Chez

Obviously we don't know who is departing yet, so what holes need filling nd how much we have to play with, but as a guide we only spent £10m last time we went down on transfers with the THB fee deferred and some loans on top.

Only got a year left on his contract, so that limits his price a little bit. You might be right, but Villarreal seem to think that price is about right: https://www.pinkun.com/sport/norwich-city/25138159.norwich-city-villarreal-transfer-link-borja-sainz/

Fair point. But 10 in 28 is not too bad in his first season. Solanke didn't score many in his first few seasons with them. I fancy he will score a few next season if we stays free of injury. The Heijsen signing using the money was a pretty decent upgrade too. Lets see if they can find another to fill that gap.

Likewise. Pretty amazing rise by them. Madrid don't sign many players from the PL either. And you have to go back to Laurie Cunningham from West Brom in 1979 for a signing from a `small club'.

Sold Solanke for £65m, and lost Kelly on a free to Newcastle last summer, bought Evanilson for £35m and Huijsen for £12m. I think you might be right.

good point. Coventry deserve better than having him walk this summer.

he's the fella that likes championship manager, right? The entire industry is trying to emulate/catch up with Liverpool's massive spend on data analysis that seems to have been at the heart of their success, so you can bet any manager we employ will need to be fully invested in that element. I'm guessing Will Still will be.

He has always spoken well and comes across as a bit more intelligent than the average player. Neither mean he is a good manager, but it's a start. I really liked his Derby side of a few years back. Personally, I'd be pretty happy with his appointment. We need a breath of fresh air to turn this shitshow around and he might have it in him. However, he doesn't feel like a SR manager to me.

Sure, the parachute payment means our income is higher, but if you are spending it all on a disorganised rabble of overpaid, unconfident, brow-beaten players' wages, then do we truly have an advantage? Perhaps. The same applies to the transfer budget. More to spend, but if it's not spent well, then you are not adding assets you are just adding more dead weight. If it's a choice between us and Wednesday, then we are probably still the more attractive option, especially after the season Wednesday had off the field, but if they are bought out, it's a whole new ball game and they could have a decent budget themselves. Just because we managed to bounce straight back last time, it doesn't mean it's easy. Our squad on paper is certainly better than Wednesday's, but there is a massive job for the next manager to do to turn a shit show into a promotion wining side.

Seeing as he won Preston's player of the year in the championship, I would imagine he'd fancy a go at the PL perhaps with one of the promoted clubs? You'd think there would be some interest at that level. If not, would be a good option for us, as Sugawara has been fucking shit so far. Also, if you want KWP mark II, then he's your man, as he's aonther skilful full back that can get out of tight spaces/keep possession. Some clips here, all be it from 2022

Chelsea wanted £30m for him (I think that was the price agreed with Everton should they want him). Everton are not spending that. He's hardly played for them. Calvert Lewin also looks likely to depart, but these guys are too famous to not get interest from abroad. Bamford strikes me as being more likely, are perhaps exactly what we need...except the fact he's always injured.

There was a suggestion on the New manager' thread that Peterborough's Poku would be a good signing. Copying my reply to that post across to this more suitable thread: Just spent a week on holiday talking football with a Birmingham ST holder who is from Sheffield. Poku is a player the bluenoses are looking at. The talk at Birmingham is having a budget to match the parachute clubs like us and of signing players this summer good enough for the Prem (and targeting CL in five years), so they are very very ambitious. I'd suggest we should be interested in anyone they are interested, Poku being one of them. If you have not seen him, he's a very left footed right winger. He is a good dribbler, likes cutting inside and shooting. He does go outside to keep the fullback honest, but I think we all know by now that that `third' of the pitch inside the fullback is the place where most goals come from, so maybe we get someone in that can actually score goals, like he does from that position. He's not lightning quick, but he is more robust than Edozie. I'd be surprised if we hadn't scouted him, Raki-Sakyi and a few others to play on that right side, especially if we are going to offload Armstrong. As for Wednesday, Charles won their player of the season, but many saw Gassama as the better talent. He's another winger, this time right footed (with a stronger `swinger' than Poku) who seemed comfortable on either side. He scored a few last season. He's not lightening quick either, but I thought he looked a little more dynamic than Poku, maybe a bit more acceleration? Like Poku, he has tricks and a nice drop of the shoulder. After him, Valery did OK for them, suiting their system, but not sure we want to go back there.

Why Delilah?

Kill me now.

I'm more than happy to have an ambitious manager that will happily move to a bigger club. And if it happens, so much the better, as it means he has actually done well here. The same applies the players. do they want to stay at Saints long term should not be on the list of interview questions.

Just spent a week on holiday talking football with a Birmingham ST holder who is from Sheffield. Poku is a player the bluenoses are looking at. The talk at Birmingham is having a budget to match the parachute clubs like us and of signing players this summer good enough for the Prem (and targeting CL in five years), so they are very very ambitious. I'd suggest we should be interested in anyone they are interested, Poku being one of them. If you have not seen him, he's a very left footed right winger. He is a good dribbler, likes cutting inside and shooting. He does go outside to keep the fullback honest, but I think we all know by now that that `third' of the pitch inside the fullback is the place where most goals come from, so maybe we get someone in that can actually score goals, like he does from that position. He's not lightning quick, but he is more robust than Edozie. I'd be surprised if we hadn't scouted him, Raki-Sakyi and a few others to play on that right side, especially if we are going to offload Armstrong. As for Wednesday, Charles won their player of the season, but many saw Gassama as the better talent. He's another winger, this time right footed (with a stronger `swinger' than Poku) who seemed comfortable on either side. He scored a few last season. He's not lightening quick either, but I thought he looked a little more dynamic than Poku, maybe a bit more acceleration? Like Poku, he has tricks and a nice drop of the shoulder. After him, Valery did OK for them, suiting their system, but not sure we want to go back there.

Can't see him dropping down a division. If no PL side wants him, he'll go abroad.

If they don't get that CL place they are going to have buttons to spend.

Sushi ain't gonna cook

Is Evan Ferguson totally unrealistic? Prem players don't drop down a division unless they absolutely have to, but is there a side in the Prem that wants him to play games next season? I guess all the promoted sides would take him.

Id of thought he'd gel well with the likes of Elanga, Gibbs-White and Hudson Odoi.

Some bollocks and grit in central midfield for sure. Yates from Forest type that is only too happy to kick someone and spoil opposing attacks. We could do with a couple of players that actually win headers in all three parts of the pitch.

We've got a few centre backs to shift before we can invest in a new one.

Three different managers have not rated him. Maybe he just isn't very good as a wingback.

Fraser was on loan in the championship, then signed on a permanent contract after we were promoted. He still had a year left on his Newcastle deal. I imagine we were offering a bit less than that deal, so there was probably some haggling by his agent to get Newcastle to pay the difference as a leaving 'present'. His wage won't be small, but there is a good chance there is going to be a reduction on relegation built in.