World Cup year so Depay would be motivated. He’s a player who I could see starting well, falling off, then being hard to shift.
Outgoings are pathetic half of that was guendouzi which was pre-agreed.
Might touch 25m if we’re lucky by the time Torreira, Bellerin and Mari are gone. 9 players out and only 25m recovered…fuck me.
£118m on a new striker, new left back, new offensive minded midfielder is some really nice business. Return of Saliba genuinely feels like a new acquisition too.
Hopefully there’s scope for one or two more players and this summer will forever be remembered
Agreed - and the fact we went so hard for Raphinha tells me that we are still chasing another forward (regardless of what we do with Pépé it seems).
We do have 6 players for 3 positions - Jesus, Nketiah, Saka, ESR, Martinelli and Vieira. But we’re relying heavily on Martinelli and ESR to produce.
If Martinelli has a Saka-esque breakout season then we’re fine, but that’s a big “if”. I love, love, love the kid but it’s a gamble to hope he goes up a level in terms of consistency and end product.
A player like Raphinha would have given us a serious upgrade to the first XI and exceptional depth. I do hope we go back into the market for a player of that calibre.
It’s true that we’ve spent well but we went into this window with no strikers so most of the money was on replacing, rather than an upgrade.
We also needed a LB because Tierney rarely plays so Zinchenko is a replacement.
I agree Saliba has certainly strengthened the CB position but we bought him three seasons ago and Vieira probably isn’t going to be a regular first team starter.
It’s been an adequate window so far but we really need a minimum of one significant attacking signing like, like Maddison, Bowen or even Tielemans, to turn this from an average to a good window.
How can anyone say that signing Zinchenko, Jesus and Vieira is an average window? You’re changing the narrative of the discussion because it’s very evident we needed a striker and a new LB and that has been addressed.
With the re-signing of Nketiah on a new deal too we’ve also lessened the burden on Jesus by giving him a direct back up who shares similar (but not identical) qualities.
Our squad;
GK: Ramsdale, Turner, Hein (weak back ups)
CB: Saliba, White, Gabriel, Holding (3 quality CBs and an adequate 4th choice)
LB: Tierney, Zinchenko, Cedric (find me better LB depth in the division right now)
RB: Tomiyasu, White, Cedric (definitely need another RB if Tomi can’t recover)
CM: Partey, Xhaka, Elneny, Lokonga (the position we need to strengthen more than any)
AM: Vieira, Odegaard, ESR
Wings: ESR, Saka, Martinelli, Vieira, Pepe, Jesus, Nketiah
ST: Jesus, Nketiah
There are obvious issues with the squad but we have significantly upgraded in 3 positions and are actively attempting to address our other weaknesses (wings + CM). This hasn’t been an average window even if stopped now, it’s definitely been a good window.
Is 3/5 average? I think it’s just above that. If the window shut today I would be disappointed personally.
Perhaps it’s because I think we’re 2 signings from having a really good fucking team. Bit scarred from days of the past when we were in similar situations and didn’t capitalize.
Before the window opened, had no strikers at all at the club so buying Jesus and getting Nketiah to sign a new contract was the bare minimum for that position and Zinchenko was brought in because Tierney is always injured which again was replacing rather than upgrading.
But we still haven’t got anyone for the CM position or an attacking wide player, which have needed upgrading for several seasons.
So I don’t see how our business so far could be described as anything more than adequate and what any responsible big club should be doing.
Bringing in Tielemans would at least turn it into a good window.
Jesus = upgrade on all of our attacking options including the departing Auba and Laca
Zinchenko = upgrade on our existing LB options
You’re shifting the goalposts as a way to diminish the quality of our window thus far. Just because we needed a striker doesn’t mean the one we signed wasn’t actually an upgrade as well as a replacement.
Tierney was replaced and upgraded.
Meanwhile United have signed like one player, Liverpool’s midfield is still nothing special, Chelsea are just throwing money at any and everyone they can without a plan. Spurs have signed some decent players as per Conte requirements and nothing more.
City have sold Jesus, Sterling, Zinchenko, Fernandinho and are rumoured to be letting Silva go and they also haven’t brought too many players in to offset that.
If you look across the PL our business that we’ve done is among the best without a doubt.
That isn’t to say we don’t need more players but the business done is excellent so far
There was a strong chance we’d be going into the new season with Scammaca lining up front and potentially someone like Hickey as our LB.
I don’t think our signings our “just adequate” at all. In fact I think the signings we’ve made have been some of the best business anyones done anywhere.
Is there more work to do… sure. But I don’t get your replacement/upgrade talk tbh.
You are right. Jesus and Zinchenko are top class players and Prem proven. Less is known about Vieira, but the signs are good.
To enter the season with Xhaka starting and being a Saka and Partey injury away from El Nenny and Pepe /Nelson starting means it isn’t great.
It is definitely above average though. 7.5/10
I’d struggle to be too enthusiastic about our transfer window if we don’t improve our central midfield options. Aside from Partey, our options aren’t of the required standard imo. It’s an area that has clearly needed attention for some time now.
We’ve definitely evolved from some fans hankering for the likes Aaron’s, Buendia and Eduoard.
And Bogle.
Zzzzzzzz
You could say the same about Spuds with a Son and Kane injury tbh, moreso in fact.
Chelsea lose Mount and Sterling etc.
You take away two key players in any team and it’s going to hurt
100% injuries to key players hurt any team but the difference is that you’re talking about Spurs best two and only two world class players and the drop off is Richarlison and Moura - two proven Prem players.
You could actually argue that Saka and Partey are our two best players, not Son and Kane level but the drop off to El Nenny and Nelson /Pepe is actually greater.
My main point is Xhaka is still starting. If Spurs were still starting Royal, Doherty or Davies the comparison may be more apt.
Edu clarified we didn’t though, he simply enquired
Do you think Mount and Sterling being out of that Chelsea team with Havertz and Pulisic /Hudson Odoi coming in (even Loftus Cheek) is the same level of drop off from Partey to El Nenny or Saka to Pepe? Also, their weakest link last year was Alonso, who has been replaced by Cucarella.
My point is one more signing makes this a brilliant window.
We can patch it up by suggesting that Zinchenko is midfield cover, but Xhaka is still starting and Partey being backed up by Zinchenko still remains questionable.
I’d argue the drop off from Kane/Son to Moura is more than Partey to Elneny, or at least similar.
Richarlison is better, but overall not a considerable difference.
I think Doherty will be starting tbh. Certainly one of Doherty and Royal will be…