https://www.skysports.com/football/...agree-deal-for-southamptons-manolo-gabbiadini Not going to lie, but I’m a little disappointed we didn’t go for him with the fee being so low, and according to Sky his weekly wage being around £26k p/w. Especially as Sampdoria are doing it as a loan with option to buy. Knows the league and all that. By no-means am I Gabbiadini’s biggest fan on this forum, but with Okaka gone, and Gray clearly not in the plans anymore, I would have taken him.
Seems like I am not the only one who thinks Maupay (see #513) could be worth a shout, whether he is worth the sort of money Brentford want for him according to Sky Transfer Centre is another thing, who knows perhaps he is?
I think he's decidedly average.....which is probably a mark-up on our current strike force, but still not really good enough to push us forward. Let's be honest, if he's not good enough for Southampton, then why would he be good enough for us.
Can I ask why you think he's worth a shout? I presume you are going on the fact he's got a few goals in The Championship?
Yep. With Cucho, Joao Pedro, Stuparevic and Lukebakio all to come, and Penaranda already here - we should only be looking at strikers that we know will improve us greatly up front, as any player of quality less than that, will only be another roadblock to first team experience for the above mentioned names when they arrive. At transfer prices these days and especially in January, I’d rather just go to the end of the season with Deeney. The price for Gabbiadini is a decent one but I’m not convinced he isn’t a player that only suits Serie A.
I have so much time for our transfer model. I think it is considered, proportionate, sustainable and successful. I feel comfortably smug when I see boom and bust, short term catastrophux stratagem playing out at other clubs. But sometimes, I do wish during the transfer window that when I stumble onto the BBC sport page seeking momentary relief, I might see Watford linked with...well... anyone. I don't even think we need anyone. But the media can't even be bothered to make up baseless rumours about us any more.
Trying to get Ighalo in for the rest of the season would make sense, while waiting until we are joined by some of the above mentioned names in the summer!
The one thing we aren't short of right now is striker who can't score consistently at Premier League level Not sure what Igahlo adds to our squad that Deeney/Gray/Success don't ?
He is more likely to get goals than success is at the moment, all we would have to lose is a loan fee and wages!
Michy Batshuayi. https://twitter.com/HLNinEngeland/status/1083358238089850880 Javi could be the man for him!
If I was looking at championship goalscorers ,I would like Blackburns Bradley Dack. I think he could make the step up to the prem .
But would our clean-cut, manly squad want the addition of a northern Greebo (albeit one born in London)? Look at the way Danny Graham has turned out up there. Of course coming back to the balmier climes of the South, Dack may want to shed some of that mane....
Breaking news! BD was at Harry Potter World yesterday! And he doesn’t have children! See Lancashire Telegraph for full story.
Ah yes but it says on the gate that it's Warner Bros London, so he must have been looking at a London club.
I can't understand why there isn't so much interest in Gelson Martins. A real hard working player. Would much rather see this fella than Sema down the right.
Because he’d cost a lot in wages and I’m certain he’d be more attracted to other clubs like Wolves etc who are built up by the media as the attractive option. What’s more, the club I think (wrongfully) believe we are well set on the right of midfield with Sema and Hughes.
Jack Clarke at Leeds looks like he could be a long-term solution to our right-wing problems. Plays like a proper winger, young and English. I'd wager he'd already be an upgrade on Hughes and Sema. Doesn't seem likely that Leeds will sell just yet though, with Palace and Southampton having already had bids rejected this window. If he does go then the amount of interested clubs could unfortunately push the price above one which the Pozzos would consider. Anything below about £13mil though and we should be having a try.
Why would he leave massive Leeds to join little old Watford when he will be playing in the prem next year with Leeds ?
Yes but we aren't going to spend that amount for a player so young. Its pretty clear that when we sign young players, we do so for relatively small fee's and then blood them in around 21y/o+. Personally I think Wilmot should be blooded more and Dahlberg should be playing cup games but the club obviously don't see it that way. We just aren't a club that would spend £13m on an 18yr old because we wouldn't give him the game time to justify the fee. What I will agree on though is that we are wasting Hughes as a RW. The guy is clearly a class player but we run the risk of eroding that talent and belief by continuing to play him out of position where he looks out of place. We should be moulding him as a playmaker IMO and he should be the player to replace Doucoure when he goes.
Hughes doesn't have the legs or lungs to play well enough in a midfield two. I don't really see where he's good enough to warrant a regular starting spot for us tbh. As for the club's transfer strategy, yeah as I said I doubt they'd pay so much for a prospect, and for sure they could probably find some better value in the market somewhere else. However, I wouldn't put it past Clarke to be able to make the step-up well enough to get regular game time already, or at least in time for next season - I don't think he's much different in his level of development to David Brooks when he moved to Bournemouth last summer, for example. Also, regarding Wilmot, when he joined in the summer he seemed very lightweight for a CB so I'm not surprised that the club have been hesitant to play him yet. I think in general it's a bit easier for younger players to get game time in full-back, wide and attacking positions than at GK, CB and CM.
