Keepers:
Ramsdale will be undisputed number 1. Foderingham and one of Verrips or Moore for back up, offload the other. Basically, GK is not a problem.
Defence:
Hinges on Egan and JOC. Ideally would both stay, but if one or both did leave, then the good news is that the fee we should command for either SHOULD fund a proper replacement and possibly leave some money left over. I would hope we already have contingency plans as in targets lined up already for this scenario.
Basham will be fine as usual. Kean Bryan has shown enough to suggest he will be worth keeping around as cover. Robinson isn't awful for that level. I’d say we could do with a right sided addition as CB cover/competition for Bash and cover for Egan assuming Jagielka leaves.
LWB should be fine; RND and Osborn should cover it; I wouldn’t totally rule out Enda either- a drop in division might benefit him. Same with Lowe, although he might be one to loan out or move on.
RWB is solid if we hold onto both Baldock or Bogle; but like the Egan/JOC scenario, if either was sold, we should get a hefty fee for them and be able to replace them with some quality.
So defensively we should be okay if we’ve planned ahead and have a list of possible replacements for certain players.
Midfield:
Fleck stays as probably the only starter from the current lot. I’d also hang on to Norwood as like others, a drop in division might revitalise him and we do need a lot of newbies here, so can’t lose everyone. Osborn is great as cover (although I’d be using him LWB personally). Obviously Ludstram is gone.
But this is where the money gets spent. Sell Berge. I like him. Got nothing against him, but he’ll want to go and we’ll want to use the money. Suits both parties.
Take that money, plus any parachute money made available and get in a couple of quality, attack minded players. I dont care where from. Maybe Coulibaly can be one? I don't know enough about him. But this is where we should look to spend the bulk of any money available.
I’d also look to sign an experienced old Champ level battler on a years deal to come in on certain games and when we need a bit of steel in there to see games out.
Strikers:
I think McBurnie will be good (if we use him properly). McGoldrick will be very useful as well.
Brewster could be amazing, but could also be... not amazing. Either way, we may as well give him a good go because he’s going nowhere.
Billy will have a role to play, even if its just as an impact sub with the occasional start. I’m also not averse to Burke as an impact sub. Chuck him on as a cat amongst the pigeons type if we either need to cause havoc or as an outlet if we’re holding into a lead.
So for me, that means one in, one out upfront. Mousset out (if we can). Get what we can for him- his fee was paid off with his goals securing a second PL season. Offload him and bring in someone with genuine pace. Again, I don't care where from- there are a lot more knowledgable people than me on here with ideas.
So all in all, other than the midfield, I don’t think we need too much; a bit of cover/strengthening here and there and a contingency plan in case we lose one of a handful of vital players.
Supplement all of the above with a sprinkling of the youth coming through, add a couple of decent loans (surely our record with Henderson and Ampadu will stand us in good stead?) and its maybe not as massive a rebuild as we think. A lot of our players will benefit from the drop in level as well.
The good news is that the quality players we might lose- Egan, JOC, Berge, Bogle and Baldock - are all locked into long term contracts meaning we should be able to command good fees and replace them properly if they are to go. Good work from both CW and the board for covering that.
