Needs for the next couple of transfer windows

[Winci]

I know it's very very early to start talking about transfer targets but, it's still fun to think about the possibilities now that we have some money to spend.

Looking at the squad after this first few games we can see what our needs are for this season and next. For this season we could do with another winger and another CM, on paper Mirallas, Pienaar, Deulofeu and Naismith doesn't sound to bad but the reality is Naismith is not a winger and Delboy, for all his potential, doesn't look ready as of right now, maybe in a couple of month it'll be another story. Another winger with pace would be ideal.

CM is similar, we only got Gibson (always injured), McCarthy, Barry and Osman... Gibson won't last a hole season, Barry is on loan and even if we bring him back on a permanent how much years does he have in him of top level football? Osman as good a servant as he has been he is not good enough to even be 4th choice. Another CM, be it a DMid, box to box or a Playmaker would really help us.

Next season assuming we'll sign Barry we'll need only one more CM, a CB to eventually replace Distin, a Striker to replace Lukaku and a winger or 2 to replace Delboy and move Naismith down the pecking order.

Possible targets could be Fernando, Clasie, Martins-Indi, Will Hughes, Tom Ince, Honda, McGeady (he'll be cheap and he is not as bad as some think) and a bunch of Belgian kids like Massimo Bruno, Lestiene, Thorgan Hazard, Mpoku, Batshuayi and Vossen.

 

[toffeemax]

Got Barkley in the middle as well. Think there's a couple of decent young CMs coming through as well, conor grant being one? Agree though tht with Pienaar injured one wing does seem alot less potent, as good as Naisy has been this season.

 

[Zatara]

Martins indi + will hughes for me in january. Brought in for the rest of the season which gives them time to settle in.

Wingers/forwards cost a fortune so this dependa on the new tv money.

 

[tommye]

Christ almighty.......it's started already

 

[Winci]

It would be great if some of our youth players could step up to the first team but I honestly think most of them will take a bit more time than Barkley and Stones. The biggest thing is to build good squad depth, that's the biggest difference between us and MU, MC, Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea.

Roberto has done a good job building some much needed depth, now we have got to improve it by signing more quality players.

By next summer we are supposed to have at least 15M plus whatever we get from the new TV deal, that's assuming we don't spend anything on January.

If we do some smart business like going after players on the last year of their contract like Fernando, Honda, Barry and McGeady, and go after talented players who are down the pecking order at their clubs just like we did with Barry, Lukaku and Delulofeu, we could actually do alot in terms of building squad depth with the 15M or so we could have. Hardest thing will be finding a top striker, Batshauyi is one we could take a chance with as he looks a very talented player with good pace and strength.

 

[toffeeben15]

We are still quite away from the finished product but if we do have money to spend then we should do this.
January we should get another centre mid and another winger. I would go with fernando who we were linked with before . He will have 6 month left on contract so we could get him for about 7 million. Next I would buy a winger as we don't really have the quality when pienaar is injured . Spend around 5-7m. We would be stupid not go try and get Honda as he is free.

In the summer we need a striker and a centre back. We should get rid of jelavic and heitinga so we should have some funds plus the tv money. If we are still in for champions league then I would use every penny for lukuka

 

[Dixies60]

Not sure why anyone would think we need another centre midfield player.

A wide player is needed for me.

More importantly we need to see if we can off load Heitinga and Jelavic who are not in the managers plans are taking up over £100k a week in wages.

 

[Groucho]

A bit premature in my opinion, let's enjoy this season first.

But strikers, strikers and more strikers.

 

[Zatara]

Not sure why anyone would think we need another centre midfield player.

A wide player is needed for me.

More importantly we need to see if we can off load Heitinga and Jelavic who are not in the managers plans are taking up over £100k a week in wages.

McCarthy - Quality
Osman - Past it
Gibson - Injury prone
Barry - On loan.

So we have those 4 competing for 2 positions behind Barkley....one of them McCarthy slots in nicely and Gibson is probably going to be backup for him and be nursed into games. Barry is on loan for the season and needs backup or a longer term replacement.....that could be Lundstram or a new player.


EDIT -- I guess you could say at the end of this season we will have McCarthy and Gibson who are up to it.....and Gibson is injury prone so we actually need 2 more central midfielders.

 

[Dixies60]

So we have for this season Barry and McCarthy as first choice and Gibson as a back up and we also have Osman.
For the attacking position we have Barkley and Pienaar, Im not sure if you are aware but we are not a club that spends a lot of money so another centre midfield player is well down the list of priorites.

 

[Zodiak2]

I'd rather save any money we have in January, and add it to any funds we get in the summer and go all out for a quality replacment for Lukaku, or try for the man himself.

It shouldn't be underestimated just how vital a top quality front man is.

 

[Dixies60]

Exactky, we have always had good players but a quality striker could be the difference between seventh and fourth.

 

[Mogwai]

Exactky, we have always had good players but a quality striker is the difference between seventh and fourth.

Fixed...

 

[toffeeben15]

We need a midfielder because that's we're we got overrun yesterday. Without Barry we are lacking that steel that mcCarthy gives us . As long as we can get rid of the deadwood we should be able to afford one without using the money for a striker

 

[Coach]

I'd rather save any money we have in January, and add it to any funds we get in the summer and go all out for a quality replacment for Lukaku, or try for the man himself.

It shouldn't be underestimated just how vital a top quality front man is.

Totally agree with this but think it will be taken out of our hands when Baines goes to United in Jan and we need to buy a new LB.