Deal or no deal? - Summer 2022 Transfer gossip!

[GhostoftheBok]

2-0 and relatively coasting.

Not so much now.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Hit the books again to look at players falling out of contract at recently-promoted teams. Dudes who've done a job getting out of this division and could do so again.

BLACKPOOL
ETHAN ROBSON, central midfield (25.10.96)
Six-foot left-footer. Joined Blackpool in summer 2020 and played 28 times in their promotion season, although 13 were off the bench. Described as a ball-player, which might explain why MK Dons took him on loan last summer, and why after Blackpool recalled him in January the Dons made two cash bids. He’s out of contract in summer, although Blackpool have an extension option, Whether MK Dons will still want him if they go up is one question. Whether we need a ball-playing midfielder is another.

GARY MADINE, striker (24.8.90)
Scored 9 in 33 Champo games, but will be 32 in August. Will they keep him? Possibly. Would Evatt like a Quigley type? Possibly not this one.


HULL
Hull have eight or nine contract-elapsing players (including George Honeyman) on whom they have a year’s extension option but are yet to trigger it, so it depends how much elbow room Shota Arveladze wants to rebuild the squad. You also have to imagine some, if released, would want to reunite with Grant McCann, now back at Peterborough. But here are some of the more interesting ones:

MALLIK WILKS, forward (15.12.98)
Rarely used since New Year - even before Shota Arveladze came in, he was out of the picture - but Wilks has third-tier form: last year he scored 19 and assisted 8 in 44 as Hull went up, and two seasons previously he scored 14 and assisted 8 in 46 for Donny. Can play up top or off the wing. Birmingham are interested but if he wants to go there he’s clearly bonkers.

TOM EAVES, striker (14.1.92)
Another old boy target man. Hull have a year option and he’d like to stay but he’s unsure as to whether he will be kept on under the new Alcun Ilicali owneership. Only 5 goals and 3 assists in 29 Champo games this season but many have been as sub, so that’s a goal involvement every 148 minutes.

CALLUM ELDER, left-back (27.1.95)
Athletic Aussie who gallops up and down the left. Won the third tier on loan at Wigan in 2016/17, promoted from it again with Hull in 2021 and was named in the Team of the Year.

JOSH EMMANUEL, right-back (18.7.97)
Him again. Has been out since November with an unspecified “illness” which hospitalised him. Hmm. Hope he’s OK.

COVENTRY
JORDAN SHIPLEY, midfielder (26.9.97)
Six foot left footer, discussed in January, can play LW, 10 or 8. Notable in Cov’s 2019/20 promotion season and has played a few for them in 2022 but lost his place after testing positive for Covid. Not sure we've the room in the squad right now but if Dapo leaves this lad might pop back into consideration.

[GhostoftheBok]

Robson, Elder, Emmanuel and Shipley are all very good players at this level.

Wilks was very much last season's Dapo and the idea of both of them in the same side is more than a little exciting, but Dapo is likely off and Wilks would (I imagine) demand more in wages than we can offer.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Sounds realistic. With Robson and Shipley, I’d also say the bar is now higher as we have strength in depth in midfield/wide attack. Full-backs/wing-backs less so, although I suspect we will also set high standards there. Centre-back still the priority but i haven’t seen many (as yet unmentioned here) who aren’t either ageing or, conversely, fairly young and unproven.

[GhostoftheBok]

The one I've been keeping under my hat, as it were, is Jordan Thorniley. That's if Pool don't taken up his option.

Local lad, pretty experienced for his age, good pedigree, hard as nails and good with his feet.

It's looking increasingly unlikely, as he's been pulling up trees since Blackpool recalled him. He'd also not make some happy as he's 2cm short of the demanded "183cm" and therefore a midget. Also a lefty, so if we were to get Iredale that's another reason to think he's not on the list.

But, like you say, there's not a lot of obvious experienced pick-ups. Good players at peak age tend to go up a division.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Good players at peak age tend to go up a division.

As Santos might…

It’s probably worth a look at peak-age CBs with lapsing contracts at Champo clubs. But you then get into other issues. Why are they lapsing? What’s wrong with them? Are they on serious bunce? Would they drop down?

Then again, none of any of the names I put forward are “links”, just noting potential signings.

[GhostoftheBok]

As Santos might…

Who was a Barnet reject...

The thing with CBs for us is the need to be able to play with wide defenders who can overlap and play-make.

Aimson looks a decent defender, but his limitations are with the ball at feet.

Finding someone who can do both remains the job.

Iredale looks a good shout, for me. That's if he's actually a target and intended for LCB.

I think one of the best defensive prospects in the league, oddly, just got relegated with one of the worst defensive sides in the division. So it's not always the obvious names who are the right fit for you.

[GhostoftheBok]

Alan Nixon is claiming City want to send Trafford to Anderlecht next season.

If we're talking about his Iredale link I suppose we need to take this one seriously too.

[BWFC_Insane]

Alan Nixon is claiming City want to send Trafford to Anderlecht next season.

If we're talking about his Iredale link I suppose we need to take this one seriously too.

That’s the barrier isn’t it. City wanting their player to progress by moving up the leagues.

Would like him back but it’s one where we definitely have no control over it and have to wait.

[brommers95]

Would be a real shame if Traff wasn't here next season, it'd be beneficial to all three parties for him to him to come back here, so not sure why City would send him to Anderlecht where he'd be far from guaranteed to start.

Slightly worrying as I wouldn't be confident of us finding a GK who's as good or better than Trafford. Having that continuity between the sticks by getting him back would be a huge boost for next season.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Would be a real shame if Traff wasn't here next season, it'd be beneficial to all three parties for him to him to come back here, so not sure why City would send him to Anderlecht where he'd be far from guaranteed to start.

Slightly worrying as I wouldn't be confident of us finding a GK who's as good or better than Trafford. Having that continuity between the sticks by getting him back would be a huge boost for next season.

Yeah. Continuity in some areas, fluidity and progression in others. And I would worry, if Traf doesn't return, that we'd be back into the goalkeeper tombola. Will we pull out a Trafford or a Crellin?

(While we're here: his song's crap. "James Trafford" simply does not fit the scansion of Our House. Come on, people.)

[irie Cee Bee]

We should try to get Trafford on a permanent. City may be open to a sell-on clause in such a contract considering he has 1 more year there. Another loan in his last year would mean they don't see him in their future.

[Prufrock]

He'll be getting a new contract and another loan I'd think. Would defo take him on a permanent but v much doubt that's on.

Obviously close relationships with Anderlecht through Kompany. Hopefully he comes back but I hope we've got contingencies.

[GhostoftheBok]

You'd imagine he'd be unlikely to oust van Crombrugge (club captain etc) and they have depth in the position, so it's a bit of an odd link to my eye; but things go on in football. I don't think either City or the player would want him to go to Anderlecht to be 3rd choice.

Personally, I don't think he's ready to be #1 at that level.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Our boi Brommers has been banging at the keyboard again. Treat yourself to this smorgasbord of defensive delights, with a side order of guessing which ones will most stick in some people's throats...

https://bwfcanalysis.wordpress.com/2022 ... tre-backs/

[brommers95]

Took me long enough to write

Whilst it’d be great to get a decent fee for Santos, it did really hit home while writing this that if we do lose him this summer, it’ll be almost impossible to replace his unique skillset of pace, height, strength and passing ability.

[GhostoftheBok]

Whilst it’d be great to get a decent fee for Santos, it did really hit home while writing this that if we do lose him this summer, it’ll be almost impossible to replace his unique skillset of pace, height, strength and passing ability.

He's almost unique at this level and Evatt is right, in terms of Santos' stats, when he calls him one of the best defenders outside the Prem. Obviously people will argue stats back and forth all day and there are people on here who don't rate him at all, but he has been noticed at all levels because of how often he shows up in analysis.

It's always hard to know what Evatt will look for in terms of your transfer list. If we continue to play mixed systems will he invest good money in a player who can only play centre back, or will he look for a more versatile player (assuming Santos stays)? I'm inclined to believe the Iredale link and I think we might see a move for a similar type of player on the right - someone who slots into a back three, but can also play right back or even wing back.

If he did go for a more traditional centre back then I think you've made a really good list, though I think a couple of "Evatt-profile" centre backs are missing. Joseph Olowu being one. Thoroughly enjoyable read, as ever.

Of everyone on your list, I'd probably take Ross Sykes. I think he can play and he's physically and defensively where we need him to be. I really like him. Plus he's local.

[brommers95]

Whilst it’d be great to get a decent fee for Santos, it did really hit home while writing this that if we do lose him this summer, it’ll be almost impossible to replace his unique skillset of pace, height, strength and passing ability.

He's almost unique at this level and Evatt is right, in terms of Santos' stats, when he calls him one of the best defenders outside the Prem. Obviously people will argue stats back and forth all day and there are people on here who don't rate him at all, but he has been noticed at all levels because of how often he shows up in analysis.

It's always hard to know what Evatt will look for in terms of your transfer list. If we continue to play mixed systems will he invest good money in a player who can only play centre back, or will he look for a more versatile player (assuming Santos stays)? I'm inclined to believe the Iredale link and I think we might see a move for a similar type of player on the right - someone who slots into a back three, but can also play right back or even wing back.

If he did go for a more traditional centre back then I think you've made a really good list, though I think a couple of "Evatt-profile" centre backs are missing. Joseph Olowu being one. Thoroughly enjoyable read, as ever.

Of everyone on your list, I'd probably take Ross Sykes. I think he can play and he's physically and defensively where we need him to be. I really like him. Plus he's local.

Thanks Ghost

Olowu did cross my mind but I just haven’t seen anything of him to make a judgement and didn’t have the time to check out any of his games.

[GhostoftheBok]

Thanks Ghost

Olowu did cross my mind but I just haven’t seen anything of him to make a judgement and didn’t have the time to check out any of his games.

I felt he was impressive against Bodvarsson. He's been an utter nightmare for everyone he's gone up against recently, but he sepnt quite a while in Olowu's pocket until we stepped everything up. Dominated him in the air, anticipated balls to feet and made important blocks. Arsenal youth product would also impress Evatt.

With him being relegated and one a one year deal he'd certainly be on the more affordable end of things.

[The_Gun]

Took me long enough to write

Whilst it’d be great to get a decent fee for Santos, it did really hit home while writing this that if we do lose him this summer, it’ll be almost impossible to replace his unique skillset of pace, height, strength and passing ability.

Fantastic work as ever, Brommers.

On the FGR lad, I remember you wrote about him last summer when he would have been available on a free. Does the fact that we didn't go in for him then perhaps indicate that Evatt/Markham are not interested?