Chez

I get the feeling the compo amounts are greatly exaggerated, but if you are skint any amount is problematic. Can managers buy themselves out of a contract like players can?

Cajuste is another of their CMs. I think he plays for the Swedish national team.

Delap offered them a cheap new striker. The options left to them now and going to cost a lot more. Does that mean they will consider selling Bruno Fernandes, with Mateus Fernandes a possible replacement?

Hope not. Bloody big clubs rinsing smaller clubs really isn't on. It's getting beyond a joke. They clean up all the talent, then sell any they don't fancy for exorbitant fees and now they seem to be ensuring they make even more should a smaller club, that takes all the risk, buy a player that works out. They have got things sewn up.

Seeing as Martin isn't a fan of wingers taking players on (not sure that is true to be honest, but that's what this forum surmised) and Will Still likes wingers (that's what I read on here yesterday) and Leicester are short of a bob or two, maybe we could look to take Mavididi and Fatawu off their hands? Realistically, that's never going to happen, as they'd want too much for them.

I watched quite a bit of the game. He looked more comfortable on the ball than in his youtube highlights video, but because he is so tall he still looks a little ungainly. I didn't see a rolls royce of a player. What I noticed is that Greuther Furt played two centre backs and both got tight to attackers following them quite high up the pitch, the manager trusting they had the pace to cover back if the ball went over the top. A couple of times, though not exposed, the striker feigned going short, then went long and he was left for dead. The thing I liked most about him was that he was always moving/repositioning in anticipation of something going wrong, which some of our centre backs fail to do.

Agree. Farmed out players like him and BBD may not feel Saints is the club for them anymore. Still could make them feel wanted, but like you say, do either fit his system? I don't see AA as a sure thing. He's been great for us in the championship, but like all strikers, he will need chances, which might explain his lack of goals this season - perhaps there weren't many being created at wba.

I wonder if Edwards might depart. He will no doubt have suitors and might have had his nose put out of joint by being sent out on loan. I've no idea if that's the case, but going on the basis that's it's the players that you want to keep that tend to be in demand, I don't think there is any certainty about some players.

Another player that will need to get his confidence back. I doubted he could do it the last time we went down, but he got goals straight away and never looked back. Doesn't mean it will happen again - but not easy to find goalscorers, so we shouldn't be too hasty in offloading him.

bournemouth need a CB and have money to burn.

If they don't we'd be the next best thing...assuming we have offloaded many of our CBs

£40m. Sounds like a good round number. I wonder what we are asking for.

With £20m coming the other way for Vlachodimos, their third string (unwanted) keeper bought for £4m 12 months earlier and who couldn't get a game. A PSR workaround that made the whole thing look pointless. The huge parachute payments provide the stability required for relegated clubs to demand reasonable fees for their 'decent' players. I expect us to demand a very good fee for a proven talent like Fernandes.

Genuine question. Is he any good? He has struggled to get a game for three years at Everton, admittedly behind Tarkowski and Branthwaite. Is Keane better than what we have? I am not entirely sure how good some of our CBs are like Sanda, Edwards and Wood. Bednarek looked pretty good in the championship, but he looks the most likely to depart (we will see). THB is OK, but needs someone powerful next to him.

He's 31 and on a large wage. Not easy to shift if you want a 'reasonable' transfer fee, which we did last summer. Trabzonspor offered buttons, we said "no" and obviously they got Simon Banza in on loan, who promptly scored 21 goals in 31 games. I suspect they will want to sign him, but Braga will want a reasonable fee too. Trabzonspor didnt qualify for any European competition, so they wont be flush.

we've got Taylor,ABK and Sanda as well. far too many in that position

I like what i've seen in the videos. Describing himself as the ugliest manager in the league is the kind of self-deprecation I can warm too when faced with non stop hyperbole and bullshit from most of the frauds in management positions. It's a massive and very difficult job with little room for error, but if the club can help shape a decent squad for him, I am hopeful he can get the best out of them. After the 9 month shitshow, it's time for some optimism.

Ws looking at recent Lens players and Still had Juma Bah on loan from Man City for the second half of the season. He was at Real Valladolid previously, before a messy buy out of his contract enabled him to join City. He's a 19 year old centre back. He's a proper unit, 6'5 but looks a little ungainly in his Youtube video.

I was kind of hoping you might chuck a name or two into the mix for discussion, but if no one has caught your eye outside of SFC, no worries.

it's not the lack of muscle it's the lack of grit. He has positive attributes, but a central midfielder without bite is an issue for me.

Sheffield United offered £7m in 2023. He subsequently had a decent season in the championship, so maybe he stock rose? He won't have PL clubs after him, and not many clubs in the championship have money to spend...so difficult to value as you say.

I know you have been saying the players we have will be OK in the lower league, but any players you fancy that might strengthen us MLG?

When Ramsdale departs, GK becomes an issue as big as those.

As always, I am hoping the manager will bring a wealth of player information his previous league(s) enabling us to sign some hidden gems. Hasn't happened since Koeman.

QPR's assistant manager incoming?