kramer wrote: ↑Tue Jun 23, 2026 3:11 pm
I would be happy with Maitland-Niles or Wan-Bissaka for reasonable fees.
Poor age profiles but I think they’d both be quality additions.
I really don’t mind adding a handful of good older players as long as fees and wages are under control and the balance tilts towards younger ones who can be sold for a profit.
The last bit for me is important as on one hand we all want young players we can develop and sell on, but on the other demand immediate improvements which that strategy is unlikely to yield.
If we signed 5 players this summer and 3 were 26-30 and immediately had a big impact on our fortunes, and 2 were 19-23 and didn't, but had high potential I'd probably be fairly happy with that.
I think they’re both good players. You just know neither will be top class, they’ve played enough football to show it.
But we don’t necessarily need a top class RB even though it would be nice. Someone good balances the team out and helps make us European quality.
As long as the fee is reasonable and wages aren’t over the top for a merely good PL RB, I’m on board with it.
I put this contrast to someone like Bowen who would probably give us a major boost on the pitch but would also require us to light a whole bunch of money on fire. The numbers will never work out with him. Would be Sigurdsson levels of financial disaster since negotiations seem to be opening around £50m.
The highest you can push me in that bracket is £30m and they have to have galactic quality like Grealish. And that basically requires a rare top quality player who is unwanted by their club and has no other acceptable suitors because they’re set on being in a particular place. It was truly exceptional circumstances that got us in the room with Jack. I still think we should try to bring him back because he’s that good but if the fee doesn’t land in the £20-30m range, I don’t see how we can justify it.
