9 days to go...
Tick Tock...
Need to decide if we are gonna let Beto go asap. Player wants to leave, being honest he's been that messed around feel like it's arl arse keeping him when he's clearly not wanted here just as imagined cover. A loan with a few million fee and obligation which sees us roughly break even on PSR is all we can hope for really.
Similarly if Keane has a permanent move available, let him go even if it's just a nominal fee involved like 500k, his wages alone save the club around 1.7m now over his remaining contract.
Sort out with Chelsea asap the Broja loan situation, the facts aren't changing, Chelsea aren't the ones needing anything from this really (they're getting paid regardless) (any loan we might want from them they'd get another team to do anyways) so we either accept their terms or forget about it, trying to haggle with someone who has zero incentive to reduce their demands is just wasting time.
Get those three things sorted fast, and at least we will have the exact figures of what we can work with on incomings.
Right now there's the real possibility everything is hanging on those deals before we decided to make offers as we want to maximise what's available and are unsure ourselves - especially so the loan situation as it's require is making a payment on Broja AND presumably a loan fee for another - so is delaying any other deals until we know what the cost 'if any' is of that business.
Any players from promotion battling teams in the championship we should by now know for certain if they will entertain any offers, if not then let's not waste time 'trying' as again it's peeing against the wind.
The thing about waiting late on until prices drop, only works if the selling club wants rid, otherwise it's the opposite effect, also with our clubs very apparent needs to bring players in the later we wait the more the selling club will know we have placed ourselves over a barrel in terms of time remaining to conduct deals.
If finances allow then agree to Chelsea's terms get a useless player out and bring a useful player into the engine room which we are clearly needing. Again if finances allow, City have just spent 70m on a number 10, they also have there highest rated youngster back in training finally in Oscar Bobb - who was featuring heavily in pre season and touted as their breakout youngster this season, make them a serious offer for Mcatee (basically pay what they want - City don't and have zero need to haggle over prices - you pay it you don't) and make agreements with the lads representatives about playing time and his central role in a summer rebuild - it's an opportunity we won't have again and very doable.
Sort out the spine of the team ensuring we don't start dying on our feet after 60 minutes every week.
I'm sure this is exactly what we are doing
Sort the rest of our needs out during the summer. Focus on the championship players also during the summer when those who stay down will likely have to move on players rather than now when they are all trying to get to the golden goose of promotion and so won't want to risk losing guys.
Moyes has always been able to organise a defence for me that area is less a priority - we have enough there he can make do this season already (the use of O'Brien as a makeshift RB, Lindstrom as a kinda wingback/inverted winger reminded me if just how good notes is at finding ways to make a solid unit out of what he has available. He'll likely find a use for McNeil back there too no doubt and Garner provides additional utility if needed back there.
Up front I just don't think January we can strengthen there, we aren't getting better than DCL, anyone brought in will know they are a backup, and we'll be ragged on price again for a mediocre player cone the summer we won't really want anymore. Ride our luck with DCL and if the first happens hopefully Chermiti is back by then or we run with Ndiaye as a false 9 or trust an academy lad up there.
Not a joking around post like yesterday's btw, but a serious look at what we should and could do this window.
Let go of a couple of players who want out now and a broken one, bring in two young players who are desperate to play and know the English game well so can hit the ground running.
