Summer Silly Season Transfer Thread 2025

[JimmyConway]

Read Douglas Luiz likely to be on the market! We've been linked before and if ever there was a player who could take us up a few more notches it's him. Statement signing he would be though likely a few further up the food chain than us?
Perhaps offer him Captaincy as opposed to midweek European football next season might tilt it our way???

He's an excellent player no question, however it would be a bit like the Palhinha conundrum (if we were to re-sign him) in that you couldn't play Berge, Lukic and Luiz together. That would mean rotation or benching one of them and I just don't quite see that working.
To my mind the midfield priority should be signing an upgrade on AP, I feel he has too many weaknesses and contributes too few assists or goals. I know ESR could be that person but he isn't there yet and anyway with TC at or near retirement I feel we need more strength in attacking mid field.

I was looking at him replacing either Lukic or Berge! Think there are question marks on both especially if played together. He is two or three grades above them two. Just based if we are going improve further next season then you are going to need more quality in central midfield. Would be a big ask to pin all our hopes on King at his age?

[Twig]

Read Douglas Luiz likely to be on the market! We've been linked before and if ever there was a player who could take us up a few more notches it's him. Statement signing he would be though likely a few further up the food chain than us?
Perhaps offer him Captaincy as opposed to midweek European football next season might tilt it our way???

He's an excellent player no question, however it would be a bit like the Palhinha conundrum (if we were to re-sign him) in that you couldn't play Berge, Lukic and Luiz together. That would mean rotation or benching one of them and I just don't quite see that working.
To my mind the midfield priority should be signing an upgrade on AP, I feel he has too many weaknesses and contributes too few assists or goals. I know ESR could be that person but he isn't there yet and anyway with TC at or near retirement I feel we need more strength in attacking mid field.

I was looking at him replacing either Lukic or Berge! Think there are question marks on both especially if played together. He is two or three grades above them two. Just based if we are going improve further next season then you are going to need more quality in central midfield. Would be a big ask to pin all our hopes on King at his age?

Well if he is bought to replace Berge or Lukic then we are still pinning a lot of hope on King who is far more of an attacking player surely? I tend to agree that Luiz would be an upgrade on Lukic or Berger, although less so on his form in Italy, but is the degree of upgrade worth £30-35mil (especially at age 27)?

[Angus Telford]

Just thinking about Cherki as an example where the club were ambitious, but not ambitious enough.

It may be he never would have come to us, but I bet we still were offering £70/80K a week rather than £120-150K a week. If we got him for that £20m last Summer and he stayed fit, I reckon we at least get Europa League, and then we'd be selling him this Summer for a massive profit.

All reports said he wasn't interested in coming to Fulham, period, he'd come off the back off a hot and cold season, no one was offering him 120k last summer ...never sounded like the issue was personal terms, He backed himself to play at a higher level and it's paid off.

He had a great impact off the bench on his France debut last night; scored a beautiful volley from outside the box into the top corner, then sent in an inch perfect cross for France's 4th. The Cherki ship has sailed.

Supposedly on his way to Citeh, so definitely out of our league. However, it shows our scouting was reasonably sharp to have identified him as the prior year with Lyon was not his greatest, if anything this year he really only turned it on after Xmas.

Cherki had already been in around the Lyon first team for several years, getting progressively better year on year. It's good that we're targeting young, quality players like that but I don't think it says anything about our scouting (or lack thereof). We probably need to be more imaginative still.

[JimmyConway]

Hudson-Odoi apparently looking to leave Forest? Will we rekindle interest? By all accounts we were very close a couple of years ago and for whatever reason he ended up there. Bit of an injury prone type again though? I like him but not sure if he is consistent enough over a season though you could say that about many wide players.

Out of interest if you had the choice between Hudson-Odoi or Nelson to sign who would you take considering all their strengths weaknesses and injury record?
Think I would go Hudson-Odoi.

[jayffc]

Hudson-Odoi apparently looking to leave Forest? Will we rekindle interest? By all accounts we were very close a couple of years ago and for whatever reason he ended up there. Bit of an injury prone type again though? I like him but not sure if he is consistent enough over a season though you could say that about many wide players.

Out of interest if you had the choice between Hudson-Odoi or Nelson to sign who would you take considering all their strengths weaknesses and injury record?
Think I would go Hudson-Odoi.

Nelson if doctors are confident he's past his issues. More rounded game.

Forest fan mate thinks Hudson a bit of a one trick pony,albeit a good trick when its working (cut in and curl it far post)

[Tabby]

Same trick that Robben did, but I don't think CHO is anywhere neat as good at it.

[irish_mike]

Blimey.

EXCLUSIVE] The Telegraph reports:

Manchester City are ready to make a move Marcus Bettinelli, Chelsea's third-choice goalkeeper, following the departure of long-serving cult hero Scott Carson.

[MickTheBeard]

You would think city would use a development goalkeeper for 3rd choice or buy a promising youngster from a smaller club if true that really is a lack of effort from city

[Deeping_white]

You would think city would use a development goalkeeper for 3rd choice or buy a promising youngster from a smaller club if true that really is a lack of effort from city

The problem there is that younger players are usually more ambitious and want to make a name/career - Carson has basically never played and he's been quite happy getting splinters and collecting tens of thousands per week for the privilege, as is Betts by the looks of it. Comfiest job in the world being third choice and knowing you'll never get a game and being a home grown statistic

[Coastwalker]

Ma

Blimey.

EXCLUSIVE] The Telegraph reports:

Manchester City are ready to make a move Marcus Bettinelli, Chelsea's third-choice goalkeeper, following the departure of long-serving cult hero Scott Carson.
[/quot

Made a mess of his career going to Walham Green to sit on the bench.
Could do a job as regular keeper in the Championship.

[Tabby]

He is probably earning more than he would as a championship gk and might be looking to follow his father into coaching goalkeepers, which is essentially what he is doing now.

[JimmyConway]

Cherki signing for Man.City £40m euros.

[Tabby]

Bologna allegedly looking at signing Berge, not sure where they'd get the money from. Earned a fair wad last season but they spent even more the season before.

[MickTheBeard]

Ma

Blimey.

EXCLUSIVE] The Telegraph reports:

Manchester City are ready to make a move Marcus Bettinelli, Chelsea's third-choice goalkeeper, following the departure of long-serving cult hero Scott Carson.
[/quot

Made a mess of his career going to Walham Green to sit on the bench.
Could do a job as regular keeper in the Championship.

[Craven Mad]

Bologna allegedly looking at signing Berge, not sure where they'd get the money from. Earned a fair wad last season but they spent even more the season before.

Think they got a European spot, which should give them a bit more spending money...

Hope it's not true though. I like Berge a lot.

[MickTheBeard]

It's funny his dad doesn't work for fulham anymore his contract ran out last season not the one just finished the one before was at charlton i dont know whether he still is as goalkeeping development coach.

[Tabby]

Bologna allegedly looking at signing Berge, not sure where they'd get the money from. Earned a fair wad last season but they spent even more the season before.

Think they got a European spot, which should give them a bit more spending money...

Hope it's not true though. I like Berge a lot.

Could only see it happening if they spend in the £30-35 million range, which seems unlikely.

[Craven Mad]

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/harvey-elliott-makes-emotional-liverpool-31814928

Harvey Elliot has basically announced he's leaving Liverpool. I know he didn't leave us on the best of terms, but he was just a kid then and I think he'd be an excellent replacement for AP.

[AJW48361]

Think he is a tidy player not sure we are he's preferred choice.

[alfie]

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/harvey-elliott-makes-emotional-liverpool-31814928

Harvey Elliot has basically announced he's leaving Liverpool. I know he didn't leave us on the best of terms, but he was just a kid then and I think he'd be an excellent replacement for AP.

I know he left on bad vibes, but all he ever wanted was to play for Liverpool, he and his family have supported them forever. He apologised for the things said, he was a young kid and was not good with diplomacy, I would take him, most people deserve a second chance.