The Official Silly Season January Transfer Thread 2020/21

[sunburywhite]

Daniel Levy says Tottenham transfer critics have no grasp of difficult market

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/daniel-levy-tottenham-transfer-critics-no-grasp-difficult-market-a4540931.html

I know this wont please all the TK bashers but even the hreat Daniel Levy says "As we know the activity always happens in the last week of the window."

That's a 'self fulfilling prophecy' comment, he started the last minute transfer business thing (before that I remember transfers being spread out over the window), now he's saying 'all the business happens in the last week of the transfer window', go figure.

As has been explained before, you dont really think theyy wake up with a week to go and decide "oh we had better buy someone"

The scouting and looking at players goes on 12 months a year, not just during the 2 windows

Lets say on 10th January someone came in for Cairney (its not expected so you may well not have thought about who to replace him), so you have to speak to people and other clubs to find a replacement, the other clubs have to do the same

Its very much like buying a house, you dont just rock up and move in

[fulhamben]

So have we actually been linked with anyone. It's very quiet.

[rebel]

Daniel Levy says Tottenham transfer critics have no grasp of difficult market

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/daniel-levy-tottenham-transfer-critics-no-grasp-difficult-market-a4540931.html

I know this wont please all the TK bashers but even the hreat Daniel Levy says "As we know the activity always happens in the last week of the window."

That's a 'self fulfilling prophecy' comment, he started the last minute transfer business thing (before that I remember transfers being spread out over the window), now he's saying 'all the business happens in the last week of the transfer window', go figure.

As has been explained before, you dont really think theyy wake up with a week to go and decide "oh we had better buy someone"

The scouting and looking at players goes on 12 months a year, not just during the 2 windows

Lets say on 10th January someone came in for Cairney (its not expected so you may well not have thought about who to replace him), so you have to speak to people and other clubs to find a replacement, the other clubs have to do the same

Its very much like buying a house, you dont just rock up and move in

I think I'm fully aware of how transfers work (started a few threads on transfers). I know what footballing scouts do, I know they have contacts etc. You've miss interpreted my post, that's the kind way of putting it.

[sunburywhite]

Obviously the other 19 Premier clubs dont know what they are doing as there has been one serious signing into all of them combinded so far  and thats Diallo not Snodgrass

[rebel]

There is no doubt Levy has set a trend in transfers, 'the last day 'wheeling and dealing', remember Dembele and Dempsey. It's a bit rich now saying 'transfers are all' conducted in the last week. It's his turf, he's good at it, but others has wised up to it, they 'play hardball'.

[Statto]

There is no doubt Levy has set a trend in transfers, 'the last day 'wheeling and dealing', remember Dembele and Dempsey. It's a bit rich now saying 'transfers are all' conducted in the last week. It's his turf, he's good at it, but others has wised up to it, they 'play hardball'.

Yep it's a bit like another club's fans saying it's fine to have a DoF who spends most of his time working on a wrestling franchise because Fulham do it

[Denzil Dexter]

There is no doubt Levy has set a trend in transfers, 'the last day 'wheeling and dealing', remember Dembele and Dempsey. It's a bit rich now saying 'transfers are all' conducted in the last week. It's his turf, he's good at it, but others has wised up to it, they 'play hardball'.

Yep it's a bit like another club's fans saying it's fine to have a DoF who spends most of his time working on a wrestling franchise because Fulham do it

Everyone's a transfer expert. QPR got Charlie Austin on Saturday. If you need players that badly you can sort it out. TK even admitted it can be done earlier. 

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

[jayffc]

we're really back here - same conversation every window.

We can make early additions, sometimes we do, sometimes clubs like ours, a playoff winning team fighting to stay up, are more likely to get our players later in the window. I'm very happy with the business we did in January with the exception that we needed forward options, I want us to address that this window, the sounds appear to be that the club know that. If we don't do that I'll be vocally fuming about it. That said, I would happily wait until the end of the window if it was the difference between signing the likes of Charlie Austin - or someone more the level of Joachim Anderson, Tosin, Areola etc. We've shown we have enough to compete and stay in the race so far, our rivals havent exactly made huge strides this window, so im not shaking in my boots yet.

Yes it could be that it ends up being that the late signings arent all that good too, but it's not definitive either way, so just take a breather or we're just back here with the same exchange every time. Every DOF says the same thing that speaks about it publically, conversely, I haven't seen any owner or DOF  out there publically saying that it's really easy to get the deals you want done early if you really want them. They are occasionally yes,  in specific situations where the player is extremely keen on the move (Austin had one of his most successful stints at QPR and is a legend there so I'm not suprised by that) but if we want top quality,as a club like us, often those types of players will have options and take their time. Sadly in this day and age,  it's not in the agent's interest to rush and miss out on other offers. It is what it is. Do we really have to jump to the conclusion that TK or the board is useless or uninterested, or not available... every window? If the club could write a list of their top targets, offer the top ones a fee, have it accepted - and sign the player on the 1st of Jan, they would. Theres literally no reason not to....but as said ad neusium, most of the time it isn't that easy....let alone doing all this during a global pandemic + the first post brexit window.

I'd like it to be sooner, I'd like us to have signed 2 forward on January the first, but I can understand it isn't always as straight forward as that. Last window we signed some really good additions earlier on - Robinson - Tete - Lemina - Reed. But we also signed some top quality when it became available and all avenues had been explored (Anderson, Areola, Tosin....not so much RLC though most believed that would work out better than it did). So for me they've earnt enough trust to get something over the line that gives us a good chance. As stated above, there have been barely any top signings made so far across the board. Why we go-round on this over and over I'll never know.

[rebel]

There is no doubt Levy has set a trend in transfers, 'the last day 'wheeling and dealing', remember Dembele and Dempsey. It's a bit rich now saying 'transfers are all' conducted in the last week. It's his turf, he's good at it, but others has wised up to it, they 'play hardball'.

Yep it's a bit like another club's fans saying it's fine to have a DoF who spends most of his time working on a wrestling franchise because Fulham do it

Everyone's a transfer expert. QPR got Charlie Austin on Saturday. If you need players that badly you can sort it out. TK even admitted it can be done earlier. 

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

That's what I'm saying, we need to be 'proactive', we need a striker who can finish, it's not happening with the current strike force.

[rebel]

we're really back here - same conversation every window.

We can make early additions, sometimes we do, sometimes clubs like ours, a playoff winning team fighting to stay up, are more likely to get our players later in the window. I'm very happy with the business we did in January with the exception that we needed forward options, I want us to address that this window, the sounds appear to be that the club know that. If we don't do that I'll be vocally fuming about it. That said, I would happily wait until the end of the window if it was the difference between signing the likes of Charlie Austin - or someone more the level of Joachim Anderson, Tosin, Areola etc. We've shown we have enough to compete and stay in the race so far, our rivals havent exactly made huge strides this window, so im not shaking in my boots yet.

Yes it could be that it ends up being that the late signings arent all that good too, but it's not definitive either way, so just take a breather or we're just back here with the same exchange every time. Every DOF says the same thing that speaks about it publically, conversely, I haven't seen any owner or DOF  out there publically saying that it's really easy to get the deals you want done early if you really want them. They are occasionally yes,  in specific situations where the player is extremely keen on the move (Austin had one of his most successful stints at QPR and is a legend there so I'm not suprised by that) but if we want top quality,as a club like us, often those types of players will have options and take their time. Sadly in this day and age,  it's not in the agent's interest to rush and miss out on other offers. It is what it is. Do we really have to jump to the conclusion that TK or the board is useless or uninterested, or not available... every window? If the club could write a list of their top targets, offer the top ones a fee, have it accepted - and sign the player on the 1st of Jan, they would. Theres literally no reason not to....but as said ad neusium, most of the time it isn't that easy....let alone doing all this during a global pandemic + the first post brexit window.

I'd like it to be sooner, I'd like us to have signed 2 forward on January the first, but I can understand it isn't always as straight forward as that. Last window we signed some really good additions earlier on - Robinson - Tete - Lemina - Reed. But we also signed some top quality when it became available and all avenues had been explored (Anderson, Areola, Tosin....not so much RLC though most believed that would work out better than it did). So for me they've earnt enough trust to get something over the line that gives us a good chance. As stated above, there have been barely any top signings made so far across the board. Why we go-round on this over and over I'll never know.

We are in exceptional times. The club nearly 'fluffed' their lines in the Summer window, 3 centre back transfers were discontinued for various reasons, COVID was one of the reasons. Yes Summer transfers has worked out to an extent. 

[filham]

In our last three matches we have played 90 minutes without scoring. Will this fact change TK's policy of waiting until late in the Window in the hope of picking up bargain basement buys.

Think we all know the answer to this one!

I do. I think he's a bitter old goat that posts lots of sourness on a forum and somehow turning our purchase of Antonee & Tosin into a negative is just a sign of his state of mind

Ask yourself this. If Kmac & Stefjo's time at the club is now at an end and they are going to leave this window. Is the fact they have not already left down to TK, or is it, in fact that the players and their agents are waiting to the last possible time to get the best possible deal for themselves and their clients?

Sorry are you referring to me or Filham here?  :016:

Lost in translation, I think they are talking about 'goats'.
[/quote

In our last three matches we have played 90 minutes without scoring. Will this fact change TK's policy of waiting until late in the Window in the hope of picking up bargain basement buys.

Think we all know the answer to this one!

I do. I think he's a bitter old goat that posts lots of sourness on a forum and somehow turning our purchase of Antonee & Tosin into a negative is just a sign of his state of mind

Ask yourself this. If Kmac & Stefjo's time at the club is now at an end and they are going to leave this window. Is the fact they have not already left down to TK, or is it, in fact that the players and their agents are waiting to the last possible time to get the best possible deal for themselves and their clients?

Sorry are you referring to me or Filham here?  :016:

Lost in translation, I think they are talking about 'goats'.

I will accept being called a grumpy old man but the word bitter hurts as really I am quite a happy person and do count my blessings. All I was trying to question  was is TK conscious that we need a new striker as soon as possible and that a delay could mean the difference between relegation and survival.

[Steven Ageroad]

There is no doubt Levy has set a trend in transfers, 'the last day 'wheeling and dealing', remember Dembele and Dempsey. It's a bit rich now saying 'transfers are all' conducted in the last week. It's his turf, he's good at it, but others has wised up to it, they 'play hardball'.

Yep it's a bit like another club's fans saying it's fine to have a DoF who spends most of his time working on a wrestling franchise because Fulham do it

Everyone's a transfer expert. QPR got Charlie Austin on Saturday. If you need players that badly you can sort it out. TK even admitted it can be done earlier. 

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

I'm sure we could have got Charlie Austin on the first day of the window, but we need better than him, so do other Premier League clubs. It all comes down to the last week of the window and the domino effect that comes into action.

Have faith.

[Statto]

we're really back here - same conversation every window.

Same conversation every window because we have the same issue every window. It isn't just fans moaning about the general nature of the market. It's a Fulham-specific issue. Analyse metrics such as the average dates of our transfers, the proportion of transfers we do on deadline day etc and they show that whilst all clubs' business is inevitably skewed towards the end of the window, we're still consistently slower to make signings than the majority of clubs.

I'd add that we should, given our status as England's preeminent yo-yo club, be doing business quicker than most. For most clubs, a few points dropped by being slow in the market will be the difference between finishing 11th and 13th or something like that. For us, it's the difference between achieving or not achieving promotion/relegation. This will almost certainly be the 4th season in a row where we finish within one or two places of the threshold for promotion/ relegation. So bringing in that replacement for Chris Martin, Tim Ream or Ivan Cavaleiro a couple of weeks earlier really does have the potential to define our season.

[rebel]

we're really back here - same conversation every window.

Same conversation every window because we have the same issue every window. It isn't just fans moaning about the general nature of the market. It's a Fulham-specific issue. Analyse metrics such as the average dates of our transfers, the proportion of transfers we do on deadline day etc and they show that whilst all clubs' business is inevitably skewed towards the end of the window, we're still consistently slower to make signings than the majority of clubs.

I'd add that we should, given our status as England's preeminent yo-yo club, be doing business quicker than most. For most clubs, a few points dropped by being slow in the market will be the difference between finishing 11th and 13th or something like that. For us, it's the difference between achieving or not achieving promotion/relegation. This will almost certainly be the 4th season in a row where we finish within one or two places of the threshold for promotion/ relegation. So bringing in that replacement for Chris Martin, Tim Ream or Ivan Cavaleiro a couple of weeks earlier really does have the potential to define our season.

Top post, I'd add our medicals are like a 'marathon' 2/3 days, I know lab results can take a bit of time, but then we buy players who are injured, Mawson a prime example (for the record I think he's a decent player).   

[The Rational Fan]

Guess I don't care which players we get, as long as we bring them in ASAP.   


They need familiarize themselves with our players and our attack.   Hell...even Ryan Babel alone would be a good depth signing.  And he already knows the club.

I agree. Tony got the right defenders in but if he'd done it a few weeks earlier we'd be outside the bottom 3!

Who (out of the central defenders) do we think that we could have got in earlier in the window?

Are we suggesting that Tony Khan should have loaned in "Jochim Anderson" when he was a starter in the Olympique Lyon team for their first three games this season? Or our we suggesting Tony Khan should sign him after he realized he wasn't the Clubs Centre Back for the Season? Note, 24 hours after Anderson's third game on the bench for "Olympique Lyon", Tony Khan signed him.

Could we seriously have signed Anderson earlier?  I doubt it.

Are we suggesting that Tony Khan should have signed "Tosin Adarabioyo" when he was given the sixth homegrown player spot in the Manchester City squad? Or, after he discovered that they will Manchester City will only need five homegrown player's this season? Note, ten days after Tosin wasn't named in the EFL Cup team, and five days after ManCity recruited Rúben Dias, which ended his dream of playing for ManCity, Tony Khan recruited him.

Could we seriously have signed Tosin earlier?  I doubt it.

We could have recruited Kongolo earlier, but he couldn't have played earlier.

It amazes me when people criticise TK for leaving business until late in a window. Do they have any idea how the transfer system works. Nearly all deals are done late simply because players, clubs, and especially agents try and screw the best deals they can get.

It amazes me people think buying players early in the window is a good idea, when the eleven have Toby Khan has bought before the 25th July are some of his worst buys.

The complete list of the 11 players he bought and loaned between 25th May and 25th July is Fabri, Marcelo Djaló, MLM, Cisse, Seri, Piazon, Schullre, Cavaleiro and Knockaert and Martell Taylor Crossdale.

Frankly, Cavaleiro is probably the best buy out of all of them but even he is far from a bargain.

I challenge anyone to find another player bought early in the summer window since 31st Dec 2016 (not i'm not including Stansfield as he is in development). And, I challenge everyone to convince me that any one of those were in anyway good value.

Eleven Early Buys and Eleven Mistakes, why would anyone want to repeat that. It seems to me Tony Khan get criticised for 100% of his buys, because a) those he buys early are always overpriced and b) those he buys well are always late. I hope he buys the players he needs for next years pre-season in the winter deadline day.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Guess I don't care which players we get, as long as we bring them in ASAP.   


They need familiarize themselves with our players and our attack.   Hell...even Ryan Babel alone would be a good depth signing.  And he already knows the club.

I agree. Tony got the right defenders in but if he'd done it a few weeks earlier we'd be outside the bottom 3!

Who (out of the central defenders) do we think that we could have got in earlier in the window?

Are we suggesting that Tony Khan should have loaned in "Jochim Anderson" when he was a starter in the Olympique Lyon team for their first three games this season? Or our we suggesting Tony Khan should sign him after he realized he wasn't the Clubs Centre Back for the Season? Note, 24 hours after Anderson's third game on the bench for "Olympique Lyon", Tony Khan signed him.

Could we seriously have signed Anderson earlier?  I doubt it.

Are we suggesting that Tony Khan should have signed "Tosin Adarabioyo" when he was given the sixth homegrown player spot in the Manchester City squad? Or, after he discovered that they will Manchester City will only need five homegrown player's this season? Note, ten days after Tosin wasn't named in the EFL Cup team, and five days after ManCity recruited Rúben Dias, which ended his dream of playing for ManCity, Tony Khan recruited him.

Could we seriously have signed Tosin earlier?  I doubt it.

We could have recruited Kongolo earlier, but he couldn't have played earlier.

It amazes me when people criticise TK for leaving business until late in a window. Do they have any idea how the transfer system works. Nearly all deals are done late simply because players, clubs, and especially agents try and screw the best deals they can get.

It amazes me people think buying players early in the window is a good idea, when the eleven have Toby Khan has bought before the 25th July are some of his worst buys.

The complete list of the 11 players he bought and loaned between 25th May and 25th July is Fabri, Marcelo Djaló, MLM, Cisse, Seri, Piazon, Schullre, Cavaleiro and Knockaert and Martell Taylor Crossdale.

Frankly, Cavaleiro is probably the best buy out of all of them but even he is far from a bargain.

I challenge anyone to find another player bought early in the summer window since 31st Dec 2016 (not i'm not including Stansfield as he is in development). And, I challenge everyone to convince me that any one of those were in anyway good value.

Eleven Early Buys and Eleven Mistakes, why would anyone want to repeat that. It seems to me Tony Khan get criticised for 100% of his buys, because a) those he buys early are always overpriced and b) those he buys well are always late. I hope he buys the players he needs for next years pre-season in the winter deadline day.

I hope he gets replaced by a professional D of F who does not need to rely on nepotism and narcissism to keep his job.

[70sPimlico]

Guess I don't care which players we get, as long as we bring them in ASAP.   


They need familiarize themselves with our players and our attack.   Hell...even Ryan Babel alone would be a good depth signing.  And he already knows the club.

I agree. Tony got the right defenders in but if he'd done it a few weeks earlier we'd be outside the bottom 3!

Who (out of the central defenders) do we think that we could have got in earlier in the window?

Are we suggesting that Tony Khan should have loaned in "Jochim Anderson" when he was a starter in the Olympique Lyon team for their first three games this season? Or our we suggesting Tony Khan should sign him after he realized he wasn't the Clubs Centre Back for the Season? Note, 24 hours after Anderson's third game on the bench for "Olympique Lyon", Tony Khan signed him.

Could we seriously have signed Anderson earlier?  I doubt it.

Are we suggesting that Tony Khan should have signed "Tosin Adarabioyo" when he was given the sixth homegrown player spot in the Manchester City squad? Or, after he discovered that they will Manchester City will only need five homegrown player's this season? Note, ten days after Tosin wasn't named in the EFL Cup team, and five days after ManCity recruited Rúben Dias, which ended his dream of playing for ManCity, Tony Khan recruited him.

Could we seriously have signed Tosin earlier?  I doubt it.

We could have recruited Kongolo earlier, but he couldn't have played earlier.

It amazes me when people criticise TK for leaving business until late in a window. Do they have any idea how the transfer system works. Nearly all deals are done late simply because players, clubs, and especially agents try and screw the best deals they can get.

It amazes me people think buying players early in the window is a good idea, when the eleven have Toby Khan has bought before the 25th July are some of his worst buys.

The complete list of the 11 players he bought and loaned between 25th May and 25th July is Fabri, Marcelo Djaló, MLM, Cisse, Seri, Piazon, Schullre, Cavaleiro and Knockaert and Martell Taylor Crossdale.

Frankly, Cavaleiro is probably the best buy out of all of them but even he is far from a bargain.

I challenge anyone to find another player bought early in the summer window since 31st Dec 2016 (not i'm not including Stansfield as he is in development). And, I challenge everyone to convince me that any one of those were in anyway good value.

Eleven Early Buys and Eleven Mistakes, why would anyone want to repeat that. It seems to me Tony Khan get criticised for 100% of his buys, because a) those he buys early are always overpriced and b) those he buys well are always late. I hope he buys the players he needs for next years pre-season in the winter deadline day.

I hope he gets replaced by a professional D of F who does not need to rely on narcissism to keep
his job.

Wooly, I was warming to you. But I think that unnecessary.

[We Are Premier League]

I cant believe that Luka Jovic is about to sign for Frankfurt on loan...surely Mitro can tell him how fantastic life is in west london...

[The Rational Fan]

I cant believe that Luka Jovic is about to sign for Frankfurt on loan...surely Mitro can tell him how fantastic life is in west london...

If Mitrovic wants to play and I suspect he does, then he'll tell Luka Jovic not to come.

[hongkongfulham]

Would like us to sign Paul Onuachu from Genk. Has 19 in 19 this season but mostly because he is 6'7'' and i love a rangy striker.

Understand a little Craig Bellamy type would probably suit us better but I was always hoping we'd buy a Crouch, Zigic, Lacina Traore type.