January 2023 - Transfer Talk - Stick or Twist

Please tell me where we are making transfers with an eye to the future? 7 loan signings none of whom will be here next season. Two players who could come into the category you mention are East and Young but our manager doesn’t rate them. The January window should be like a pit stop in a Grand Prix, a tweak here and there, bringing in a quality player to maybe make the podium, instead it’s wholesale engine change with borrowed parts from better rivals with more in hope than expectation that it will work.

 

I'm trying to think why we've such an influx of players when I was expecting just the 1 or 2, but maybe Hughes wants to play his way and the players recruited in the summer, just haven't got the skill set to do so. Therefore, he's set about moving them on and hopefully bringing in those who can. The trouble is that it'll take another 20 games for them to blend. Either Gent didn't understand the brief, or he's not as good as we hoped.

 

Hughes can loan in another 5 players in if he wants, so long as he gets us up.

We needed a replacement for Wright, we got one

Perriera hasn’t made any impact so far so it makes sense to bring another body in, especially with Young going out on loan an Angol leaving

we needed a stronger LB since Foulds is off form and Ridehalgh can’t be relied upon

the CB is clearly for the future an cover.

As for Derbyshire, I haven’t a clue. but Ian Henderson scored 2 against us, an he’s older than Derbyshire. Henderson also hasn’t played higher than League One level so perhaps it’l be a masterstroke of a signing, who knows. But to write off players who haven’t even kicked a ball for us is idiotic

We add a strong CM now to the team an id say that’s job done for the window. Offload Ridehalgh, Threlkeld. Send Cousin-Dawson, Odusina, East out on loan an we’re good to go

 

I'd love this to be true.

I'm unenthused by this signing, and I don't mind saying so, but imagine if he did look a cut above.

But it's 7 years since he's played in a proper league, so unless he has something that still makes him stand out, I'm not sure he'll be a success. Until we see him play, though, we won't know what his 'x-factor' is, but he damn sure will need one whether it's skill, pace (unlikely), power (unlikely), passing, finishing, or instincts.

 

RE undisclosed fees - doesn’t that usually happen when the ‘buying’ club buys out the end of the players current contract or something?

So often its a relatively small amount?

 

If he improves the team and improves our promotion chances what is the problem? We will need a new LB in the summer anyway - L2 or L1 because Foulds isnt good enough.

Capable back up.

 

How do you know none of the 7 won't be there next season? We have seen loans return in the past.

I'd certainly take Critchlow back whether its loan or permanent (yes would need L1 for that) or Banks for another 12 months. Bola seems surplus at Rotherham so if he performs no reason why he may not consider making his loan permanent.

TBF to the club we haven't got a lot wrong with loans this season. Wright, Banks and Critchlow all been very good. Dion very disappointing but not many had an issue with him coming back. Jury out on Costelleo, Nevers and Bola.

 

Twitter is a gift today...

 

Unlike other summers City will have a decent number of players this summer. You would think a small number leave mind.

Lewis, Richardson
Halliday, Foulds, Cousin-Dawson
Platt, Odusina, Kelly
Smallwood, Sutton, East, Osadebe
Walker, Chapman, Wood
Oliver, Derbyshire, Young

Doyle, Hendrie, Threlkeld, Ridehalgh, Songo'o, Gilliead, Eisa and Cook are out of contract but I can see 3 or 4 of them possibly getting new deals.

 

Slide one name up from the bottom list, Hendrie signed a two year deal.

If we dont go up, we've got the bones of a good L2 squad who'd all have played under the manager and challenged for the top 7 once, that experience could be good to "go again" as they always say. Add a few good options and rather than another season of 15-20+ new faces, only 7 or 8 new faces would slide into a known system a little better.

However, if we go up i cant see a single one of those players getting a contract. Eisa is a maybe depending on how his end of the season goes, but none of the rest would be fancied in L1. I'd say also if we went up guys under contract like Hendrie, Foulds, Sutton and East would be shopped or chopped, due to just not being L1 standard.

 

Eisa will get a new deal as long as he stays fit - Hughes seems to really like him. And while I am not a fan, I do see Gilliead getting offered a new deal irrespective of which division. Doyle could also get a new 1 year deal I think.

 

That's a bit of a problem for me. Teams who have gone up from league two and performed at the top of league one the next season seem to have had a strong nucleus of a team, good team spirit and we're able to continue that winning mentality without a massive re-building process.

 

And @Kevin1954

reason nowadays why fees are undisclosed is purely so clubs dont know how much spare cash they have. Ie we sell angol for 100k if we try to buy banks, crystal palace might jack up the price

 

Yup, another reason.

 

You've put a couple of extra noughts on by accident m9

 

Giggle.

 

Or a k instead of a p?

 

Apparently Donny are looking at Hendrie as a new RB option. Could be why we haven't loaned out FCD again just yet?