27 Aug 2020 11:27:47
Hopefully the rumours are true and we will get Allan and a couple of others and finally drop Davies and Delph, they have both had ample chances to prove themselves time to move them on.


1.) 27 Aug 2020
27 Aug 2020 12:24:28
As much as I want to believe, we simply cannot afford to throw 100m and 350k in wages at 3 more midfielders. We can't have a bench with sigurdson, gomes, Davies, delph, Walcott and Iwobi on it. That's got to be best part of 500-600k wages and 140m in transfer fees.

Whatever we do, we need to get more out of Iwobi and Gomes at the very least. So I can only see us signing 2 more midfielders at best, unless we ship out at least 2/ 3, and who would want any of them?


2.) 27 Aug 2020
27 Aug 2020 13:16:42
Time to let them go mate, they are simply not good enough if we want to move up the table we need better players, we have the right manager now.


3.) 27 Aug 2020
27 Aug 2020 13:35:15
Don’t forget Bernard and Gbamin too. The only players that I think we can offload are the ones on “insignificant” wages (compared to others) and who is that? Davies potentially, like you said EFCONE who going to want them?


4.) 27 Aug 2020
27 Aug 2020 14:31:20
Exactly TWB, I agree Guernsey blue that it's time to let them go. But it is just not time to sign them as far as other teams go. Both Iwobi and Gomes can offer more than they did last season, and if Ancelotti is as good as his record suggests, he should be able to get that out of them.


5.) 27 Aug 2020
27 Aug 2020 17:19:35
This is where we miss Sunderland still being in the Premier league taking all our rubbish.


6.) 27 Aug 2020
27 Aug 2020 18:53:56
Here's my sense of what's going on, from lots of internet sleuthing, but not any actual insider info of my own.

First, I guarantee Brands is doing everything he can to move Sandro, Bolasie, Sigurdsson, Tosun, and Besic. But there's only so much he can do to get rid of unwanted overpaid players. He probably also would like to get rid of Delph and Davies, but they are lower concerns, as they provide some value to the squad, albeit minimal. Hopefully he can find some loan deals for the first group and maybe some sales for the latter two. Everyone who says there are others to sell before Davies are right, but not at all in tune with the realities of how unwanted those others are. It's not about the order of sale, it's about getting as many of these guys off the books as possible and raising some funds.

Incomings will probably be Allan and James, if it's true that he will lower his wages to play for Carlo again. I know they're expensive and older, but they are both excellent players and Carlo has requested them. The board feels a sense of obligation to Carlo and will overextend itself a bit to satisfy him.

Doucoure is a maybe, if we can do well with the outgoings and Watford accept a more reasonable wage.

Arias will happen if Kenny or Seamus goes, with Florenzi as a second option. But we're not going to have all three.

Nkounkou will be backup LB.

Branthwaite is the fourth CB with no one new incoming, unless a good price is offered for Keane, in which case we might bring in a new CB. Gibson goes out on loan one more time, but he's waiting in the wings.

Kean, Iwobi, Bernard, and Walcott all have major roles to play in the team and stay, unless someone offers an amazing price for them and a replacement can be brought in for something close to net zero (like Josh King) .

Unfortunately Zaha and Ocampos are a bridge too far, despite interest, desire, and need.

If I were to predict:
Incomings: Allan, James, Arias
Outgoings: Tosun, Sandro, Bolasie, Besic, Delph, Gibson, Kenny, most on loan and probably crappy ones at that, but hopefully enough to rationaize the incomings.


7.) 27 Aug 2020
27 Aug 2020 20:54:05
It makes no sense to loan Gibson again but keep Branthwaite. Surely we should loan Branthwaite and keep Gibson as 4th CB.


8.) 27 Aug 2020
27 Aug 2020 21:16:32
I say keep Branthwaite and sell Gibson. The kid deserves to be in 1st team squad no doubt.


9.) 27 Aug 2020
27 Aug 2020 21:19:03
Personally the only current midfielders i'd keep are gomes and gbamin ( if we can keep him fit) . Gomes had a horror injury an we all knew it would take time before he was back to his best. He showed glimpses of it in a few games after his return we need to put players around him who can do the dirty work that davies and siggy can't do. time to move them on in my opinion let delph go aswel and have a total rebuild of the midfield players that the manager trusts.


10.) 28 Aug 2020
28 Aug 2020 00:20:41
Bernard cost us nothing, but is pocketing 120k a week (our top earner) . Walcott is earning 100k a week. These two have to be moved on as neither earns their money.

{Ed0666's Note - Walcott is on £100k? Football has just gone officially mad.