| Summer transfer window 09:20 - Mar 14 with 2053 views | xrayspecs |
Some Tuesday morning musings.
Irrespective of whether Town go up this season or not, you would expect the club to look to strengthen the squad over the summer, this is a long-term project after all.
In League One, Town can register 22 senior players (classed as U22 and older), excluding goal keepers. In the Championship it is 25 senior players including goalkeepers. So 22 or 23 senior players, depending on whether Town go with a young third choice keeper.
Once Hirst and TJJ return to their respective parent clubs, Town will still have 22 senior players ahead of the 23/24 season as TJJ is counted as an U21 this season, and Harry Clarke will become a senior player in the summer. Cam Humphreys will be an U21 again next season.
This is before you consider Piggott, El Miz, Harper, Penney, Nbada, Yengi and Ahadme who are senior players out on loan. Elkan Baggott would be an U21 next season.
It is difficult to make the case for any of the senior loanees being part of the first team squad next season. I am not sure Baggott or Nbada have done enough yet in L1 to secure a first team squad position, so further loans appear to be best for their development. Penney's contract is up in the summer and will surely move on. The rest have contracts to 2024 or 2025, so further loan moves appear to be their best option.
Which leaves us with a squad that is light up top once the TJJ and Hirst loan moves come to an end, and Town needing to move on some of the existing first team squad to free up places.
At the back, this looks like it will be Keogh's final playing season and KVY looks surplus to requirements. JD is out of contract but is a very adequate back up to Clark, so I would expect him to get a new deal. Edmundson could possibly be replaced?
In the middle, Ball and Camara returning from injury and Louongo's form may see Evans moved on, especially with his injury record over last couple of seasons. Town are also known to be very keen on Taylor at Posh and I would expect that interest to be rekindled in the summer. I would like Louongo to get a new deal.
Aluko is out of contract in the summer and is not getting much game time this season, so could be another on his way. Like Keogh, a really good experienced pro, who has likely added more off the pitch than on it this season.
So, my prediction is that Keogh will be replaced, KVY and Aluko released to free up space for two forward signings (Hirst and TJJ could come back into that discussion) and Evans will be replaced by Taylor. Louongo and JD get new deals.
So it is unlikely to be the big changes we have seen in previous summers, more a case of a steady build.
[Post edited 14 Mar 2023 9:36]
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| Sheesh Speccers, it's March! on 09:21 - Mar 14 with 2005 views | Dyland |
And wet, cold and sh1t still. Summer shmummer. |  |
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| Summer transfer window on 10:26 - Mar 14 with 1831 views | homer_123 |
Don't underestimate Town cashing in on players either.
Expect Town to sell players, even our best, if good offers come in. |  |
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| Summer transfer window on 10:26 - Mar 14 with 1835 views | tractordownsouth |
Not sure what we'll do if we stay down but this is what I reckon will happen if we're in the Championship.
Goalkeepers: No need to upgrade Walton. The only question mark is whether Hladky gets an offer to be first-choice elsewhere, in which case we'd need a new back up.
Centre Back: I expect Keogh to retire so we'll need another right-sided player here to push Woolfenden. Left centre-back is much harder because Burgess and Edmundson are both more than good enough to be squad players but I think both could struggle a league higher. Long term, Edmundson has a higher ceiling but Burgess has been the better player this season and is the better 1:1 defender, which will be a more valuable attribute in the Championship.
Full back: Well-stocked on both sides, no changes needed. Davis and Clarke could both attract fees of £10m with a good year in the Championship under their belts. I think KVY will do really well somewhere else but can't see room for him here anymore so he'll depart.
Central Midfield: All dependant on injuries. Morsy and Luongo will continue to be first choice with Humphreys pushing them. l think at least one of Evans, Ball and Camara will go. Maybe a loan addition?
Wingers: Broadhead will continue to start on the left and Kyle Edwards will probably be kept on. Harness may be moved on. I'm not a member of the Kayden Jackson hate club but I think we can improve on the right side as his end product would be an issue in a league where we wouldn't dominate possession and get so many chances. We could possibly even pursue a marquee signing with Burns seen as the bench option.
Number 10: Chaplin will stay here, probably on an improved contract. Aluko may choose to retire, in which case we'd need another body here. Maybe TJJ as it seems the club rate him highly, but he's tended to perform better up front.
Strikers: I'd like to see Hirst back but I think him and Ladapo are similar to Burgess and Edmundson in that both would be good enough as Championship squad players, but I'd have reservations about either of them being trusted as the main goal threat. This might be the area where big money is spent. |  |
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| Summer transfer window on 10:48 - Mar 14 with 1723 views | Weekender |
I agree a steady build seems likely. To me it seems we will have the opportunity to recruit to improve the spine of the team.
At center back we can replace Keogh (Ndaba and Baggot don't seem ready yet)
Centre mid I think Taylor from Posh will arrive but will be interesting who leaves. Otherwise its 2 from Morsey, Humphreys, Evans, Ball, Camara, El Miz, and Harper (And that assumes Luongo doesn't stay)
Attacking mid Aluko probably goes and TJJ seems a likely replacement as he is out of contract I believe.
Forward Hirst if he continues to do well and is available at the right price or AN Other. |  |
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| Summer transfer window on 10:50 - Mar 14 with 1717 views | Weekender |
| Summer transfer window on 10:26 - Mar 14 by homer_123 |
Don't underestimate Town cashing in on players either.
Expect Town to sell players, even our best, if good offers come in. |
If we are L1 still Davis is the one who will likely get attention from the championship. | |
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| Summer transfer window on 10:59 - Mar 14 with 1669 views | Illinoisblue |
| Summer transfer window on 10:50 - Mar 14 by Weekender |
If we are L1 still Davis is the one who will likely get attention from the championship. |
Bidding can commence at 17million. No time wasters please. |  |
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| Summer transfer window on 11:21 - Mar 14 with 1532 views | homer_123 |
| Summer transfer window on 10:50 - Mar 14 by Weekender |
If we are L1 still Davis is the one who will likely get attention from the championship. |
Davis and Chaplin are the obvious two, along, possibly, with Walton. | |
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| Summer transfer window on 11:41 - Mar 14 with 1420 views | TalkingBlues |
Summer transfer business will depend on whether we get promoted, or not. If not, we will look to offload peripheral players and strengthen a couple of areas, but not large scale change.
If we secure promotion, I'd imagine another round of funding comes in and we look to make multiple upgrades all across the park. |  |
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| Summer transfer window on 11:47 - Mar 14 with 1378 views | BigCommon |
Can't see any of our best players leaving..We don't need to sell, and they've hopefully bought into our project, and love playing for KM. Even if there is attention from elsewhere....Might be different another year down the line imo, for the likes of Davis. But we really want these lads to play a season in the Champs, to get the best return on their value...
Obvious upgrades/additional depth for me, would be ST, CB and CM, regardless of division. Depends on medical situations of existing, injuries, imo...
Should we get promoted, then, perhaps some of our rotation players are a bit under par for Champs. Just depends whether the breif will be to consolidate, first season.Or push for a play off spot..If it's the latter, which I think and hope it will be, then I can see a few new faces coming in. Perhaps we can use the loan market to add some quality , energy and depth...
Let's not forget, if we end up in the playoffs, this will put our transfer window in limbo for and extra few weeks. So could make a huge difference in terms of jumping the queue on any targets. I suspect, the window will be drawn out and well have to be patient, if that's the case. |  | | |
| Summer transfer window on 12:12 - Mar 14 with 1281 views | chicoazul |
There will be enormous changes as always regardless of what league we are in. And there’s a good chance one or two players will have offers they find very hard to refuse again regardless of the league we’re in. |  |
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