25 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

Clearly we're all forgetting our own generational talent

LOL

Pretty sure they've already given up on Datro Fofana, Washington, Broja, Richards, Morgan and probably Mheuka too, Plus McNeilly already half way out the door due to not signing their new contract at the drop of a hat.

They'll probably sign the big striker at Strasbourg.

Or Sesko for way more than he's worth (don't see any Sesko mentions in those posts Sconnie quoted!)

Or job already done with that 16 year old Kazakh kid (Satpaev) LOL

Sesko is still my preferred choice given his profile, but they can f**k off with that release clause.

5 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

LOL

Pretty sure they've already given up on Datro Fofana, Washington, Broja, Richards, Morgan and probably Mheuka too, Plus McNeilly already half way out the door due to not signing their new contract at the drop of a hat.

They'll probably sign the big striker at Strasbourg.

Or Sesko for way more than he's worth (don't see any Sesko mentions in those posts Sconnie quoted!)

Or job already done with that 16 year old Kazakh kid (Satpaev) LOL

Can really see the Strasbourg lad coming tbh.

37 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

Can really see the Strasbourg lad coming tbh.

Best fit for the "model" !

Leveraging the multi-club ; Control of the fee and the wages ; accountancy fiddles for PSR purposes on both sides ; etc etc

Jackson's fans will be delighted that Emegha's offside awareness is also rated as "weak" LOL so we should get some continuity of moaning. He is also only 22nd percentile for Aerials, which is surprising for a big lad of 195cm. Doesn't take penalties, and well rated for his "non-penalty" goals. Basically, he's got Nico clone written all over him LOL

14 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Best fit for the "model" !

Leveraging the multi-club ; Control of the fee and the wages ; accountancy fiddles for PSR purposes on both sides ; etc etc

Jackson's fans will be delighted that Emegha's offside awareness is also rated as "weak" LOL so we should get some continuity of moaning. He is also only 22nd percentile for Aerials, which is surprising for a big lad of 195cm. Doesn't take penalties, and well rated for his "non-penalty" goals. Basically, he's got Nico clone written all over him LOL

Yep Sh*t and Sh*tter

Just now, WhiteWall said:

Yep Sh*t and Sh*tter

Of all the options out there, and considering the DNA of BlueCo signings to date, I like Sesko and Delap the best, as they seem to outscore their xG, which is indicative of some actual quality that might flourish with more chances to work with. Sesko possibly too expensive, but paying large fees hasn't put our owners off to date ! I do like the aerial threat as we don't have any of that currently ...

Edited May 12, 20251 yr by Sexyfootball

13 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Of all the options out there, and considering the DNA of BlueCo signings to date, I like Sesko and Delap the best, as they seem to outscore their xG, which is indicative of some actual quality that might flourish with more chances to work with. Sesko possibly too expensive, but paying large fees hasn't put our owners off to date ! I do like the aerial threat as we don't have any of that currently ...

If we go on stats alone which is always dodgy when you can't take into account the quality of the opposition or the strength of the league, but taking all that into account, going by George Benson on YT today statistically Osimhen is the guy. Fits on all the metrics that we need and the complete opposite of idiot boy.

However he is just about the money and financially is once again pricing himself out of any reasonable move to any major club in the PL or Europe

Instead of going to Palace to buy Guehi we should instead buy Munoz and Mateta

32 minutes ago, Caps_Lock_King said:

Instead of going to Palace to buy Guehi we should instead buy Munoz and Mateta

I'd have Eze, that's for sure. Always rated him tbh

If it is the Strasbourg chap it would be amusing if Jackson goes the other way.

18 hours ago, WhiteWall said:

If we go on stats alone which is always dodgy when you can't take into account the quality of the opposition or the strength of the league, but taking all that into account, going by George Benson on YT today statistically Osimhen is the guy. Fits on all the metrics that we need and the complete opposite of idiot boy.

However he is just about the money and financially is once again pricing himself out of any reasonable move to any major club in the PL or Europe

He really isn’t though, and the market will open up this summer. Off my head; Arsenal, Us, Liverpool, Man Utd, Juve, Barca (a replacement for an ageing Lewandowski), Madrid (competition for Mbappe), Bayern (competition for Kane) all need a No 9.

I don’t really get this idea of pricing himself out of a market. He was the Serie A top scorer in 2023, won Napoli Serie A and earned his new contract. He has only been deemed surplus to requirements due to Conte’s “system”. Telling him to take a 50% paycut like our lot were asking him to do is just ridiculous. Personally I would block Chelsea’s number and cut off all contact. He will earn a move this summer.

I think City, Liverpool, and Arsenal are spending big this summer.

Our definition of spending big is buying Pedro Neto for 3x his actual worth.

4 hours ago, ducavis said:

He really isn’t though, and the market will open up this summer. Off my head; Arsenal, Us, Liverpool, Man Utd, Juve, Barca (a replacement for an ageing Lewandowski), Madrid (competition for Mbappe), Bayern (competition for Kane) all need a No 9.

I don’t really get this idea of pricing himself out of a market. He was the Serie A top scorer in 2023, won Napoli Serie A and earned his new contract. He has only been deemed surplus to requirements due to Conte’s “system”. Telling him to take a 50% paycut like our lot were asking him to do is just ridiculous. Personally I would block Chelsea’s number and cut off all contact. He will earn a move this summer.

No player in current football, especially with the PSR/FFP environment, is going to command the better part of 400k a week, outside of Saudi. I just can't see it happening.

Just taking your examples we are saying we still need 3 players minimum for a spine, Liverpool could be looking at a phased rebuild, Man Utd are literally on a ground up restoration project, Barca are the broke wonga boys, Madrid just don't do that (well rarely), they wait for the freebies.

I do agree with you, you get what you pay for and if you want to wear big boy pants you need to have big boy bollox, especially with how competitive it is out there and how few elite forwards there are. I just don't see anyone getting that level of money nowadays, in this climate. And that's before his agent's wedge as well!

Would anyone take Laporte? 30 years old. Not sure what happened to him at City but he’s just been released from his Saudi contract as he doesn’t get on with the manager.

3rd highest paid defender in the world behind Van Dyke (£400k per week) and Koulibaly (£530k per week). 😂

Let that sink in.

1 hour ago, 19seventyone said:

Would anyone take Laporte? 30 years old. Not sure what happened to him at City but he’s just been released from his Saudi contract as he doesn’t get on with the manager.

3rd highest paid defender in the world behind Van Dyke (£400k per week) and Koulibaly (£530k per week). 😂

Let that sink in.

Injuries - unbelievable defender at his peak but his body cannot cope with the PL

Since Maresca apparently needs Nico Jackson it makes sense that we might target Thierno Barry. Barry has scored 11 in the league this season for Villareal and is 22. Big (1.95m), quick, strong and very good touch and dribbling ability, oh and he can actually finish with his head.

I don't think Villareal miss Jackson, somehow.

12 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Since Maresca apparently needs Nico Jackson it makes sense that we might target Thierno Barry. Barry has scored 11 in the league this season for Villareal and is 22. Big (1.95m), quick, strong and very good touch and dribbling ability, oh and he can actually finish with his head.

I don't think Villareal miss Jackson, somehow.

I'd take current Gareth Barry over Jacko when he's on one...

Guirassy not an option for us at striker? Whenever I watch him he scores for fun!

Leroy Sane on a free is the latest rumour. Thought he was a cracking player at City. 29 years old is a little ancient on the clearlake recruitment scale though. Wages will probably be massive too.

8 hours ago, DarkMata said:

Leroy Sane on a free is the latest rumour. Thought he was a cracking player at City. 29 years old is a little ancient on the clearlake recruitment scale though. Wages will probably be massive too.

Absolutely would take Sane but we don't need another winger.

Watching Palace in the cup final it crazy to think I’d happily take 5 players off Palace that would improve our first team.

Henderson is better than Sanchez

Guehi is better than probably all of our CBs

Wharton is better than Enzo

Eze is currently better than Palmer but I’ll concede Palmer is better when on form. I’d take Eze for a left winger anyway.

Mateta is better than anything we have. He’ll be a target if we finish outside the top 5 I reckon.

And I nearly forgot Glasner. He’s a proper manager.

Edited May 17, 20251 yr by 19seventyone

3 hours ago, 19seventyone said:

Watching Palace in the cup final it crazy to think I’d happily take 5 players off Palace that would improve our first team.

Henderson is better than Sanchez

Guehi is better than probably all of our CBs

Wharton is better than Enzo

Eze is currently better than Palmer but I’ll concede Palmer is better when on form. I’d take Eze for a left winger anyway.

Mateta is better than anything we have. He’ll be a target if we finish outside the top 5 I reckon.

And I nearly forgot Glasner. He’s a proper manager.

I posted almost exactly this on one of the other threads a few weeks back. How are Palace looking a much better side than us on a fraction of the budget? Really good little side and pleased for their FA Cuo win.

Only trouble is, bigger clubs will now be sniffing around all the players you list and possibly Glasner too. They'll do well to keep them - I guess they're in Europe now, so that will help.

On 15/05/2025 at 21:00, BordeauxBlue said:

I'd take current Gareth Barry over Jacko when he's on one...

Guirassy not an option for us at striker? Whenever I watch him he scores for fun!

The time for Guirassy was last season. Now it will take 80-90m for him.

On 18/05/2025 at 03:30, 19seventyone said:

Watching Palace in the cup final it crazy to think I’d happily take 5 players off Palace that would improve our first team.

Henderson is better than Sanchez

Guehi is better than probably all of our CBs

Wharton is better than Enzo

Eze is currently better than Palmer but I’ll concede Palmer is better when on form. I’d take Eze for a left winger anyway.

Mateta is better than anything we have. He’ll be a target if we finish outside the top 5 I reckon.

And I nearly forgot Glasner. He’s a proper manager.

Eze's a funny one. He always seems to be the jewel in the Palace crown, but clubs have pursued Zaha, Olise etc instead even when Eze likely would have been cheaper. I remember watching him loads when Gallagher was on loan there and he was sensational even in that star-studded attack. He's 26 now and hitting his prime, but only managed 15 G/A in a team largely built around him. I think he's another Adam Lallana, Gareth Barry, Juan Mata type who can be the best player on the pitch in any given day but just isn't consistent.

2 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Eze's a funny one. He always seems to be the jewel in the Palace crown, but clubs have pursued Zaha, Olise etc instead even when Eze likely would have been cheaper. I remember watching him loads when Gallagher was on loan there and he was sensational even in that star-studded attack. He's 26 now and hitting his prime, but only managed 15 G/A in a team largely built around him. I think he's another Adam Lallana, Gareth Barry, Juan Mata type who can be the best player on the pitch in any given day but just isn't consistent.

I'm sorry but Chelsea Mata can't be put in the same sentence as Lallana and Barry

Vlahovic apparently available for £20m. Wouldn't be against it.