January Transfer Window 2026

[Eggs]

…..when a player like Dibling fails to have an impact, it’s easiest to blame the Manager, especially when you’ve predicted he’s the next great thing.

Lots of factors could be at play here, only time will tell if it’s been a good piece of business or not but I’d assume he’s been disappointing for whatever reason.

 

[Marius57]

2 reasons for you;

1: https://www.transfermarkt.com/richarlison/verletzungen/spieler/378710

2: He's 29 in may and only going one way.

He has played over 20 games already this season and hasn’t been injured.

Going one way? You mean continuing to score goals at the top level at a better rate than he did with us?

 

[blueboy72]

We need players now not 12/18 months

Would you rather have a good first right back rather than a £40m winger who can't get a look in?

Dibling will come good but Moyes knows he can't blood players when we have real pressure for places.

Mykolenko and O'Brien are just painful to watch, we are slow enough but having these two constantly passing backwards when we have to attack is killing us.

Robinson had a bad injury but 28 year old who could give us 5 years of first choice football.

Toney on loan would make sense but I am not a huge fan of him or the return of Richarlison which seems to be the copy and paste standard transfer link at the moment

Toney, Robinson, mctominay ( very unlikely I know) but mentioning him as he was linked
Last week. Them 3 are 29/30 and would cost us in fees and wages probably over 150mil and we will be stuck with them,
Into thier mid 30’s There’s no doubt they’d kick us up the league, but we’d need champions league money to justify it.

We can’t buy for Moyes imo, because he’s not a long term appointment. Yes maybe one of them is a good idea. Maybe Toney. And then you go for younger full backs, not Asnou age, but 22 to 25.

 

[Marcus Kendall]

…..when a player like Dibling fails to have an impact, it’s easiest to blame the Manager, especially when you’ve predicted he’s the next great thing.

Lots of factors could be at play here, only time will tell if it’s been a good piece of business or not but I’d assume he’s been disappointing for whatever reason.

Hard to make an impact being a 10 minute substitute, hows he meant to get into any rhythm for starters?

 

[blueboy72]

Why do we need players for right now?

Obviously, some want to see the club splashing out this season on players who can deliver today.

But what are they delivering? A few places up the league - fine but to what end?

In the summer when we look back, are the likes of Grealish and perhaps Robinson, Richarlison and Toney going to be hailed OR, and this is most likely...

...are we going to complain about a lack of funds to sign players to be building a squad? Robinson will be 29 in the summer, signing him is madness.

Just in midfield Moyes has signed frequent crock Rohl for £17.5mil, KDH as a 10 for £25-30mil and wanted Soucek, McGinn and today hes said he wanted...

...Jacob Ramsey at £40mil ??? But he chose Newcastle over Everton (praise Zeus).

A good player but frequently injured since 2023. https://www.transfermarkt.com/jacob-ramsey/verletzungen/spieler/503749

£40million.

Why not complain about signing KDH and using him as a 10? Why not complain about signing crock Rohl or donkey Travers?

Now, to answer your initial question, would I prefer to have a 19 year old England u21 international with a very high ceiling over 2 full backs?

Well that depends on whether those full backs are Kenny Tete & Antonee Robinson OR the next Lewis Hall & Tino Livramento who cost £75mil combined.

At this stage of a rebulld, it doesnt particularly matter what positions top young talent are signed in.

We could sign the next Rio Ferdinand at 18 + the next John Stones at 19 this January for example - would I prefer that to 2 full backs who are only good in the short term and have had bad and/or frequent injuries?

The answer is obvious. The squad needs a full youthful quality makeover, not a short term injection.

I’d disagree about Rhol, think he will turn out to be a top player

 

[Zatara]

He has played over 20 games already this season and hasn’t been injured.

Going one way? You mean continuing to score goals at the top level at a better rate than he did with us?

Do you not think a player who is now picking up frequent injuries is a ticking time bomb? Do you not think scoring for Spurs is a bit different to scoring for Everton?

I think i was the 1st person on the forum to talk about signing him when he was at Watford. When others were slating him for not scoring there I said he was being used in a deeper role on the left for them 2nd half of their season.

Ive always been a big fan. But that time has passed.

We need to be signing the next Richarlison or the next Rivaldo or Ronaldo.

 

[Zatara]

Toney, Robinson, mctominay ( very unlikely I know) but mentioning him as he was linked
Last week. Them 3 are 29/30 and would cost us in fees and wages probably over 150mil and we will be stuck with them,
Into thier mid 30’s There’s no doubt they’d kick us up the league, but we’d need champions league money to justify it.

We can’t buy for Moyes imo, because he’s not a long term appointment. Yes mane one of them is a good idea. Maybe Toney. And then you go for younger full backs, not Asnou age, but 22 to 25.

Its just money down the toilet for 2 or 3 years of use. Madness.

We had the option to sign players 21-24 in Jan and last summer who have now shown themselves to be quality players.

Wesley, Kayode & Truffert. Moyes didnt want them and stopped deals for the former and the latter last Jan.

Instead we were after Soucek, McGinn, Ramsey, Rohl and KDH.

I’d disagree about Rhol, think he will turn out to be a top player

For how many games a season?

He's never played even half a seasons worth of minutes in any top flight division.

He's not starting that now in a faster more physical league.

 

[Eggs]

Hard to make an impact being a 10 minute substitute, hows he meant to get into any rhythm for starters?

….totally disagree, a young lad should be desperate to get on the pitch and impress. He started against Palace in the league and disappointed.

Easy to make excuses, I’m sure they’re doing lots of work with him behind the scenes and ultimately it’s up to him. I’d be 100% sure Moyes would love him to be making a real impact, it’s just a nonsense to think otherwise.

Anyway, bit of a Groundhog Day discussion for the Dibling thread.

 

[Marcus Kendall]

….totally disagree, a young lad should be desperate to get on the pitch and impress. He started against Palace in the league and disappointed.

Easy to make excuses, I’m sure they’re doing lots of work with him behind the scenes and ultimately it’s up to him. I’d be 100% sure Moyes would love him to be making a real impact, it’s just a nonsense to think otherwise.

Anyway, bit of a Groundhog Day discussion for the Dibling thread.

I think you're misunderstanding human psychology Eggs, if you know your boss will only give you a few minutes here and there or in Aznou's case no minutes at all you're not going to be as motivated as someone who knows they'll play no matter what. You also have to factor in a player like Dibling will play it safe rather than take risks as he knows he doesn't have the trust of his manager. There's many cases of players 'underperforming' for some managers but playing to their potential for others

 

[Eggs]

I think you're misunderstanding human psychology Eggs, if you know your boss will only give you a few minutes here and there or in Aznou's case no minutes at all you're not going to be as motivated as someone who knows they'll play no matter what. You also have to factor in a player like Dibling will play it safe rather than take risks as he knows he doesn't have the trust of his manager. There's many cases of players 'underperforming' for some managers but playing to their potential for others

….sorry, I think that’s a total nonsense but we’ll have to agree to disagree

 

[MikeH72]

I’d disagree about Rhol, think he will turn out to be a top player

A good start would be stringing two weeks of training sessions together.

 

[Zatara]

I think you're misunderstanding human psychology Eggs, if you know your boss will only give you a few minutes here and there or in Aznou's case no minutes at all you're not going to be as motivated as someone who knows they'll play no matter what. You also have to factor in a player like Dibling will play it safe rather than take risks as he knows he doesn't have the trust of his manager. There's many cases of players 'underperforming' for some managers but playing to their potential for others

I havent read their post but what you've written here is simple common sense.

Anyone who has ever worked in business for example will know that when you keep young people on the sidelines they become demotivated and eventually leave.

However, when you give them opportunities, praise them and offer them additional training they become highly motivated and can become long term members of the team. Improving year on year.

In the case of Alcaraz, Dibling & Aznou it is extremely obvious what will be happening in terms of their mindset unless things change for each of them by the end of the January transfer window.

Incredibly poor management. Incredibly poor targets Moyes wanted in the summer.

Tide is beginning to turn against having Moyes past this season.

 

[Marcus Kendall]

….sorry, I think that’s a total nonsense but we’ll have to agree to disagree

When I played football for my school I was better than a player who was picked ahead of me. I knew the teacher knew this and was picking the other player because he was best friends with the captain of the team. When I came on as sub in those games I didn't bust a gut because I knew no matter what he wouldn't play me next game anyway. When I played for my college team (I did sport and recreation as my course) the teacher watched me training and pulled me aside and told me that I was the best player whilst analysing us and therefore I made it my mission to prove his judgement right. It's amazing what the right motivation can do to the level of a person's performance as we all need confirmation of our self belief

 

[Marcus Kendall]

I havent read their post but what you've written here is simple common sense.

Anyone who has ever worked in business for example will know that when you keep young people on the sidelines they become demotivated and eventually leave.

However, when you give them opportunities, praise them and offer them additional training they become highly motivated and can become long term members of the team. Improving year on year.

In the case of Alcaraz, Dibling & Aznou it is extremely obvious what will be happening in terms of their mindset unless things change for each of them by the end of the January transfer window.

Incredibly poor management. Incredibly poor targets Moyes wanted in the summer.

Tide is beginning to turn against having Moyes past this season.

Superb post Zat

 

[DualityNSNO]

When I played football for my school I was better than a player who was picked ahead of me. I knew the teacher knew this and was picking the other player because he was best friends with the captain of the team. When I came on as sub in those games I didn't bust a gut because I knew no matter what he wouldn't play me next game anyway. When I played for my college team (I did sport and recreation as my course) the teacher watched me training and pulled me aside and told me that I was the best player whilst analysing us and therefore I made it my mission to prove his judgement right. It's amazing what the right motivation can do to the level of a person's performance as we all need confirmation of our self belief

Well that does make sense, but have you scored at Old Trafford 50 years ago? Exactly, check mate.