 [Blog] Summer Conundrum Written by SWGF on Friday, 3rd Jun 2011 12:35 If you drew up a (plausible) list of the players you'd like to see us linked with over the close season, it would probably be the top Championship performers (Steve Morison, Danny Graham, Robert Snodgrass et al). The problem that we have is that the teams which have been promoted seem to be looking to sign exactly the type of player which we're looking to go after - potentially with more than one eye on the season after next when the probability is that they'll be back in the Championship. On top of that, there's more than half the Championship looking at the same players as well. However, because the selling clubs aren't desperate to sell, the prices are only going in one direction. Is Graham worth the £3m that Swansea are said to have bid? Is Snodgrass worth over the £3.5m which Leeds rejected from Norwich? Morison over £2m? Billy Sharp over £2.3m? Obviously they're worth what someone's prepared to pay for them, but the selling clubs are in a strong position and know that newly-promoted, potential purchasers are flush with new-found wealth. So what do we do? Do we accept that it's the going rate, pay up and try to compete with the lure of the Premiership? Or do we set our sights a bit lower (Cody McDonald, Adam Le Fondre et al) for sub £1m fees? If the Michael Chopra story has any legs, then the price mentioned seems to be a no-brainer. I'd have David Nugent here like a shot but he'll have offers from the Premier League as well as plenty of our competitors, you'd imagine. Personally, I'm expecting Pail Jewell to sign a couple from overseas. He's done it before with varying degrees of success at his previous clubs and it seems like the only way of getting any real value for money, although you obviously then run the risk of them not adapting to the football or way of life. Another Martijn Reuser, Sixto Peralta or Bobby Petta will do fine. I've been told by more than one 'source' that some big signings are coming. What constitutes a 'big signing'? Maybe they’ll come. Maybe we’ll have Nugent and Chopra up front in August, Seyi Olofinjana protecting the back four, Keith Treacy and Kieron Dyer providing bullets from the wing. Maybe. Although I'm not that bothered about the apparent lack of activity so far, being three days into June, I'd be concerned about the sheer amount of players required to get us anywhere near competitive, especially now that we have so many holes to fill - arguably requiring a first-choice right back, a first-choice left back, first-choice right-sided centre back, back-up right-sided centre back, defensive midfielder, creative midfielder, left winger and two strikers just to give us a squad. So, while new signings may not be forthcoming right away, they will happen. They have got to happen. In addition to the obvious blending issue with so many potential new arrivals, it could be a pricey summer. Messrs Evans and Jewell, it’s over to you. Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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