January Transfer Window Rumours

[NewClaret]

I agree with what you are saying also. Guiu at Chelsea would be a risk even on loan

Agree. Any youngster will be I suppose.

Not saying it’s easy. Any player capable of playing at a higher level will have offers from other clubs in those leagues, you’d expect. Those performing well at a lower level will also be expensive and unproven.

Hopefully the club have a plan.

[NewClaret]

Football isn’t black and white how do you know we would be getting smashed week in week out? supporters said that when we got promoted under Dyche and it rarely happened. A large portion of these players wouldn’t be playing in the prem anyway but I actually think they would do okay probably still go down but be nowhere near as bad as you suggest.

Agree with the rest

Well obviously I don’t know and won’t unless we get promoted, but it’s what I suspect would happen. I just think we’re a good young team with some good habits, but too small and too slow at what we do… so I think we’d be getting bullied and well beaten every week.

That said, West Ham can be on the wrong side of a thumping like they were at the weekend.

I think we’d need to prioritise experience but also big, physical players across midfield and defence to change that view.

Take your point about the Dyche team but I do think the disparity in quality of the two leagues has widened since then.

Still, I just hope we get to find out!

[Spijed]

Well obviously I don’t know and won’t unless we get promoted, but it’s what I suspect would happen. I just think we’re a good young team with some good habits, but too small and too slow at what we do… so I think we’d be getting bullied and well beaten every week.

That said, West Ham can be on the wrong side of a thumping like they were at the weekend.

I think we’d need to prioritise experience but also big, physical players across midfield and defence to change that view.

Take your point about the Dyche team but I do think the disparity in quality of the two leagues has widened since then.

Still, I just hope we get to find out!

Out of interest how well do you think the team that finished 7th would do in the current Premier league?

[NewClaret]

Out of interest how well do you think the team that finished 7th would do in the current Premier league?

I’m not really sure to be honest. My gut feel is they’d be relegation fodder too, but it’s hard to imagine that the premier league has moved on so much in 7-8 years and it’s easy to forget how good that side were too.

I just think when I watch the premier league now to what I watch with us it’s like night and day. Everyone is so good on the ball, moves it so quickly and accurately but absolute units too.

[kentonclaret]

Richard Kone at Wycombe is a striker we should be looking at, 21 years 14 goals and 2 assists in all comps. Look at the likes of Toney and Watkins who all shone at league 1 level.

Won’t be long till he’s snapped up

To my knowledge Ollie Watkins has never played at League One level. Brentford signed him from League Two Exeter City where he was awarded the accolade of being League Two Young Player of the season. Wrexham and Stockport came up from League Two last season and both clubs currently sit in the top 6 of League One.

[BigGaz]

I don't think it's any secret that Newcastle want Trafford but the Sun have it pegged as a '20m' interest. I'd be hoping we tell them to get fled at that price.

He's going to be in and around the England reckoning for the next 10-15 years and covers off a HG slot. It's gotta be 30m.

[mybloodisclaret]

I don't think it's any secret that Newcastle want Trafford but the Sun have it pegged as a '20m' interest. I'd be hoping we tell them to get fled at that price.

He's going to be in and around the England reckoning for the next 10-15 years and covers off a HG slot. It's gotta be 30m.

In 2017, at the age of 23, Jordan Pickford, who had no Premier League experience signed for Everton from Sunderland for £30 million.

In 7 years players prices have only gone one way. Traff only turned 22 in October. Given him being HG, his development, room for development and ceiling, and using JP as a benchmark anything less than £40 million represents a bad deal for us.

[Rumpelstiltskin]

They’ve had our pants down once with the price we accepted for Nick Pope.No way should we allow it to happen twice.£40 million or don’t waste our time !

[ClaretAL]

It depends what his release clause is.

[KernowHouseClaret]

It depends what his release clause is.

It makes no sense having a release clause of £20M when City have the reported buyback option at triple his fee (so approx £42M)

[NewClaret]

It makes no sense having a release clause of £20M when City have the reported buyback option at triple his fee (so approx £42M)

Agree, very much doubt he or any of our players will have release clauses.

[Walt]

City might buy him back, hope they do anyway if the buy back is what has been quoted. Ederson hasn't been great this season and there's reports he's leaving in summer.

Makes no sense whatsoever to sell for 20m. We'd probably have to spend more than what profit we'd make to replace him. Has to be 30m minimum for me.

[NewClaret]

City might buy him back, hope they do anyway if the buy back is what has been quoted. Ederson hasn't been great this season and there's reports he's leaving in summer.

Makes no sense whatsoever to sell for 20m. We'd probably have to spend more than what profit we'd make to replace him. Has to be 30m minimum for me.

Given City have a 20% sell on clause on profit they’d effectively be getting him for £36m if the £42m clause is correct.

You’d think they’d have a number of gems they might be willing to make part of the deal on loan or permanent too.

I expect they’d want another season or two of premier league football under his belt before making that move though. They’re under pressure to secure champions league football for next season.

[Walt]

Given City have a 20% sell on clause on profit they’d effectively be getting him for £36m if the £42m clause is correct.

You’d think they’d have a number of gems they might be willing to make part of the deal on loan or permanent too.

I expect they’d want another season or two of premier league football under his belt before making that move though. They’re under pressure to secure champions league football for next season.

I dont think they'll buy him anyway but we can hope. Like you said probably want more experience.

[daveisaclaret]

In 2017, at the age of 23, Jordan Pickford, who had no Premier League experience signed for Everton from Sunderland for £30 million.

In 7 years players prices have only gone one way. Traff only turned 22 in October. Given him being HG, his development, room for development and ceiling, and using JP as a benchmark anything less than £40 million represents a bad deal for us.

Keep reading on here that Pickford had no Premier League experience when Everton signed him. He'd played as many games in the Prem for Sunderland as Trafford has for us and was shortlisted for PFA Young Player of the Year.

[123EasyasBFC]

There isn’t any point in comparing the fee paid for Pickford because football has changed so much since then in regards to transfer fees being paid for so called unproven players.

Man City have a player who cost 100m who hasn’t scored a goal for them in 2024

[TheFamilyCat]

I find it hard to believe that city would agree to a £42m buy back clause. That's pulling their own pants down.

[CrosspoolClarets]

No way Trafford goes until the summer, you don’t wreck a best ever EFL defence in January with promotion currently at 50/50.

I’m sure he doesn’t have a release clause, few of our players do now so I heard, so he will be staying. It will be fringe players on their way out to make room for a big striker signing.

[Culmclaret]

I like Trafford but he is as yet way off the standard for being first choice at a top PL club. He is still making unforced errors and his speed of thought is not quite there, but that should come with some more experience.

[Newcastleclaret93]

No way Trafford goes until the summer, you don’t wreck a best ever EFL defence in January with promotion currently at 50/50.

I’m sure he doesn’t have a release clause, few of our players do now so I heard, so he will be staying. It will be fringe players on their way out to make room for a big striker signing.

No way we are signing a striker

[fidelcastro]

No way we are signing a striker

Why? It would be the final piece of the jigsaw.

[Blyclaret]

I think if we are to consider ourselves genuine promotion contenders we must sign a striker that can regularly score goals at this level.

[Jakubs Tash]

No way we are signing a striker

Why/how are you so certain?

As that is the one position we are needing the most I find your comment a bit strange.

[NewClaret]

I think if we are to consider ourselves genuine promotion contenders we must sign a striker that can regularly score goals at this level.

I struggle to see how any striker would score goals in the current team/system that creates so few opportunities.

That’s not a go at Parker or the team, I just don’t see the chances we’re creating for strikers currently?? At a push you could say the Flemming 1v1 scenario vs Boro a proper striker could’ve done better with.

It occurs to me that Parker’s system is one where it creates more chances for the wingers arriving at the far post or the 10s/8s coming on to the chances than it does the striker - whose main role seems to be creating space for them by drawing players with runs, dropping in to link up play, etc.

Not that I’d turn one down, I’m just not convinced it’s the answer to all our prayers.

[Blyclaret]

In both his previous promotion teams he has a prolific striker

[Row Z]

I struggle to see how any striker would score goals in the current team/system that creates so few opportunities.

That’s not a go at Parker or the team, I just don’t see the chances we’re creating for strikers currently?? At a push you could say the Flemming 1v1 scenario vs Boro a proper striker could’ve done better with.

It occurs to me that Parker’s system is one where it creates more chances for the wingers arriving at the far post or the 10s/8s coming on to the chances than it does the striker - whose main role seems to be creating space for them by drawing players with runs, dropping in to link up play, etc.

Not that I’d turn one down, I’m just not convinced it’s the answer to all our prayers.

You miss the fact that genuine pace up front would stretch the opposition and provide a threat in behind that we don’t currently have (perhaps other than wide areas depending who is playing).

The ideal would be a striker that could come short to link the play but also have pace to get in behind and suddenly the spaces open up for the 10s / 8s you mention.

Think how many goals or chances came from Tellas pace two years ago.

[boatshed bill]

It makes no sense having a release clause of £20M when City have the reported buyback option at triple his fee (so approx £42M)

I suppose that such a buy-back clause is only relevant if City ever had any intention of buying him, which right now looks highly unlikely.

[NewClaret]

You miss the fact that genuine pace up front would stretch the opposition and provide a threat in behind that we don’t currently have (perhaps other than wide areas depending who is playing).

The ideal would be a striker that could come short to link the play but also have pace to get in behind and suddenly the spaces open up for the 10s / 8s you mention.

Think how many goals or chances came from Tellas pace two years ago.

That’s a fair point and I did deliberate over saying that Tella would be the ideal signing, in part because of his raw pace to get in behind, but also because I think he could alternate between striker and winger depending on the opposition. He’s also very good in the air.

I didn’t so as not to open up the Tella debate again, but mainly because we never seem to play the ball in behind. Ever. The CH’s have it, the forwards or one of the advanced midfielders make runs in behind (often good ones, bending runs and from onside positions) but instead the ball is passed to the next FB. It’s always a dummy run. We seem to only play switches to the opposite wing having drawn them across to overloads.

Maybe that’s a lack of pace thing and we’d play balls in behind more with a pacier striker, but on current evidence there’s nothing to suggest we would.

The other omission from my post was the scenario where we buy a striker that could create opportunities for themselves but I feel our striker gets so few touches of the ball that’d be a big ask. Their main role seems to be work without the ball.

[RVclaret]

I struggle to see how any striker would score goals in the current team/system that creates so few opportunities.

That’s not a go at Parker or the team, I just don’t see the chances we’re creating for strikers currently?? At a push you could say the Flemming 1v1 scenario vs Boro a proper striker could’ve done better with.

It occurs to me that Parker’s system is one where it creates more chances for the wingers arriving at the far post or the 10s/8s coming on to the chances than it does the striker - whose main role seems to be creating space for them by drawing players with runs, dropping in to link up play, etc.

Not that I’d turn one down, I’m just not convinced it’s the answer to all our prayers.

At Bournemouth Solanke got 29 league goals and had the most touches inside the penalty area of any attacker in the league. Parker has obviously adapted the system to what he has here (it’s what good managers tend to do) as we don’t have a Solanke type striker. The closest is probably Hountondji and he isn’t at the level (yet) to start week in week out it would seem. It will be interesting to see how Foster plays if/when he’s back up and running. He was a bit static in the early season, but the same could be said about the entire team (for good reason) at that time. I feel we’ve got better at rotations and attacking movement in general, perhaps helped by the likes of Anthony and Sarmiento getting up to speed, and Hannibal’s new inside role linking play.

Underlying point being if a Solanke was available (unlikely) you could probably expect different chance creation. Now I’ve come to think of it, Anthony broke through on the inside right channel v Boro, after really neat football, and had an excellent crossing opportunity, Flemming’s movement was all behind the defender, however, while a sharp dart across him would have likely resulted in a big chance or goal - in the end the defender threw a leg out and the ball (not a bad one) couldn’t reach Flemming at the back post.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Why? It would be the final piece of the jigsaw.

Only way I see us signing a striker is if we move on Houtondji/Jay.

The club are not gonna carry five strikers for one position. Especially when they value Foster so highly and have committed 8m plus for Flemming.

I would go as far as saying I doubt they are even looking at a striker this window. A number ten and a winger much more likely IMO

[NewClaret]

Only way I see us signing a striker is if we move on Houtondji/Jay.

The club are not gonna carry five strikers for one position. Especially when they value Foster so highly and have committed 8m plus for Flemming.

I would go as far as saying I doubt they are even looking at a striker this window. A number ten and a winger much more likely IMO

Agree.

Could see us shipping Hountondji to make space but I’d be disappointed in that as I’d like to see more of him.

[NewClaret]

At Bournemouth Solanke got 29 league goals and had the most touches inside the penalty area of any attacker in the league. Parker has obviously adapted the system to what he has here (it’s what good managers tend to do) as we don’t have a Solanke type striker. The closest is probably Hountondji and he isn’t at the level (yet) to start week in week out it would seem. It will be interesting to see how Foster plays if/when he’s back up and running. He was a bit static in the early season, but the same could be said about the entire team (for good reason) at that time. I feel we’ve got better at rotations and attacking movement in general, perhaps helped by the likes of Anthony and Sarmiento getting up to speed, and Hannibal’s new inside role linking play.

Underlying point being if a Solanke was available (unlikely) you could probably expect different chance creation. Now I’ve come to think of it, Anthony broke through on the inside right channel v Boro, after really neat football, and had an excellent crossing opportunity, Flemming’s movement was all behind the defender, however, while a sharp dart across him would have likely resulted in a big chance or goal - in the end the defender threw a leg out and the ball (not a bad one) couldn’t reach Flemming at the back post.

I agree he seems to have changed system. Not that I followed him at Bournemouth or Fulham a lot, just from highlights I’ve seen. I’ve also been clinging on to your chance creation points and generally think we’re seeing that side of his coaching come through now.

So accept your point that maybe he’d sign a striker with the intention to change the system to accommodate their qualities.

Honestly though, my view at the moment is that our best chances of improving our goal output are:

1. Improving as a team. I think we will based on what I’ve seen so far. To be honest, I’m fine with that if we don’t sign anyone, but I do think that is taking a risk.

2. Signing better midfielders, wingers and full backs. By that I mean adding someone of Tella/JBL/Benrahma’s quality on the wing, a Buendia/McAtee type for the 10 and a Maatsen-esque LB or RB (can’t see Sonne being that straight away). Not all of them and not them specifically, just their type of quality, I think would lead to more goals. A bit like Vitinho’s quality caused carnage early doors and led to some high-scoring games.

The problem with 2 is we have good players in all these positions and it’d mean shutting them out, but I just think being realistic they’re lacking that little bit of a quality and composure we need to create chances that Foster or Flemming would finish for us.

[fidelcastro]

Only way I see us signing a striker is if we move on Houtondji/Jay.

The club are not gonna carry five strikers for one position. Especially when they value Foster so highly and have committed 8m plus for Flemming.

I would go as far as saying I doubt they are even looking at a striker this window. A number ten and a winger much more likely IMO

Absolute rubbish.

Okay, we may look to get Hountondji games elsewhere, but Flemming is already a number ten (we just haven't played him there).

Foster's injury/illness record is too much of a risk and Jay is far too limited now, so I fully expect us to bring in a new striker.

[Silkyskills1]

So, according to you effectively one main striker with doubt surrounding him regarding his fitness levels is enough. How many goals have we scored since the mass exodus after two games? Defies all logic.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Absolute rubbish.

Okay, we may look to get Hountondji games elsewhere, but Flemming is already a number ten (we just haven't played him there).

Foster's injury/illness record is too much of a risk and Jay is far too limited now, so I fully expect us to bring in a new striker.

I suspect you will be disappointed then.

Would love to be proven wrong but a club in our financial position will not invest another 10m into a striker when we have four in the first team squad.

Fleming is not a ten in this system he’s very much an out and out striker

[NewClaret]

I suspect you will be disappointed then.

Would love to be proven wrong but a club in our financial position will not invest another 10m into a striker when we have four in the first team squad.

Fleming is not a ten in this system he’s very much an out and out striker

To be fair we can loan strikers.

I agree Parker has had ample time to play Flemming as a 10 and he never has, so there’s no evidence he will in future. I’m not even sure our current system has what you’d call a natural 10 in it.

[Newcastleclaret93]

To be fair we can loan strikers.

I agree Parker has had ample time to play Flemming as a 10 and he never has, so there’s no evidence he will in future. I’m not even sure our current system has what you’d call a natural 10 in it.

In my opinion it doesn’t. It has a number 8 that gets forward as much as possible

[fidelcastro]

I suspect you will be disappointed then.

Would love to be proven wrong but a club in our financial position will not invest another 10m into a striker when we have four in the first team squad.

Fleming is not a ten in this system he’s very much an out and out striker

If we were to fall short because we hadn't scored enough goals, having not brought in a striker who can actually find the net with some sort of regularity, then the fingers would rightly be pointed in that direction.

I don't see the club risking or letting that happen.

[CoolClaret]

That’s a fair point and I did deliberate over saying that Tella would be the ideal signing, in part because of his raw pace to get in behind, but also because I think he could alternate between striker and winger depending on the opposition. He’s also very good in the air.

I didn’t so as not to open up the Tella debate again, but mainly because we never seem to play the ball in behind. Ever. The CH’s have it, the forwards or one of the advanced midfielders make runs in behind (often good ones, bending runs and from onside positions) but instead the ball is passed to the next FB. It’s always a dummy run. We seem to only play switches to the opposite wing having drawn them across to overloads.

Maybe that’s a lack of pace thing and we’d play balls in behind more with a pacier striker, but on current evidence there’s nothing to suggest we would.

The other omission from my post was the scenario where we buy a striker that could create opportunities for themselves but I feel our striker gets so few touches of the ball that’d be a big ask. Their main role seems to be work without the ball.

We definitely do play it in behind - just a lot of the teams we've played haven't given us that space... every team that has done, we have put the ball in behind.

[Newcastleclaret93]

If we were to fall short because we hadn't scored enough goals, having not brought in a striker who can actually find the net with some sort of regularity, then the fingers would rightly be pointed in that direction.

I don't see the club risking or letting that happen.

You’re probably right but at the same time they have balance the books and financially I don’t think they will have the budget for another striker. Not unless they can free some finances up from moving people on.

It’s a tough window to sign a striker in.

[boatshed bill]

So, according to you effectively one main striker with doubt surrounding him regarding his fitness levels is enough. How many goals have we scored since the mass exodus after two games? Defies all logic.

the 7 player "exodus" doesn't include a prolific centre-forward, though. The goals were scored, and shared, by a stronger team against weaker opposition.

[fidelcastro]

You’re probably right but at the same time they have balance the books and financially I don’t think they will have the budget for another striker. Not unless they can free some finances up from moving people on.

It’s a tough window to sign a striker in.

We managed it last time at this level with Foster, even if he wasn't great during that second half of the season.

Are we just more skint now? I don't really know, but if that means we have to sell first, then maybe that's what we'll do.

[Sapperclaret73]

I may be in the minority but I believe we don’t need another striker.

Foster coming back to fitness just as we’re clicking is perfect timing. As much some people do not rate him, there is a serious player there. He wasn’t amazing at the start of the season but neither was the team.

Provide him with service and support and he’s our man.

We have plenty of back up with flemming who’s done well, jay - aging but proven. Also add hountondji into the mix, i would have liked to see more of him.

Again my views but if we had to spent some money, I’d be spending it on a winger with a final ball.

[Casper2]

I may be in the minority but I believe we don’t need another striker.

Foster coming back to fitness just as we’re clicking is perfect timing. As much some people do not rate him, there is a serious player there. He wasn’t amazing at the start of the season but neither was the team.

Provide him with service and support and he’s our man.

We have plenty of back up with flemming who’s done well, jay - aging but proven. Also add hountondji into the mix, i would have liked to see more of him.

Again my views but if we had to spent some money, I’d be spending it on a winger with a final ball.

Foster has scored 2 goals in 20 at this level , please explain how you come to your conclusion?

[CoolClaret]

Again my views but if we had to spent some money, I’d be spending it on a winger with a final ball.

Yeah or a goalscoring winger (Whittaker). Need someone else in the side other than Brownhill to score 5 goals from now to the end of the season.

[123EasyasBFC]

Only way I see us signing a striker is if we move on Houtondji/Jay.

The club are not gonna carry five strikers for one position. Especially when they value Foster so highly and have committed 8m plus for Flemming.

I would go as far as saying I doubt they are even looking at a striker this window. A number ten and a winger much more likely IMO

Jay Rod won’t leave, you have to have one player home grown at the club in the match day squad or you have one less squad member, we only have jay road and Dodgson who fall into that category that have been in matchday squads this season

[123EasyasBFC]

Yeah or a goalscoring winger (Whittaker). Need someone else in the side other than Brownhill to score 5 goals from now to the end of the season.

I still think the loan with obligation/option on Whittaker might be on the table this Jan

[Newcastleclaret93]

We managed it last time at this level with Foster, even if he wasn't great during that second half of the season.

Are we just more skint now? I don't really know, but if that means we have to sell first, then maybe that's what we'll do.

I think it was a different scenario. Back then we had Jay and Ash (both with contracts running out in 6 months) and we were also pretty much nailed on for promotion so the club could hedge there bets.

Right now we have already committed a fair sum of money for the summer window. As a result my own conclusion is money is tighter this season and they already have a lot of resources in that position.

[Newcastleclaret93]

I still think the loan with obligation/option on Whittaker might be on the table this Jan

I really hope not, he’s been really poor this season.

[CoolClaret]

I still think the loan with obligation/option on Whittaker might be on the table this Jan

Yeah, I think you may be right... No chance they're staying up, and all of a sudden 5 mill or whatever he's valued at is suddenly cut in half after relegation to L1.