People can’t really think we’re doing Isak on top of Ekitike as well as all our other business.
Wirtz, Frimpong, Kerkez, Mamardashvili, a Quansah replacement and those two forwards would be upwards of £400m.
Even with a decent return on Nunez, Quansah, one of the LBs, Elliott, Kelleher, Morton and Doak it’d still be a huge outlay for one window. And in two years when we’re looking to replace Virg and Mo a good chunk of this spend will still be in the PSR window.
As much as this sets us up for the next 3-5 years we’ll still be needing to do business in the next couple windows. Potentially Konate to replace, Diaz if he’s still here for this season, probably another LB next summer if Robbo is the one that stays, some cover for Gravenberch with Endo’s deal ending, a possible Chiesa replacement should he not fire this season.
I just can’t see us doing two strikers at this kind of cost this summer.
In two years the replacement project would already be two years old, which already addresses the need to do business at a significant level…
And BTW, Mama was a last year transfer…
You always have to incorporate the fact that the team is well aware of PSR status at any point in time…
I’m inclined to agree, but I also think if we sell Diaz and Nunez, we’ll need to bring in two forwards just to cover for their loss and the passing of Diogo.
I know they’ll be aware and have a better knowledge of head room than any of us but it’s a consideration we’ll be working within. Last season we just did Chiesa which gives us more room than usual but the next two aren’t likely to be that low a level of spend.
Also I thought Mamardashvili was last year too but evidently it appears it was just an agreement to complete the deal this summer rather than us buying him and loaning him back so I think the fee will count this window.
Isak is just one of those players that I don’t think we’d turn down if we were convinced we could add him, irrespective of our other business. He’s an exceptional talent and striker.
I do realise that thanks, but we’ll need to replace those two in the next couple of years as well otherwise it can’t be the post Salah/van Dijk era. Not an easy or cheap task and not one we’ve done anything to address just yet, hence it remaining a significant consideration.
And there’s definitely some ambiguity about the status of Mamardashvili’s deal. Even the official site announcement says the deal was agreed for him to join this summer. No reference to loaning him back which is odd if that was the case. Few others have said that it was a bit like the keita deal from a few years back.
Bit inclined to think this is a long term plan, Ekitiki is only 22 so would be regarded as a longer term project,Isak more immediate .
That said,given the amount that would be involved doesn’t really look FSG’s style.
But that aside looks like a great idea.
Not sure where you’re getting the ambiguity from on Mama.
The post Salah/VVD era is actively in process. If we are successful bedding in Wirtz, he probably becomes the creative hub for the team, rather than Salah.