Shopping for New Striker(s)

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Not a transfer rumour, so yes, should've been a different thread right from the start. This is spun off from rh2's transfer rumour thread.

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I mentioned in the Depay thread that this season's (young) striker crop is pretty weak. It's going to be very difficult to find one (let alone two) good young striker in the summer, given that other clubs will also be looking for them. Here's a list of the top 20 forwards (league goals only) in the top 5 European leagues aged 19 - 24, with 25 games or more played this season. Impossibles and very unlikely candidates crossed out in red, undesirables (because of our Serie A Italian purchase experience) crossed out in orange.

I'm still hopeful of us landing Vietto, but Griezmann has been linked with Chelsea, and if that happens, I'd expect Vietto to go to Atletico Madrid as a replacement. Of course, there's the option of looking for players outside the top 5 leagues, or those in an older age group.

How about the list that did it the year before and see if any down seasons can be reasonably explained away?

It probably isn't a useful comparison, because some of these guys (e.g. Vietto, Dybala, Berahino) are either in their first season in 14/15, or the first season with serious minutes (i.e. 25 games or more). Some of the guys in the list below might be 25 in 14/15 so they drop out of the list I previously shared. Anyway, I've got the list for you, nonetheless. Same criteria - 19 to 24, 25 games or more. Also slim pickings but Griezmann is the obvious one that got away (hat tip to @Herr Onceared who I think wanted us to get him).

We've got two of these guys! 😀 🙁

 

[hmmmmm1]

This summer cant be any worse than Balo and Lambert.

 

[ILD]

How is Munian doing lately? I wanted him a few years back. Has Vietto and the likes over taken him in the talent stakes?

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

How is Munian doing lately? I wanted him a few years back. Has Vietto and the likes over taken him in the talent stakes?

Sorry, I left out this part in the cut and paste - Muniain in bold below. Doesn't look like he's kicked on from 13/14 goalscoring wise. I don't know how Vietto compares talent-wise since I haven't watched Muniain. I'll take the opportunity to add an update anyway on Vietto here - he's been having some back problems so his minutes have been done in the last few games. Just a couple of weeks ago, he joined Messi in visiting some doctor in Italy. So I suppose that's him tapped up for Barca.

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So, some info on the guys in the 13/14 list that dropped out of the 14/15 list (league goals only):

Josip Drmic went to Leverkusen. 6 goals in 23 games.
Vincent Aboubakar went to Porto. 3 goals in 13 games there.
Lukaku made his move to Everton permanent. 9 goals in 33 games.
Mehmedi still in Freiburg. 2 goals in 25 games.
Welbeck of course went to the Gunners. 4 goals in 27 games.
Iturbe went to Roma. 1 goal in 23 games.
Simone Zaza stay at Sassuolo. 8 goals in 27 games.
Nelson Oliveira went to Swansea. 1 goal in 10 games.
Gianni Bruno went to Lorient. 2 goals in 28 games.
Muniain stayed at Bilbao. 1 goal in 25 games.
Cedric Bakambu went to Bursapor. 11 goals in 22 games.

So a lot of the guys in the 13/14 list went flat in 14/15 (including our own Borini and Balotelli). You can see why there's the caution about chasing guys coming off a good single season.

 

[King Binny]

From the 1st list: [19] Ujah is going to Werder Bremen as replacement for [20] Selke who has been signed by 2 Bundesliga club RB Leipzig.

[16] Berardi doesn't play as an out and out striker (Zaza in 2nd list is the main striker at Sassuolo instead). Will be interesting to see if Juve brings him back (and if they do, hopefully he won't be a repeat case of Giovinco).

[17] Ben Yedder has been pretty consistent in Ligue 1 over the current and past 2 seasons, for a mid table team (Toulouse, who are fighting against relegation this season). Won't be surprised if one of the bigger teams in Ligue 1 recruit him.

[15] Ayew had 14 goals in 111 appearances for Marseille before moving to Lorient this season.
[article=http://www.ghanamma.com/ghana-striker-jordan-ayew-tallies-30-career-goals-in-ligue-1-after-brace-against-marseille/]The son of Ghana legend Abedi Pele averages a goal every 2.5 games this season.

Before joining Lorient last summer he averaged a goal every 6.7 matches in Ligue 1.[/article]

This is the 1st season for [18] Rolan playing as a regular starter. Seeing how their clubs only averaged a goal every league match, these 3 Ligue 1 strikers probably deserve a bit of credit for making it into the list.

[11] Dybala is certainly on his way out, and is set to miss the last 4 games of the season due to his pending sale.

As for the 2nd/ previous list
Drmic and Aboubakar went to Leverkusen and Porto and became backup to Kiebling and Martinez respectively. They could yet turn out to be capable replacements when those 2 move on eventually. Iturbe and Muniain, like Berardi, aren't out and out strikers.Meanwhile, Juventus are reportedly activating a €15m clause to re-sign Zaza.

 

[Rosco]

Those figures are last seasons?

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Those figures are last seasons?

Okay, the top image is 14/15.
The second image is 13/14.
The text numbers in the follow-up post are the 14/15 numbers for people in the 13/14 list who dropped out of the 14/15 list (because of age or shitness).

 

[Rosco]

Oh

 

[King Binny]

Just remembered a name - Salomon Rondon. Liked him when he was at Malaga. Haven't seen enough of him since he moved to Russia though.

 

[737Max]

Buy Icardi from Inter.

 

[Mors]

Sell sterling, borini, balotelli, lambert - then buy Kane, austin, Ings. And have loads of cash in the bank.
Striker(s) problem fixed.

 

[keniget]

Paco Alcacer?

 

[Shadey]

what about dipping into the championship?

 

[C/O]

Has anyone seen much of Martial at Monaco?

He'd probably cost a fair bit, but he seem to have a very bright future?

 

[localny]

I really wanted Bony. Turns out I may have been way off. How's he been at City? Nothing much? Could he make the leap up?

I ask, as this is the level of player we're linked with. A B level performer with a decent season

 

[cloggypop]

Wash your mouth out localny.

 

[6TimesaRed]

I bet that's the sheet Rodgers and the transfer committee work from.. exactly mark it just like that

Cunts...

 

[C/O]

You really don't like Rodgers, do you @RedNinja?

 

[Hansern]

How can you tell??

 

[C/O]

How can you tell??

Rodgers
Eradicates
Desire
Nightly
In
Non
Jew
Areas

Just sayin'.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

You really don't like Rodgers, do you @RedNinja?

Stop sharing accounts with Modo, RN!

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

So a few other names to strike off, I'd think:

1. Dybala - crazy money probably. Would folks be comfortable with us spending big on a player with one good season in the Serie A?
2. Aubameyang - I'd think Dortmund will want to keep him given their managerial transition. Unlikely to entertain offers.
3. Berahino - Aidy Ward is his agent. I don't think, given all the grief over Sterling's contract, they'll want another case to handle.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Paco Alcacer?

9/29 for Valencia this season. Good call but Peter Lim has just bought the club this season and I'd think he'd probably be looking to build - at least for now - rather than sell their top young striker.

But yeah, if you start to go beyond those in the lists, there are guys like Alcacer (Valencia), Martial (Monaco) - mentioned by C/O above, Juami (Malaga), Batshuayi (Marseille), etc. who might look interesting. All very young (19 to 21), like Dybala and Vietto. The list would look like this (19 to 21, 20 games played, top 5 leagues). For players in this age group, it'd make sense to look outside the top 5 leagues as well obviously. Aleksander Mitrovic (Anderlecht) for example, has been mentioned in another thread (20 years old, 14 goals in 27 for Anderlecht).

 

[dmishra]

What happened to Leandro Damiao?

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

What happened to Leandro Damiao?

Still in Brazil.

 

[keniget]

9/29 for Valencia this season. Good call but Peter Lim has just bought the club this season and I'd think he'd probably be looking to build - at least for now - rather than sell their top young striker.

I know - plus I think he signed a big fat contract extension earlier this year. His buyout clause was pretty low before that so no excuses really.

You must be pleased that Vietto is looking like one of the more solid bets right now, at least in terms of affordability and availability.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

I know - plus I think he signed a big fat contract extension earlier this year. His buyout clause was pretty low before that so no excuses really.

You must be pleased that Vietto is looking like one of the more solid bets right now, at least in terms of affordability and availability.

Yep I am... at least for now. I'd think Villarreal will be interested in what fees Dybala commands in the next couple of weeks. I've read somewhere that they want Vietto to sign a new contract that bumps the supposedly low buyout clause up. Not sure why he would agree with that if he wants to move to a bigger club (unless he's just a nice chap and wants to repay their faith in him - in the modern age... ha!).

 

[dmishra]

Vietto and Dybala both look a little lightweight to me. The Latin strikers who've done well in the PL (Aguero, Suarez, Tevez) have all been in a similar mould - strong upper bodies, low centre of gravity, tenacious work rate. These two seem to be more in the Juan Pablo Angel and Franco di Santo mould. Or are they nippy and technical enough to be successful here?

In any event, given that we're already invested heavily in Origi, I don't think it'd be advisable to invest in developing another young striker. From all accounts, Origi is a top talent - let's help him realise that than getting him to compete with another who's at about his level.

What we need is a first team striker - someone who's been a proven goalscorer for at least 2-3 seasons. Can we a compile a list of those players? I've got:

Lacazette
Cavani
Aubameyang
Luiz Adriano
Icardi
Jackson Martinez

You could add Benteke, Heung-Min Son, Wissam Ben Yedder and Salomon Rondon to that list as well. Having said that, I think while I think they're good players, they're not top top quality.

 

[James]

A name that's not mentioned at all but we should cast an eye over is Kevin Gamerio from Sevilla. Out and out striker and great finisher.

 

[YNWA]

Surprised no one has mentioned Higuain in the potential list. Have seen quite a bit of Napoli this season and he would be a great fit for us. Great movement, finishing, technically strong and with Rafa's position at Napoli uncertain, this could be the time to go all out for him. With Origi & Ings (supposedly) also joining us this summer, we could end up with quite a strike force if we get Higuain.