MarkSFC

By decent back up I assume you mean decent young CB (early 20's) as opposed to a Caulker or just a late 20s player? What we really need is someone who is or very soon will be better than Jose who then effectively becomes a very very decent 'back up' CB as you put it. This phrase of "back-up" is not really relevant in today's football. It is very much a squad game and top teams need 20+ decent players, not 11 plus 11 back ups!!!! If you do you likely struggle. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm not. In addition to Long Austin and JRod we need another striker, hopefully a speed merchant plus an attacking midfielder of the Wyneldum sort. Add in Redmond and Tadic and that is a decent front line squad. We potentially have at least 10-15 more games (plus the travelling) compared to last season and so we need more options.

Austin having an injury "problem" is an utter myth. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Austin And as much as you think writing off JRod is the sensible and safe option, I think you (and many others) are writing him off far too soon. I anticipate a hugely successful season for them both. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I wonder how much we would of got for LeTiss in his pomp at today's prices?!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I think Fonte mentioned him as a possible recruit a short while back! Or was that Joao Mario?!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No you are not. Bye bye. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

"Like"!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I'm not sure that the article suggests that we are basically done what I think is that the club are playing transfers down for two main reasons in my humble opinion; 1) to keep gossip in the media as low as possible (hopefully because we are going for 2-3 players of a quality where perhaps bigger clubs may want to get in on the act) and; 2) to help boost the ethos of younger players having opportunity to progress versus an ethos of simply buying buying buying. I'm certain we will see at least 2 more decent players if not 3-4. I do not get this RB thing though. Sure Soares and Martina are not the best in the league but they are pretty decent and obviously one just won the Euros....not sure we are that desperate plus Yoshida can cover there! Redmond I feel is effectively half a replacement for Mane as I see it - not in terms of ability I will stress as I think he is much better and will be much better than it seems most on here believe. He is though much more of the wide player than the best part of Mane which was through the middle. I think we will effectively cover that part of his game with a speedy striker which will at the same time compensate more for Pelle (I know people think Austin was his replacement and he probably is in terms of size and heading prowess in the box) but we do need another speedy type as stated. I imagine we will see an attacking type midfielder (don't really get this Number 10 thing as in different formations it's a different role) but a Wjnaldum type would be good. Well ANY midfielder who can contribute 8-10 goals!! Personally I think we need another CB and I like the idea of Kongolo (mentioned that before), left sided, a bit of European experience, and will develop. Our type of player. And of course we still need another GK although I do think PG has improved having watched a few U21 games last season but there's a big leap to the Premier league! Hopefully he will play every game in the JPT. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Wrong Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

If Stones is worth £50m the VvD is worth £100m!! IF we were to sell him this summer for anything less than something north of £75/80m then I would be very disappointed and although the length of contract will drive up any price the negative message this sale in particular would send would be devastating. I am very confident that it won't happen but its obvious why the scenario is mooted!!!

Not because it's Everton but I do not think Witsel is really all that. I would not be excited if we signed him and would question our scouting for once. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yeah great signing. He seems genuinely happy to be here. He's done the so called big club and you would think he's realised it can't get much more secure than playing for us. Instead of feeling nervous every summer that players will leave because they only have a year or two left we have some relative security with lots of key players and any more additions. Exciting times. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

bertrand new 5 year deal!!

2 years. 20 odd million I would guess. In our reach. Your attitude to choices and chances is very fixed, once made or passed that's it according to you. Strange approach but you're entitled. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

He played 23 times for Shalke last season who finished 5th and has already played 15 times for Denmark.....one for NOW!! Sounds exciting. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Ironically he's probably in a similar situation to what Bertrand was at Chelsea behind Ashley Cole! I hope he stays as I think he has potential but actually more as a winger. We will see. No doubt if he does go it will be spun as selling the Crown Jewels.... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

We do not need a new CB.....didn't you hear, we are selling everyone and playing the U21s?! Seriously though we do; Yoshida is a decent squad player but like others have said if he is to be relied on for more than just a few games we would not be as secure at the back as most teams in the top 10. I think Tomkins for 10m would of been a shrewd buy but really I hope we get a young one who not only puts pressure on Fonte but is better. That makes our CB position strong, and if we want to go far in the cups we need this quality of depth. A left-footed one may make a lot of sense but they are a rare commodity! None of know how good Gardos is or may be and it would be great if he proves us all wrong but right now he needs a bit of development I've unfortunately. Stevens may come good but I think he may end up being a good championship / EPL level player which is a shame. There is a player in the U21s, (A Jones??) who I saw a few times last season and my instinct was that he has the potential, still in his teens I think but I'm sure our resident geeks will correct me! Either way he's at least a season or two away from the first team, 2-3 at least from being good enough to be first choice, so one decent one know is perfect. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Having a long term injury does not mean that when you come back you will definitely break down again, but it is more likely that you will compared to someone who hasn't (talking ligament/muscle injury). Austin and JRod will I am sure have good seasons and play at least 25 games each if not much more. The issue I have is that virtually every top team has 4 really good strikers, if Pelle goes we have 3. When we bought Austin in January I thought it was an excellent piece of business and still do, but just as good was it gave us a 4th striker. Assuming Pelle does go I think we need to sign a young striker (Berahino would be great or even Andy Carroll although unlikely) which will give us a front 6 of JRod, Austin, Long, Tadic, Redmond and new one. We then just need an AM (Chamberlain would be good) and a DM (Moussa Sissoko my choice). A back up GK and maybe a decent CB on loan and job done. Total spend may well be 70-80 but income would be 60-65. Nothing really. I imagine that the media suggestions that we are taking our time and not necessarily going to replace Pelle are just our way of moving out of the limelight for the National press so we can just get on with business and to try and subdue our thirst for news Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

How very dare you!!! To suggest such a thing is downright rude!!! If only others got it..............

Obviously (if this is true) it can be construed as "Im happy and do not need any more players" but I prefer to take the viewpoint that being happy with the squad he currently has is a really good thing because it shows that even though we have lost some quality and recruited a bit overall we are still strong. I would be absolutely stunned if we did not recruit at least 3 more decent quality players, specifically DM, AM and ST. Arguably we need a CB (but I thunk we will loan one) and a back up GK.

I think we do need to look at getting a new CB, ideally a left footed one. It's not as important though as getting a really good DM and Mane replacement. I think we might see a loan in this position to give Gardos and Stevens a bit of breathing space and then next summer make a permanent signing of neither have proven themselves good enough to oust Fonte. VVD will play 2-3 more seasons then go not just the one people seem obsessed with. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

No. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Over the last few years we have sold 3-4 players for between 20 & 35odd million pounds. So far we have been very successful in recruiting within the 8-15m bracket. Unfortunately this bracket needs to shift up for two reasons; firstly we are aiming get higher each year and so the pool of players we need are going to be more expensive. Secondly everyone on the Premier League has vastly more money and so there are people clubs willing to chuck money around - albeit with a far less robust long term business model than ours may I suggest - and so we need to spend more for those 2-3 really good players we need to improve our team, not our squad. If Boufal is acquired for £25m then it's obviously a big leap for our record transfer and although the actual number seems huge for us, these numbers are all relative. We as fans should forget the actual number and compare ins v outs window to window. I would also hope we spend 15-20m on a defensive midfielder. I would imagine then we would also get another striker for fairly decent money. Any other additions like perhaps a RB (although I don't think we need one) and a young CB and of course a back up keeper will likely be purchases in the 5-10m bracket. I can see us spending 80-90m on new players but of course that's likely to be a net spend of 30-40. Sounds big but not in real terms. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I feel mixed about Pelle. On one hand he has been a really good player for us, and I the Euros has looked one of the best. One the other hand if we were to get between 10-15m as has been mentioned for a player his age I think it would be too good to turn down. Assuming he does go then we clearly need another out and out striker and although I would be happy with Berahino or Benteke my preference actually is Andy Carroll. I can't see WHU selling him but he has the qualities we need, tall and powerful. Long, JRod, Austin, Tadic, Redmond plus at least one real quality attacker is a formidable set of front players. Hopefully though we get two! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk