Tooling up: The summer 2024 transfer thread

[Bertie Wooster]

Bid rejected for Luke McCowan, according to the impeccably sourced Anthony Joseph.

That would be a ridiculous coup, if it could be done.

Why is that ?, I doubt many if any apart from yourself on here have ever heard of him

[sonicthewhite]

Yeah, who is he Ghost? C'mon, spill the beans.

[officer_dibble]

this formation asks more out of him than the 352.

Depends how you mean it. It asks considerably less of him in terms of all action midfield play. He's not covering anywhere near as much ground due to the extra body in midfield.

Nice to have a TL,DR version predate me

I guess we will find out - I just simply went it’s one less centre mid so if we are playing a 433 they may be a man light. I’ll take your views!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Who's McCowan? Left-footed, switched from left wing to a more central role and was (top-flight) Dundee's player of the year and players' player of the year for the season just gone (he scored 10 in 37)

Halfway through a two-year contract

Hibs have also had a bid rejected, Celtic have been watching, along with English second-tier and MLS clubs

It's "understood" that both we and Hibs "remain keen"

[sonicthewhite]

Who's McCowan? Left-footed, switched from left wing to centre-mid and was (top-flight) Dundee's player of the year and players' player of the year for the season just gone

Halfway through a two-year contract

Hibs have also had a bid rejected, Celtic have been watching, along with English second-tier and MLS clubs

It's "understood" that both we and Hibs "remain keen"

Ohhhh, that Luke McCowan? The one who scored an equalizing penalty in yesterdays Dundee derby? I'll be buggered if he rocked up here

[GhostoftheBok]

McCowan is a late bloomer, but he established himself last season as one the the stars of the Premiership. He apparently missed out on the Scotland squad by one place and he's been strongly linked with Celtic.

He's quick, he gets stuck in, he beats defenders for fun and he makes things happen.

He's better than this level and he probably should have gone to the Euros.

He'd also give us the left-footed set piece specialist we need. Randell and Schon take decent corners, but McCowan offers real danger from freekicks.

He's not as naturally gifted as Dembele, but he'd be an excellent signing.

He's also a shithouse. Captain at Dundee and plays like it. Take responsibility with the ball.

[Bertie Wooster]

McCowan is a late bloomer, but he established himself last season as one the the stars of the Premiership. He apparently missed out on the Scotland squad by one place and he's been strongly linked with Celtic.

He's quick, he gets stuck in, he beats defenders for fun and he makes things happen.

He's better than this level and he probably should have gone to the Euros.

He'd also give us the left-footed set piece specialist we need. Randell and Schon take decent corners, but McCowan offers real danger from freekicks.

He's not as naturally gifted as Dembele, but he'd be an excellent signing.

He's also a shithouse. Captain at Dundee and plays like it. Take responsibility with the ball.

Sounds decent - however if he's that good why have none of the bigger clubs down here gone for him ? or Rangers & Celtic ?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Who's McCowan? Left-footed, switched from left wing to centre-mid and was (top-flight) Dundee's player of the year and players' player of the year for the season just gone

Ohhhh, that Luke McCowan? The one who scored an equalizing penalty in yesterdays Dundee derby? I'll be buggered if he rocked up here

Fascinating interview with him here:
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/f ... ltic-link/

In his own words, he “wasn’t very good” as a teenager - got shoved in goal for the school team. Was going to become a PE teacher. Got a part-time contract at Ayr, which he combined with shifts starting at 5am working at a lesiure centre (lifeguard etc). Played well eniough for a move to top-flight Dundee and has kept on improving, a real "making up for lost time" type. I can imagine Evatt loving him.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Sounds decent - however if he's that good why have none of the bigger clubs down here gone for him ? or Rangers & Celtic ?

Celtic and several Champo clubs cited in June as monitoring his situation

[GhostoftheBok]

Sounds decent - however if he's that good why have none of the bigger clubs down here gone for him ? or Rangers & Celtic ?

Basically because he's a late bloomer. He started showing some really good flashes at Ayr a level down and Dundee took a risk on him as a bright young prospect. Dundee struggled that season and played some pretty duff football. That, combined with some niggles, meant McCowan (then a winger) didn't show his best form. Dundee got relegated and he then really shone in the Championship to help get them promoted. He shifted from the wing to a #10 role and this season he's exploded into life.

He's gone from an talented winger who drifted in and out of top-level games to the key player in Dundee's best team in years. Running the midfield and making defenders look like idiots at times.

Now, it's Scotland and the lad isn't Messi; but he's a proper player. The trouble is that he needs first team football to get a look in with Scotland and Celtic probably can't offer that. Aberdeen or Hibs may, though, and he may feel he's more likely to be capped playing for them than us.

As with Danny Armstrong, who is in a similar position, the Scotland boss has been pretty dismissive of League One and that could cost us.

[GhostoftheBok]

McCowan is a link that has me genuinely excited. I had a good look at him last season with an mind to if we got promoted, but put him aside when we didn't.

Birmingham have signed some silly players for this level in Hansson et al, but a signing like McCowan would give me real hope we could compete properly.

I only care about winning the division. He's the sort that can produce to that level.

[The_Gun]

McCowan is a link that has me genuinely excited. I had a good look at him last season with an mind to if we got promoted, but put him aside when we didn't.

Birmingham have signed some silly players for this level in Hansson et al, but a signing like McCowan would give me real hope we could compete properly.

I only care about winning the division. He's the sort that can produce to that level.

Finishing second in the division this year will take some doing. I think the title is pretty much Brum’s already.

[GhostoftheBok]

Finishing second in the division this year will take some doing. I think the title is pretty much Brum’s already.

I think most would agree with you, but the only thing of interest to me at this stage is winning.

Further into the season I'll get pragmatic. The manager and players need to be going out there to win this division, though.

To do that we need more quality.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

McCowan is a link that has me genuinely excited. I had a good look at him last season with an mind to if we got promoted, but put him aside when we didn't.

In this system, would you see him as the left 10?

[truewhite15]

McCowan is a link that has me genuinely excited. I had a good look at him last season with an mind to if we got promoted, but put him aside when we didn't.

In this system, would you see him as the left 10?

Curious, if so. I get that quality up front is an absolute requirement for a promotion-chasing team. But we're collecting a number of players who can occupy the two #10 slots, while feeling a little light in the #6/#8 department.

I make players suitable for the attacking mid slot as...

Collins
Vic
Arfield
Lolos
CMG (when fit)
Dempsey
Nlundulu
Plus, evidently, sights on Dembele, McAtee, Armstrong & McCowan. Appreciate we won't sign them all, obviously...

But then deeper slot options are..

Sheehan
Thomason
Morley
Dempsey?
Khumbeni (but likely to go on loan)

I thought Arfield was going to be deeper-lying, but it doesn't seem like he's played there at all in pre-season. Feels like we're a little light there, for me.

[Prufrock]

You'd still expect the 10s to be "inverted". Collins nailed on for that left hand side. A lefty on the right would add nice balance though.

[GhostoftheBok]

In this system, would you see him as the left 10?

For me, yes.

He fits with Evatt's watchword of the summer "versatility", but in this current system he's a #10. He'd play somewhere between a traditional #10 and an inside forward.

He could do a job at wingback, I'm fairly certain, as it's a role he's played before in his career - but it'd be a bit like using a tank to do the school run. Yeah, it'd work...but you're not fitting skills to role.

He's at his best running at defenders and forcing them to make decisions. He wants to be in the channels, because he can go either way.

His through passing, shooting and crossing are all in the upper levels of the Scots Prem.

He's far from perfect and is we sign him we can get into what he needs to work on, but he'd improve our options.

[GhostoftheBok]

Looks like Jordi Osei-Tutu is the chosen one at right wingback.

Everyone's favourite new rumour account says it's done (bar medical) and he's started following the club on social media.

He's a risk, but a talent.

[Prufrock]

I think you had Armstrong pegged as a RWB option. Any chance it's between him and the other Scottish lad for the other 10? Or do you think that's it on Armstrong then?

I suppose assuming JDC and Geth aren't going anywhere we figure RWB is somewhere we can take more of a risk on injuries.

[GhostoftheBok]

I think you had Armstrong pegged as a RWB option. Any chance it's between him and the other Scottish lad for the other 10? Or do you think that's it on Armstrong then?

I suppose assuming JDC and Geth aren't going anywhere we figure RWB is somewhere we can take more of a risk on injuries.

I find it hard to see us signing Armstrong if JOT shows up.

The McCowan interest makes a lot of sense if Armstrong is off the menu.

One huge plus of Armstrong was his left foot for set pieces, which overlaps with McCowan. So in terms of squad building if you don't sign one the other becomes much more attractive.