One To Watch

[Yogi]

Not one for this season or even next but in a couple of years I think he’ll be a top loan target for Championship clubs there’s a 16 year old winger who’s getting his chance for Chelsea’s U21’s called McQueen and he’s got it all pace, power and an eye for goal if he carries on it won’t be long until he’s in and around their first team.

 

[jono_t2000]

Not one for this season or even next but in a couple of years I think he’ll be a top loan target for Championship clubs there’s a 16 year old winger who’s getting his chance for Chelsea’s U21’s called McQueen and he’s got it all pace, power and an eye for goal if he carries on it won’t be long until he’s in and around their first team.

Is his nickname lightning?

 

[Yogi]

Is his nickname lightning?

View attachment 221424

I nearly did it myself but held back . To be fair if he’s any good the branding for him writes itself.

 

[Blacksea]

Anybody seen Sam Nombe play?
Getting lots of praise off the Rotherham fans and maybe one who's got some improvement in him to step up a division in a Kone like way

 

[DifferentClass]

Feel free to post any players who have caught your eye who you think the Blades could have a potential chance of signing, but make them at least moderately realistic please.

I'm going to set the ball rolling with Rocco Vata.

18 years old from Celtic. He's a right winger but can also play up top as a second striker. He's currently playing for their B team. He's a Republic of Ireland under-21 international and has already been in fine goal scoring form at that level. He recently played with Sam Curtis in the latest under-21 match where he bagged a hat trick.

He's only 5'9 but has pace in abundance and a healthy knack for scoring.

Celtic have previously turned down bids for him and he's out of contract in the summer, but so far he hasn't put pen to paper on the new deal offered.

Whilst Celtic B is a low level, his ability to score at under-21 international level suggests he could play at Championship level. Could the Curtis connection help?

Vata came on as a sub for Watford and was decent enough to get his own thread on here.

 

[Badger Blade]

I'll delve into my Allsvenskan knowledge and pick out:

Noel Tornqvist - Mjallby (on loan from Como)
23 year old keeper
Just won the league with Mjallby. Bought by Como and loaned back. Como have 6 keepers on their books with 2 out on loan so heaven knows who stays and who goes for them. Just broke into the Swedish squad upon the retirement of our mate Robin Olsen and has ousted Zetterstrom from Derby from the squad.

August Priske - Djurgarden
21 year old Danish U21 striker
Scored 15 goals in 24 appearances this season. 6 foot 2 which always helps too. Had something of a breakout season amid a few departures and retirements so has stepped into the breach and produced when they've needed him to. Was in PSV's under 18s and scored a hatful of goals at that level and is now starting to produce at senior level.

Markus Karlsson - Hammarby
21 year old Swedish U21
Covers centre mid, right back, centre back.
Essentially Alex Matos but has played more games, scored more goals and is a bit taller and a bit more versatile. Played every game so far this season bar one for a team who'll play in the Conference League next season, barring a disaster.

Marcus Rafferty - Degerfors
21 year old Swedish U21 left midfielder
Scored 6 goals in 21 games this season for a newly promoted side clinging on to avoid relegation. Scored some spectacular goals and is a stand out player in an otherwise poor side.

 

[utd4ever]

I'll delve into my Allsvenskan knowledge and pick out:

Noel Tornqvist - Mjallby (on loan from Como)
23 year old keeper
Just won the league with Mjallby. Bought by Como and loaned back. Como have 6 keepers on their books with 2 out on loan so heaven knows who stays and who goes for them. Just broke into the Swedish squad upon the retirement of our mate Robin Olsen and has ousted Zetterstrom from Derby from the squad.

August Priske - Djurgarden
21 year old Danish U21 striker
Scored 15 goals in 24 appearances this season. 6 foot 2 which always helps too. Had something of a breakout season amid a few departures and retirements so has stepped into the breach and produced when they've needed him to. Was in PSV's under 18s and scored a hatful of goals at that level and is now starting to produce at senior level.

Markus Karlsson - Hammarby
21 year old Swedish U21
Covers centre mid, right back, centre back.
Essentially Alex Matos but has played more games, scored more goals and is a bit taller and a bit more versatile. Played every game so far this season bar one for a team who'll play in the Conference League next season, barring a disaster.

Marcus Rafferty - Degerfors
21 year old Swedish U21 left midfielder
Scored 6 goals in 21 games this season for a newly promoted side clinging on to avoid relegation. Scored some spectacular goals and is a stand out player in an otherwise poor side.

Used to love signing Scandinavian players of Championship manager.

 

[Badger Blade]

August Priske - Djurgarden
21 year old Danish U21 striker
Scored 15 goals in 24 appearances this season. 6 foot 2 which always helps too. Had something of a breakout season amid a few departures and retirements so has stepped into the breach and produced when they've needed him to. Was in PSV's under 18s and scored a hatful of goals at that level and is now starting to produce at senior level.

Just signed for Birmingham

 

[Red Wing Blade]

Zsombor Gruber

21 year old Hungarian striker. Currently playing for Ferencváros and the national team. 5 feet 11 tall, left footed but has also scored with his right. Under contract until 2028.

Last season he played 29 times with 18 goal contributions (9 goals/9 assists). He was often in and out of the team but has shown he has potential to develop into an even better player.

He's adaptive and can play as the main threat up top, as a supporting number 10, or out wide on either side as part of a front three. He's also played in attacking midfield and from all positions he's proven himself to be able to score and create. He's quite quick and makes good runs from deep and is not afraid to cut inside to take on players before laying it off or shooting. He's scored a number of goals from cutting inside to the edge of the 18 yard box.

A fee would be low given what league he currently plays in and wages won't be that high either.

 

[Ricardo Mantelban]

currently in the US trying to take over the Nakatomi building in LA.

 

[Grappler]

currently in the US trying to take over the Nakatomi building in LA.

Had a meeting in there, once, it's really called "Fox Plaza", the home of 20th Century Fox.

 

[Red Wing Blade]

Derensili Sanches Fernandes

25 year old Dutch right winger currently playing for Excelsior in the Dutch Eredivisie. 5 foot 9 tall and under contract until June 2027.

Last season he played 33 times with in 9 contributions (6 goals/3 assists).

He played 23 times as right winger in an advanced attacking position achieving 6 goals/2 assists, and was deployed as a right midfielder in a conventional flat midfield achieving 1 assist in 6 appearances in that position. He has also been deployed as a central attacking midfielder but his forte is as an attacking right winger.

As a left footed player he is more likely to cut inside and lay it off for team mates but is adept to also having a shot when he has sight of goal. Not the quickest player but cleverly uses a quick burst of pace to get past his marker before slowing down to decide whether to speed up again and go for goal, or hold it up to lay it off. So good football intelligence and patient in his approach. A calming positive influence on team mates.

Last season Excelsior struggled in the league finishing 13th out of 18 teams, only 6 points above the relegation zone. They only scored 43 goals of which Fernandes was involved in 9 of them.

He clearly has talent to offer with the contributions he made for a struggling side and will no doubt go on to achieve more if given a chance in a better team with better team mates around him.

 

[Red Wing Blade]

Yanis Begraoui (25)

Currently plays for Estoril in Liga Portugal (top-flight). A Moroccan Centre Forward, 5 feet 10 tall French born who has represented Morocco at under 23 level and France at Junior levels. Under contract until 2028.

He's a player who's starting to reach his peak and will be attracting interest from other clubs with his recent scoring record in Liga Portugal.

25/26 - 34 games 20 goals 2 assists
24/25 - 34 games 11 goals 3 assists

That's an impressive 31 goals and 5 assists in 68 matches over two injury free seasons in which he's played every game.

Estoril finished 10th in Liga Portugal last season out of 18 clubs where they were more or less equally as close to the drop zone as they were to European qualification. They scored 54 goals last season of which Begraoui scored 20 of them, nearly 40% of their overall total.

He played as the central prong of a front three in a 3-4-3 formation. His strengths are his pace and fantastic off ball movement where he seems to ghost in between defenders out of nowhere with pace to get on the end of passes/crosses. He's also very clinical and likes to strike the ball early or with his first touch instead of taking an extra touch. A nightmare for goalkeepers when he does burst through the defence.

His current estimated value is around £3.8mil -£4.3mil. It would probably take a bit more than this given his goalscoring record last season. Putting the top clubs like Benfica etc aside, Liga Portugal is considered on par with the Championship and wages are believed to be around £10k per week for players like Begraoui.

 

[calcalcal]

Any of you guys thought about working for the club?

 

[Red Wing Blade]

It's been interesting re-reading this thread and seeing what names were suggested and what happened to them. It was interesting that Tyler Bindon was one of the first names put forward. If I get a chance I'll do a complete round up of the various names put forward and what has happened to them since. For now I thought I'd look at the names I put forward before the 2024/25 season started.


Rocco Vata - (Thread Mar 2024)

Signed for Watford for a compensation fee in the summer of 2024 after leaving Celtic on a free transfer. He has shown potential to become a very good player but has been unlucky with injuries. Now 21 years old.

25/26 - GP 12 G 2 A 2
24/25 - GP 37 G 4 A 4


Tyrhrys Dolan - (Thread Apr 2024)

Continued playing for Blackburn in the Championship where his goal contributions were as consistent as the prior season and played more games in the process. Now 24 years old.

24/25 - GP 44 G 7 A 6

Dolan left Blackburn at the end of that season on a free transfer and signed for Espanyol in La Liga, who finished 11th at the end of the season.

25/26 - GP 36 G 2 A 6


Cameron Branagan - (Thread Apr 2024)

Still playing for Oxford United having stayed with them and captained them in the Championship, and so far has remained with them as they are about to start life back in League One. Proved himself to be a solid and reliable player in the Championship despite playing for a struggling team. Now 30 years old.

25/26 - GP 41 G 6 A 3
24/25 - GP 35 G 3 A 4


Ephron Mason-Clark - (Thread Apr 2024)

Having signed for Coventry in February 2024 and remaining at Peterborough on loan, Mason-Clark stepped up at Coventry where he became a key player in their promotion to the Premier League. Now 26 years old.

25/26 - GP 45 G 11 A 9
24/25 - GP 32 G 5 A 5


Kwame Poku - (Thread April 2024)

Spent one last season at Peterborough and was a key player in their promotion push which ended with defeat in the play offs. Now 24 years old.

24/25 - GP 33 G 12 A 8

Poku left at end of that season and joined QPR in the Championship on a free transfer with compensation being paid to Peterborough due to him being an academy product. He missed 15 of the first 17 games of last season due to injury. The jury is still out on his step up to the Championship.

25/26 - GP 16 G 0 A 0


George Thomason - (Thread May 2024)

Remained with Bolton for another season in League One. Now 25 years old.

24/25 - GP 46 G 5 A 3

Thomason left at the end of the season where he joined Wrexham in the Championship for a reported £1.2mil pounds and became a regular starter in their midfield.

25/26 - GP 34 G 2 A 5


Karamoko Dembele - (Thread May 2024)

Signed for QPR in the summer of 2024 for a fee of around £2.5mil on a 3 year contract. Got an assist against the Blades in the season opener in 24/25. He missed a large chunk of the 24/25 season due to knee surgery. He then missed the end of the 25/26 season with torn knee ligaments. Now 23 years old. Two serious knee injuries in two seasons is sadly not a good sign. When will Wilder be signing him?

25/26 - GP 29 G 1 A 1
24/25 - GP 25 G 3 A 4


Julian Baas - (Thread June 2024)

Baas left Excelsior after they were relegated from the Eredivisie, where he joined Sparta Rotterdam on a free transfer in the summer of 2024. Now 24 years old.

25/26 - GP 25 G 0 A 0
24/25 - GP 15 G 0 A 2

Baas has since struggled to command a starting place at Sparta and has largely remained injury free playing for a team that finished 12th and then 10th.


Success - Dolan, Mason-Clark, Brannagan, Thomason

Jury Still Out - Vata, Poku, Dembele

Avoid - Baas

Coincidentally the three jury still out players are all the youngest on the list with Poku being the oldest at 24 years old.

 

[Vass Borbokis]

Just a suggestion based on a few national League games I watched last season.

Abdul AbdulMalik
Left winger at boreham wood.
23 years old.
15 goals, 9 assists last season.
Really exciting to watch, runs at players and loves cutting in for a shot.
Obviously low level, but I've seen they've already rejected 750k bids from abroad this summer.

One of those that could either go for millions in the future or fizzle out.

 

[jimmymuir]

Just a suggestion based on a few national League games I watched last season.

Abdul AbdulMalik
Left winger at boreham wood.
23 years old.
15 goals, 9 assists last season.
Really exciting to watch, runs at players and loves cutting in for a shot.
Obviously low level, but I've seen they've already rejected 750k bids from abroad this summer.

One of those that could either go for millions in the future or fizzle out.

Way too young sadly. If he was 10 years older we'd be interested.

 

[TomTheBlade1889]

Just a suggestion based on a few national League games I watched last season.

Abdul AbdulMalik
Left winger at boreham wood.
23 years old.
15 goals, 9 assists last season.
Really exciting to watch, runs at players and loves cutting in for a shot.
Obviously low level, but I've seen they've already rejected 750k bids from abroad this summer.

One of those that could either go for millions in the future or fizzle out.

He's class isn't he. I wouldn't mind us signing him and loaning him out to a League One team for the season. We spent a million or so on some of the "AI" signings last summer didn't we? ... this lad has more talent and potential than all of them combined. Might be doing it against poor opposition in the National League but his technical qualities are far superior to that level and he's lighting quick.

 

[Yogi]

Bolo Shofowoke - 17 year old attacking player with Peterborough made his debut last year at 16 and is getting some time for them in preseason.

Not one for this year but given Peterborough have been very good historically at developing their own he could be one to look at in 2-3 years time if he continues to develop

 

[Yogi]

Josh Feeney - 21 year old CB at Villa probably surplus for Villa this summer but that doesn’t mean he’d be dirt cheap as Villa are good at getting fees.

Had a solid year last season on loan at Hudds he’s a big lad at 6ft 4 aggressive in the air and on the deck and can play a bit.

Not the fastest so you’d want his partner or partners to be more mobile but he’d be a pretty sensible acquisition with the ceiling to be very good.

If Zatterstrom does get moved on this lad would be a sensible addition to fill that spot in the squad as a developing/bench CB that you hope next year or the year after is coming into his prime and the lynchpin of your back line.

Depending on what United think of Baptiste going forward they’d make a very natural partnership complementing each other. Or if you wanted to go to a 3 he’s probably and ideal central CB for a 3