Summer Transfer Thread 16/17

[Hero]

First topic message reminder :

Was going to wait a couple of weeks but it's already kicking off today...

Bayern Munich have nabbed what was regarded as one of Man Utd's main transfer targets and signed the 18 year old wonderkid Renato Sanches from Benfica for £28m.

[Guest]

Everton have agreed a €30m fee with Zenit St Petersburg for midfielder Axel Witsel. Hopefully we can start to really improve our central two in midfield, I've had enough of James McCarthy & Barry is no spring chicken.

How do you think they compare to midfields around their level? Is this better than West Brom's midfield if you add Witsel?

Dolphin Ziggler, I honestly believe that 'level' you talk about, is an inaccurate representation of where we truly are. Our midfield really shouldn't even be mentioned in the same breath as WBA, but such has that part of the side been neglected over the years, it sadly is the truth. Our midfield has been a weak point, I don't think Witsel alone is going to solve it, but if he could be signed, along with another energetic addition, then that would be a good starting point. As for the actual side, I still believe we should be top half, it's just up to Koeman now to reinvigorate the club & players.

We really are at a majorly important moment. Recruiting Steve Walsh was fantastic appointment, as we are fearing a massive rebuild is going to be undertaken, seeing as Lukaku is apparently going to force his move to Chelsea & Stones is inevitably going to end up at City. I think Stones can be replaced, possibly with Bruno Martins Indi (but when I last saw him, he looked rather clumsy for Holland), but Lukaku's goals & presence, will be a different matter.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I must admit I am in the camp who think this Walsh stuff is being overblown. But I do think Everton should be competing much higher this year. Whether they can just throw money at good enough players and convince them to come I don't know, but they'll strip beyond a few in that part of the league once they make their market moves.

[Guest]

To be honest, Steve Walsh could be just be the next Graham Carr. Different ball game & expectations going from Leicester to Everton really, he's suited to unearthing talent that hasn't been discovered in Ligue 1 etc for cheap fees, whereas Koeman will demand established players like Sigurdsson & Witsel for £50m. Not saying Walsh will not scout out young talent, but I think being at a smaller club with less financial power or restrictions, lends itself to scouting that way & led to the hype of people like Carr & Walsh.

[GSC]

Not sure Arsenal aren't better off not paying 80m for Higuain. Not convinced he's a top class striker to be honest, and for that money he has to be. Lacazette might make more sense.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Lacazette or Icardi are the best ideas for them in my mind. They may well be interested, but i'm pretty sure both could have been bought weeks ago

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Bournemouth are gonna pay 6m for Brad Smith

I've no idea either

[Guest]

Have a few Liverpool fans as friends, they can't believe they've got £21m for both Ibe & Smith. Chilwell from Leicester was the favourite to go to Anfield, but now hearing Jetro Willems is linked, but that could be a lazy link, as he's a close friend of Wijnaldum.

[GSC]

Chilwells signing a new deal

[Guest]

Hence the 'was'. Willems is now the reported main target, as Klopp feels that Jordan Amavi still needed to prove his fitness

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I liked Brad Smith, £6m for a young English player with potential is a decent little deal

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I liked Brad Smith, £6m for a young English player with potential is a decent little deal

He's an Aussie who's 22 and played about 20/30 senior games in England (half of which were for Swindon) - 6m is utter bananas

[Holymiky]

Lacazette or Icardi are the best ideas for them in my mind. They may well be interested, but i'm pretty sure both could have been bought weeks ago

Wasn't a £35m bid rejected for Lacazette though, maybe that put Arsenal off a bit?

[Crimey]

I liked Brad Smith, £6m for a young English player with potential is a decent little deal

 He's Australian and not even very good. £6 million is seriously way overpaying.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Meh, I don't pay attention too much to details of Liverpool youth, but he's young and come through their system, and the only one who impressed me in our few games against Liverpool's mixed sides

[Guest]

Oumar Niasse could be heading to Galatasaray on loan

[GSC]

Everton have agreed a €30m fee with Zenit St Petersburg for midfielder Axel Witsel. Hopefully we can start to really improve our central two in midfield, I've had enough of James McCarthy & Barry is no spring chicken.

How do you think they compare to midfields around their level? Is this better than West Brom's midfield if you add Witsel?

cheeky

[Guest]

I concur. Usually you get a WUM on these type of forums. He also didn't know Smith was an Aussie, so I'm guessing nobody takes his posts serious?

[Fernando]

[nadeem2099]

I concur. Usually you get a WUM on these type of forums. He also didn't know Smith was an Aussie, so I'm guessing nobody takes his posts serious?

[Crimey]

Barcelona and Stoke both linked to Robin Van Persie for £10 million.

[Guest]

Barcelona and Stoke both linked to Robin Van Persie for £10 million.

Jesus, I'd make the tea and bring out the half time Ribena for less than that...surely that's all they could want him for...

[Dolphin Ziggler]

You actually got annoying quicker than I thought, Liam.

The question is: who do you actually support? I am still going for Man United

[Holymiky]

He's a West Brom fan isn't he?

[Dolphin Ziggler]

He's an Everton fan now. The kid is clearly a bit insane

[GSC]

I'm fairly sure he was Football Light also.

[nadeem2099]

Someone do an IP thingy to find out who he is.

[Crimey]

FLB (now Liam Blake) matches with one other user, not LiamB.

IP checks really aren't much use, almost everybody on here has an IP match with somebody else in the forum.

[Fernando]

[nadeem2099]

Stoke have a decent little team now. Signing the Welsh Pirlo will be good for their new anti hoofball tactics.

[GSC]

Joe Allen's a squad player at even a mid table club. Not surprised Klopp punted him.

[Guest]

Stoke need Berahino, otherwise they won't progress. Still don't think it's a side capable of a top 6

-----------------------Berahino-----------------------
---Arnautovic----------Bojan--------------Shaqiri---
-----------------Allen-----------Imbula----------------

[nadeem2099]

Imbula will be the one to watch. If he impresses I can see him moving to a bigger club.

[Crimey]

It's a shame as I felt Allen managed to turn his Liverpool career around in his last year, but he was never capable of starting, he was a great option off of the bench to shore things up because of his energy.

[GSC]

Add Joe Allen to Crimeys fantasy Liverpool Almost-Made-It side.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Micah Richards off to Sunderland apparently

[Crimey]

Don't know why anybody would sign him after the shambles of last year. Showed plenty of passion, but not sure he's got the ability for the Premier League. Perhaps Moyes plans to use him as a right back, as he surely has no future centrally. 

He's also being linked with N'Zogbia. Is Moyes trying to turn them into Villa and go straight down?

[GSC]

Both played their (only?) good football as attacking fullbacks I guess.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

He has the odd really good game, he was excellent against us when he went man-to-man on Payet, but he is like a really s*** Ivanovic. There's ability but a lack of understanding.

[Guest]

Marko Arnautovic to Everton for £12.5m

[MIG]

Marko Arnautovic to Everton for £12.5m

Would be really pleased with this based on his form from last season.  Would give us 4 good players in those positions - Arnautovic, Mirallas, Deulofeu and Lennon.
Still only 1 decent striker though...and even he might be off....

edit - not happening apparently.
So many players linked, none actually signed.

[Guest]

Apparently, Arnautovic is close to signing a new four-year deal. Not a massive blow to Everton, in my opinion.

Newcastle favourites to land Alex Pritchard, hopefully this can be pulled off

[MIG]

Not a massive blow, as I'm not really sure he's an upgrade on Mirallas (with a run in the starting 11) but it would have been nice to get the ball rolling.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Apparently, Arnautovic is close to signing a new four-year deal. Not a massive blow to Everton, in my opinion.

Newcastle favourites to land Alex Pritchard, hopefully this can be pulled off

Never understood why a club didn't snap him up last summer - would be a good signing for the toon

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I wouldn't be too bothered about Arnautovic either, but yeah, would be good for Everton to start making moves. Think it helps when others can see signings and progress.

West Ham interested in Swedish full back Ludwig Augustinsson, I'd imagine as a stop gap and then cover for Cresswell

[westisbest]

Don't know why anybody would sign him after the shambles of last year. Showed plenty of passion, but not sure he's got the ability for the Premier League. Perhaps Moyes plans to use him as a right back, as he surely has no future centrally. 

He's also being linked with N'Zogbia. Is Moyes trying to turn them into Villa and go straight down?

Richards played better as a right back then centre back.

N'Zogbia was actually ok at times for Villa.

Moyes will probably do better with th em than Garde did im sure.
Again different managers get certain players playing better than other managers.

I would have liked to see Richards stay as he could have been ok in championship.

Also thats only 2 Villa players linked, not exactly the whole team.

[mobilemaster8]

Stoke fan here. Couldn't be happier with the business conducted so far. Great signing in Allen only 26 and has signed a 5 year deal. Imbula I think will be fantastic for us, only young, again on a 5 year term. He could go to a big big club down the line but would command a major transfer fee for us. If Arnie now signs a new 4 year deal it will be great news. By far our best player last year and has really turned his career round under Hughes.

BERAHINO is still young so if we do get him...and it's a big IF....then I'll be really pleased. £20 million is a bit much but for a guy in his early twenties and English...it's nice to have...he can score goals and we lack them...there pretty important to be honest!!!

Add to that the exciting Sobhy prospect from Egypy who comes with bags of talent, hoping it can be a good run for us and hopefully push on from 9th and aim towards a good cup run and another top 10 finish...hopefully between 6-8.

[Guest]

Cheick Tiote looks like leaving for UAE club Al Jazira, fee around £2.5m

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Stoke always do decent work.

Heard Everton have gone for Gueye from Villa

[Guest]

Everton have activated the £7.2m release clause. It's an interesting one, he only came second behind N'Golo Kante, in terms of tackles & interceptions made last season, but was that out of being a quality player, or just the sheer work he had to get through. I'd presume Witsel is a no-go now.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Think it's a clever signing, not amazing but low-risk, high-reward potential.

One of three villa players id take (Amavi and Ayew the others)

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