Summer Transfer Window 2017

[MD_HM]

I would keep Adrian as number 1... we are not in Europe and have had a stinker of a season so won't appeal to the likes of Hart or Pickford.

So....

Adrian
New GK (Free)

Cresswell
Musuaku

Reid
Ogbonna
Fonte
Collins
Burke

New RB (Zabaleta- Free)
Byram

Noble
Obiang
Kouyate
Lanzini
Fernandes
Cullen
New CM (20m+)

Antonio
New winger/wide forward (20m+)
Snodgrass
Ayew

New striker (25-30m)
Carroll
Second new striker (Defoe - Free)
Fletcher


Sell Randolph (4m), Nordviet (2m), Feghouli (5m), Valencia (5m) and Sakho (8m).

Should generate about 20-25m

That's about 70m on just 3 positions... real quality though along with the free transfers for the other positions.

45-50m net spend, job done

Although personally I'd sell Ayew as well if we could get 10m+ for him... just don't think he fits into any of our systems

Same with Carroll if a 10m+ bid comes in but just as 80k a week is a lot to be on the bench or injured.

Options like...

------------------ Adrian ------------------
Zabaleta -- Reid -- Ogbonna -- Cresswell
----------- New CM --- Obiang -------
----------------- Lanzini --------------
Antonio -----------------------New LW
---------------New Striker ------------

----------------- Adrian ---------------
------- Kouyate -- Reid -- Ogbonna ------
Zabaleta ----------------------- Cresswell
---------------- New CM ---------------
---- Antonio ---- Lanzini ------- New LW
---------------- New Striker -----------

[hammer1975]

Sturridge from Liverpool resurfaced again

Can't see beyond giant injury issues

[Roby]

Sturridge from Liverpool resurfaced again

Can't see beyond giant injury issues

Don't think we'll take that risk after getting stung with AC.

Maybe if they want Creswell he'd be okay as a straight swap but nothing else.

[ageing hammer]

West Ham always buy crocks, I can see Sully putting in a cheeky bid for Ibrahimovic.

[Puff Daddy]

Sturridge from Liverpool resurfaced again

Can't see beyond giant injury issues

We have spent this season trying to stave off relegation and with 4 matches to go, our Premier league status is still not secured. Although we will stay up, top level players and their agents will be mindful of this when it comes to negotiating deals. I think this is going to be a very difficult window for us, as I don't see we have much to attract new and much better players. If Sturridge could sort his injuries out, he would be OK. He is about the level of player we will be signing

[61dicksey]

With that lot we should be asking Saga to sponsor us.

I like it ha! Ha!

[61dicksey]

Sturridge from Liverpool resurfaced again

Can't see beyond giant injury issues

Unless it's a freebie

[Lostcoco]

Joshua King anyone?

[thejackhammer]

Tenuous links to Matej Delac, probably to do with his Croatian nationality more than anything

[Crouchend_Hammer]

I woukd love us to spend 25m+ on individual players (if they are worth it). Trouble is most players who cost that much are probably going to be sought after and will be wanted by bigger and better clubs than us.

Finding gems like Antonio and Lanzini (and to a certain extent Payet) is a more realistic strategy IMHO

[MD_HM]

That's what has got us into this mess though...

The success of Cresswell, Lanzini, Payet, Antonio and Ogbonna at reasonable prices led to complacency in the transfer market hoping for the same, when that didn't work we paid over the odds for players we didn't need.

The above 5 players cost about 40m

Fonte, Snodgrass and Ayew cost us about the same in panic buying.

Where I say a 20m player if the right quality player is 15m then all the better as more money for another player or Sullivan's back pocket

[MD_HM]

The key to signing players quality players is scouting them early, checking if they want to come and then most important bidding a fee that is going to be accepted as early as possible... pay the money and get the deal done!

Don't worry about telling the world and his wife you plan to sign a 20m striker... just stump up the money and get it done!

Money talks both in terms of transfer fees and wages/signing on fee

Players will come... we are in the premier league, in London, have a 60k stadium, can pay in excess of 100k a week

[Peaches]

The key to signing players quality players is scouting them early, checking if they want to come and then most important bidding a fee that is going to be accepted as early as possible... pay the money and get the deal done!

Don't worry about telling the world and his wife you plan to sign a 20m striker... just stump up the money and get it done!

Money talks both in terms of transfer fees and wages/signing on fee

Players will come... we are in the premier league, in London, have a 60k stadium, can pay in excess of 100k a week

I'd have to agree with that 100%. Also the chance to play every week as opposed to sit on the bench appeals to some players. In spite of what you read on this forum and the thoughts of our owners, a lot of players look at Bilic as a reason to sign for us. Unfortunately our owners pretty much offset the last point.
If the owners were prepared to stump up th cash, our number one target should be Mandzukic. If Juve win the Champions league, he will have no reason to stay there and play primarily as a wide player. He has a close relationship with Bilic, and would pretty much be guaranteed to start as the number 9 if fit. He is a very mobile and fast big man who works as hard as any forward in the game and will score hatfulls .

[Jumby]

I don't get the Joshua King talk, don't get me wrong, he's alright, but he won't improve the first eleven.

[vaz te's bonnet]

I will always feel we need a striker like batshuayi/benteke. What suits our system is a mobile big man. Its why I feel fletcher will turn out well for us. I would also like to see some out right pace but Traore. Two relegations in a row is ominous

[Wilko1304]

Well, whilst I'm not sure he'll be consistent or successful elsewhere, he's scored a bucket load this year and has pace.

It's a hard job, playing up top for us. Javier Hernandez is a wonderful goalscorer, but will he hold the ball up and relieve the pressure we will be under in games. Would a Benteke be mobile enough when we need to stretch the play?

I know, in reality it is really difficult to get both, and that's why I do sympathise with the process of buying strikers. I think we probably need to settle on one type. I'd go with the pace as we lack it and we are a stronger side with that counter attack threat. Helps everyone else hold their defensive shape more often.

As much as some have questioned links to him, Defoe has actually become very good at being an out-ball. Were he younger he would be worth £20-30m, but he isn't and we will have to balance out whether he can keep levels of performance up at this age.

[nickkarkie]

I really like the look of Patrik Schick up front for Sampdoria, so much skill.

[Iron George]

Llorente at Swansea (if they go down) should be looked at.

Probably available at the kind of price Sullivan is actually prepared to pay - though of course he'll spend plenty of summer weeks spouting off about £30 mio strikers with no intention of ever paying that much for one

[leer34]

we dont need a hold up man we need the opposite, 2 pacy forwards, when we had the brief partnership of sakho and valencia linking up that was the way we need to be playing,
closing from the front and stopping the opposition walking to the half way line.

[Peaches]

Mandzukic is the perfect striker he is extremely pacey but can also play as a target man and is a poacher. If you watch Juve's matches this year Mandzukic is the one they play the ball in the channels to or over the top. He is more often than not used on the left of a front 3 or as a left winger and he his the pace and engine to do that although he is clearly he's as an out and out striker.