Summer 2021 transfer window

[Paddingtonwolf]

It’s also creating a problem to fix when there is no need and we have several other significant problems to address this window.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

Is £12m in the bank better than Rui for one season and then leaving on a free. Absolutely IMO.

Keeping him is the equivalent of paying a £12m loan fee for a season. It might make sense if he was outstanding and could make the difference between qualifying for Europe or not, but he was nowhere near previous seasons’ level last season. A replacement might not be quite as good shot stopper, though for near post shots that’s debatable, and is likely to dominate the area better and I’ll bet any money you like he’ll be better with his feet.

 

[Sniffer]

We started last season with a top class manager and a spine of Patricio, a solid 3 at the back, Neves and Moutinho and Jimenez upfront.

We could go into the next one with a change of manager, keeper, defensive system, new midfield and a question mark over the forward due to an horrendous injury.

Anyone who looks at that with optimism must be seeing something that I'm not.

If we can get a keeper on a par with Patricio then take the £12m. If its a downgrade then he can see out the last year of his contract.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Zero to indicate that though, that's pure speculation to fit the point. If he isn't signing a new deal and he is a better keeper than Sa, then analytics move would be to keep him and have a better keeper rather than 12million that is instantly used on a downgrade.

The Sheff Utd point, Ramsdale was already the worst keeper in the prem the previous season and a large factor in why Bournemouth went on such a poor run. Having a weak keeper is a death blow. Villa arguably outperformed this season due to Martinez early season form, LFC finally won the league on the back of a significant keeper upgrade, keepers are vital, I also disagree with the idea Rui was bottom 6, purely because he had more good games or great saves than a lot of the other keepers who maybe made less mistakes. So confident that the no1 for Portugal and arugubly the best keeper outside the elite is still in there.

Unless they are very confident this Sa guy is better then this is a worry.

There is more to say he may leave than stay. Not even a hint of him signing a new deal going into his final year and we were wetting ourselves about Traore with 2.5 years left. There’s been talk of a move for months. I’d say that was smoke from the fire he’s not interested (or we’re not interested) in a new deal. Analytics might say he’s better if you’re replacing him with Andy Lonergan. I don’t think we are.

Second paragraph - why does selling Rui = sign worst GK in league. That’s not speculation to fit the point, it’s hyperbole to fit it. If Rui was peak Cech and we’re resigning Lonners then yeah, neither is true.

BAsucally for me, even if Rui was 19/20 levels and I knew we were losing him for free (speculation on both sides of the argument),then I’d sell and replace. If he was going to sign a new deal and was 19/20 levels then I wouldn’t. But I think both of those being the case is unlikely. He’s not perfect at his best. Great shot stopper on form, but his feet, his aerial ability and his sweeper keeper skills are either poor or non existent A lot of that was protected by the low block. Move away from that and even at his peak his strengths are reduced and his weaknesses more prominent.

 

[Deano]

The Rui of last season won't be that hard to upgrade he was near the bottom of the league in a lot of the important metrics and he was letting in far too many goals he should be saving. You can't afford a keeper letting in the goals he was letting in last season.

 

[The Bear]

I'm not sure what people are expecting the club to do if he wants to go and won't sign a new contract? Just let him sit on his arse and leave for nothing in 12 months time?

£12m is decent given his age and what we paid for him.

His replacement is a different matter. A first choice keeper is always likely to cost more than £12m. Whether you rate any potential replacement isn't really our call to make.

 

[The Bion]

Joao was a major reason he came here as well. If Mou is off that might play into it.

 

[YoungWolf]

It’s a good move for him if it happens.

I’ll be disappointed though, unless the money is good. 7/8m is cheap I think even if he had a below par season.

sa isn’t a bad keeper but it’s just another area we seem to be downgrading on, on the face of it. We seem to be making more changes than is needed happen, which is a risky strategy. Hopefully we come through it with a good team and squad

 

[Throbber3]

It’s a good move for him if it happens.

I’ll be disappointed though, unless the money is good. 7/8m is cheap I think even if he had a below par season.

sa isn’t a bad keeper but it’s just another area we seem to be downgrading on, on the face of it. We seem to be making more changes than is needed happen, which is a risky strategy. Hopefully we come through it with a good team and squad

Speculate to accumulate? It may be risky but Fosun showed the intent with replacing Nuno , albeit by mutual consent

I am still reserving judgement until I have seen who comes and who goes and what we look like on the pitch come September 2021.

 

[YoungWolf]

Speculate to accumulate? It may be risky but Fosun showed the intent with replacing Nuno , albeit by mutual consent

I am still reserving judgement until I have seen who comes and who goes and what we look like on the pitch come September 2021.

Possibly! Hopefully we came out the other side of this window pleased with the work done. It’s hard to see the plan right now other than selling to buy.

 

[prawnking]

I agree with Paddy and YW in that replacing Rui (and Neves too unless he's desperate to leave) seems to be risky considering the other areas that are in flux.

I don't think Rui is irreplaceable however, and if we're cutting Adama little slack for having an under par season last time out I don't see why Rui gets a pass (especially considering his age)

 

[The Bear]

We seem to be making more changes than is needed happen, which is a risky strategy.

Other than changing the manager, which changes have we made that we haven't had to?

Jota and Doherty both wanted to move last season, same with Rui and possibly Neves. You can't just keep unhappy players.

Other staff have all moved on because they got offered other jobs.

 

[YoungWolf]

Well, we seem to have decided we have to sell before we can buy. Hence the fact that Neves or Adama (or both) we always going to have to go to fund that.

with Nuno in charge I think likes of Rui and Joao were less likely to go too.

 

[Kenny]

with Nuno in charge I think likes of Rui and Joao were less likely to go too.

The Joao to Porto rumours started a few months ago, so maybe not

 

[MARKakaJIM]

We started last season with a top class manager and a spine of Patricio, a solid 3 at the back, Neves and Moutinho and Jimenez upfront.

We could go into the next one with a change of manager, keeper, defensive system, new midfield and a question mark over the forward due to an horrendous injury.

Anyone who looks at that with optimism must be seeing something that I'm not.

If we can get a keeper on a par with Patricio then take the £12m. If its a downgrade then he can see out the last year of his contract.

That spine lead to a bottom half finish.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

That spine lead to a bottom half finish.

Well, that spine with a few quality vertebrae chopped off the top of it.

 

[b3h]

There's a thread on Reddit, Arsenal after Neves to replace Xhaka.

A load of them think it's a downgrade! Some saying barely any difference. They are absolute numpties man.

 

[prawnking]

We could go into the next one with a change of manager, keeper, defensive system, new midfield and a question mark over the forward due to an horrendous injury.

We'd probably have 3 or 4 out of those 5 even with Nuno still here.

I must say, the positive 'wait and see'/'trust the club' mantra that used to permeate most discussion on TWF seems to have packed its bags with Nuno!

 

[big mean bunny]

Yeah seen that, there fans constantly reffering to him as a DM, like that is all he does.

For a start he isn't a constant red card threat like Xhaka is.

 

[Kenny]

I must say, the positive 'wait and see'/'trust the club' mantra that used to permeate most discussion on TWF seems to have packed its bags with Nuno!

It left by mutual consent...

I'm still in the wait and see area. Not a fan of Nuno going, open minded on Bruno, expect Neves to go*, expect Mout to go*, don't want Rui to go but i'm actually happy with the rumoured replacement


* = Think these 2 would have gone even if Nuno was still here.