The Wish List

[Tir Na Nog]

Look he wouldn't be the number 1 name on my list but he could definitely be a shrewd signing especially looking at the prices others would command or the wages even. Or in our case, agent fees.

I think if he was encouraged to shoot a bit more then there's another level to his game too. And with Norwich just being relegated I think it wouldn't take a lot to get him.

 

[Dutch D]

Would much rather get Buendia than Ceballos for £20m.

He does fit the bill almost exactly of what we're lacking. Think if we get him vdBeek would be an even better pairing than Partey due to the goals he adds. Would be ecstatic if we sign Partey though.

 

[Harry Hunter]

IMO we need a whole new midfield, sell guendouzi and torreira or use them in swap deals. My choices would be Partey, Aouar/Van De Beek and Buendia. Partey brings defensive stability and also the ability to play in a more box to box role if needed. Aouar/VDB and Buendia both improve us attacking wise whilst also being decent defensively to play in a midfield 3, unlike someone like coutinho. Ceballos would be welcome for another loan but not instead of Aouar.

Aouar Buendia
Partey

Could also play like this:
Aouar Partey
Xhaka

 

[Dutch D]

In: Gabriel/Matviyenko, Partey/vdBeek, Buendia/Benrahma, Depay, Bogle

Out: Cedric, Holding, Luiz, (Mustafi,) Sokratis, Torreira, Ceballos, Elneny, Kolasinac, Guendouzi, Lacazette
Out winter: Chambers

Martinez/Leno
Bellerin/Bogle - Saliba/Mustafi* - Gabriel/Marí - Tierney/Saka
Maitland-Niles/Xhaka
Partey/Willock - Buendia/ESR
Pepe/Nelson - Depay/Nketiah - Auba/Saka/Martinelli​

*Because we likely can't sell him this summer due to his injury.

 

[Football Manager]

Van de beek is way too overrated.

Let's get Tonali, Buendia and Aouar

 

[Dutch D]

Van de beek is way too overrated.

Let's get Tonali, Buendia and Aouar

By whom? I watch every Ajax game and I think he can easily lift the technical ability of our midfield as well as provide goals. Was very good in our CL runs.

Also more experienced than Tonali. Aouar would be amazing, but I would argue you get Buendia or Aouar and the former seems more attainable.

 

[Football Manager]

By whom? I watch every Ajax game and I think he can easily lift the technical ability of our midfield as well as provide goals. Was very good in our CL runs.

Also more experienced than Tonali. Aouar would be amazing, but I would argue you get Buendia or Aouar and the former seems more attainable.

Is Van de beek even that technical?
It says magical skills here, but I only see simple play, no skills showing at all....
Just like I never get why Özil get praised for being “technical”. Özil?? He is not modric, iniesta, Kaka, kdb, is he??....even cazorla/coutinho is much more technical than Özil.

 

[Dutch D]

Is Van de beek even that technical?
It says magical skills here, but I only see simple play, no skills showing at all....
Just like I never get why Özil get praised for being “technical”. Özil?? He is not modric, iniesta, Kaka, kdb, is he??....even cazorla/coutinho is much more technical than Özil.

Not technical in the Kaka/Iniesta/Cazorla sense, I would not compare him to those players. They are creative players with insanely good dribbling/ball control skills in tight spaces. So if you expect that you're right he does not have 'magical skills'.

When I say technical I mean in the sense that he has a good first touch, can play one-touch football, decent passing range, always gives the right weight to passes, has decent dribbling skills to deal with pressure.

On top of that he has good vision, decision-making and spatial awareness (which is also why he is good at making runs into the box and scoring quite a few goals from midfield) and has a good engine to contribute on both sides of the pitch.

Defensively he's not good enough to be an anchor '6', but for a b2b player it's quite good.

He's not Frenkie level, but he's a very good cog in a midfield 3. Also, with the Ajax philosophy drilled into him, he's a positive attacking player looking for transitions to the final third, not sideways and backwards passing.

 

[MikelHadADream]

If Zaha is available for a reasonable price, bring him in. Arteta said the other week we need to start bring players in that have done it in the premier. Zaha is a proven match winner for one of the most defensive teams in the league. He'd explode in a better team imo. He also has a massive point to prove. Zaha/Auba/Pepe would be immense.

 

[Football Manager]

If Zaha is available for a reasonable price, bring him in. Arteta said the other week we need to start bring players in that have done it in the premier. Zaha is a proven match winner for one of the most defensive teams in the league. He'd explode in a better team imo. He also has a massive point to prove. Zaha/Auba/Pepe would be immense.

Maximin-Zaha-Traore

 

[ChefMan21]

If Zaha is available for a reasonable price, bring him in. Arteta said the other week we need to start bring players in that have done it in the premier. Zaha is a proven match winner for one of the most defensive teams in the league. He'd explode in a better team imo. He also has a massive point to prove. Zaha/Auba/Pepe would be immense.

Did he? In that stead, a league-experienced target list (not all - see what we can get to improve us), some of which are genuine stars (e.g. Neves), and others that would be good squad options (e.g. Fraser):

Ins:
GK: Pope
Defence: Aarons, Ake, Lascelles, Dunk
Midfield: Ruben Neves, Buendia, Grealish, Saint-Maximin
Forwards: Zaha, Fraser, Willian

Would obviously have to fill gaps and look outside the league to build a really strong squad, but there are definitely players around we could look at...

 

[dashsnow17]

In: Gabriel Magalhaes, Thomas Partey, Houssem Aouar, Odsonne Edouard, Said Benrahma

Out: anyone we can get money for

 

[HairSprayGooners]

In: Gabriel Magalhaes, Thomas Partey, Houssem Aouar, Odsonne Edouard, Said Benrahma

Out: anyone we can get money for

The first three signings here should be our main priorities.

 

[dashsnow17]

The first three signings here should be our main priorities.

Yep. 25m + 5m add ons for Gabriel, Lacazette + 15-20m for Partey, Guendouzi + 20m for Aouar. Tie Auba to a new contract, another loan + obligation to buy next summer for Ceballos, then try to find another forward.

 

[MD3 Gunner]

Gabriel (£25m)
M. Sarr (Free)
Sangare (£15-20m)
Grealish (£40m)

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Yep. 25m + 5m add ons for Gabriel, Lacazette + 15-20m for Partey, Guendouzi + 20m for Aouar. Tie Auba to a new contract, another loan + obligation to buy next summer for Ceballos, then try to find another forward.

Mmm I like it.

I think the fee for Gabriel is something like 22m euros? So £20M

Pay that fee in instalments. Maybe £7M up front this year.

I think our best chance on Partey is cash + Guendouzi. Maybe £20M would do it.

Lyon finished 7th this year so Aouar could actually be realistic if we get EL football. I saw that he would cost around 40M. Not sure how true that is, but also not sure if Guendouzi would accept a move to Lyon. I'd just outright pay cash for Aouar, get a half decent deal around £40M.

Then look at selling Lacazette and replacing with Zaha/Grealish/Depay etc. Easier said than done but we don't need a massive net spend to improve the team drastically.

 

[truth_hurts]

Callum Wilson is a decent player, but I'd be upset if we spunked 20m plus on him.

Without becoming a broken record, I'd like Prem Proven players and one star.

CB - Ake/Dunk/Diop - any of these for 35m is smart business.
CM 1 - Partey, Rabiot, Aoaur,
CM 2 -
Attack - Zaha would be the number one option. He's ready for a big move, is a fan, his price would be reasonable and he has everything we lack in our attack. Failing that, Grealish, Lemar, Coutinho, Sarr, Bailey, O.Dembele, D. Costa, Coman are all available and improve us. They all have their down sides though.

 

[dashsnow17]

Let's get totally f*cking bargain basement, shall we? If you need a CB, Malang Sarr on a free. We need midfielders, Ceballos back on loan and Buendia for 20m. Need more creativity, Willian on a free. Biggest signing of the summer a new deal for Auba.

Mid-table babyyyy.

 

[truth_hurts]

Let's get totally f*cking bargain basement, shall we? If you need a CB, Malang Sarr on a free. We need midfielders, Ceballos back on loan and Buendia for 20m. Need more creativity, Willian on a free. Biggest signing of the summer a new deal for Auba.

Mid-table babyyyy.

You forgot Ryan Fraser.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Let's get totally f*cking bargain basement, shall we? If you need a CB, Malang Sarr on a free. We need midfielders, Ceballos back on loan and Buendia for 20m. Need more creativity, Willian on a free. Biggest signing of the summer a new deal for Auba.

Mid-table babyyyy.

Those still cost money. Those 4 players on paper you might think cost the club 20m but Sarr signing on fee might be 2-7M. Ceballos loan fee might be 2-5M. Willian signing on fee and wages would end up costing the club £30M over 3 years.

I wouldn't be against Willian on a free if we had the cash and wage space to do it but we dont.