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Thread | All very quiet on potential strikers
at 15:37 17 Jul 2025
Maybe that's a good thing, as it certainly hasn't helped that news of our interest in Marcel Ruiz has leaked out, both in trying to get him & in approaching another central midfielder options.
My preference for a new centre forward would be Mikhail Ivanovic from Millwall, so as long as he's not gone to Everton, or an Italian club, I'll stay hopeful, but I'm surprised we haven't had far more links at this point, given that we probably need 2 new signings there, with Ali maybe going on loan again. |
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Reply | Ruiz does want to join us after all
at 07:22 17 Jul 2025
Whether he is prepared to join us or not, or whether we have even formally submitted an offer or not as yet, it is clear that Ruiz is a player that we are interested in & feel is worth pursuing, despite our relegation to the Championship. That in itself is significant when it comes to the club's ambition for this season and beyond..
We have already signing Mutusiwa, who certainly has the pedigree to be a strong performer in the PL as a #6, so it is encouraging to see the names who appear to be genuine targets as his partner in the #8 role being Marcel Ruiz, Jens Cajuste, Hayden Hackney, Tim Iroegbunam & even Lennon Miller. There have of course been others mentioned such as Tyler Morton, who would be a great addition alright, but with less apparent substance (thus far anyway).
It is inconceivable to think that we would let Sam Morsy go, before having the expectation of at least one or two more midfielders lined up to come in. Phillips, Cajuste & Luongo have already left, while Cameron Humphreys, & arguably Jack Taylor, are unproven at Championship level.
I like what I have seen of Ruiz, because he has a quality that should transfer well to our style of play, would compliment Mutusiwa & looks capable of performing at PL level. If we had a full season of that partnership, learning each other's movements, strengths etc. in the Championship, we could be in a far stronger position to get off to a decent start this time next year, should we manage to get ourselves promoted again. [Post edited 17 Jul 7:26]
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Reply | omari bid apparently
at 07:47 16 Jul 2025
It doesn't mean that he will go, just that we have to entertain the approach.
Brentford without Frank, Wissa, Norgaard & Mbeumo will be a far less appealing option, and more likely relegation candidates, than the Brentford of lsst season. |
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Reply | Morsy
at 07:50 15 Jul 2025
If it is confirmed that Sam is not in Austria, well then it does seem that something is imminent. I did not expect him to leave, nor would I wish him to, but I sit up when seeing both Phil & Stuart Watson appearing to recognise it as a real possibility.
We need 2 Morsy type players in the squad; Mutusiwa is really the replacement for Phillips, so if Sam is going too we will need another ball winning #6. Ruiz, Iroegbunam, Miller or ... Cajuste would be more a replacement for Cajuste in the #8 spot, albeit playing in a double pivot. |
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Reply | Cajuste latest
at 09:46 11 Jul 2025
He can win tackles, take the ball from the centre backs & turn quickly, he can carry into midfield, has good vision & can either spray an accurate long ball, or play a quick incisive through ball to an attacker's feet.
What's not to like. |
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Reply | Cajuste latest
at 09:30 11 Jul 2025
I think we have moved on to Iroegbunam for that Cajuste role. |
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Reply | Get it done...
at 09:42 10 Jul 2025
Completely agree. Right age, right profile of talented player with serious potential to play at the highest level. We need to be signing a centre forward now, that we see as being capable of immediately stepping up to the PL, if/when we go straight back up.
I saw that Everton were in for him, but hopefully their £30m signing of Barry yesterday will slow them down - they do have to replace Calvert-Lewin & Broja though. |
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Reply | Questioning the lack of signings...ridiculous
at 10:30 6 Jul 2025
@JJJJ
Without doubt the Striker/Centre Forward & Central Midfield positions are the ones that urgently need attention, but I wonder is it true to say that behind the striker is fine?
We have great options in there of course & I really hope that we hold on to Hutchinson, Clarke & Philogene, to play there as well as Szmodics, Chaplin & even Broadhead. Then we have Ogbene & Burns to come back in that right sided, defensive responsibilities role too.
Those options will be frightening for opponents in the Championship this season, and should be more than enough for an automatic promotion challenging side, but ... Ipswich are trying to sign players now with a view to them playing in the PL in 13 months time.
For that reason, I think McKenna & Ashton will be looking for a player or two now, with a greater physical & technical profile than we currently have. Enciso had the ability to win & retain possession despite strong challenges from PL defenders, which was something that our more lightweight permanent signings struggled with a lot. He was a loan player though & played as an individual most of the time, so if we can bring a player or two with his physical strength in now, & get them integrated into the spirit of our team during the season, we would be in a much better position to take on the PL should we go back up. [Post edited 6 Jul 10:40]
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Reply | Why are people panicking about signings?
at 10:35 4 Jul 2025
The point you make is absolutely correct, and for us to have even considered adding 1 or 2 of those players you've listed during the promotion season would have been mind-blowing, so yes we are in a very strong position, which is reflected in the betting markets.
You are also correct in suggesting that boredom plays a part; I'm of the Robson era, but I still find myself coming on here & refreshing regularly in the hope that there is some transfer news. I even sometimes click on 'click bait' articles on rubbish websites, while knowing they are rubbish websites, because that is how most of us are conditioned now. When I was a kid, during the summer you had pre-season friendlies & the announcing of maybe 1 new signing, but the rest of the time was playing football with your mates, with no expectations on a day to day basis.
Getting off to a great start, following on the momentum of promotion from L1, was a massive element in our promotion to the PL last time. Ourselves & Leicester (& Preston for a while) got away from the pack, while relegated sides & others with new managers & big squad overhauls, struggled to find their identities. Southampton & Leeds both had amazing runs during the season, but that early accumulation of points stood us in great stead when it came down to the wire.
I think part of the, I'll say surprise & disappointed rather than panic, that we haven't signed anyone yet is that Ashton & McKenna talk about getting business done early, in order to integrate players into the group for pre-season, to be ready for kick off. Also Ashton has spoken on how they are planning now for the transfer window after the current/next one, so there was probably an expectation that we had a couple of players lined up to join when the window opened or contracts expired, which hasn't come to pass.
Then, we have lost Tuanzebe, Burgess, Delap & Luongo; 3 of whom were in our preferred starting XI last time in the Championship, and the other is the guy who took the PL by storm, so all 4 are a significant loss; not to mention Cajuste, who would probably have signed by now if he was going to.
We need 2 quality central midfielders, who we'd expect could step up upon promotion - eg: Tyler Morton, Flynn Downes, Hayden Hackney, and we also need 2 centre forwards - eg: Marc Guiu, Mihailo Ivanovic, even Lathe Latte as the second. Hopefully we'll have a couple of them in the squad before jetting off to Austria. |
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Reply | a very interesting fact
at 04:45 28 Jun 2025
Are you sure that "very" was the word you meant to use there? Or indeed "interesting" for that matter? |
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Reply | Armando Broja
at 14:32 16 Jun 2025
You're right, we should be spending our valuable time considering the posibility of loaning in Evan Ferguson, after all his injury/form trials & tribulations instead. |
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Thread | Armando Broja
at 13:46 16 Jun 2025
Would you take him, if offered on loan, with an option to buy based on promotion & a specified number of games/minutes played? Also, if we had to cover no more than £30k a week, of his wages.
McKenna clearly fancied him as his #1 centre forward option last season, prior to him failing a fitness test ... & also still afterwards!
Seemed to finish the season injury free at Everton & fans thought he played reasonably well, despite the lack of goals. It would be too much of a risk though, especially with question marks of Hirst's ability to stay fit over a season.
He's touted to move to the Bundesliga this summer. [Post edited 16 Jun 13:47]
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Reply | Axel Tuanzebe - Trabzonspor…
at 09:12 16 Jun 2025
There's a lot of money to be made in Turkish football, so they will certainly be able provide him with a Premier League competitive contract; but there is a fair old history of former English based player looking to get out of those contracts pretty quickly, once they are there. IF he goes, I predict he'll be back in England, or one of the other major European leagues, by the startbof the 26/27 season.
So don't do it Axel. |
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Thread | Flynn Downes linked with Russell Martin at Rangers
at 15:27 9 Jun 2025
He would be an excellent signing for us in the Championship next season, notwithstanding his temperament & some negative history, but he hasn't proven himself to be a proper Premier League quality midfielder, in either of his spells at that level.
Given that our aspirations are for an immediate return to the PL, would we see Downes going to Rangers as a big blow to our Summer recruitment programme & longterm squad asembly strategy? |
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Reply | Demolition Man 2
at 09:32 6 Jun 2025
Goalkeeper - can't see anyone new coming into the match day squad.
Defenders - we will probably lose 2+ of Tuanzebe, Burgess, O'Shea & Davis. Godfrey's loan is up & question marks too over Harry Clarke getting back in I guess.
So at least 1xRB, 2xCB likely to come in. I haven't seen Boniface in action, but we may feel that he & Townsend will be enough for the Championship, if Leif goes.
- this of course is assuming we play a similar formation to last season. Johnson, Ogbene & Burns could be used as wingbacks on the right, if we look to adapt.
Midfield - we need 2 new defensive/holding midfielders & a Cajuste type footballing one who can consistently take the ball forward against quality opponents.
Forwards - As it stands, we look well covered in numbers, pending fitness tests, but last year showed us that we are lacking in a bit of physicality. Enciso going back to Brighton & Delap's move to Chelsea will further highlight that. Hutchinson, Philogene & Clarke will terrorise Championship defences, but I can see us recruiting in this area with next season's physical challenge in mind. Ogbene might be strong enough on the right side, but Wes looked frightened to take PL defences on at times, such was the number of occasions he was losing possession (he was just starting to be more impactful before the last injury unfortunately).
Centre Forward - We need 2 more, to compliment Hirst. Ali to be sold I'm afraid. [Post edited 6 Jun 11:27]
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