Summer transfer window 2023 - rumours, links and discussion.

[Pickles]

I don't believe Redmond and especially Townsend (if he signs) are the same sort of player as Tella.

Using last season's system (which obviously can/will change) I see Redmond playing more on the left of a midfield three - like Gudmundsson did at Middlesbrough - and Townsend as back up for Benson.

Tella, I think, will play further forward than any of them.

[dougcollins]

And he’s way quicker than either.

[dermotdermot]

Can’t we just give Southampton Weghorst and 6 million in part exchange. That would save about 4 million getting him off the wage bill. He might just suit their type of play. The trouble is that it would be ‘beneath’ him to go.

[Pickles]

How many wide forwards are we up to? Genuine question as I’ve lost count. I make it Benson, Zaroury, Redmond, JBG, Koleosho (I could well have missed one).

Gudmundsson has played rarely as winger for Kompany and won't play there much more. If Koleosho hits the ground running then fantastic but I don't think he can be considered immediately as a consistent option.

So that leaves three. Zaroury, Benson and Redmond. Two of which have never played in the Premier League. And even if they had, there's nothing behind them and we saw how knackered Zaroury was in the final few weeks of last season.

We absolutely need more players in those positions.

[Rileybobs]

Gudmundsson has played rarely as winger for Kompany and won't play there much more. If Koleosho hits the ground running then fantastic but I don't think he can be considered immediately as a consistent option.

So that leaves three. Zaroury, Benson and Redmond. Two of which have never played in the Premier League. And even if they had, there's nothing behind them and we saw how knackered Zaroury was the final few weeks of last season.

We absolutely need more players in those positions.

Yes exactly my point. As things stand we’re one short of what we’ll use on a typical match day. Sign Townsend and we have 4 good options from the wing but are still only an injury away from being limited.

[summitclaret]

I think we are using brilliantly Townsend as a massive decoy to get Tella at a price we want.

[Jakubs Tash]

As mentioned above, the likes of Redmond, Tella and Zaroury can play more centrally as no 10/attacking midfielders so not just out and out wingers.

As OTT as it might seem, it wouldn’t surprise me if we still signed both Tella and Clarke. With the system we play the wingers are integral to how we play/attack. We’ve got to have threats on BOTH sides of the pitch or it just doesn’t work very well.

[Jakubs Tash]

Could somebody please put Nixon’s story up for those who don’t have access?

[Pickles]

Yes exactly my point. As things stand we’re one short of what we’ll use on a typical match day. Sign Townsend and we have 4 good options from the wing but are still only an injury away from being limited.

Absolutely. So I'm not surprised at all about the bids for Tella and the link with Brun Larsen. Left back, centre midfield, and versatile wide(ish) forwards are all positions we're light in.

[RVclaret]

How many wide forwards are we up to? Genuine question as I’ve lost count. I make it Benson, Zaroury, Redmond, JBG, Koleosho (I could well have missed one). I think VK will use 4 wide forwards almost every game, so we need at least 5 as it’s a position where we are likely to miss players throughout the season due to injuries, and 6 is probably optimum. I’m not sure JBG is quite up to the PL if I’m brutally honest and VK seemed to prefer him in a more central role, and Koleosho is likely to play a small part if any.

Then when you consider that some of these players are versatile and can cover more than one position, such as Tella playing off the number 10, it wouldn’t surprise me if we’re still looking to sign both. After all Townsend is a free transfer and his experience will be very useful around the group. Having said that, it’s a world apart from what we’re used to so I can see how it’s difficult to see how all these players will fit in.

Benson, Redmond, Zaroury. Townsend and Larsen (should they sign) make it 5. JBG + Vitinho both played there last season, Obafemi too. So 5 + 3 back up types. To me it appears quite unbalanced but we’ll see.

[Rileybobs]

I think we are using brilliantly Townsend as a massive decoy to get Tella at a price we want.

I don’t buy into these elaborate decoys. Why would we go to all the effort of letting Townsend train with us, and play well for us in the hope that Southampton sell Tella for less? It doesn’t make sense. Why would it even make Southampton drop their price?

[Rileybobs]

Benson, Redmond, Zaroury. Townsend and Larsen (should they sign) make it 5. JBG + Vitinho both played there last season, Obafemi too. So 5 + 3 back up types. To me it appears quite unbalanced but we’ll see.

Yeah it does. But I think the fact that Vitinho and Obafemi played in that position last season demonstrates that we need real depth there.

[RVclaret]

Sacha has just said Larsen is a done deal and already in Portugal.

[123EasyasBFC]

He’s also saying we will go back in with another offer this week.

I must say I find it bizarre and can only assume we aren’t signing Townsend.

Do you not think with VK probably not counting on churlinov and with bensons injury record and zaroury at AFCON that having
Right side - benson, tella and Townsend
Left side - zaroury, Larsen, Redmond (who can also play as a 10)

[Pickles]

Benson, Redmond, Zaroury. Townsend and Larsen (should they sign) make it 5. JBG + Vitinho both played there last season, Obafemi too. So 5 + 3 back up types. To me it appears quite unbalanced but we’ll see.

Obafemi's injured for a long time, and although he's played wide in his sparce games for us so far it's a very different way to the regular way Benson and Zaroury play there. He doesn't hug the touchline, he doesn't take players on. He's used there to capitalise on his pace when the ball's switched.

You've got to imagine we need players who are going to stretch the pitch like Zaroury and Benson do - it was such a pivotal part of our play last season.

And there's no way anyone considers Vitinho and Gudmundsson as consistent options out wide, I'm not having that.

[fatboy47]

yeah I'd have to say that 9 million is a gigantic **** take and very poor from us. In today's market he's got to be pushing 13-15 imho

It's clear that.

Tella is for sale.
They either get rid, or have an unhappy player stinking the place out.
We're the only club genuinely interested.
He wants to be here.
The price will be close to £9m.

[ksrclaret]

Mandatory option to buy Larsen

We’re also trying to get Bastien out on loan but he’s not keen

Courtesy of Sacha

[NewClaret]

It's clear that.

Tella is for sale.
They either get rid, or have an unhappy player stinking the place out.
We're the only club genuinely interested.
He wants to be here.
The price will be close to £9m.

Totally agree. Unless there are other bidders and he wants to go elsewhere, we’ll be in a good position. Southampton also have money problems I think? Or maybe I’m thinking of Leicester?

[Pickles]

Mandatory option to buy Larsen

We’re also trying to get Bastien out on loan but he’s not keen

Courtesy of Sacha

Sort of interesting that it's KV Kortrijk as that's the club ALK tried to purchase.

[jedi_master]

Interesting r.e the Larsen mandatory clause - just a case of moving the cash to a different window ala Coulibaly? I guess Hoffenheim told him he could only come here under that agreement if he signed a one year extension with them now to guarantee them a fee next summer. Possibly explains the delay as he was due to sign a fortnight ago?

[123EasyasBFC]

Mandatory option to buy Larsen

We’re also trying to get Bastien out on loan but he’s not keen

Courtesy of Sacha

Looking to loan him to the team we wanted to buy, that’s interesting

[Pickles]

Interesting r.e the Larsen mandatory clause - just a case of moving the cash to a different window ala Coulibaly? I guess Hoffenheim told him he could only come here under that agreement if he signed a one year extension with them now to guarantee them a fee next summer. Possibly explains the delay as he was due to sign a fortnight ago?

That sounds pretty spot on to me.

[warksclaret]

Mandatory option to buy Larsen

We’re also trying to get Bastien out on loan but he’s not keen

Courtesy of Sacha

He needs to be encouraged to go on loan. Doubt he will play for us inn the PL, and not even make the bench some games, the way we are signing players, One of the few disappointments signed 12 months ago

[Jakubs Tash]

Bastien won’t even make our 25 man squad. Often didn’t make the bench in the Championship. Unfortunately it just hasn’t worked out for him at Burnley. He needs to move on for his own good.

[fungus_the_bogeyman]

I really didn’t think Bastien was disappointing at all. He was just unfortunate. Actually played well most times he played, it’s just that we had other better players. We needed him though at times last season and he never let us down. He’d have been a starter for 90% of other Championship teams and done a good job. Worked hard, technically good, decent passer.

[CoolClaret]

Bastien was pivotal for us in getting some results early doors when we didn’t have all our targets through the door so I’ll always be grateful of him for that.

Seems a good and well liked lad, but it’s pretty clear he won’t make the 25… Wouldn’t mind trying to get him a loan or permanent to another team in the Champ.

[ClaretInLeeds]

I’m a big Bastien fan but he looked out of his depth even in the warm-ups. Never got a settled position across the middle - I can’t decide if he’s a CDM, a CM or an ACM - he just hasn’t had chance to find any sort of consistency due to Cullen and Brownhill being backed up by Cork and on occasion, Twine.

Feel for the bloke.

[dsr]

Can’t we just give Southampton Weghorst and 6 million in part exchange. That would save about 4 million getting him off the wage bill. He might just suit their type of play. The trouble is that it would be ‘beneath’ him to go.

They might think that £6m + Weghorst is worth less than £9m cash. (Some of our fans would reckon that £10m + Weghorst is worth less than £9m cash! )

[CrosspoolClarets]

I remember Bastien putting those comments on social media, something like it was a life’s ambition to make the Premier League. I can see why he may not want to go, even if he only ends up playing 5 minutes.

[Quickenthetempo]

He needs to stay until we sign a top CM.

Cork will be suspended after his first 5 sub appearances

[roperclaret]

I probably will be proved very wrong, but I said after about 4 games last year that I think Bastien will suit the Prem much more than the Championship. There’s no real logic to it, it’s just a gut feeling.

[Tricky Trevor]

I probably will be proved very wrong, but I said after about 4 games last year that I think Bastien will suit the Prem much more than the Championship. There’s no real logic to it, it’s just a gut feeling.

I can see that. He looked as though his style was more suited to European club football than the Championship. Never looked lazy but looked like he was ambling a lot. Purely down to style.

[DCWat]

I thought we’d signed a top notch player after the first game at Huddersfield. He was brilliant in that game.

A loan would probably be a good idea for him, really. Better that that not getting the game time, which I can’t see happening, barring a lot of players knurled / suspensions - and that’s without midfield reinforcements.

[Jakubclaret]

It's clear that.

Tella is for sale.
They either get rid, or have an unhappy player stinking the place out.
We're the only club genuinely interested.
He wants to be here.
The price will be close to £9m.

Southampton have reportedly rejected the opening bid of 9 & value him double that 18 expecting an improved bid maybe meeting in the middle, if "the price will be close to £9" the bid would have been accepted today or at least negotiations would be underway without the rejection, there's no evidence he's unhappy or would "stink the place out", you are correct with nobody else appears to be interested in him.

[Steddyman]

I always thought Bastien looked clumsy last season. He only got on the team sheet when we had no other options. I don't see him playing for us again.

[Steddyman]

Could somebody please put Nixon’s story up for those who don’t have access?

By Alan Nixon

Burnley have bid £9 million plus extras for Nathan Tella - the loan star who fired them to the Premier League.

But Southampton turned down the offer and are looking for between £15 and £20 million for the speedy forward.

Tella is willing to go to the Premier Leaghe after enjoying his time with Clarets but assigns are holding out for more cash.

It is the latest case of Burnley finding that their targets are rated much higher than they want as the season comes into view.

However the Clarets are expected to go back in with an improved and revamped offer this week.

[Vegas Claret]

Maatsen starts again for Chelsea, not seeing us getting him

[Vegas Claret]

and he's playing RIGHT wing and set up the Chelsea opener for Jackson (who looks a real player)

[mybloodisclaret]

Re Maatsen.

Yeah watching the match, clever assist for 1st goal and playing well, looks strong even on right side of MF. Currently Newcastle 0 - 1 Chelsea 33 mins gone.

[dermotdermot]

Tella, hopefully we can get. Maatsen is a no no unfortunately.

[ervi34]

Pochettino: “So far, Ian Maatsen is in my plan. I am so happy with him, can play in different positions”.
“He is a clever player, I am so pleased with him so far”,

[davideyresleftear]

I think we are using brilliantly Townsend as a massive decoy to get Tella at a price we want.

Although I wouldn't put that past some clubs, Townsend is clearly playing his heart out for a contract. I think Kompany will have way too much respect for a fellow professional to use him like that

[NewClaret]

Pochettino: “So far, Ian Maatsen is in my plan. I am so happy with him, can play in different positions”.
“He is a clever player, I am so pleased with him so far”,

Sadly, think we need to move on from Maatsen now.

[agreenwood]

Sadly, think we need to move on from Maatsen now.

If the pundits are right about our approach to transfer, they’ll be a list of alternatives. That’s unless we’re thinking of converting someone.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Wonder if Dodgeson might be given a squad role this season. I know it’s incredibly unlikely

[Anthonini]

I still hope for the coming of Mike Trésor. The guy is in outstanding form and he can do almost anything on the ball. Can swing in crosses and assists for the strikers. Would be a great provider for a targetman like Weghorst. He can feed him good passes all day long.

Benson and Zaroury are very good players but I don't know if you can count on them the whole season. Redmond looks good from what I've seen but I don't think he and Bruun Larsen will be enough. In case of injuries even worse.

One or 2 attacking players/wingers and a good technically strong reliable midfielder wouldn't be too much of a luxury if you want to make a statement in the Premier League. Tella Trésor and Lokonga would be awesome.

[123EasyasBFC]

The way Maatsen has performed, we should be looking to sign him as a centre mid and still looking at another left back

[jedi_master]

Pochettino: “So far, Ian Maatsen is in my plan. I am so happy with him, can play in different positions”.
“He is a clever player, I am so pleased with him so far”,

Well done to Ian in that case. He was great for us and I wish him nothing but the best - hope he makes a real go of it there.

[agreenwood]

Weird the Maatsen looks like he might be cementing a role in Chelsea’s line up. A few on here didn’t think we should sign him due to his supposed frailties.

[RVclaret]

Pretty outstanding assist by Maatsen last night. Fair play.

Wonder if Kompany is still on at City and Gomez. Knows the system, knows the manager etc.