It honestly wouldn't surprise me if he made a move for him. They're desperate, how desperate I don't know.
I can’t see us bringing in a new striker, even on loan, unless at least one of Deeney or Gray leaves. But if they do, Folarin Balogun (Arsenal) is someone we have to be looking at. Out of contract in the summer - I’d imagine he’d be available for around £5m, if we can convince him to join. Obviously that’s a fair whack, but if we can get Deeney or Gray’s wages off the bill, especially permanently, I don’t think that’s too unrealistic.
Sure. But if he wants to start regularly he will probably have to drop down to the Championship. If he wants to remain a well-remunerated fourth choice striker, he’s best off just staying at Arsenal surely?
Very true I wasn't looking at that angle tbh. Good valid points, plus he wouldn't need to move. Could have a similar effect as Brewster did at Swansea.
Maybe. Except in 6 months we won’t have been promoted if we don’t bring a striker in. Also ‘free transfers’ normally just mean similar amounts of cash goes to the player/agent rather than the club.
Lol, no chance (unless we get promoted in the summer, offer him a massive contract, and he's an idiot).
Another striker suggestion: Cauley Woodrow. Really good all round game, creative and a good goal threat. I think he could play well by himself or in a pair. Definitely unrealistic but hard to tell whether it would be merely implausible or as impossible as signing someone like Armstrong or Grimes. I know he was close to a cheap move away over the summer (£2m or so) but ended up staying and signing a new contract. I would imagine he’s in the £5-8m bracket now but not sure who we could get better at that price, if we are able to move Deeney or Gray on and splash some cash on a replacement. Local lad from Hemel Hempstead so that could add some pull too.
Probably would cost a fair whack tbf. Didn't his dad play for Watford too? Shame he started his career up the road!
Mentioned Ben Whiteman Fromm Doncaster as a Capoue replacement. Here he is compared to Chalobah Whiteman also has him beat for Clearances, Interceptions and Blocks.
Another suggestion. Giakoumakis, 26 ST - VVV-Venlo - only signed for them in August on a 2 year deal. Has got 10 goals and 1 assist in 14 games. Didn’t exactly set the Greek league alight but for some reason has found his feet in the Eredivisie. I’m sure he would jump at the opportunity to play for us. He is doing very well for a extremely poor side in VVV-Venlo. He is very good in the air. Strong and very difficult to knock off the ball. I have no doubt VVV- Venlo would accept a bid around £1mil. He’s a little bit of a donkey but he’s much better than Gray and Deeney. Plus he’s Greek, so we need him. Quick little highlight video that actually includes some of his worse bits.
Woodrow? No thanks - mid-table Championship is his level. Only 3 goals from open play this season, same as Cleverley. Would not be a good use of funds.
Can they sign him for free in 6 months? Capped at English youth level and Arsenal academy product. Surely that would go to tribunal if he signs for an English club? Either way, few rumours around that Liverpool are driving his huge wage demands as they want to take him in the summer.
Won't Brexit have made it as hard for German clubs to sign British youngsters as it is for British clubs to sign German youngsters? If so then as he has barely no youth international caps and 0 first team appearances it would be unlikely he'd qualify.
Heard earlier on Sky that the appeals process regarding work permits has been relaxed and that it won’t be hard to get work permits decisions overturned. Don’t know what that entails though or if it’s accurate.
My sources tell me that it will mean that the big clubs can still carry on signing anyone they want and everyone else can go whistle. *I have no sources but this is the way the game always works
Absolutely correct. This was mentioned when the new guidelines came out for English clubs signing U18s from abroad but wasn't really picked up on.
Strikers from the Eredivisie are always such a gamble and never work out unless they are absolutely elite
Won't it depend on each country's immigration system for third countries? Places like the Netherlands were always easier to get young South Americans in, hence why Ronaldo and Suarez and there first. I don't know what Germany's is like but would be easy enough to put young British players on a similar footing I'd have thought. Just because we've made it harder for EU players to come here, doesn't necessarily mean the same will be true the other way?
Having had a quick search, it seems there are pretty much zero barriers for 18+ footballers from outside Europe to get a work permit at Bundesliga clubs. BL clubs must have a minimum of 12 German players under contract, but beyond that there are basically no limits. The Belgian league also seems very easy to sign non-European players to. The Dutch league only has a stipulation that players from outside the EEA aged 18-19 must earn at least 75% of the average Eredivisie salary, and those aged 20+ must earn 150%+ of it
I definitely read somewhere - and German sides were picked out because of the large number of youngsters being plucked from English academies - other European countries would be hindered in their buying of U18s from here as our clubs will be for theirs. A quick search turns up this from The Mirror: Sancho and Bellingham both decided to join Borussia Dortmund aged 17 but the new rules prevent any Under 18s making cross-border moves. Rather unhelpfully it doesn't explain why. https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/how-brexit-impacts-transfer-market-23246689
Patrick Cutrone, who has been on loan at Fiorentina from Wolves is purported to be being recalled after starting no matches for the Italian side this year. Will be sold or loaned out again. Would be a very ambitious target but could work.
It's because FIFA rules already prevented international transfers of non-EU or EEA players to EU clubs before the age of 18 (e.g. we had to wait until Joao Pedro was 18 before he could join): https://en.derechosdelfutbol.com/transferencia-de-menores Now that Britain is outside the EU, the same rule now applies to its players if EU clubs want to sign them. However, as I said in my previous post, German clubs can hoover up 18+ players from anywhere. Folarin Balogun is 19.
My transfer suggestion is sign a competent central midfielder to replace Capoue seeing as they decided to let him leave on the middle of a supposed promotion push. Not sure how much the club read this thread though as I also said we should sign a left back in the 50+ days between Masina's injury and window closing...
I wondered if maybe Udinese can take him and then send us Okaka back (provided his latest injury hasn't ruined him).
