We need starters not squad players though! There is no guarantee that any of these players will make the grade and non of them will come cheaply. Tammy Abraham could be the next Patrick Bamford or Luke Garbutt for all we know.
Besides why would Chalobah move from being on loan all the time to come to us and do the same?
Exactly.
As it stands, I'd say we need players to come in to the starting XI in the following positions:
- Goalkeeper (i.e. anybody except Robles or Stek, for the sake of argument, Heaton)
- Centre-back (i.e. Keane, VVD)
- Left forward/attacking mid/playmaker (i.e. Sig)
That's as it stands, with the players we currently have available and going with our usual 4-3-3 style system.
Now, you then factor in the European football element, and back-ups etc.
- Striker (Valencia may well stay but isn't a back-up No.9), we could do with a player who can come in and do a good job anywhere across the front-line and chip in with 10 goals at least over the course of the season
- Centre-back - Suppose it depends on who if any of the current lot are sold, but we need 4 good CBs who are ready to play in either a 3 or a 4 at the back. Holgate and Pennington are of course CBs, but Pennington just doesn't seem good enough yet to be relied on if needed for a sustainable amount of time. Holgate will be playing RB a lot due to Seamus' injury.
- Left-back - Somebody to come in who would perhaps be a rotation option but who will obviously play a lot of games and has the quality to not mean we miss Baines.
I think those six, realistically, are the key areas. Three for the starting XI and three as squad options.
You could add in as possibilities:
- Right-back - Seamus is gonna be out until Xmas at least, so we may need cover. However, I think RK will give Holgate and Kenny the chances in pre-season to show they can cover it between them.
- Winger - An alternative for Bolasie perhaps.
However, that's with the squad staying pretty much in the state it is at the moment, which it probably won't do.