S-Clarke

It's been picked up by a journo or two as well that we're back at the table. Already spoken to Ramsdale etc. (and sold him the project, or equal nonsense )

He's got a year left on his contract at Juve, that's why he's valued so low. This is why we got Suguwara fairly cheap as he was into his final year. I'd argue that the £10-15m signings are out there, but for the level we need, they're only going to be at that value if they are 1) into their contract rundown or 2) have injury history. In general terms, signing an established player with no injuries and a few years on his contract, like Mane or Tadic in this market today would be £25-30m easily.

Welcome to modern football, all about 'projects' and fluff words like that. It doesn't really mean anything. I wonder what project Koeman sold Pelle/Mane/Tadic? ''Just win games and create goals'' I'd guess.

All in we've made about £20m, if you factor in the £5m loan fee to Juventus in January. That £40m future buy clause was always a funny joke, we were never getting that. Half at best, which is what we've done really.

Strike me a bit confused, but how are Leicester doing this - what with all the financial restrictions around them? Leicester set to sign El Khannouss in £19m deal from Genk Latest from Sky Sports News' Lyall Thomas: Bilal El Khannouss is expected to have a medical with Leicester today. The Foxes have agreed a deal at just over £19m to sign the attacking midfielder from Genk.

He's come on leaps and bounds at Lens, one of the better players in France. I agree with you, we arsed around with him at left full back for some reason - never gave him a chance at CB.

The Burnley meltdown at the moment is quite something. They're selling anyone who moves. Of the team that started against Luton, they've lost or are going to lose 7 of that (most in the last week too)

Probably equal priority, but at a push GK. We won't score many goals this season no matter who is up top, so clean sheets/GK performances are going to be key. If we can get a point winning GK in, then we could potentially nick games by the odd goal. We do have goals in the side in BBD, Archer, Armstrong, Stewart (lol) - but in GK, we only have Lumley and McCarthy which is a shocking state to be in.

Of the names we have been linked with, the only ones still seemingly obtainable are Mark Travers at Bournemouth, Aaron Ramsdale, Patterson (Sunderland), Christos Mandas (Lazio), Martin Dubravka. Ramsdale's options are diminishing, with Borunemouth signing Kepa and Wolves going for Johnstone. Come deadline day he will want to move, so it could well be ourselves and Ajax as the last ones standing. I'd expect Arsenal's demands to soften significantly. Obviously there may be a left field option from nowhere. We will get a GK though, we let Lis go so we have a gap. The club know we can't go into a PL season with just two senior GK's.

The Rooney effect still going strong I see. Plymouth losing again. Haven't won a game this season yet, 4 in.

That is true, Toby was another one we got over the line on deadline day from seemingly nowhere (same day as Mane). THB last season was a great addition from nowhere. Equally we've jumped at some shockers like Onuachu and Sulemana in the january window. I hope we've learnt though.

He was in tears being carried off - got to feel for him, that's a pretty bad start. That tackle was a shocker.

Thankfully we were thorough then and didn't do another Stewart. We only have 2 senior keepers - McCarthy and Lumley. Lis has gone. Bazunu is out for the season. The club will get a new GK in, but who that is will be anyone's guess at this point.

Good young player, will be decent - but....I don't feel he's what we need yet. We've got Dibling and SAA to fill that inexperienced Wideman role. Any new wide attacker, IMO, has to be better than what we have today and he isn't yet, we'd just have more of the same. We need some star quality up there.

That's what Arsenal want yep, but my hunch is that it will soften as we head into the final stages. That'll bring other clubs back to the table as well obviously, but I think they need to be realistic really and as a player he will probably demand that something is sanctioned. He needs to play at his age. Something will happen with him by the end of the window, and it won't be as expensive as Arsenal originally wanted imo.

Oh yep - Travers is another name, we have been linked with him previously this window - albeit loosely. Like you say, the Kepa deal will free him up to go. Don't know much about him, but he doesn't spring up in my mind as a ball playing goalkeeper.

You can't criticise the club for being cautious over this one, if by the same token you criticise them for the Stewart deal. We've been burnt far too many times with injury prone players. This was seemingly too much of a risk, even with 20 games as an option. At the end of the day a medical is a risk assessment, there's no pass or fail - it's up to the club and the medical team to risk asses it, which for once they seem to have thoroughly done.

I see a few options as we head into the final few days - Steele - potentially £7mish for Brighton to want to budge, which is a lot for a player of his age. Ramsdale - An expensive loan, wouldn't be ours. We'd have to make any option realistic for us, but I think Arsenal will soften as the window comes to a close. (The player will end up forcing it). I can see a deal being agreed nearer the deadline for a straight loan with no option, then the club get Bazunu back next season (That'll be a bump down to earth). Johnstone - This one is doable for around £5m I think, not first choice at Palace. Certainly the last on my list though. Patterson (Sunderland) - Good young keeper, Sunderland want £20m though - pretty pricy for someone without PL exp. Makes the Ramsdale deal look better value. There may well be a left field shout, but it's pretty late now so I think we'll end up zooming in on the ones we've been linked with all summer. It will be one of the 4 above or none.

For one I'm glad we've done our thorough due diligence on this one, you have to ask why we didn't do the same on Ross Stewart - but maybe we've learnt. Bjlow has missed 190 games since 2018, which is a ridiculous amount - it's a shame really, because without his injuries he is a top level keeper. Given that we didn't just get this over the line I think it shows we're taking this one seriously, the GK will need to be a number 1 and play for us. As other's have said, Ramsdales options have or are running out. Arsenal are buying another keeper. He wants to play. Their demands will soften, it's probably a deadline day one and will end up being a straight loan. Thankfully we kept that 2nd loan slot open!

I think we were hoping for $$$$ this summer from him, but I reckon it'll be a last min free loan somewhere in Europe - just to get him out.

I didn't think so, but our link to Yuri Alberto suggests otherwise - he is an out and out number 9.

I'd say of all their spending, that's one area they've never really sorted. Lots of forwards, but no real number 9's apart from Lukaku and Broja - and they're both off anyway.

He defo had high potential a few years ago, he was monitored quite a lot. The Corinthians move just hasn't worked for him though, and he doesn't have a good rep out there on the back of it. Could be multiple things though as Corinthians have been a pretty poor side for a while, but he's certainly regressed over the last 18 months - which is the only reason we've got a chance I guess. It's certainly a punt.

Tino was another pre-SR - not looking good for SR!

Lyanco was done prior to SR, but still a poor pick by Matt Crocker at the time. Add Mara onto your list of expensive fails as well, he was another data driven punt.