An ambitious player to be linked with signing so we'll see if anything comes of it especially if we're competing with Villa to sign him.

But we need to be aiming high with our targets to improve the team in order to give us a fighting chance of staying up next season in the PL. Not all of our transfer targets will come off but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't try.

We want to sign the best players we possibly can but realistically if Villa are after a first choice keeper he isn’t going to choose us. I’d be happy with Pope.

Miles better than 34 year old Pope. If that was a likely option, you’d have thought been done by now.

I wasn’t saying this guy is not better than Pope, simply saying if Villa want him then he will sign for them. They are a champions league team and need a No1. Pope would be a good signing.

We got to fight to sigh him! Toulouse him to another club would be madness

This is almost always the problem with potential targets/signings. Unless you have some very clever scouting indeed, often in areas and places that others somewhat overlook, you'll end up competing for the same players. In our case these players are attracting other PL clubs with seemingly more to offer a player, at least at an initial glance and they quite probably have deeper pockets too. I do agree with the poster above that it doesn't mean that we shouldn't try however. Maybe we need to be just a bit more clever. That's what recruitment is for. We'll find out how clever they'll be over the next few weeks.

Slightly unfair on Walton who had a good season but in GON we trust.

Wjk

Nice one

Might mark you down for cringeworthy

Walton was good in the championship. Different world.

Lots of fantastic saves but in both of those videos I believe you only see him hold onto the ball a few times and most of the time the ball is still in play and we didn't see any crosses, can he command his box I wonder, I would rather have Pope.

I’d rather sign pope for £5million and spend the £15million on a defender

Nice to be in these conversations though.

yes it nice to be linked with these players but nothing going any further b4 we appointed O'Neil deals were well down the line and we were waiting for the new manager to tie up the deals O'Neil has been here now 10 days and still we wait i dont belive the deals were real just talk

and im not knocking the links as we need to look abroad but since O'Neil has become manager all our links have been from France their more countries to scout than France but as I said im not knocking it

It would be incredible, but is very very optimistic. Loving the level of players we're being linked with this time round though!

Oh wow...he's top quality.
A GK who is meant to become one of the best.

All these rumours involve high-grade players. Let's get some them in please.

Here we go again - rumour mill to the fore, but no signings.
History repeating itself once again - waiting for the last week before Kick Off !
Ashton ? - take your Shades off !

We could be linked with Messi, doesnt mean anything.
Where are all these players Mr Ashton? Ten you stated we were hoping to bring in......

Nice we are looking at these level of players , but really, do we stand much chance fishing in the same pool as the likes of Villa, or even Brentford, Brighton etc , as players will go to the established PL clubs surely? I just hope were not going to spend all summer again trying to targets we simply wont achieve... But I acknowledged its good to try this

That's a lot for us to spend on a keeper though. Might need a few world class saves to survive, could be worth it.

It is still early as far as far as the financial side of transfers go,but i am surprised and a bit concerned that earlier statements about potential signings it shouldnt be a case of changing plan because we now have O,Neil as board knew before fans did the manager was leaving what has come of those . Who are they ?

Blues1, I make him right. Yes it’s not easy. Yes it’s a long process at times.., but it’s the same for other clubs, Spurs have signed a new defence - signed. Sunderland rebuilt an entire squad in a window, Forest seem to rebuild their every Tuesday.

Of course we shouldn’t panic, they need to be the right players. BUT we are FIVE years in, have spent what £250 million gross.., and have a 25 man squad, that with a lot of managers would be mid table in the championship!!!

In terms of coaching McKenna was fantastic, Ashton too, clearly very good athlete some aspects of his job, and has done great.

When it comes to recruitment, building a 25 fit for purpose at this level, both were and still are light years off the competition.

Leeds have signed Harry Wilson, our competition aren’t making excuses!!

Ashtons base case was promotion. We’ve been at this level before, apparently we’ve learnt ALL the lessons, so we shouldn’t panic sign anyone, but we should be close on some key targets.., and maybe we are.

I just look at Forest and Glasner, and how he was ten levels above McKenna when I saw us play Palace, making Will Hughes and many players worse than ours (we had Jens, Phillips) look like Pele.

Then I look at Ashton. Players or managers. He doesn’t seem to have network and skill set to sign elite managers or players, at what point do you accept that?

Let’s judge in August.., but he’s spent eye watering amounts and in our 25 we don’t have ONE single player anyone could say with certainty is good enough for this level.., not one.

That’s shocking. And it’s consistent. That’s a problem.., Mats ‘might’ be the exception, he looks good enough, and that’s it.

At the end of 5 years, and £250 million, if we think that’s instructive if ten worldies signing this window, we’re likely in for a shock.

GON connections in the French market. Is literally our only hope.., he signed ten days ago.., where our process, recruitment team and process fit for purpose at this level????

Five more years needed or Ashton isn’t good enough.., it’s obvious which isn’t it.

His need for control rather than excellence and best in class.

That’s the compromise you make when you normalise the dysfunction.

We aren’t competing with Oxford, or Millwall where we have ten times their budget and finishing 2 points ahead of them is success.., this hits like a whole new sport.

Ashton want to do it all on his own.

He isn’t good enough to get away with it. And he’s indexed out entirely club to his ego.., clap away, but stop criticising those that think £250 million on Ogbenne, Walle, Muric, Sammie, McAteer .., could name another 20!!!!! Greaves, Johnson, Azon, Phillips, Jens, Clarke, Akpom?!

How much evidence do you need????? Name ONE player outside Mats that ANY side at this level would be interested in, we don’t have any .., Dara? Three times relegated is it? And he might be the best.

We need a whole new approach to recruitment, and different people away from Ashton, that hasn’t happened, we’ve got a 65 year old yes man Bally to be in work, that’s Ashton all over.

No threat, because he isn’t very good.

Ashton FC.., you happy clapped for that.

Would you prefer we get Evans and Clegg back ?

Emersonn, Alexsandro, Vitek, Pope and now Restes all being talked about as players we're 'interested in'. or 'making approaches' for.
Most of Ashton's actual signings come 'out of the blue' without any of this stuff!

Really want to like the look of this goalie but in his highlight video he keeps parrying the ball back into the box from saves. You are guaranteed to get punished for that in the prem.

I would point out that YouTube highlight reals are a terrible way sometimes to judge a player… if they included the mistakes….. and Walton was good last season but as someone pointed out good in the championship is one thing… good in ligue 1 is also one thing. Until you see them at the level it’s hard to know. Big clubs have signed players most would bet their houses on being a success in the prem and they’ve been unable to cope with the demands. I still think £5m for pope is the sensible pragmatic choice as we know he can be good at this level. The gambles need to be with the attacking side because goals win games