Jacquet really impressed me against Como. He looked assured on the ball with excellent recovery speed to intercept and block shots, and displayed crisp outlet passes to our fullbacks and other players. Between him and Araujo we should have CB solved until guys like Leoni and Gomez can get healthy.
The big shoe to drop is still Barcola. We probably announce Mbaye as well in a double swoop, that solves wing. Gakpo will then probably be sold to Spurs or another suitor because we’re full up on foreigner slots.
Still feels like the last piece of the puzzle is one more midfielder.
With Jones outgoing I’d love to see Wharton come in to replace the English quotient. If not Wharton who else that is English would you like to see come in?
I agree with all of that. Not sure if we will buy a midfielder if it is only Jones who departs, but to give an English suggestion, not Wharton, then Scott looks like a possibility. Knows Iraola. Knows what he wants. Can maybe fast track the midfield into a cohesive unit?
I’m not sure there’s another English player than Wharton who would come in and be significant for us this season.
I think the midfield conundrum at the moment is that ideally, Nyoni is a couple of years older and has played 50+ games for Liverpool; so we’re more sure about him being a guy, rather than hoping he is.
As long as he’s seen as a full squad member, staying at the club rather than being loaned out, I think it’s more likely the extra depth will come from players we already have. As opposed to padding out with a signing.
Things can happen quickly though, suddenly there’s a player available we like a lot, an opportunity.
I see Dortmund are now signing Joey Veerman from PSV for 22 million euros
He´s a player with brilliant passing and very clever in the midfield.
Surely we should have been in for him if we can´t afford somebody like Wharton. There is definitely value in Europe and we don´t seem to be moving on it.
Never heard of the player, but I think we’re unlikely to take a look at a 27yo (soon to be 28) from the Eredivisie with only 17 Dutch apps. Doesn’t scream someone who’s up to the required standard.
The advantage of Wharton or another home grown option instead of a cheaper European player is that we would be able to register him in the squad without needing someone else to leave first.
Not really a point about Veerman specifically but he´s a very good player and going for a good fee. There is value to be had in Europe and we don´t seem to be on it so much.
On what you said, you´re right, on the face of it not. He got injured and missed the world cup in 2022 and Koeman has been using De Jong. He was fired, coincidentally.
He´s been the best player in the Eredivise for the last 2 or 3 years quietly and they´ve won the title 3 years in a row. To be fair I am paraphrasing my Dutch friend here as I only watch PSV with him, but from what I have seen I´d say so.
Only Whoscored but he was their highest rated player last year, above Godts and Saibari, and 14 assist from CM is pretty epic.
I think it’s just that, looking at our transfer business over the last couple of years, it feels like our current strategy is to sign either high-level first-teamers in their early 20s who can become elite level within a year or two, or much younger players with very high-potential to start at the academy for a few years and develop gradually into first-teamers and potentially save ourselves tens (hundreds?) of millions a few years down the line.
I’m not sure players in their latter 20s are really on our radar anymore. But I guess we’ll see.
Yeah true I think you are right there. It does seem our strategy.
I understand it but I think we are leaving players on the table who could do a good job for us, especially as we are in transition right now. 4 or 5 years of quality performances for 20-40 mil seems a decent deal to me.
Especially as you don´t want a team full of kids and players past their best, without enough players in their prime years.
