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Has any other area of the squad seen as little investment in the past 4/5 years?
I’ll start by pointing the obvious, we had phenomenal value for Money in both Luongo and (in particular) Morsy so there hadn’t been such a necessity, but when you look at money spent in that area of the team it must be the lowest…
Taylor (1.5m in 2023) Phillips & Cajuste (Loan in 2024) Cajuste (Loan) Matusiwa (8m) & Nunez (8m in 2025)
In that same time we’ve signed 3 centre halves for £30m+ Attacking players we’ve spent the most by an absolute country mile.. Even spent nearly £15m on 2 goalkeepers.
The point I’m trying to make is obvious I accept that, but we need to spend some of the ‘big’ money in that midfield. I’d expect 2 players to come in with one being a club record fee
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Central Midfield.. on 16:11 - Jul 22 with 1847 views
We paid a loan fee for Phillips and Cajuste (Who also had an obligation had we stayed up) and I was under the impression we were paying big wages for Phillips so probably not as under invested as you think.
I agree though that it is an area that needs big work this summer for us to stay up.
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Central Midfield.. on 16:15 - Jul 22 with 1769 views
It was also the area we were so desperately short the last time in the PL. No disrespect to Morsy, Luongo, Taylor, Cajuste but it wasn't pretty at times. A real inability to get around the pitch, little offensive threat, insufficient protection of the back 4 and not enough quality on the ball for the most part. I don't think anyone expected us to go up and win midfield battles against Guimaraes & Tonali or whatever, but we were so horrendously far off it.
Its not that we haven't tried to strengthen, obviously Phillips was a big investment which we got no return on. Hackney we chased and missed out on. Matusiwa was relatively big money by Championship standards and had a good season, he's excellent out of possession but I'm not convinced he has enough about him on the ball at PL level.
Needs 2 heads in there and I'm sure we'll get them, addressing that is top of the priority list IMO.
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Central Midfield.. on 16:42 - Jul 22 with 1542 views
I'd tend to agree: has to be a key area. Matches are lost and won in midfield, and we need protection of our back 4/5. A partnership with Matusiwa would seem good, but I tend to favour 2 very good midfielders over one world class. Something makes me feel we are going to get 1 permanent, and 1 on loan. Same as the strikers.
By a long shot this is our most vital area to improve. I think we need two. Spend the money on a guaranteed 7/8 out of 10 player each week and speculate on an up and coming kids who would run through walls for your team.
Look what happened to Elliot Anderson the last two summers... Pretty much ran the u21s into European glory then almost took the senior England team to the world cup final. What a player. I bet Newcastle fans are still crying. They might be vulnerable this season unless they buy.
Midfield is where relative big money and big wages are difficult for a new promoted club to spend, not because we dont want to, but because those players of the profile we want are in high demand. They would probably rather continue as squad players or pursue success where they are or like Hackney wait for the ‘bigger’ club to enter the chase.
However weve seen with Matusiwa that we can do the deals but even with him we dont know his output at PL level. Given we probably need 2 CMs it makes not signing Dan Neil an interesting decision, he obviously had more to give in time, although in about 4 weeks time this will be old news and we may have the 1-2 players we need to build the squad around.
Central Midfield.. on 16:24 - Jul 22 by _CliveBaker_
It was also the area we were so desperately short the last time in the PL. No disrespect to Morsy, Luongo, Taylor, Cajuste but it wasn't pretty at times. A real inability to get around the pitch, little offensive threat, insufficient protection of the back 4 and not enough quality on the ball for the most part. I don't think anyone expected us to go up and win midfield battles against Guimaraes & Tonali or whatever, but we were so horrendously far off it.
Its not that we haven't tried to strengthen, obviously Phillips was a big investment which we got no return on. Hackney we chased and missed out on. Matusiwa was relatively big money by Championship standards and had a good season, he's excellent out of possession but I'm not convinced he has enough about him on the ball at PL level.
Needs 2 heads in there and I'm sure we'll get them, addressing that is top of the priority list IMO.
Just the simple fact that Keiran desperately wanted Hackney tells us he was worried regards our midfield for the Championship so for Premier league we simply have to improve big . Yes we must be working on it but doing a good job of keeping our cards close to our chest .
[Post edited 23 Jul 6:56]
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Central Midfield.. on 07:20 - Jul 23 with 639 views
We did try very hard to spend £20m on Hackney to be fair.
....just didnt have a Plan B.
Jens Cajuste was plan B which on paper for the champ was a good one. And credit where it is obviously due we did go up. Nunez was also signed after Hackney didn't join.
Central Midfield.. on 06:41 - Jul 23 by PioneerBlue
I suspect this isnt for lack of trying!
Midfield is where relative big money and big wages are difficult for a new promoted club to spend, not because we dont want to, but because those players of the profile we want are in high demand. They would probably rather continue as squad players or pursue success where they are or like Hackney wait for the ‘bigger’ club to enter the chase.
However weve seen with Matusiwa that we can do the deals but even with him we dont know his output at PL level. Given we probably need 2 CMs it makes not signing Dan Neil an interesting decision, he obviously had more to give in time, although in about 4 weeks time this will be old news and we may have the 1-2 players we need to build the squad around.
Not signing Dan Neil was absolutely the correct decision.
We did try very hard to spend £20m on Hackney to be fair.
....just didnt have a Plan B.
We also tried to sign the Mexican lad, Marcel Ruiz, last season for around £8m -10m I think. He was a nailed on starting player for them in the World Cup, had he not gotten injured beforehand & looked like a really good option for us. He didn't want to play in the Championship though, so just like Hackney, he turned down the move despite the clubs agreeing terms.
In my mind it's the the most important position on the pitch where games are won and lost. Matusiwa has worked (to an extent) but is limited in what he can do (he does this well though) but we really do need a couple of proper additions in the middle of the park this summer.
Morita looked like a solid player but for whatever reason it hasnt come off but I do expect a pretty significant spend on one CM at least and perhaps a more experienced but high quality free.
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Central Midfield.. on 08:52 - Jul 23 with 397 views
Agree this is the most underinvested area, and crucial in the PL.
I've previously suggested this guy - not a goalscoring midfielder, but an absolute beast ay breaking up opposition play, winning possession and distribution. Playing at the top of the Bundesliga, but surely the PL is the ultimate league?
Yeah, always thought this about our efforts the last time we were in the Premier League.
There was much made about our transfer strategy of signing promising Championship players (at probably inflated fees), but it was really the signings of Kalvin Phillips and Jens Cajuste (from two of the biggest clubs in the world) and Aro Muric (from the Premier League), that cost us.
Had we got a solid keeper and two decent CMs in, we'd have had a fighting chance at least.
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Central Midfield.. on 10:25 - Jul 23 with 184 views
It is just so crucial we get it right. With Matusiwa we have a guy who will be able to play Premier League football. Maybe he isn't an ever week starter but he will be a very solid option.
Now we need 2 more and I imagine at least one of them will cost a fair whack and be a bit of a marquee signing.
Central Midfield.. on 10:38 - Jul 23 by TRUE_BLUE123
It is just so crucial we get it right. With Matusiwa we have a guy who will be able to play Premier League football. Maybe he isn't an ever week starter but he will be a very solid option.
Now we need 2 more and I imagine at least one of them will cost a fair whack and be a bit of a marquee signing.
I love Matusiwa, but he's essentially unproven in the PL (I'm sure he'll handle it) but we are incredibly light on PL experience in that area of the pitch.
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