Who opened the door? My money is on Janus! 2024 January transfer thread.

[GhostoftheBok]

Would it be viable to change shape a little and play 1 striker with an extra midfielder?

We're only going to have 5 midfielders once CMG goes away, so it doesn't really solve anything in terms of shortages.

[TANGODANCER]

Opening doors is fine, as long as they're not trap-doors.

[officer_dibble]

The other option, I suppose, is Conor Carty. Not convinced he's ready for primetime, but he has certainly come on a lot.

Could he play for us in Jan and still be loaned out if say Mendes Gomes returns? There are limits on number of teams you can play for in a season aren’t there?

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Would it be viable to change shape a little and play 1 striker with an extra midfielder?

We're only going to have 5 midfielders once CMG goes away, so it doesn't really solve anything in terms of shortages.

Was thinking it might be easier/cheaper to find a midfield upgrade for the future than a striker.

[GhostoftheBok]

Could he play for us in Jan and still be loaned out if say Mendes Gomes returns? There are limits on number of teams you can play for in a season aren’t there?

Don't think he can, no. If he plays for us, I think that's it. Maybe the different timing of the Irish season alters it, I don't know.

[GhostoftheBok]

Given how he's doing, I do wonder if we could renew our reputed interest in Jake Young. We clearly felt he wasn't ready before, but 16 goals in 16 games in League Two might mean we think he's worth a fee. Bradford will want him back in the fold now Hughes is gone, though, you'd think.

[jmjhb]

Given how he's doing, I do wonder if we could renew our reputed interest in Jake Young. We clearly felt he wasn't ready before, but 16 goals in 16 games in League Two might mean we think he's worth a fee. Bradford will want him back in the fold now Hughes is gone, though, you'd think.

If we're talking League Two forwards, Ali Al-Hamadi is the one I'd go for.

[GhostoftheBok]

If we're talking League Two forwards, Ali Al-Hamadi is the one I'd go for.

Yes, but the Wombles want proper money for him, I think.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

If we're talking League Two forwards, Ali Al-Hamadi is the one I'd go for.

Yes, but the Wombles want proper money for him, I think.

Whether or not he's been frozen out by the previous manager, Young's contracted at Bratfurt until 2025 (with the option of a further year), so I don't think he'd be a gimme either.

But yeah, IIRC Wombles were asking seven figures for Al-Hamadi last summer and he's scored a few more this season.

[GhostoftheBok]

Whether or not he's been frozen out by the previous manager, Young's contracted at Bratfurt until 2025 (with the option of a further year), so I don't think he'd be a gimme either.

But yeah, IIRC Wombles were asking seven figures for Al-Hamadi last summer and he's scored a few more this season.

Yeah. I could be wrong, but I think the fees would be worlds apart.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

So who should/could/might we go for?

No idea on "could" and "might", given the noises coming out of the club about having no targets...should? If we're not worrying too much about realism for a minute, the stand-out "Evatt would kill for him" player is Ty Campbell at Stoke.

Local lad, City trained, all the physical and technical attributes Evatt is clearly looking for in a striker. Stoke have completely failed to make the most of him (he may not have helped himself there), but Markham was a known admirer a few years ago and there's a very serious footballer in there somewhere.

If we went up he's the kind of player who could help cement us as a proper Championship side. He's also a lefty, which we are lacking up front. I firmly believe he'd be an absolute star for us, but likely unrealistic as an actual suggestion.

Ty Campbell (Kevin's lad) seems to be in Alex Neil's plans at the moment.

He is indeed out of contract in summer... which you can't say for a lot of strikers currently playing their trade in the Championship. According to Transfermarkt there's only 26 of them, but that includes lapsing loan contracts for players like Liam Delap (tied down at City to 2026).

It also includes players we simply aren't going to get, like Che Adams and Kelechi Iheanacho; players who are presumably too old (and too well-paid) to fit the mould, like Lee Gregory and Dwight Gayle; or young unproven players like QPR's Charlie Kelman and Sinclair Armstrong. And Ashley Fletcher, because there's always Ashley Fletcher.

It certainly doesn't seem like a world of opportunities. So maybe we're back to loanees (probably Prem) who we might help develop and we might stand a chance of signing in a year or two. Better than Mbete or Shoretire but perhaps not quite as oven-ready as Traf or Bradley (although it's worth remembering the latter had only played 260 men's minutes before coming here).

[officer_dibble]

Whether or not he's been frozen out by the previous manager, Young's contracted at Bratfurt until 2025 (with the option of a further year), so I don't think he'd be a gimme either.

But yeah, IIRC Wombles were asking seven figures for Al-Hamadi last summer and he's scored a few more this season.

Yeah. I could be wrong, but I think the fees would be worlds apart.

Al-Hamada looks like one who will skip this league - will end up in the Championship I think.

[GhostoftheBok]

Al-Hamada looks like one who will skip this league - will end up in the Championship I think.

You'd imagine someone will gamble on him. There are a few I'd expect to end up in the Champo next season.

I'd imagine Fraser Hornby might too, if only on loan. Super talent, but has struggled to make the jump up to the Bundesliga.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Bit of bored Saturday-night surfing around fringe Champo strikers... none of it ITK or even rumours except ones I'm making up. Or rather, YHIHF. <adds Fossey wig to cartoon Twitter icon>

It's possible we could loan Preston's Emil Riis. The 6ft3 Dane – 26 next summer, when he'd have a year left on his contract - has been out since January with an ACL, so he'd need to build fitness... but then regular sub appearances are good for that, so it might suit all three parties. Before that injury he'd scored 23 in 102 second-tier games for PNE.

On a similar tack, Blackburn might decide a loan down the road would be good for Niall Ennis, the 24-year-old forward they signed in summer from Plymouth, where he scored 11 league goals last season. He bagged on his Rovers debut in the League Cup but hasn't (yet) established himself, being irritatingly sidelined with groin and knee injuries. Back fit now – he got 10 minutes against Leeds today – but if Blackburn hire a striker next month, as they are expected to do, he may be somewhat surplus.

From the other direction, Stoke striker Nathan Lowe looks one to watch. The 6ft3 18-year-old has been a regular benchwarmer this season and scored a late winner at Bristol City, but hasn't had many minutes. Again, they might figure that a fairly regular half-hour per game for us would suit his development. Although Transfermarkt says his contract's up in summer, in fact he signed a three-year deal on his 17th birthday.

You can never tell what Watford will do in a window but striker signings aren't exactly off-brand for the Hornets. In summer's striker-signing spree they signed a Colombian, a Dane from Sweden and a Manc from France - and the latter might just be of interest. Rhys Healey (for 'tis he) has only played 40 Championship minutes across five games, so it must have been particularly galling for his former MK Dons boss Russell Martin when he equalised for the Hornets against Southampton in the 96th minute today. Healey scored 11 in 18 third-tier games for the McDons in 2019/20, earning a move to Toulouse, and thence back to Blighty with Watford – but for how long, who knows?

Quick non-striker one while I'm scouring the second-tier squads - remember Nathanael Ogbeta? Promising overlapping left-back, ex City, looked good for Shrewsbury, but then signed by Swansea on January deadline day 2022. Well, it's not worked out for him. After a dead year he was loaned to Posh last January, played 20 times but then suffered a quad injury from which he's only come back this week. New Swans coach Michael Duff has been somewhat lukewarm and Ogbeta could well be available in January. Posh might be interested but we could also consider him - still only 22, well-trained and adaptable (can play LB, LWB or LCB - he's 6ft2).

[Prufrock]

Haven't Swansea already binned Duff?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Haven't Swansea already binned Duff?

Oh yeah! Missed that, been a busy week.

Well, erm, maybe the new manager will want his own man. Or something.

(Always thought that was an odd appointment. Wonder where he'll end up?)

[GhostoftheBok]

Rhys Healey and young Nate at Swansea are good shouts, in terms of ability. Healey is a born goal scorer and Ogbeta has a load of talent. Money, oh money...therein lies the issue.

Healey was THE man in Ligue 2 and looked dangerous in Ligue 1 a few times - when not dying quietly in a corner from various ailments.

He's got to be on decent money at Watford.

Nate's not on huge money at Swans, but he is worth a bit. Especially if the new manager doesn't deem him totally surplus.

If they find their way to BL6 we might as well just announce promotion. Might be champagne dreams on beer money, though.

[GhostoftheBok]

In terms of "Evatty" signings, the Evattyest out there at the minute may be Jonathan Afolabi.

Absolutely no reason to think we'd be interested, other than that he looks like the sort Ian and Chris would think well of.

Rapidly improving over in the Irish league, having received a good football education at Celtic.

He's massive, he's fast, he does the work and he's technically solid. Someone who looks very coachable

A lot in common with Nlundulu and Vic.

Reportedly available for £200k and a confirmed target for Carlisle United.

[TANGODANCER]

In terms of "Evatty" signings, the Evattyest out there at the minute may be Jonathan Afolabi.

Absolutely no reason to think we'd be interested, other than that he looks like the sort Ian and Chris would think well of.

Rapidly improving over in the Irish league, having received a good football education at Celtic.

He's massive, he's fast, he does the work and he's technically solid. Someone who looks very coachable

A lot in common with Nlundulu and Vic.

Reportedly available for £200k and a confirmed target for Carlisle United.

That sounds a bargain. Are we in the race?

[GhostoftheBok]

That sounds a bargain. Are we in the race?

No reports that I'm aware of, just think he looks the type we might have a look at and Ireland's a market we're always keen on.

I'm not sure he's that "Championship ready" type we've been discussing. More of a project.

I think Carlisle view him as a player who will take them up a huge step in this league, but that doesn't mean we look at him as someone who can score for us a level up.

There are some up in Scotland that will get a go south of the border before long, too.