Summer 2024 Transfer Window

Fitz*

Oh just realised you might be thinking of Neco Williams, the ex Liverpool full back playing for Forest, and not the Spanish winger playing at the Euros!

OwaynOTT

I sure am, ignore me and carry on! 😄

ronjo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122335987#Comment_122335987

I was wondering what was so controversial for you 😁

TitianGerm

Apparently Nico Williams is on over 200K a week so even though he has a low release clause he'd probably be looking to get around 300K a week moving to a bigger team so you'd want to be sure he's going to perform.

Fitz*

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122336037#Comment_122336037

I was reading recently that he only signed that new contract with the massive wages, and release clause, in December last year. Originally his plan was to leave in summer 2024 as a free agent.

So this was sort of a gentleman's agreement of sorts. Athletic would let him leave in summer 2024, but would recoup some money via a transfer fee rather than that the free transfer. On the other side to convince him to stay, Williams would receive a large salary for the 6 months and the release clause would be lower than expected so that it wouldn't put off potential transfer destinations.

Necro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122334675#Comment_122334675

I'll not be holding my breath re: this one given the history of links with players from the Italian league!😂 Juve will probably waltz in with an offer less than Arsenal's and he'll end up going there as is always the case!

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122336578#Comment_122336578

Juve aren't on good terms with Bologna after the way they acted in getting Motta so I think Bologna would rather sell him to anyone else.

Fitz*

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122336578#Comment_122336578

Di Marzio now saying €50m deal.

https://twitter.com/DiMarzio/status/1808608750431055919?t=S5v7S7rAWK80rGMqo4oRSA&s=19

ronjo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122336947#Comment_122336947

Is he a decent player?

Fitz*

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122337441#Comment_122337441

I think he looked good at the Euros anyways. Always have to caveat that with impressing at an international tournament ≠ great player. But the data on him pre-tournament also looked very impressive. Strong in air, quick, strong, can carry/pass/cross the ball and is comfortable at both CB & LB.

AdamD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122335332#Comment_122335332

Arsenal have good cover through versatility but they're lacking numbers in defence. Timber missed the entire season, Tomi usually misses a few months and Zinchenko may leave. Though I suspect if they were to buy Calafiori, Kiwior is on his way out. I'm still doubtful as these Italian players always end up going to Juve for about half the rumoured price.

Bounty Hunter

anyone who watches Seria A regularly… how good is Chiesa? Juve supposed to be shopping him around for as little as 25m euros.

thought he was more highly rated than that even if he is having a contract dispute and I’m actually surprised Villa didn’t try to get him as part of the Luiz deal if they only value him like that. Or has his stock seriously dropped in recent times?

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122341944#Comment_122341944

Chiesa was absolutely brilliant until his two big injuries in 21/22 where he did something to his hamstring and then his cruciate.

He's still a very good player and if he can stay fit he'd add a lot to most of the big teams.

Bounty Hunter

Still only 26 so you would think if he is past those injuries now (they were 2 years ago apparently) that he could be a bargain for someone this summer. Doubt he will take anything but huge wages from any move though considering he is currentlly on 150k a week

Iseedeadpixels

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122342123#Comment_122342123

I'd swap him for Sancho or Greenwood if the medical team were happy with his injuries.

TitianGerm

https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1809220851650207918?t=Ns_9QqZEGztRAJz7kSlrVA&s=19

Nice sell on clause on this deal for Basel.

y0ssar1an22

Max Kilman signs seven-year West Ham deal after leaving Wolves in £40m transfer.

i thought these long contracts would be a thing of the past after the FFP changes around contracts. and even if WHU think they are onto a winner he is still 27.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/13173519/max-kilman-signs-seven-year-west-ham-deal-after-leaving-wolves-in-gbp40m-transfer

Fitz*

Long contracts are allowed, but the max FFP amortization period is set at 5 years iirc. So the cost is spread out over 5 years, not 7.

ctrl-alt-delete

Olise gone to Bayern. It is a shame Palace won't be able to hold together what was shaping up to be an exciting team.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122352104#Comment_122352104

Their task is very similar to what Villa had to do post Grealish. Take the money from an effective top heavy team and start to build an equally effective team that doesn’t rely so much on the quality of 1 or 2 players.

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122352104#Comment_122352104

Kamada looks a very adequate replacement tbf.

Fitz*

Southampton love to buy the Man City cast-off-kids. There's a bit of a trend developing now.

They've had an offer accepted for Liam Delap (€23m). That is to add to the purchases of Harwood-Bellis (€23m), Shea Charles (€12m), Lavia (€23m), Bazunu (€14m), Edozie (€8m), Larios (€7m), Josh McNamara (0) in the last 3 seasons.

During this time, Oriel Romeu also moved to Girona (part of CFG), and oddly Southampton signed Mateusz Lis on a free transfer but loaned him to Troyes (part of the CFG) in the same window again.

POKERKING

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358645#Comment_122358645

cast offs is a bit harsh. City actually turned down a higher bid from them for Delap a few years ago. I think some of the above transfers coincided with Southampton hiring Joe Shields as head of recruitment, he had been head of the academey at city. Wilcox joined them shortly afterwards too so its likely they leveraged their connections. The Lavia deal nearly paid for all the rest of them so its a smart enough strategy, where they failed to was not supplementing those players with experienced pros and a good reason why they went down two seasons ago.

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122352104#Comment_122352104

50m bit of a bargain for him

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358645#Comment_122358645

Delap is set for Ipswich now

jonnreeks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358645#Comment_122358645

More like the Man. City Reserve team!

NITRO95

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358645#Comment_122358645

Feels like your reaching for something that isn't there tbh. Delap, Harwood-Bellis and Bazunu are all solid lower PL level players with potential to get even better. As pointed out already Lavia payed off for them rather quickly and everyone knew he was quality and just a matter of him going somewhere to get game time.

Fitz*

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122361610#Comment_122361610

Calling them solid lower PL level players is a massive stretch.

Bazunu was terrible in his only PL season, possibly the worst GK performance in PL history as he conceded over 16 goals more than he was expected to based on xG. He let a lot of soft goals in, or easily savable ones, and as a result was dropped for the last 6 games of the season. He conceded 63 goals in the Championship last season, in a defence that contained Harwood-Bellis.

Delap has only played 47 minutes in the PL. His best ever season is 8 goals in the Championship. He scored 4 goals the season previous.

But at least they actually have set foot on a PL pitch as in Harwood-Bellis' career over the last 5 seasons, he has not. The highest level he has played at was 12 games in the Belgian league, playing in a poor Anderlecht team under Kompany where he was dropped and the season long loan was cancelled at Christmas time, before he was sent out on loan again to the Championship. Kompany took him on loan again a year later at Burnley, and when they got promoted he chose to not make the loan permanent and Harwood-Bellis stayed on loan at a different Championship club.

What exactly have they shown to be PL level quality, and worth a combined €60m? Lavia is the exception, not the rule, based on that one season he had. But I'm curious to know how 'everyone knew he was quality' when he played a grand total of 97 minutes of senior football in the domestic cups before Southampton paid €23m for him?

1 hit from 7 or 8 players signed from the same club/academy is not a success.

Mitch Connor

Everyone knew Mainoo was quality before making a proper step into the United first team last season.
Everyone knew Rooney, Owen were quality before their debuts.

Scouts watch youth football, and can pick out quality.

as was the case with Lavia. as was the case with Livermento.

NITRO95

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122361755#Comment_122361755

I personally see very little difference between the higher end of the Championship and the lower level of the PL. You want to split hairs that's on you. Seems you want to ignore all context around the players and how they are viewed. Bazunu was highly sought after after 2 successful loans in L1. Delay is highly rated, has been a top prospect for a number of years. HB the same, he was a part of the Burnley team that walked the Championship the previous season. Lavia was one of the most sought after teenagers in European football. I'll say it again you are reaching for something that isn't there. Southampton are buying high priced young players that have the potential to return high value fees 2/3/4 years down the line. It's a well known business model and for some reason you are implying there's something dodgy going on

NIMAN

Watching Mbappe last night, wondering are Madrid mad to be making such as investment in him?

They already have an equally good left winger in Vini Jr, so it's going to be tough to fit the both of them into the same team.

I think if they wanted a CF, they would have been better ignoring Mbappe and going all in for Haaland.

DM_7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122361755#Comment_122361755

Sometimes we see what we want maybe?

I am not fan of City but know they have invested massively in their academy making their players and coaches sought after.

Looking at Harwood Bellis, he has played under age for England through all levels. At now 22 he has played for two clubs promoted to the premier league and started 40 games last season for Southampton.

He has 20million player written all over him. When Southampton agreed the deal last summer he was probably overpriced but that deal has paid off now as his asking price would be higher today.

Southampton are (it looks to me) rewarded in this instance for their analysis and identifying a player like him as the right type of player for how they play and their managers plays. They will have been informed at that time by the huge information they would have had on an - England underage regular; that was part of a category 1 academy; that had made significant steps into senior football in terms of leaving the academy bubble, training in different environments and playing against adults.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122361874#Comment_122361874

the fact the top 3 sides coming up from the championship a year ago (including a Burnley side that got 101 points) went right back down, cut adrift at the bottom even with the 17th placed side getting points deductions, would seem to indicate the difference is substantial.

Hasn’t always been the case, but it is right now, and the gap is only widening.

pjohnson

Arsenal had a 50k bid turned down by Wolves for Bentley.

WTF were they hoping for League 2 clubs would laugh at a 50k offer never mind a Premier League team.

DM_7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122362358#Comment_122362358

The gap is not that big for individuals though.

The gap is big for squads overall but we have seen enough individual players make the step up on a regular basis.

One example is the England squad, how many were Championship players (not even loan players) like Wharton, Bowen, Toney, Eze, Dunk, Watkins, Konsa.

Wharton only joined Palace in February.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122362773#Comment_122362773

Plenty do, but loads also don't. So I don't think it's fair or true to say that someone who performs well in the upper half of the championship is by default a solid premier league level player.

Ultimately we don’t know if someone is a solid premier league level player until they’ve been solid in the premier league.

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122362735#Comment_122362735

Did they have to look down the back of the sofa for the 50K?

DM_7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122362798#Comment_122362798

Yes, it rarely makes sense to speak in absolute terms. Plenty of premier league players do well for one club and don't' do well at another so noting is ever certain.

In general I think a player [assuming they meet other conditions like a high technical level, strong physical condition and capabilities] that performs to a high level in the championship would be indicating they have the ability to do well in the premier league if put into a good premier league team.

IrishOwl...

I wonder will last nights crazy scenes in the Copa America scupper Ugarte's potential move this summer? Both UTD and Liverpool have been linked with him. Bentacur and Nunez also heavily involved. Apparently the Uruguayan players families were attacked in the stands prior to the incident, Nunez and Valverde kids were hurt and reports that Ugarte's mother was knocked unconscious . Mad stuff!

jacool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122362831#Comment_122362831

One Arsenal fan posted on X ""I would offer £65,000 and a caramel freddo." 🙄

jacool

12 month's on and Bayern finally get their man !!

FC Bayern verpflichtet João Palhinha!

4 year contract at 29, not too bad for him, and he'll fit right in. Harry Kane might be getting a trophy NEXT season !

Lauras Law

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122367484#Comment_122367484

Harry Kane might be getting a trophy THIS weekend !

Iseedeadpixels

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122367608#Comment_122367608

🤢Noooooo

Necro

https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1811410781927342328?t=39LLUpjlCNldWUi2U8tjqg&s=19

Zirkzee being confirmed to United by Romano

Bounty Hunter

Will he be a goal machine, probably not. Would I expect him to be an upgrade on what they had last season (Martial as the only CF alrternative to Hojlund), most likely yes as long as he stays fit. Is that a decent price in these times, yeah I think so as you don't really get an established striker for that much anymore.

Probably a good signing looking to the future.

Officer999

I know he’s young but he barely featured for the Dutch at this year’s Euros which is a slight worry as a United fan considering it was two failed United strikers that he couldn’t get ahead of in the team.

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122368461#Comment_122368461

He only got in the squad due to an injury too.

One of our CB targets, De Ligt, also can't get in the Dutch team.

Whatever about not displacing Depay, who has always done well for Koeman so maybe there is an element of loyalty there, not being able to be first sub up would raise some alarm bells.

I really like hte look of him, and how I think he could fit with Bruno and Rashford, but cant help but wonder why Holland didn't play him if he is good enough to be United's top target in the front line (though arguably being good enough for United ot go for is not a high bar)

TitianGerm

Improvement from United. Previously they would have negotiated all summer to try get him for 30m and then pay 80m for him in the last week.

Bounty Hunter

It is around 34m sterling and about 90-100k a week from what I've read. I wouldn't be expecting a world beater but he should improve the squad.

He is 23, people talk about him as if he is U-21. He's young yeah but honestly I think this is a squad option who should do very well if peopel don't raise their expectations too much.

In an alternate world where Man Utd were already run by people who knew what they were doing (and didn't pay more than needed) I could have written the above about Anthony when they signed him.

y0ssar1an22

wonder who the interested clubs are?

Key detail on Dani Olmo: following Spain access to Euro 2024 final, the release clause will be valid until July 20 and no longer July 15.

There was this specific factor on the clause due to the Euros, now formally approved.

Clause worth €60m, several clubs interested.