25m on a CB and convincing Issa to re-sign knowing we've spent big on his competition again and he might just end up backup CB again. He'll have offers to be starting CB I elsewhere I'd think.

I understand and makes sense- but why sign a new first choice CB when we could just keep Diop, offer him a new contact with promise of increased minutes and spend that 25m elsewhere?

We won't be spending 25m though - it will be net £8-10m in theory for a potential young CB upgrade.

So Presumably:

1. Because Issa is 29 and our other main RCB is 30 - this allows us to transition to the future if the club aren't sold on LDF yet who's only 20 and might not be deemed ready.

2. We don't know that Issa wants to sign. Quite possible he doesn't... and even if he does, we make no money in a couple years when he departs and is older and therefore the rebuild becomes harder.

3. The club feel this defender has the potential be a better player and therefor can go for top money in the future.

Issa will likely never be worth more than he is right now for us financially. Financial turnover is a necessary part of ongoing success and squad building - we can't just keep letting players go for little to nothing or risking , as with wilson, them not signing and walking for free when we could have got 15m+

In this instance, we have an opportunity to sell our 2nd choice RCB For £15m+. And put that straight towards a potential 1st choice CB for the next 4 years for only maybe £8-10m net cost.  A young player with a ton of upside. Everyone says they want to lower the squad age...well, this is how you do it.

Interestingly put, I understand the want to lower average age and sustainability aspect but we have a player in the form of his career who knows the squad and has experience playing with the back four.

I think we can put the 8-10m net cost towards signing a winger, CM or top striker and it would make us a better side. You've not taken into account agent/signing on fees or adaptation risk either. There's no guarantee a new CB transitions into the side and performs at the level Diop can.

At 29 a CB is often in the peak of his career, selling one of our most in-form defenders for a player who might become better isn't the right move imo

[Deeping_white]

I also think if we were getting rid of one Arbeloa would prefer to keep Diop over Andersen. Arbeloa is known for playing a high line, front foot system...

Diop has faster recovery pace and is therefore more suited to a system where CBs are often exposed due to an aggressive pressing structure as he's more comfortable defending large spaces in transition.

Pretty sure it will purely be about finances though. I think alot of us would rather keep Issa purely on recent form. But financially a deal for diop makes far more sense.

We've paid off vast majority of his fee I'd think, his value is high, it might well be he isn't interested in re signing a contract - and so we might lose him for free next year when we could make £15m+ now. That's important for ongoing finances.

Meanwhile Anderson isn't in the same demand and in terms of amortisation we still presumably have a fair bit on the books to pay down on him + he has more years on his contract. Can't see us spending 25m on a CB and convincing Issa to re-sign knowing we've spent big on his competition again and he might just end up backup CB again. He'll have offers to be starting CB I elsewhere I'd think.

I understand and makes sense- but why sign a new first choice CB when we could just keep Diop, offer him a new contact with promise of increased minutes and spend that 25m elsewhere?

We won't be spending 25m though - it will be net £8-10m in theory for a potential young CB upgrade.

So Presumably:

1. Because Issa is 29 and our other main RCB is 30 - this allows us to transition to the future if the club aren't sold on LDF yet who's only 20 and might not be deemed ready.

2. We don't know that Issa wants to sign. Quite possible he doesn't... and even if he does, we make no money in a couple years when he departs and is older and therefore the rebuild becomes harder.

3. The club feel this defender has the potential be a better player and therefor can go for top money in the future.

Issa will likely never be worth more than he is right now for us financially. Financial turnover is a necessary part of ongoing success and squad building - we can't just keep letting players go for little to nothing or risking , as with wilson, them not signing and walking for free when we could have got 15m+

In this instance, we have an opportunity to sell our 2nd choice RCB For £15m+. And put that straight towards a potential 1st choice CB for the next 4 years for only maybe £8-10m net cost.  A young player with a ton of upside. Everyone says they want to lower the squad age...well, this is how you do it.

Interestingly put, I understand the want to lower average age and sustainability aspect but we have a player in the form of his career who knows the squad and has experience playing with the back four.

I think we can put the 8-10m net cost towards signing a winger, CM or top striker and it would make us a better side. You've not taken into account agent/signing on fees or adaptation risk either. There's no guarantee a new CB transitions into the side and performs at the level Diop can.

At 29 a CB is often in the peak of his career, selling one of our most in-form defenders for a player who might become better isn't the right move imo

But he's 29, coming into the last year of his deal & is on something like £70k a week. Unfortunately with SCR we have to cut sentimentality out and look at when selling players is optimal for the club, and with a strong world cup we'll probably make a profit on what we paid for him all those years ago, which is massive for buying new players this year. The replacement will likely be on half his wages and then that means signing another younger player means our wages are probably close to no net change and we've got an extra player. We have to get better as a club at selling players when they hold some value, and unfortunately for Diop that time is now because I imagine any renewal would see us paying him nearly £100k a week and I don't think in the new era of FFP he's worth that going into his 30's because we as a club would need massive increases in revenue to afford it. Ideally we bin off Andersen because Diop is probably better suited to Arbeloa's style of play, but realistically that ain't happening so Diop has got to be one of the players we look to generate revenue off this summer (and tbh he deserves to be a starter somewhere because he's been a great player for the club)

[Bracken White]

Looking forward to hear more news on the Real Madrid youngsters Arbeloa was keen on.
Baited breath re Black Shorts on the new kit, too!

[jayffc]

I also think if we were getting rid of one Arbeloa would prefer to keep Diop over Andersen. Arbeloa is known for playing a high line, front foot system...

Diop has faster recovery pace and is therefore more suited to a system where CBs are often exposed due to an aggressive pressing structure as he's more comfortable defending large spaces in transition.

Pretty sure it will purely be about finances though. I think alot of us would rather keep Issa purely on recent form. But financially a deal for diop makes far more sense.

We've paid off vast majority of his fee I'd think, his value is high, it might well be he isn't interested in re signing a contract - and so we might lose him for free next year when we could make £15m+ now. That's important for ongoing finances.

Meanwhile Anderson isn't in the same demand and in terms of amortisation we still presumably have a fair bit on the books to pay down on him + he has more years on his contract. Can't see us spending 25m on a CB and convincing Issa to re-sign knowing we've spent big on his competition again and he might just end up backup CB again. He'll have offers to be starting CB I elsewhere I'd think.

I understand and makes sense- but why sign a new first choice CB when we could just keep Diop, offer him a new contact with promise of increased minutes and spend that 25m elsewhere?

We won't be spending 25m though - it will be net £8-10m in theory for a potential young CB upgrade.

So Presumably:

1. Because Issa is 29 and our other main RCB is 30 - this allows us to transition to the future if the club aren't sold on LDF yet who's only 20 and might not be deemed ready.

2. We don't know that Issa wants to sign. Quite possible he doesn't... and even if he does, we make no money in a couple years when he departs and is older and therefore the rebuild becomes harder.

3. The club feel this defender has the potential be a better player and therefor can go for top money in the future.

Issa will likely never be worth more than he is right now for us financially. Financial turnover is a necessary part of ongoing success and squad building - we can't just keep letting players go for little to nothing or risking , as with wilson, them not signing and walking for free when we could have got 15m+

In this instance, we have an opportunity to sell our 2nd choice RCB For £15m+. And put that straight towards a potential 1st choice CB for the next 4 years for only maybe £8-10m net cost.  A young player with a ton of upside. Everyone says they want to lower the squad age...well, this is how you do it.

Interestingly put, I understand the want to lower average age and sustainability aspect but we have a player in the form of his career who knows the squad and has experience playing with the back four.

I think we can put the 8-10m net cost towards signing a winger, CM or top striker and it would make us a better side. You've not taken into account agent/signing on fees or adaptation risk either. There's no guarantee a new CB transitions into the side and performs at the level Diop can.

At 29 a CB is often in the peak of his career, selling one of our most in-form defenders for a player who might become better isn't the right move imo

Fair enough, I like Diop, no complaints if he stays, but he's never been able to re-establish himself as a starter here. All everyone's been calling for is a sustainable turnover and beginning process of replacing older with newer.... we are always going to have to move on from players eventually - so for me it makes far more sense to do so IF we have the chance to make good money, which is rare, as they approach 30 and havent signed a new contract.

There's no guarantee any player we buy in any position is better than the ones we have, so I don't factor such a thing in here really, you could say it of any position we ever try and upgrade.Every transfer is a risk - this one,  being at a net cost of £8-10m roughly (likely at top end) minimises the financial risk due to the sale. Rather than having to spend that 25m+ in 2 years say when neither of our RCBs offer close to the same return as we can get for Diop now.

It's not like we're not gonna buy a winger (although we already spent big on bobb) and a striker and CM cos of this. I can only assume the club know the finances and what they have to play with and how the costs would be for Issa vs Nwaiwu on the books - and be budgeting based on that information.

Again this is all assuming that Diop even wants to sign. As second choice so far, he may well not want to, and new manager may not be convinced he can make promises in that regard...and we can't take the risk of him not re signing after the window like we did with Wilson.

We aren't a club that can afford to let Diop walk for nada next year, or overpay what it might cost to extend him to have him on the bench.

Therefore, on paper - it's the right move for me. Then we hope like all transfers Nwaiwu is as good as the transfer team clearly believe he is and can be. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkkpUGQdiAQ - he's an impressive physical beast right now, let's hope the move proves itself worthwhile. If he does then there's a legitimate possibility of making double what we paid...which will never be said of Issa here if we extend his contract.

[hovewhite]

Not worried about the coming season a fresh start will be good for all of us expecting a competitive team and positive results.

[demeant0r]

Have we not learned from the Harry Wilson situation? Sure he had the season of his life last season but we also missed out on the opportunity to get any money from him. Best to sell one of Diop or Andersen now and get back some money to reinvest.

[hovewhite]

Have we not learned from the Harry Wilson situation? Sure he had the season of his life last season but we also missed out on the opportunity to get any money from him. Best to sell one of Diop or Andersen now and get back some money to reinvest.

if the CH comes in then sell one of the 4 CHs.