Still not as bad as Odemwingie
Which CB are you moving on to make room for Gvardiol?
And I think the Gavi ship has sailed. It was only ever a remote possibility because of their financial situation and possibly disrespecting him on the improved contract he deserves because they cannot afford new expenditure this year. But he stayed, and he has started every game (I think). Any wiggle room there was to shift him from a club he’s been at since before he was a teenager is now surely gone.
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Still hasn’t signed a new deal though has he? His current deal expires in the summer.
As for Gvardiol, it will probably be time to move Matip on. If only to allow for smooth transitions of the playing squad.
But mostly I was joking; being unreasonably demanding due to the financials!
Bellingham, Kone/Caicedo and Neto. That Wolves connection 
A lot of criticism for Gavi by Barcelona fans recently
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Gvardiol doesn’t make much sense as he’s a LCB so we’re talking about Virgil’s spot. Gvardiol is going to be too expensive for someone who would on paper still be a backup player.
Are we that far away from needing someone to properly rotate with Van Dijk? Some time out of the team may do wonders for the Dutch man.
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Hopefully Bellingham as the 8 who can do a bit of everything, and grow with us and be a main player for years to come.
Then another midfielder. Maybe it is Arthur on a permanent deal if he impresses. Maybe it is Caicedo? Maybe Kone? Both young players, both on the way up, both with pace and pressing and energy, and I’m sure we are watching their development closely.
Or perhaps we will go wild and land three midfielders, and have a real clear out?
At the least you would have to think Milner, Keita and Ox won’t be here as players beyond this season. Arguably there’s still a question mark over one or two others, to varying degrees.
So, two midfielders to come in, possibly three, depending on outgoings. One of them, Arthur, may already be here.
If Ox and Keita are to go then you can see two being enough even if Milner goes as well.
It’s never been the number of players, but the durability, and age, of a number of those we do have. Getting two of the most injury prone ones replaced with two more consistently available players would massively help create a consistent unit and alleviate some of the concerns we have with others whilst hopefully allowing us to gradually phase them out over a longer period of time.
If was two next summer I think there may well be call for another the summer after depending on how Thiago, Hendo and Fab are going at that stage. Still not sure how we’re financing Bellingham plus another come next summer though.
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I think we will sign Melo only if he is really, really, good (and fit).
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I can’t see a way we make that permanent unless he’s the second coming of Xabi Alonso and is fit every day between now and the end of May.
Clearly he was a last minute choice and never part of the longer term vision. He’s going to have to seriously impress for us to stump up the kind of fee that has been agreed. That is so high compared to what he’s done at Juventus you can imagine it’s just a safety net Juve have put in and we’ve just said yes to as we have no intention of activating it.
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The fee seems very reasonable, at least for a player who does enough who justify staying. Pacqueta, who is probably in a similar place in his career just went for a reported 50 million. The main difference in the fees is that Lyon were reluctant to lose their player whereas Juve needed to. I think if had have gone to West Ham this summer for 35 million there would have been a lot of eye brows at what would have been considered a savvy piece of business from them. We have the added advantage of largely derisking it by only paying if he proves his worth. And for that to happen I dont think he has to hit anywhere near those heights.
If he comes in and is a viable ball playing alternative to thiago, then in the circumstances where we move on Ox, Naby and Milner, finalizing the deal for him next summer further derisks any other move (bellingham) we might make. You can also see a situation where we lose bobby and decide Fab should be played further forward opening up another spot in the CM group to fill.
If he plays like the second coming of Xabi then his fee is a steal. If he is only a decent alternative to thiago, for 35 million it’s still a pretty decent deal to retain that option and maintain some continuity in a group that will likely see a decent overhaul.
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If we get Bellingham, which some respected football journos seem to think is highly likely, and we decide to keep Arthur as Thiago’s replacement / alternative, then that’s going to mess up Elliot’s progress, particularly if Thiago stays for another season.
Plus, I could be wrong here but neither Arthur nor Bellingham are DMs. Therefore, our only alternative to a somewhat injury-prone and inconsistent Fabinho is the also somewhat injury-prone Hendo. And of course both players would be a year older and therefore slower than they are right now.
So maybe we will need to get three midfielders, with the third being a DM. Does Caicedo play as a DM?
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I don’t think so. Thiago and Melo play on the left. Elliott plays on the right. Bellingham would compete more with Elliott it seems.
8 weeks until the World Cup break.
Winter Transfer window opens 7 weeks later but there is enough time to plan Transfers etc.
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I am sorry, but Elliott will be benched for Jude (unless he cannot adapt quickly like Diaz). Jude is simply fitter and better as a pure central midfielder - I mean, much closer to a young Hendo than Elliott who is more of a No.10 or a RW.
As for DM, Declan Rice will have one year left of his contract by the end of this season.
We should buy Rice and Bellingham this summer (or in January). FSG need to push the boat out here.
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He has one year left but there is Reportedly an option for another which I’m sure West Ham will use to get top value.
Before we sign anyone we need to sort out our tactical structure, Rice will get horribly exposed trying to play the no.6 here. You think Fabinho looks slow and easily bypassed…
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