Early start.

Nathan Tella please

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 21, 2025 11:55 pm

Nathan Tella please

If that’s even remotely possible, do it.

We need to get good characters in to enhance the dressing room above and beyond expensive risks ala Tresor, Amdouni etc. I’d also hope we are aiming for players who understand that we may well get relegated, and don’t have clauses and such like to let them get out of jail. No exodus this time, let’s build a proper culture and set of lads who want to be here for the long term.

Ffs let's at least enjoy the moment

Cirrus_Minor wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 12:03 am

Ffs let's at least enjoy the moment

we are, massively ! Do you not want Tella now he's proved himself at the top level ? (if there was an opportunity)

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 21, 2025 11:55 pm

Nathan Tella please

Sign him alone for that big beaming smile in some quarters it was widely believed that would be the overriding return factor before he ended up at BL.

I’d have a go for Josh Sargent at Norwich.

Pearcey wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 12:45 am

I’d have a go for Josh Sargent at Norwich.

Cant have too many Joshes

Young left back at Leicester...Thomas.

Taffy on the wing wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 1:08 am

Young left back at Leicester...Thomas.

He was excellent against Liverpool yesterday, local lad though so I suspect unless they have to sell he won't be one that moves.

Leicester might have a transfer embargo so they will want to keep hold of their decent players if they can. They could struggle next season if they can't sign anyone.

Jakubclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 12:27 am

Sign him alone for that big beaming smile

If he smiled any wider the top of his head would come off.

Are the Everton tickets on sale yet?

fatboy47 wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 3:29 am

If he smiled any wider the top of his head would come off.

Couldn't agree more. barnet or barcelona it's a lad there that like to play football & score goals & that's all there is to it. He enjoyed his time here no doubt about that.

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 12:21 am

we are, massively ! Do you not want Tella now he's proved himself at the top level ? (if there was an opportunity)

There was a certain poster on here in January insisting that a deal for Tella had been done and that he would be here before the window closed!

Salech at Cardiff.

Papabendi wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 9:41 am

Salech at Cardiff.

I can’t say I’ve watched a lot of him so I do t know what his all round play is like and whether it’s premier league level, but I think this is a great shout.

-Won’t break the bank (presumably, especially if they go down)

- He’s great in the air so even if he’s not good enough overall, a great option to have to come on if we need a goal.

- 23 so plenty of scope for Parker to improve him.

- Would hopefully stay if we went down and is a 1 in 3 striker in a relegation-threatened team at this level.

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 1:21 am

He was excellent against Liverpool yesterday, local lad though so I suspect unless they have to sell he won't be one that moves.

Would that not be an actual reason to sell? 100% profit on an academy player helps PSR massively.

Luke Thomas is nowhere near PL standard and would be an awful signing. Harry Toffolo & Matt Targett are more serious left back options.

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 21, 2025 11:55 pm

Nathan Tella please

I remember a TalkSport interview with Brownhill a couple of months back where Josh cheekily advised Tells to come home ( or something like that), whether there's anything in it though remains to be seen

Le Fee at Sunderland ( he's on loan there I think ) and can play multiple positions

Ivanović from Millwall. Feels like we need a Vokes type for our system to really thrive goal wise. Sargent has improved and would not be opposed to that. Barnes had a proper influence on him. Only seen Salech against us but he was a proper pain in the arse and a unit. I'm hoping we keep player turnover down, buy replacements and add a couple of strikers.

THEWELLERNUT70 wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 11:14 am

Le Fee at Sunderland ( he's on loan there I think ) and can play multiple positions

Yeah, they sign him for £19m I think if promoted. Wages reported to be 70k a week so not sure how viable that is for us. Good shout though.

Another vote for Sargent

Not sure if he can make the step up but liked the look of Isidor at Sunderland.

I think we get Anthony for £8million and Flemming for £7million
Not sure if Humphries is a buy or an option and same with Edwards.
Of those 4 I am not sure regarding three of the four-I think Anthony will
be OK.
Thoughts fellow Clarets?

mdd2 wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 11:31 am

I think we get Anthony for £8million and Flemming for £7million
Not sure if Humphries is a buy or an option and same with Edwards.
Of those 4 I am not sure regarding three of the four-I think Anthony will
be OK.
Thoughts fellow Clarets?

I believe all 4 will be permanent on promotion.
We definitely need some height , muscle and pace in the side.

I thought all four were obligations but could be totally wrong. Like I said I would minimise turnover. It might be we fall short and need to bounce again but with the growth that Parker has shown capable of coaching I would back him to improve all four. Flemming off a Vokes type would work, still think he's been played out of position and has done an admirable job. Anthony looks like George Boyd redux to me so will be invaluable. Humphreys was looking great prior to injury. Edwards will readjust, he's been roughed up and double marked. He will work it out.

First things first, get CJER and Brownhill signed up

cockneyclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 11:40 am

I believe all 4 will be permanent on promotion.
We definitely need some height , muscle and pace in the side.

Add quick thinkers to the list. Speed of thought needs to improve massively on the game we currently play.

Only Esteve and Trafford of the current squad a premier league quality.

I am convinced we will go for Nathan Tella. I would also, if Sheff U mess it up, take Souza and Hamer.

mdd2 wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 11:31 am

I think we get Anthony for £8million and Flemming for £7million
Not sure if Humphries is a buy or an option and same with Edwards.
Of those 4 I am not sure regarding three of the four-I think Anthony will
be OK.
Thoughts fellow Clarets?

Smart business in the summer to get these deals done on promotion.

Depressing as it may be, we’ve got to have one eye on having a strong championship team should we get relegated, and we know these 4 are great at this level.

Flemming is the only one I have a niggling doubt on.

Mentioned both Ivanovic and Salech last night somewhere amongst the hysteria , given that we will need at least two strikers Id love us to go in for both. Takes the pressure off them too and there is potential re-sale value in the pair of them too.

Cardiff fans are desperate to keep Salech but almost accepted that he will leave especially on relegation, but Tan seem to want to sell everything at his disposal if what you read is correct.

Word on the street is that we hold an interest in Kaine Kesler-Hayden, currently at Preston on loan from Villa.

BigGaz wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 12:17 pm

Word on the street is that we hold an interest in Kaine Kesler-Hayden, currently at Preston on loan from Villa.

Rated him this season. Quick and athletic.

Kesler-Hayden would be sound addition that would allow us to play 5 at the back effectively, which I think will be an important tactic next season and one that Parker has used before at the top level with Fulham, and when we went to Southampton in early Feb.

He and van Ewijk are two that have stood out in that position from the Championship this season.

I am ok with as few changes as possible. A proper no 9 and this season’s loans and renewals being given new contracts would be fine. We made the mistake last time of wholesale changes. Yes we don’t have a squad of prem players but quite a few who are young enough to possibly grow into it.

I said when we got promoted last time that we needed to sign Tella and another PL striker. I said when we got relegated we still needed to sign two strikers. I would be delighted to to see two strikers already mentioned on here....Sargent and Tella. These two would give us a good chance of scoring goals at PL level.

BigGaz wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 12:17 pm

Word on the street is that we hold an interest in Kaine Kesler-Hayden, currently at Preston on loan from Villa.

Very good player.

We need to focus on three things this summer in my opinion:

1. To avoid the absolutely enormous turnover of the first XI we saw two years ago, which was ultimately disastrous (and hopefully we can re-sign Egan Riley to help with this - I'd love Brownhill too although I sense that is less likely).
2. To place a greater emphasis on first eleven experience than we did two summers ago, when we signed barely any Premier League experience (although there is more existing experience within the squad than there was two seasons ago, which if properly utilised, should also help).
3. To place a greater emphasis on athleticism and pace than we clearly did two seasons ago when we ended up signing too many players who were nice technicians rather than robust players who could handle the physical demands of the league from day one (see Tresor, Amdouni,Delcroix and at the time arguably Trafford).

I think I can see a template within this squad that can be more successful at the next level up, and some of our signings this season (especially Hannibal, in that advanced midfield position, but also Laurent) feel like they had half an eye on how we might go about things if promoted - they are good athletes who get through a lot of off the ball work and that will stand us in good stead. Worrall similarly may be someone who comes into his own when we routinely have our backs against the wall.

I too have a hunch we might see a 3 at the back set up next season, and again I think the players we have are set up well for it. Egan Riley, Esteve, Humphreys and Worrall feels like four good options for a back three with perhaps one (ideally dominant) addition. In midfield, Cullen, Laurent, Hannibal and if fit Ramsey give us the bones of a midfield 2 or 3, and you could easily imagine us playing Ramsey and Hannibal in the two more advanced positions in a 3-4-2-1/5-4-1 (if Brownhill does re-sign he is a a further option) - again you'd want one more player, ideally, of proper quality, but it's not a re-write.

To make that work we probably need full back options with real pace and athleticism on either side (Kesler Hayden fits that mould from what I've seen of him, and left back is perhaps the biggest challenge for us this summer along with centre forward). We will almost certainly want another centre forward and it may be that we'll be watching the Championship play-offs with interest given that Isidor and Hadji Wright are two of the most eye-catching options: that centre forward needs to be a real handful (in a way i'm unsure Josh Sargeant is). Perhaps we'll want another creative or wide option too, particularly if (as seems likely) we conclude Sarmiento isn't quite of the level, although we do potentially have Tresor to add to Edwards, Koleosho, Anthony and Ramsey in those positions. If Tella is available at a sensible price then he might be an option for that role (and would give us an extra centre forward option as well which never hurts).

That's it for me. A couple of full backs to compete with Pires and Roberts, an extra centre half who isn't guaranteed to start, a midfielder who probably should be a regular starter, centre forward and perhaps a creative option. That's 6 players. Perhaps we might layer up the squad as well with some younger prospects, and if we lose one or two (e.g. Trafford) then those players will also need replacing, but we certainly don't need to go over the top as we did two years ago.

Priorities:

1) Big, mobile, athletic striker that has an eye for goal (I appreciate these don't grow on trees)
2) Upgrades at fullback
3) A Josh Laurent upgrade (but he will remain an important squad player)

Salech from Cardiff would be my choice for a backup striker, Kaine Kesler-Hayden would also be a great addition at fullback.

Based on what I've seen in this division, I'd take:
Sainz
Sargent
Le Fee
Isidor
Styles
Hamer
Rigg
Bellingham

Only Humphries out of him, Edwards, Anthony and Flemming will be signed for over £10m so that is efficient use of money. Factor in 2 loans and there should be plenty free for new signings of which I think 4 is all we need plus the 2 loans.

We have to resign our out of contracts, and keeping ones in demand. The defence obviously the priority though I’d like Josh to stay too.

Then for those 6 signings CF is the priority, someone in the Liam Delap mould. We won’t afford him of course nor would he want to come. A second holding pivot alongside Cullen in the big, quick, athletic mould. A back five may be a transition we do, so two attacking wingbacks may be needed a bit like Maatsen in style. Finally an experienced CB if we aren’t keeping any of Worrall, Beyer and Ekdal.

And that would do for me.

fanzone wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 12:09 pm

Only Esteve and Trafford of the current squad a premier league quality.

Oh darn. Well we could see if any premier league team would prefer a game of double cuppies instead 11v11 i guess.

If Luton go down I'd definitely take Adebayo/Morris as squad players on the cheap as our 2nd/3rd choice striker

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 10:38 am

Luke Thomas is nowhere near PL standard and would be an awful signing. Harry Toffolo & Matt Targett are more serious left back options.

He had Mo Salah in his pocket for most of the game t' other day.
Looked like just the type we should look for.

bumba wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 3:21 pm

If Luton go down I'd definitely take Adebayo/Morris as squad players on the cheap as our 2nd/3rd choice striker

Given SP's development skills he could potentially turn Adebayo into quite a decent player.

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 22, 2025 12:06 pm

Add quick thinkers to the list. Speed of thought needs to improve massively on the game we currently play.

Hannibal fits the bill.......very smart footballer.