Tigres spent about £6m on Samir and I'm pretty sure I read on here have an average wage of £20k a week, which answers that question
I've not rated him in the Premier League in the last couple of seasons, especially not at left-back given he's right-footed, but I wonder if there's any chance Brandon Williams would come on loan to us at RB for 6 months to try and get up and running again? He's not had a sniff at Utd this season and will surely leave soon in some form or another.
Jan transfer plans - by position GK - Doubt we will see any movement here RB - Doubt we will see any movement here CB - Hause returned to Villa, replaced with someone on a perm LB - Could do with a back-up to Kamara, hope to see some movement CM - Kone already signed, could do with one more (Hughes?) L/RW - Martins on loan from Udinese ST - Fletcher recalled (and loaned out if anyone is stupid enough to take him), no further incomings (Manaj is now fit again) I make that 5 signings we have made / need to make. Clearly we have some money to spend going by the Kone fee - hopefully some goes towards the new CB.
I'd be surprised if we sign another CB - we have 4 senior ones for 2 spots. Hause was signed when we were intending to play with a back 3 under Edwards. WTE and Cathcart have actually been alright in recent games, and I've not given up on Sierralta. As I've said elsewhere, a decent RB is a much more urgent priority.
I think if we could get somebody of decent quality at the back I would take it. Look at our four centre backs, actual ability aside there is major concern about their fitness. We never seem to have them all available at one time. Right back we're not great but Gaspar suits the system we play under Bilic and should be ok. If and it 's a massive if, we managed to get Hughes on loan along with the signing of Kone, I'm not sure we would do much else. If not Hughes somebody of that ilk that can cover the absence of Louza
You have to plan for the PL, in case we get promoted this season or next. Currently we’d have to build from scratch at CB; why not sign someone now who could be a part of a PL back line? We’d have to sign a new RB in the summer too should we go up, but that wouldn’t be as difficult a task as re-tooling our entire CB department. Now is the time to sign a CB with high potential and bed them in.
Of course. I’m not suggesting a PL level CB. I’m suggesting a CB who with 6-18 months in the side would grow into a PL level CB. Sort of like Ahmedhodzic who Sheff Utd signed for £3m but a PL side would never have given him a starting spot and would have had question marks over his capacity to step up.
I liked the look of Cody Drameh when he was on loan at Cardiff. Much better imo of what we have now. A CB would be nice but can't see that happening.
He can't get a sniff atm at Leeds. Loan with option definitely if Hause is returning to Villa. He certainly looked ideal if he can reproduce his form at Cardiff.
Likewise a player who will be sure to be PL standard in 6-18 months won’t be cheap. If we gamble on someone who “might be”, you just know we’ll end up with another Pollock !
Gaspar can't start two games in a row and Ngakia can't stay fit, RB should absolutely be a priority next month. Just like it was in the summer.
I think £3-5m would be more than enough as the Ahmedhodzic example illustrates. Celtic signed Cameron Carter Vickers for a similar fee in the summer and that looked good value at the time and still does.
Christos Zafeiris deal is dead. Not been pursued in weeks apparently. Suggests Kone deal took priority.
Again - where are people getting this from?! He's been gash. He lost his place to Gosling ffs, who was comfortably better. And even if he was decent, which he's not, he needs to be subbed at 55-60mins every game for another RB because he's always finished.
If we could get a very decent right back that was at the very least proven at the top end of the championship then yes, I just don't want us to gamble on a position where we have two players already. I still feel a quality centre back would be a better avenue to follow but we all know our record in this department!
While. I understand that forward planning is beneficial, it's simply because signing a CB who'll also be good in the Premier League while you're still only in the Championship and also relatively skint would be very difficult and highly unlikely. It makes us using two loan spots on Kamara and Martins such a shame, as it's usually a bit easier to bring in extra quality on loan.
It's only my point of view. Wing back didn't suit him, four at the back maybe be better suited for him. Not a player I've given up on. I also wouldn't say Gosling was comfortably better at all but admittedly that doesn't say much!
Presume plenty of teams have gambled on players for £3-5m and seen them fail to make the grade ? Otherwise all £3-5m players would be worth £15m
I think playing in the Championship offers an opportunity for us to play players who are good enough but need a runway to take off and show their quality. The PL has such a high floor to get into starting XIs that many excellent players never get an opportunity. There are lots of players who will make the grade if given a chance to do so. Look at Antonee Robinson or Tosin at Fulham. They are average or even above average PL defenders but would never have been signed by Fulham in the PL. But they are now important parts of a PL lineup because they were given the chance to grow in the Championship. But we don’t need someone to come in and be a good CB for us in the Championship for 6 months. Our defenders are passable for the level. The problem is if we get promoted and have to buy a whole back line that will then have to adjust to the environment in a totally ungelled back line in an unforgiving PL environment. Tosin, Ahmedhodzic are two CBs signed by championship clubs in recent years for £3m or less that took or tasking the trajectory as described. I don’t think it’s that hard if we have the cash. I didn’t think we did but we’ve just dropped a big chunk of change on Kone so...
Nit-picking (I agree with your wider point) - but Antonee Robinson and Tosin Adarabioyo were bought by Fulham in the PL.
Thanks. Good flag. Still think they are the example of the kinds of players a top championship side actually has more scope to go for than a bottom half PL side and we need to capitalise on that.
If we want to hoard yet more international goalkeepers, both the Croatian keeper Livakovic (27, Dinamo Zagreb) and Dutch keeper Noppert (28, Heerenveen) have both been class this tournament. It wouldn't be a surprise if they both get moves soon off the back of this. (I'm aware both would likely be out of reach for the Championship)
That's certainly the type of move a Croatian football journalist interviewed on the radio not long after the final whistle in the Brazil game suggested.
He's already playing regularly at that sort of level (albeit in a weaker team), so it would make sense
Jacque Talbot @jac_talbot Some minor Watford news: hear that the ambition will be to bring in first-team recruits in January. Been some names mentioned in the media already and appears that stands up. Could be some small backroom shuffling as well. Particularly in defence.
