Reconstruction time again: the summer 2018 transfer thread

[GhostoftheBok]

I think the doom and gloom view is entirely justified as things stand, but I'm always optimistic. We do need players in fast.

The Championship, honestly, is a piss easy league to survive in. Blatantly League-One-standard teams stay up all the time, you just need to have the right attitude and organisation (plus some luck). Our squad last season had no right to stay up and we really tried hard to get relegated with the early and late form, but we failed miserably to drop down. With the additions we are making, they'll have to try even harder to fail this year.

My view, regardless of the team or the league, is that you either look up the table or you don't bother showing up. Any team in any league should be ambitious and aim to out work and out fight those around them. We only need 3 more good first team players to have a real shot at getting up the table this season (I'd prefer 5, but it is what it is). The trouble is we also need 3-4 more good squad players too.

I think left back and centre half are easy, in terms of identifying targets. Striker is the really tough bit. I used to think left back was a real issue too, but having spoken to people and looking at options I think there are half a dozen realistic players for us who would be great at this level. We've had some decent links at centre back. It's always about goals - they cost money.

When Madine left a lot of people who didn't rate him said it didn't matter, but our goal scoring was pretty much just him at that stage. He wasn't all that great, only scored a few and yet we got 6mil for him. That's why when I see people fretting over 750k for Wyke I think they're being daft. No idea how he'll do at this level, but if we sign a striker for 750k and he's even half useful then it's a steal.

The other positions probably get cheaper the longer we wait (free transfers), but the striker will keep getting more and more expensive.

[GhostoftheBok]

A few striker deals are being wrapped-up now. Ellis Harrison and Mo Eisa are both going or gone. Sunderland are putting around a story that they've outbid everyone for Wyke. Squeaky bum time.

[palindromeofbolton]

With the fees for those two reportedly being £1m+ each, you've got to think Wyke would be value for the £750k Bradford will apparently accept. Very doubtful it'll be us getting him tho.

[mullayo]

Nixon saying we might be taking a young Prem striker on loan although 'surely not a starter'. Fingers crossed this is someone of a decent calibre.

If they're "surely not a starter" in the Championship then you'd imagine they're not any good. That could mean the Alf story has legs.

More likely the chairman is a cheapskate and we're not getting the oft promised "mystery championship striker".

[mullayo]

This is going to sound weird but I hope they hold off signing Hobbs and O'Neil until after the Guiseley game.

To not only guard against injury but in the hopes KenAn digs deep into his dusty pockets and pulls out deals for Hoban and Milligan instead.

[GhostoftheBok]

With the fees for those two reportedly being £1m+ each, you've got to think Wyke would be value for the £750k Bradford will apparently accept. Very doubtful it'll be us getting him tho.

If Wyke wasn't in the last year of his contract he'd cost over 1mil easily.

Ken isn't a cheapskate, he's just not as wealthy as he seems to hope people will believe him to be. He is at Bolton to make money, not spend it. It looks like money taken out by him and his family accounts for just shy of a million quid a year. He's not putting any in. That won't change. The club has to pay its own bills and carry the chairman, his son etc.

On Hobbs and O'Neil, the club can wait forever on those two for me. I don't have anything against either player, I just don't think they improve or evolve our style of play and so I'm not fussed about them. Hobbs is a top player on his day, so I'm slightly more open to him. O'Neil is 35 and I don't think he's much left to offer at this level. If PP wants an old hand to guide some of the younger players through or a level head with 20 minutes to go, fair enough.

Hoban and Milligan bring their own issues. Hoban with his injuries, Milligan having never played at a proper level in his entire career and being 33. Maybe they're better options than Hobbs and O'Neil, maybe not.

[mullayo]

Illes has not one but two lengthy stories saying absolutely nothing.
It's an art form.

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/16 ... r-ireland/

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/16 ... rlie-wyke/

[mullayo]

Un-Wyke-ly news.

After missing out on Mosi, Sunderland a re trying to force the issue with Wyke, having apparently made a 3rd offer believed to be in the vicinity of $1m - with add-ons and bloody bonuses etc.

Meanwhile, Bantams are set to sign Middlesborough striker George Miller on loan today. They also claim they're closing in on another capture – as they consider giving Charlie Wyke a deadline to decide on his future after already offering him an extension earlier.

[nelson66]

Illes has not one but two lengthy stories saying absolutely nothing.
It's an art form.

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/16 ... r-ireland/

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/16 ... rlie-wyke/

Give the man a break - he's got column inches to fill in a newspaper at a time of year that theres not that much happening - and that's a journalistic art form

[mullayo]

Illes has not one but two lengthy stories saying absolutely nothing.
It's an art form.

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/16 ... r-ireland/

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/16 ... rlie-wyke/

Give the man a break - he's got column inches to fill in a newspaper at a time of year that theres not that much happening - and that's a journalistic art form

That's what I said! I used to be a journalist too. It's too low on news values. He's recycled quotes and hasn't added enough new stuff. Should have added some of my more current stuff.

"After missing out on Mosi, Sunderland a re trying to force the issue with Wyke, having apparently made a 3rd offer believed to be in the vicinity of $1m - with add-ons and bloody bonuses etc.

Meanwhile, Bantams are set to sign Middlesborough striker George Miller on loan today. They also claim they're closing in on another capture – as they consider giving Charlie Wyke a deadline to decide on his future after already offering him an extension earlier."

It's the club's lack of activity has left him grasping at straws. Expecting to be announcing signings every Monday like we're expecting to hear them.

[BWFC_Insane]

This is going to sound weird but I hope they hold off signing Hobbs and O'Neil until after the Guiseley game.

To not only guard against injury but in the hopes KenAn digs deep into his dusty pockets and pulls out deals for Hoban and Milligan instead.

Hobbs if fit, would be excellent. He's a good player. Its his fitness that is a worry but presumably we've had chance to assess that. He's signing.

[The_Gun]

Lee Anderson has tweeted his stupid strong of emojis indicating we've signed someone. My guess would be Walker or Hobbs.

[boltonboris]

Lee Anderson has tweeted his stupid strong of emojis indicating we've signed someone. My guess would be Walker or Hobbs.

on Saturday he tweeted "all eyes on me this eve" and did a disappearing act until this morning, the whopper

[BWFC_Insane]

Hobbs.

Certainly isn't anything exciting.

[Prufrock]

2.5 weeks to go and we're still way short on numbers, and missing the striker we desperately need. Currently 2 CBs on the books, about to be 3 but with 2 of them having poor injury records historically. Only one left back. Only 3 CMs. The quality of the individuals we have brought in had been surprisingly good but we're still miles away.

Suppose a lot of the numbers will come from last minute wheeler-dealing (and a bunch of helps hellos in the dressing room for West Brom). But the striker in particular needs sorting.

[mullayo]

2.5 weeks to go and we're still way short on numbers, and missing the striker we desperately need. Currently 2 CBs on the books, about to be 3 but with 2 of them having poor injury records historically. Only one left back. Only 3 CMs. The quality of the individuals we have brought in had been surprisingly good but we're still miles away.

Suppose a lot of the numbers will come from last minute wheeler-dealing (and a bunch of helps hellos in the dressing room for West Brom). But the striker in particular needs sorting.

Striker about to be sorted. Wyke will go to the club prepared to pay money that's bid on him three times and we'll get a Prem kid on loan.

[GhostoftheBok]

We used to be like this under Sam. We'd take forever to get any deals done, but they'd be pretty good when we did. Then when we were short in the last week of the window we'd stock up on dross.

I'd rather we took our time and got decent players than started out signing the first player we see and regret it for the two years of his contract.

With our budget we were always going to have a hard time. The WC has arguably made things worse, as it tends to delay the window for everyone when the "transfer chain" breaks down.

[BWFC_Insane]

We used to be like this under Sam. We'd take forever to get any deals done, but they'd be pretty good when we did. Then when we were short in the last week of the window we'd stock up on dross.

I'd rather we took our time and got decent players than started out signing the first player we see and regret it for the two years of his contract.

With our budget we were always going to have a hard time. The WC has arguably made things worse, as it tends to delay the window for everyone when the "transfer chain" breaks down.

Indeed. All those people who are saying its a disaster...its only a disaster if ultimately we get the wrong players. Anyone who is good would have other offers and wouldn't be rushing to Bolton.

[kagni]

Rumor that Marc Wilson is about to sign.
Can play anywhere across the back 4 or as Def mid so would be useful addition.
Have seen him play plenty of times for Ireland, mostly as left back and centre half and always looked decent enough.

https://lionofviennasuite.sbnation.com/ ... ernational

[mullayo]

So tell me people what's wrong with Marc Wilson? Other than he's turning 31.
He's free. He's 6ft 2in, can play centreback (83 games), leftback (75 games) and defensive mid (16 games). 181 Premier League games.

C'mon Ghost, burst this bubble.

https://lionofviennasuite.sbnation.com/ ... ernational