Reconstruction time again: the summer 2018 transfer thread

[GhostoftheBok]

Looks like Kurt Zouma's little brother might be signing. Some discussion as to whether the paperwork is done, but he's there holding a shirt.

[Peter Thompson]

Looks like Kurt Zouma's little brother might be signing. Some discussion as to whether the paperwork is done, but he's there holding a shirt.

Signing for the U23 / Development squad not the 1st team....

[GhostoftheBok]

Looks like Kurt Zouma's little brother might be signing. Some discussion as to whether the paperwork is done, but he's there holding a shirt.

Signing for the U23 / Development squad not the 1st team....

Yup. Still worth noting.

[malcd1]

Looks like Kurt Zouma's little brother might be signing. Some discussion as to whether the paperwork is done, but he's there holding a shirt.

Signing for the U23 / Development squad not the 1st team....

Yup. Still worth noting.

Confirmed by Kurt Zouma (Pitch, shirt and grin). Nothing on the official site yet.

[malcd1]

Marc Iles @MarcIles
4h4 hours ago

Zouma deal not completed... Yet. Sticking that pic out before the club you're trying to sign for is 'one' way to go... #bwfc

[palindromeofbolton]

Not posting this suggesting we'll be in for him (or should be), but it seems as though Zac's pretty much had his chips at Forest - at least while Karanka's in charge.

https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/fo ... ur-1841083

[GhostoftheBok]

I'd take Clough if we are going to play a proper 4-2-3-1. He can compete with Ozzy for the #10 position and cover every other attacking position if we had a crisis. I've no issue with Zach and I think he could learn a lot from Ozzy, who has also had to learn to deal with being a smaller lad.

[mullayo]

I'd take Clough if we are going to play a proper 4-2-3-1. He can compete with Ozzy for the #10 position and cover every other attacking position if we had a crisis. I've no issue with Zach and I think he could learn a lot from Ozzy, who has also had to learn to deal with being a smaller lad.

Ghost what about Mancienne. Quicker centreback/DM? What's wrong with him?

Also have two keepers being released: Stephen Henderson, Dimitar Evtimov,

Also attackers Jamie Ward, Apostolos Vellios, Barrie McKay, Zach Clough and Gboly Ariyibi have all seen their profiles removed from the first-team squad page.

Thomas Lam and Ryan Yates are both included, suggesting Karanka could be willing to give them a chance at the City Ground this season. Could be worth a cheeky bid. Yates sounds interesting, 20 year-old tall mid.

Seems like an opportunity to get a bargain or two.

[officer_dibble]

Interesting forest. Grabban is obviously decent but not heard of most of there other signings. Lot of money as well - be more Portuguese playing here than Brits soon! Could well go Tits up. Feel sorry for Clough; that move has not worked out at all. Hope he gets a break - needs to be a top man at a smaller club I think.

As for us Magennis could be a bargain - he certainly won’t be a waste of cash at £200k or whatever. We have different options up top now. From what I hear Donaldson’s an off the shoulder striker not a target man - crap in the air apparantley. No multi million pound players but hopefully enough to get goals, and hopefully Hall will get minutes this season to kick on.

Centre mid (I’d take Henry back on the basis there is Lowe to spread the workload) and centre half with some pace please, plus Robinson.

[BWFC_Insane]

I'd take Clough if we are going to play a proper 4-2-3-1. He can compete with Ozzy for the #10 position and cover every other attacking position if we had a crisis. I've no issue with Zach and I think he could learn a lot from Ozzy, who has also had to learn to deal with being a smaller lad.

Clough isn't good enough. He like some other players burst onto the scene and looked superb. But he's one of those that will never fulfill the initial promise.

If he can play the number 10 role, then ALF certainly can.

[palindromeofbolton]

Myhill's now got a new one-year contract at WBA, so the search for GK back-up/Alnwick competition will be continuing.

Nixon saying yesterday that we're taking a second look at Ireland this week, with his knock cleared up this time...

[mullayo]

Martin Cranie (31) 6 ft tall. Centreback right back according to Daily Mail

[GhostoftheBok]

Clough isn't good enough. He like some other players burst onto the scene and looked superb. But he's one of those that will never fulfill the initial promise.

If he can play the number 10 role, then ALF certainly can.

Clough is a confidence player. If he feels up for it and supported he looks like a top player. If he gets "the fear" he over-thinks everything and looks dire.

Needs to right manager.

[GhostoftheBok]

Martin Cranie (31) 6 ft tall. Centreback right back according to Daily Mail

Reliable player. Not the type to revolutionise or lead a defence, but as part of a unit he could be very useful. Decent technical player and versatile. I know Huddersfield and Barnsley fans around here who rate him, though he's not a Premier League player. Strikes me as a bit of a Tim Ream - give him the right role and he's good enough to go up, but leave him alone and he can get bullied by more powerful players.

Also worth noting that, as far as I recall, James Morrison is looking for a contract and also still training with West Brom. Might be worth a look, if that Achilles issue is sorted.

[BWFC_Insane]

Clough isn't good enough. He like some other players burst onto the scene and looked superb. But he's one of those that will never fulfill the initial promise.

If he can play the number 10 role, then ALF certainly can.

Clough is a confidence player. If he feels up for it and supported he looks like a top player. If he gets "the fear" he over-thinks everything and looks dire.

Needs to right manager.

Warburton paid 3M for him and he never performed.

He's 23 and hasn't done enough in his career to warrant any sort of special treatment. He's too lightweight for this league, not enough ooomph about him. Oztumer might be the same but I hear he has more bite and tenacity.

[mullayo]

Martin Cranie (31) 6 ft tall. Centreback right back according to Daily Mail

Reliable player. Not the type to revolutionise or lead a defence, but as part of a unit he could be very useful. Decent technical player and versatile. I know Huddersfield and Barnsley fans around here who rate him, though he's not a Premier League player. Strikes me as a bit of a Tim Ream - give him the right role and he's good enough to go up, but leave him alone and he can get bullied by more powerful players.

Also worth noting that, as far as I recall, James Morrison is looking for a contract and also still training with West Brom. Might be worth a look, if that Achilles issue is sorted.

Cheers Ghost. Would Crainie or Mancienne give us that more mobile centreback? And/Or be a better holding mid than Vela?

[GhostoftheBok]

Warburton paid 3M for him and he never performed.

He's 23 and hasn't done enough in his career to warrant any sort of special treatment. He's too lightweight for this league, not enough ooomph about him. Oztumer might be the same but I hear he has more bite and tenacity.

Depends what you call special treatment - I just view it as basic man management. Warburton is, in fairness, a shit manager. Clough was a young lad on his first move and he arrived at a club that tanked on the pitch and he's not recovered. It's worth noting that the same situation also effectively ended Ross McCormack's carrier in England after he tanked int he same side and was then seen as far too risky for the money it'd cost to loan him.

I'm not ready to write Zach's career off after one failed transfer. He showed enough to get himself a decent move and that ability is still there.

[GhostoftheBok]

Cheers Ghost. Would Crainie or Mancienne give us that more mobile centreback? And/Or be a better holding mid than Vela?

Going purely off hearsay on Mancienne, as I've not seen him play in ages, I'd say Mancienne and Cranie are fairly similar players. When they were younger lads they both struggled to define a role for themselves in teams and got used at fullback, centreback and in midfield. Mancienne managed to make centreback his position, Cranie still bounced around a bit. They both showed up on the radar at young ages and then took until their early 20s to get anywhere. Neither are dominant defenders, but they're both clearly good enough for this league.

Take your pick, really - though I'd say Cranie has actually achieved more in his career, which may be because he moved to a lower level more quickly.

[GhostoftheBok]

Iles has knocked Cranie on the head. Not literally, obviously...

[GhostoftheBok]

Everyone is talking about deals today. Joe Garner is being mooted, as are Ireland and Robinson. Fun times.