A long but readable post from Redcafe on the (deliciously inept) state of their transfer season and (wonderfully pitiful) team/squad plans for next season :
Amazes me that at the moment we look like going on a pre-season tour and we have so far only signed one player in one of the positions that was least urgent in terms of upgrading.
We also still havent sold a single player, only ones to leave are contracts ending and Henderson loaned.
Now people have stopped mentioning German players Rangnick was l9nke dwith, its all Dutch players and we seem to have all our eggs now in current or ex Ajax players.
And our bet player last season, the only actual player who is a proper centre forward wants to leave, our best young player may well not ever play for the club again.
Its a complete and utter shambles, just look at that tour squad, only Ronaldo is missing and there are some good young players, but it is so weak.
We still need to get rid of some dross yet I only expect Pereira and Tuanzabe to be sold, others will be loaned I reckon so another summer of them still here effectively.
What do we still need incoming a back up keeper, cb, rb, 2 x cm, rw , 2 x cf....still 7 players.
Not dissapointed by any of the players leaving so far, but its a little strange how excited people are with the possibility of Erkisen to me. A good player, but isnt he just Mata with a more expansive range of passing....how does that improve our side? FDJ doesnt want to come it appears even though he may be forced to, great player but thats 1/4 to 1/3 of our budget on one signing that isnt a happy one....that I still dont think happens, he goes elsewhere at the 11th hour.
Most of the players I was keen on have either moved already or signed new contracts.....
Vandervoordt moves to Leipzig in a couple of years, we could have done a similar deal or even signed him now and sold Henderson and made a profit.
Kamara has moved to Villa for FREE
Bissouma has moved for £35m
Caqueret has signed a new contract with Lyon, tentative links with Milan but nobody seemed to moe for him, sur ewe could have got him under £30m
Enzo Fernandez has moved for under £20m
Nkunku has signed a new contract
Timber doesnt want to move
I still think we could have made four quality signings from those players for £30m to £65m....add that to Malacia for £13m thats 5 of 8 signings with well over £100m left to spend maybe nearer £150m
Yet now we are linked heavily with Lisandro Martinez £40m, De JOng £50m, Antony £70m thats £160m on three players potentially and still no striker or right back or defensive midfielder unless Martinez moves there which means no centre back.
Its not looking good at all. The only players I am still really keen on we are not even linked with
Gusto RB Lyon £20-25m
Gvardiol CB Leipzig £60m
Giouri CF Nice £45m
Ekitike CF Reims (tbh less interested in him now seeing prices Newcastle seem to have to pay)
There just seems no combnation of players we are linked with or the ones I would like that really moves us forward as much as hoped this summer. I dont think now we get five which is the minumum under £190m odd which seems to be the budget unless we make some bargains and the only obvious one is Eriksen who is a good player, but never been as enthused about him as many on here even during his SPurs days.
We either require miracles from Ten Hag improving some of our players and I think people are expecting too much on that side or/and we need 2/3 youngsters to really shine this season and only one maybe two tops are ready from the talented ones we do have.
I have to say short term at least unless something dramatic happens in the next few weeks, I cant remember being less enthused about our side going into a new season in many years.