Realistic targets for next season.

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Nicolaus_Copernicus said:
Habib Diallo from Strasbourg. 27 yr old CF, international team mate of Ndiaye. He's scored 52 goals in Ligue 1 in 127 games for Metz and Strasbourg, which is a great return for 2 smaller/lower mid table clubs.

He's 6ft 1, strong and mobile, with a good work ethic and likes a bit of rough & tumble.

He currently plays as a lone CF in a 3-4-2-1 formation, but can play as one of a front 2 in a 5-3-2.

Strasbourg are looking to cash in on him, and have instructed an Agent to find an English club to buy his this summer. Circa £15m is believed to be the asking price.

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Be nice wouldn’t it.
 

Balti Pie said:
I'd still take him. He's a younger, bigger, faster Billy on half the wages.
Plus at 29 he's got the experience, but will know it's his last chance to make it at the top level - something to prove.
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You could literally say that about half our squad. Last chance to prove, but if they’re not good enough they’re not good enough.

Scoring in league 1 is completely different to Prem as Billy found out
 
blader said:
My point is in terms of value signings it almost has to come from abroad, but it’s just not something we do.

On a separate note, I’m absolutely convinced we’re going to sign Ilias Chair and I don’t know why. I called this signing 3 seasons ago, seems such a bladed signing!
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You’ve been sat on that theory for 3 seasons?
 
blader said:
My point is in terms of value signings it almost has to come from abroad, but it’s just not something we do.

On a separate note, I’m absolutely convinced we’re going to sign Ilias Chair and I don’t know why. I called this signing 3 seasons ago, seems such a bladed signing!
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Gotcha - so it’s under 23 AND overseas, that’s the bit I was missing.

I know naff all about Chair (other than seeing him on telly once or twice) - although signing attacking midfielders from QPR when we get promoted to the PL could be a new tradition?
 
Nicolaus_Copernicus said:
Habib Diallo from Strasbourg. 27 yr old CF, international team mate of Ndiaye. He's scored 52 goals in Ligue 1 in 127 games for Metz and Strasbourg, which is a great return for 2 smaller/lower mid table clubs.

He's 6ft 1 (although looks taller in the video), strong and mobile, technically strong, with a good work ethic and likes a bit of rough & tumble.

He currently plays as a lone CF in a 3-4-2-1 formation, but can play as one of a front 2 in a 5-3-2.

Strasbourg are looking to cash in on him, and have instructed an Agent to find an English club to buy his this summer. Circa £15m is believed to be the asking price.

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100% YES YES YES - Big Black and Strong exactly type of p;layer we need please. No more dwarves. Lets have some power for once.
 
Green yellow purple red regardless of being BLACK whatever that means,the colour of a players skin doesn't define their skill level oh and it's a Big Yes from Sign him up
 
Teddy said:
Gotcha - so it’s under 23 AND overseas, that’s the bit I was missing.

I know naff all about Chair (other than seeing him on telly once or twice) - although signing attacking midfielders from QPR when we get promoted to the PL could be a new tradition?
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Only because players of premier league quality that are signed domestically will be out of our price range, or we will be outbid at least (remember burn, Antonee Robinson, Maupay etc last time around).

if you look at teams that we can realistically aspire to be like: palace, wolves, Brighton etc they are filled with homegrown or foreign bought talent. Very rarely do they make successful domestic signings. They either end up not quite making the grade or simply can’t afford to keep them.

The foreign market is where the value lies
 
We have to pay the wages
I wouldn't mind not spending a penny on transfer fees if the wages can be increased enabling us to compete for better players from abroad and in the loan market
 
Teddy said:
Gotcha - so it’s under 23 AND overseas, that’s the bit I was missing.

I know naff all about Chair (other than seeing him on telly once or twice) - although signing attacking midfielders from QPR when we get promoted to the PL could be a new tradition?
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Shame we didn't sign Eze instead of Freeman, now 24 and looking the part as a Premier league player.
 
mattbianco1 said:
I would hope that our scouts have been patrolling French Ligue 1, + Belgium and Holland.

You'd we NEED pace and lots of it.

a LCB version of Anel is a must. Robinson a decent understudy
a CB to challenge Egan
an athletic box-to-box type midfielder - Doucoure, Ndidi, Kante style that run for hours
a PL standard GK. Wes as undertsudy
a pacy striker - Archer, Joao Pedro, Dennis etc.
a target man - Calvert-Lewin, Goyokeres
Get Doyle back permanent.
McAtee back as a loan if they won't sell
if we're being greedy, a playmaker to help Ndiaye with the burden - a Gibbs-White type
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That's pretty much my view on what we need. It looks a tall order when it's written down though 🤔
 
Sithblade said:
Shame we didn't sign Eze instead of Freeman, now 24 and looking the part as a Premier league player.
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Pretty sure it was suggested at the time that Eze was only interested in staying near London. Agree i remember seeing him for QPR and really wanting us to but him though.
 
Hamandcheese said:
Who knows what realistic is.....

It is though realistic to say that how we recruit in midfield will define our team and our season

Some of my suggestions for the different midfield positions would be these, based on half paying attention to most of the top leagues as well as domestic stuff.....


CM:
Tommy Doyle - Loan or 10-15m (wouldn’t go 15)
Florian Grillitsch - Free
Ellyes Skhiri - Free (suspect no chance)
Wataru Endo - 3m - if Stuttgart relegated
Gustavo Hamer - 5m
Sam Field - 5m
Hamza Choudhury - 5m
(Last 3 there all appear to have 1 year left on contract)

RCM:
Mady Camara - 6m
Marshall Munetsi - 7.5m
Will Smallbone - 5m
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde - 9m
Stuart Armstrong - 2.5m
Nahitan Nandez - 6m

LCM:
Lewis O'Brien - 7m
Will Hughes - 7m
Jean-Victor Makengo - 9m
Alfred Duncan - 2.5m
Matt Grimes - 4m
James McAtee - Loan - if you want to include him as a LCM


We also need a good LWB, without question

If we really insist on staying up then a starting keeper and a CF as well

Much work to do

Should definitely look abroad but only for about half the signings

Should also be willing to be more flexible on wages than last time, typically for loanees. If we are then surprising options may open up
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Some great shouts there H&C.

I wonder whether PH will revert to a flat 3 a la Wilder to provide more solidity and protection for the back 3 at the cost of creativity and the risk that the front 2 become isolated in games. If not, #10s will also need to be considered.
Or he may have even more radical options in mind and switch to a back 4 - Baldock, Anel, Egan, RND being the obvious starters. That way he could play 2 or 3 in front and still have a #10 in the side. It would be a big call and look poor on PH if it didn't work.
 

Mouth of the South said:
Some great shouts there H&C.

I wonder whether PH will revert to a flat 3 a la Wilder to provide more solidity and protection for the back 3 at the cost of creativity and the risk that the front 2 become isolated in games. If not, #10s will also need to be considered.
Or he may have even more radical options in mind and switch to a back 4 - Baldock, Anel, Egan, RND being the obvious starters. That way he could play 2 or 3 in front and still have a #10 in the side. It would be a big call and look poor on PH if it didn't work.
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i would like us to play 4 with 2 protectors in front but very much doubt hecky will waver from 3 at the back what could be different is just play 1 striker with 2 in behind which would probably give us more possesion certainly in away games
 
Champagneblade said:
In particular it seems that the main issue if you go down are the staggered transfer payments you still need to respect.

For that reason I'd prefer we avoid these signings.

There are quite a few out of contract players in Europe and I also think we need to accept that Doyle and McAtee may be priced out of a return. City may well decide to keep for another year at least and then they become loans at best. They may prefer teams that are likely to see more of the ball as well.

Looking to Europe, here are the out of contract players across major leagues that would seem realistic to at least invite the conversation:

Ligue Un:
Branco Van Den Boomen, Stijn Spierings (both Toulouse), Haris Belkebla (Brest)

Bundesliga:
Ellyes Skhiri (Köln), Mahmoud Dahoud (Dortmund)

La Liga:
Aleix Garcia (Girona), Santi Comesaña (Rayo Vallecano), Alvaro Aguardo (Real Valladolid), Oier Zarraga (Athletic), Gerard Gumbau (Elche)

Serie A:
Oliver Abildgaard (Helois Verona)

Eresdivisie:
Florian Grillitsch (Ajax)

That's just the midfield.

Any hot takes on these?
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Can we talk about Aleix Garcia? I've not seen him play since he was at City, but he looked good in his rare appearances back then.

Slightly journeyman career since but been playing in La Liga most recently. I'm not sure it's a stretch to say he'd be better than Fleck, Osborn or Coulibaly.

Anyone actually seen him play properly this season?

On a FREE TRANSFER it feels good on paper.
 
Champagneblade said:
In particular it seems that the main issue if you go down are the staggered transfer payments you still need to respect.

For that reason I'd prefer we avoid these signings.

There are quite a few out of contract players in Europe and I also think we need to accept that Doyle and McAtee may be priced out of a return. City may well decide to keep for another year at least and then they become loans at best. They may prefer teams that are likely to see more of the ball as well.

Looking to Europe, here are the out of contract players across major leagues that would seem realistic to at least invite the conversation:

Ligue Un:
Branco Van Den Boomen, Stijn Spierings (both Toulouse), Haris Belkebla (Brest)

Bundesliga:
Ellyes Skhiri (Köln), Mahmoud Dahoud (Dortmund)

La Liga:
Aleix Garcia (Girona), Santi Comesaña (Rayo Vallecano), Alvaro Aguardo (Real Valladolid), Oier Zarraga (Athletic), Gerard Gumbau (Elche)

Serie A:
Oliver Abildgaard (Helois Verona)

Eresdivisie:
Florian Grillitsch (Ajax)

That's just the midfield.

Any hot takes on these?
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There are a few names on here that I've come across when doing my own transfer list. I did have Ellyes Skhiri and Aleix García on there but it seems there are bigger clubs in Europe looking at them both so would be a long shot. Even Barca are looking that García as a way to cut their wage bill. I do have Van De Boomen on my list though, could well be attainable.
 
Tottenham are willing to listen to offers for 30-year-old Wales defender Ben Davies this.

Probably out of our wage cap but would be decent for the LCB position on loan. Loads of PL experience.
 
No make do's- 10x£50k pw contracts will cost £25m per year. City have sent signals globally that we are the club to develop youngsters at PL level. Shop in Africa, S America or Asia and offer loans/deals for the top level prospects. Even if half fail it's equivalent to writing off a Mousset, Callum or Freeman. per year.
 
tincan said:
No make do's- 10x£50k pw contracts will cost £25m per year. City have sent signals globally that we are the club to develop youngsters at PL level. Shop in Africa, S America or Asia and offer loans/deals for the top level prospects. Even if half fail it's equivalent to writing off a Mousset, Callum or Freeman. per year.
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Is there any evidence that we have developed any young players at PL level ? I cannot recall any other than Henderson.
 
Nick Jansky said:
We have developed young players to the point that they are ready to step up to the PL.
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I took the original comment to relate to other club’s players being developed by us rather than our own.
Sadly we have developed few of our own that have played for us in the PL for a season.
 
Mads Juel Anderson - the Barnsley CB

That has to be a realistic one?

Looks like he has 1 year left on contract

Impressed in these play offs

25 y/o, captain, big and physically good, fairly composed, played in middle of back 3. Surely on an upward trajectory

Would future proof our defence nicely
 
Hamandcheese said:
Mads Juel Anderson - the Barnsley CB

That has to be a realistic one?

Looks like he has 1 year left on contract

Impressed in these play offs

25 y/o, captain, big and physically good, fairly composed, played in middle of back 3. Surely on an upward trajectory

Would future proof our defence nicely
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Absolutley, watched him this season,simlar to Anel.Like Connel as back up to midfield.
 
Hamandcheese said:
Mads Juel Anderson - the Barnsley CB

That has to be a realistic one?

Looks like he has 1 year left on contract

Impressed in these play offs

25 y/o, captain, big and physically good, fairly composed, played in middle of back 3. Surely on an upward trajectory

Would future proof our defence nicely
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Should be possible with Hecky connection to Barnsley
 
Hamandcheese said:
Mads Juel Anderson - the Barnsley CB

That has to be a realistic one?

Looks like he has 1 year left on contract

Impressed in these play offs

25 y/o, captain, big and physically good, fairly composed, played in middle of back 3. Surely on an upward trajectory

Would future proof our defence nicely
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Good call. I’ve been impressed every time I’ve seen him & he seems to have a good character.
 

Hamandcheese said:
Mads Juel Anderson - the Barnsley CB

That has to be a realistic one?

Looks like he has 1 year left on contract

Impressed in these play offs

25 y/o, captain, big and physically good, fairly composed, played in middle of back 3. Surely on an upward trajectory

Would future proof our defence nicely
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I’d take him sort of player we should be after
 
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