I don’t see Aaron’s costing more than 25m really. And really want an attacking full back to free up Pepe. A season with bellerin making over lapping runs could kill me. But yeh I agree about CM. I don’t really know enough about relatively cheap attacking midfielders that will actually improve us though. I like the idea of someone like grealish in there, but feasibility is an issue and still huge question marks if he can perform at that standard.
A player like nasri or Sanchez who plays wide but gets involved heavily in build up and is a goal scoring threat is what we desperately need to really give balance to our front three aswell. Also don’t know who can do that, maybe Depay?
Bench: Martinez, Mari, Kolasinac/Cedric, Guendouzi, Torreira, Martinelli/Nelson and Nketiah
Partey fixes the defensive side of our midfield. and Szboszlai will help more going forwards and looks like he would only cost £20m. Our central defence is a bigger issue than our full back positions, regardless of how many we have, and Upamecano and Saliba could be a long term big hit playing together with experienced backup.
Transfers should be obtainable by selling off Lacazette and a few defenders. I don’t think we should sell any midfielders as even by buying Szoboszlai and Partey we would only have 5 to cover 3 positions (plus Willock, but I don’t think he’s ready for PL first XI yet for the standard we should be aiming for).
Honestly I would still like to see Zaha in the side. I think he would really help balance out our attack has bags of experience and would mean we could finally start to play Auba in the middle. I wouldn’t mind a raid on a Norwich either, Godfrey, Aarons and Lewis have all been good but seeing as their all English not sure we would be able to afford them.
Partey, Zaha and a defender would be a good window for me.
If we’re raiding Norwich I think Buendia would be the best value, we’ve got a lot of pace in the side going forward but not enough creativity.
Zaha would score goals by himself but I don’t see him as a creative force.
Yeah, you can check out and still be professional and that’s what bothers me about Zaha. He chose to sign a big contract without a release clause so Palace are well within their rights to want to hold out for a fee they believe him to be worth.
Auba checked out and forced his way out of Dortmund but still had nearly a goal a game up until his final game there.
It’s hard going when a lot of the time it’s 10 men behind the ball, and then Zaha’s responsibility to dribble past 5 players and score. Any striker would check out after too much of that
I’d say he’s flopped big time but there a has has a very good profile and would be a good reclamation project for a positional need. If we could get him on the cheap that could be very good as he seems to have lost the confidence of Simeone.
Özil not leaving is a disappointment. He’s got every right to expect a pay out in lieu of staying for one more year but you have to wonder if his agents realize his stock is already in the toilet. What does another year riding the bench matter to Besiktas?
Yeah if Besiktas (or any other club) will actually want to sign him on a free (but on reduced wages), why don’t they just make us an offer to sign him now, and pay him the same wages as when he signs for free, with us making up the difference?
Ozil gets his full wages but actually gets to play, we get some wages off the books, and the new club get him a year earlier…
IN : Partey and Lemar
OUT : Guendouzi and Lacazette