Summer Silly Season Transfer Thread 2025

[Angus Telford]

Strongly disagree we don't need a number 10.

AP is simply not good enough and whether he stays or goes, isn't a solution.

ESR could work there but the way he played last year, we can't go into this season relying on him in a key role. Also he can play out wide.

King is nowhere near having proved he can start in that position, so shouldn't be more than backup at this point.

It makes no sense to stick with poor/unreliable players in a key starting XI role just to leave a path open to a moderate prospect.

[hopper]

Away from Fulham for a moment, keep an eye on Sunderland, doing lots of business, all young players with big reputations  and possible big resale values, just need an old hand like Jordan Henderson to bond them together,
Might catch a few teams by surprise this season including West Ham in the first game.

Very impressed with how they're handling recruitment. I was very impressed with Talbi in the Champions League for Brugge, and Adingra when I've seen him at Brighton. Don't know so much about Diarra and Sadiki but they're both highly rated.

Alongside them bringing in Henderson and Reinildo they're adding lots of Champions League and high level experience.

No guarantees they'll survive, but this by far the most impressed I've been with an approach of a promoted team in recent years. I think the Burnley comparisons are fairly tenuous here. Sunderland are signing players with more proven pedigree and balancing it with experience.

Also a note that they're doing all of this at the beginning of July, so players will be together at the beginning of pre-season. Putting our board to shame.

[bencher]

Strongly disagree we don't need a number 10.

AP is simply not good enough and whether he stays or goes, isn't a solution.

ESR could work there but the way he played last year, we can't go into this season relying on him in a key role. Also he can play out wide.

King is nowhere near having proved he can start in that position, so shouldn't be more than backup at this point.

It makes no sense to stick with poor/unreliable players in a key starting XI role just to leave a path open to a moderate prospect.

I agree and sometimes fans are too loyal to youth prospects out of a sense that they're one of our own. If King is good enough he'll merit getting minutes. In truth he ought to go out on loan to the Championship or L1 and be a regular, and we should bring in a high quality attacking midfielder to replace AP and compete with ESR, someone who will get 8-12 goals and 8-12 assists. If King can do that, great, but I don't see that currently. For some, that could be Wilson, but I don't think he's consistent enough or good enough when facing a low block.

[Willham]

Strongly disagree we don't need a number 10.

AP is simply not good enough and whether he stays or goes, isn't a solution.

ESR could work there but the way he played last year, we can't go into this season relying on him in a key role. Also he can play out wide.

King is nowhere near having proved he can start in that position, so shouldn't be more than backup at this point.

It makes no sense to stick with poor/unreliable players in a key starting XI role just to leave a path open to a moderate prospect.

Look at our win against Liverpool, watch the full match and tell me AP isn't good enough again.

If it wasnt for AP there's no way we are winning that match.

[FFC1987]

Strongly disagree we don't need a number 10.

AP is simply not good enough and whether he stays or goes, isn't a solution.

ESR could work there but the way he played last year, we can't go into this season relying on him in a key role. Also he can play out wide.

King is nowhere near having proved he can start in that position, so shouldn't be more than backup at this point.

It makes no sense to stick with poor/unreliable players in a key starting XI role just to leave a path open to a moderate prospect.

Look at our win against Liverpool, watch the full match and tell me AP isn't good enough again.

If it wasnt for AP there's no way we are winning that match.

I don't think many would suggest he doesn't have good games. But there's definitely question marks over his output in that role. Stats were 37 appearances, 2 goals, 7 assists. For that position, those stats aren't good enough. Season before, 44 appearances, 3 goals and 9 assists. This is from our set piece taker as well.

I rate him but he either needs to improve those stats, or we need to bring in player(s) to improve them for the team.

[Rambler]

There's so much contention around this topic but I really think we need to start getting on with things and doing some business, even if it is selling players like AP.

[StuinSalop]

Wilson can also play in the 10.

[Luka]

Strongly disagree we don't need a number 10.

AP is simply not good enough and whether he stays or goes, isn't a solution.

ESR could work there but the way he played last year, we can't go into this season relying on him in a key role. Also he can play out wide.

King is nowhere near having proved he can start in that position, so shouldn't be more than backup at this point.

It makes no sense to stick with poor/unreliable players in a key starting XI role just to leave a path open to a moderate prospect.

Look at our win against Liverpool, watch the full match and tell me AP isn't good enough again.

If it wasnt for AP there's no way we are winning that match.

I don't think many would suggest he doesn't have good games. But there's definitely question marks over his output in that role. Stats were 37 appearances, 2 goals, 7 assists. For that position, those stats aren't good enough. Season before, 44 appearances, 3 goals and 9 assists. This is from our set piece taker as well.

I rate him but he either needs to improve those stats, or we need to bring in player(s) to improve them for the team.

Players like AP have to be playing at 95% or over to perform very well. When they slip to 80% or below, which is most of the time, they look bang average.
That's why players, that look great at 80%, are the true elite.

[Willham]

Strongly disagree we don't need a number 10.

AP is simply not good enough and whether he stays or goes, isn't a solution.

ESR could work there but the way he played last year, we can't go into this season relying on him in a key role. Also he can play out wide.

King is nowhere near having proved he can start in that position, so shouldn't be more than backup at this point.

It makes no sense to stick with poor/unreliable players in a key starting XI role just to leave a path open to a moderate prospect.

Look at our win against Liverpool, watch the full match and tell me AP isn't good enough again.

If it wasnt for AP there's no way we are winning that match.

I don't think many would suggest he doesn't have good games. But there's definitely question marks over his output in that role. Stats were 37 appearances, 2 goals, 7 assists. For that position, those stats aren't good enough. Season before, 44 appearances, 3 goals and 9 assists. This is from our set piece taker as well.

I rate him but he either needs to improve those stats, or we need to bring in player(s) to improve them for the team.

Thank you, that was my whole point. O.P. said AP is simply not good enough. I was offering an example where he far exceeded 'good enough'

[FFC1987]

Strongly disagree we don't need a number 10.

AP is simply not good enough and whether he stays or goes, isn't a solution.

ESR could work there but the way he played last year, we can't go into this season relying on him in a key role. Also he can play out wide.

King is nowhere near having proved he can start in that position, so shouldn't be more than backup at this point.

It makes no sense to stick with poor/unreliable players in a key starting XI role just to leave a path open to a moderate prospect.

Look at our win against Liverpool, watch the full match and tell me AP isn't good enough again.

If it wasnt for AP there's no way we are winning that match.

I don't think many would suggest he doesn't have good games. But there's definitely question marks over his output in that role. Stats were 37 appearances, 2 goals, 7 assists. For that position, those stats aren't good enough. Season before, 44 appearances, 3 goals and 9 assists. This is from our set piece taker as well.

I rate him but he either needs to improve those stats, or we need to bring in player(s) to improve them for the team.

Thank you, that was my whole point. O.P. said AP is simply not good enough. I was offering an example where he far exceeded 'good enough'

I guess Angus would perhaps say, by not good enough, he meant across a season(s) though so selecting one game as a standard is misleading. The stats shown suggest he's fine as a 10 in an unambitious bottom half of the table side because he does bring other things than goals and assists to the team. But I do agree with the sentiment that unless Silva thinks hes can get more from him next year, or replace those losses in key stats in the aggregate of other players (maybe more goals from our 6/8) then Pereria is a decent squad player.

[JimmyConway]

Wilson can also play in the 10.

He probably can but not so sure he would be effective in that role. I lean towards the reliance he has towards the left foot would make him quite predictable in the No 10 role.

[Deeping_white]

Strongly disagree we don't need a number 10.

AP is simply not good enough and whether he stays or goes, isn't a solution.

ESR could work there but the way he played last year, we can't go into this season relying on him in a key role. Also he can play out wide.

King is nowhere near having proved he can start in that position, so shouldn't be more than backup at this point.

It makes no sense to stick with poor/unreliable players in a key starting XI role just to leave a path open to a moderate prospect.

Look at our win against Liverpool, watch the full match and tell me AP isn't good enough again.

If it wasnt for AP there's no way we are winning that match.

I don't think many would suggest he doesn't have good games. But there's definitely question marks over his output in that role. Stats were 37 appearances, 2 goals, 7 assists. For that position, those stats aren't good enough. Season before, 44 appearances, 3 goals and 9 assists. This is from our set piece taker as well.

I rate him but he either needs to improve those stats, or we need to bring in player(s) to improve them for the team.

Thank you, that was my whole point. O.P. said AP is simply not good enough. I was offering an example where he far exceeded 'good enough'

Is having one good game a season actually "good enough" though? He's meant to be a set piece expert but leaves us all scratching our heads most of the time, and his output from open play is and has always been turgid. That's before we even get onto the fact that his agent clearly does the rounds trying to get him a move every year which is quite disrespectful given we're the club that's finally given him a platform to show he's a competent PL player

[jayffc]

Even if we sold AP At CAM, we have:
ESR
King
Cairney (potentially)
Wilson (VERY good at that position where he plays for Wales)
Iwobi (some still to this day argue it's his better position)

CAM is just not the priority position even if we sell AP.

Assuming we bring:

1 CF
1 CM in the 8 position
1 LW
1 backup GK

at least.

Even just that would easily allow us to deploy Iwobi or Wilson Centrally IF ESR/King really didn't live up to expectation... with Wilson/Iwobi/Sess/Traore/Godo/A new winger, there's enough cover out wide to move one of the first 2 central into a position we know they are plenty good at to start in the prem...and that's as back up.

IF TC moves on you could maybe look at another signing sure, but forking out another 20+ mil there already? We can't moan about youth not getting a chance and then block their pathway to the first team imo. King needs minutes, I'm all up for him going on loan in theory but if you bring in someone else it's just ANOTHER person between him and the first team when he gets back. So not a position I'd spend big on until ESR has another season to prove if he can step up and fulfill his potential.

[jayffc]

Wilson can also play in the 10.

He probably can but not so sure he would be effective in that role. I lean towards the reliance he has towards the left foot would make him quite predictable in the No 10 role.

39 games at CAM in his career:

9 goals 7 assists

FWIW. He's very effective playing behind the striker for wales

[JimmyConway]

Wilson can also play in the 10.

He probably can but not so sure he would be effective in that role. I lean towards the reliance he has towards the left foot would make him quite predictable in the No 10 role.

39 games at CAM in his career:

9 goals 7 assists

FWIW. He's very effective playing behind the striker for wales

Out of interest is that premier league games or championship? I don't recall him playing to often as an central attacking midfield unless he has come on as sub and we are chasing a game.

[Coastwalker]

I thought this was a transfer rumours topic.
Come on Fulham,let's get someone in the door.

[irish_mike]

If I was Silva i would be feeling very unsupported.

Last year of his contract. Same old tardiness in the market that will hamstring him for the first few games of the season.

Penny for his thoughts although I think we can accurately picture

[alfie]

If I was Silva i would be feeling very unsupported.

Last year of his contract. Same old tardiness in the market that will hamstring him for the first few games of the season.

Penny for his thoughts although I think we can accurately picture

He is a big part of the recruitment, I'm sure he is fully aware of things.

[FFC007]

If I was Silva i would be feeling very unsupported.

Last year of his contract. Same old tardiness in the market that will hamstring him for the first few games of the season.

Penny for his thoughts although I think we can accurately picture

I think he'll be off at the end of the season. Khan won't spend money on players now if Silva is jumping ship at the end of the season. Chicken and the egg?

[FFC1987]

If I was Silva i would be feeling very unsupported.

Last year of his contract. Same old tardiness in the market that will hamstring him for the first few games of the season.

Penny for his thoughts although I think we can accurately picture

I think he'll be off at the end of the season. Khan won't spend money on players now if Silva is jumping ship at the end of the season. Chicken and the egg?

2+2=5