The happy days are here again, hopefully no more repeated arguments, transfer thread

[Madmalc]

a few people on twitter saying nunes to liverpool (not agents just normal peeps)- is that true ? a rumour anywhere ? or are they just talking ****

They're just talking, we aren't in for Nunes, no one's in for Nunes, not at 50m, now 12m is a maybe.

 

[WolfLing]

I agree,but talk of us wanting Nunes has been going on for weeks now.And all we seem to hear is,he is not interested in joining wolves and is waiting for better offers.Why the **** do we keep trying to get players here that dow want to come..That's my gripe.
What I want to hear from these players is.
I hear wolves are after me,I wouldn't mind that,they seem like a team that is gonna be a good team in a couple of years and the players seem happy there.I'll have some of that..

Yeah I know the last sentence is *******s BUT.

If you don't ask, you don't get.

It's like your facially-challenged mate that starts dating an absolute stunner. He doesn't tell you about the 99 rejections he had before the 100th said yes!

 

[Northampton_wolf]

Renato news is quiet … sorry to bring his me up

still psg or milan

 

[Premier Quality]

I think the opposite We aren't interested in Nunes, he would be a downgrade on Dendonker

Malc, you’re mad!

 

[WickedWolfie]

They want £50 million apparently. Not a bad turnaround for a left back they signed 12 months ago for £16 miliion

Is that essentially a "**** off" price for a player that neither want nor need to sell?

 

[FrancescoVernava]

there is no point in having a versatile international player in our squad (Donk) if they cant do a single position well. You look at a player like Milner. Versatile, yet wherever he players he drops a 7/10 minimum, whilst in midfield he's better he's still a great player. The amount of times i've seen Donk drop stinkers because he just runs around midfield doing not a fat lot infuriates me.

 

[Liam pearce]

West ham surely can’t sign scammaca and Broja? I’d love broja an Eastern European. steamrolling ****house of a centre forward!

 

[Derbywolf85]

I think the opposite We aren't interested in Nunes, he would be a downgrade on Dendonker

Tell us you've never watched football outside of the UK without telling us you've never watched football outside of the UK...

 

[Northampton_wolf]

West ham surely can’t sign scammaca and Broja? I’d love broja an Eastern European. steamrolling ****house of a centre forward!

broja staying most likely

 

[JOSWolf]

Cant believe that we are just over two weeks until the start of the season and for a side and squad who have struggled to score goals the last 2 seasons we havent as yet signed one striker, loaned out our back up to Raul and currently have one no9 striker at the club. Really poor.

 

[reanswolf]

I was a big anti Dave but I support Donk. Edwards pressed like a headless chicken and basically played as a striker instead of a midiflder.

While Donk is better at filling in spaces and pressing when he needs too, and does selfless roles for the team.

What does this selfless role actually mean though? A player who does things no one actually notices? -. Someone who doesn't do many good things?

I'd more highly value someone who creates a move leading to a goal than someone who nearly manages to make a tackle.

 

[jonesy]

All gone very quiet again on incomings

 

[Ironfistedmonk]

If Donk goes we need 2 cm's then, I doubt we even sign 1

 

[1972 i began]

If you don't ask, you don't get.

It's like your facially-challenged mate that starts dating an absolute stunner. He doesn't tell you about the 99 rejections he had before the 100th said yes!

Nothing like that at all imho.I heard /read something last week that wolves were the only team interested,and that if he wants to leave Benfica he might have to join us.....I'd wait till the last minute and then say Sorry we have changed at mind and no longer interested..They might learn something then.

 

[Dan G WWFC]

What does this selfless role actually mean though?

Some one who doesn't do many good things. I'd more highly value someone who creates a move leading to a goal than someone who nearly manages to make a tackle.

His positioning, when we was playing 4231, we needed the cam to be sombody to show for the ball, link up play and also get into the box and support the striker. But he just hide from the ball and stood next to the striker and ran in behind constantly. Which I know is useful at the right time but, you're taking the chance away from the striker to run in behind and making it harder for McDonald to link the play from himself to upfront.

He was too bothered about trying to get a goal, then helping the team progress up the pitch first, which in itself should create more chances.

He also pressed on his own often which is either the rest of the team isn't trigging off the signal to press or he's doing it on his own, which could leave us open of they beat his press, which shouldn't be that hard for a championship side.

Meanwhile Donk tries to cover players and at times support the forwards. I see him as a selfless player, sombody you have to carry some of the teams responailities for the better players or for a tactical decision. I don't know many plays that can play centre half, defensive midfield, box to box and also right wing, while being given different responailities each time.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he's a super star or should start every game, but he's definitely useful to have in the squad. Especially with 5 subs. If we're playing a top 6 side or a really physical side he could be very useful to us.

 

[WolfLing]

What does this selfless role actually mean though? A player who does things no one actually notices? -. Someone who doesn't do many good things?

I'd more highly value someone who creates a move leading to a goal than someone who nearly manages to make a tackle.

Yep.

It's not as though all this mysterious unseen water-carrying that Dendoncker does actually makes us better.

We were probably one of the worst teams to watch last season.

He was god-awful in a few games towards the end of last season. Spent 90 minutes chasing shadows that weren't even there against Brighton, a particular lowlight.

If we were playing amazing football and he was part of that, they'd be a case to say the work he was doing was actually leading to results, but it just isn't the case.

We have two very technically gifted midfielders, Moutinho being more of an all-rounder to Neves. Dendoncker is another all-rounder, but just not as good as Moutinho.

Replace Donk with something different and it gives us a different option, rather than just a watered-down version of our first choice midfield. Bring in a proper DM, who is better in the air and can sit in front of the defence, or a ball-carrying progressive midfielder that can add some dynamism, and they will add something new and something we don't have with our current options. If we play a 3, any combination would then probably be more effective than Neves, Mout and Donk too.

 

[Clifton Wolf]

Still get 11/2 on us going down, a bet that gets more attractive as the days pass.

 

[Tojo the grass]

If we were to only sign one more first team player this window then surely central midfield would be the priority; therefore we should secure a signing before we even consider letting Donk leave and then only if we are confident of finding a replacement; otherwise we could be in the situation where we are down to two and find that our targets are disappearing as we approach September.

 

[arctic rime]

Still get 11/2 on us going down, a bet that gets more attractive as the days pass.

Whys that?

 

[WolfLing]

Meanwhile Donk tries to cover players and at times support the forwards. I see him as a selfless player, sombody you have to carry some of the teams responailities for the better players or for a tactical decision. I don't know many plays that can play centre half, defensive midfield, box to box and also right wing, while being given different responailities each time.

To me, he's like a modern-day, higher quality version of Neil Emblen. Great pro, very adaptable and will always do a job no matter where he plays.

But ultimately, until you start to upgrade and look at more specialist players for more specialist roles, you won't progress.

 

[jonesy]

No A fan of donk personally but he does give it his all. He’s playing in the dangerous Dave role only issue is even though Dave Edwards had his critics he ****in buried most of his late run chances, donk doesn’t ….

 

[1972 i began]

He will be demanding huge wages again on a free transfer

he wow be coming to wolves then.That's for sure.And I dow blame Jeff at all on this.They get paid way too much for my liking.

 

[WickedWolfie]

To me, he's like a modern-day, higher quality version of Neil Emblen. Great pro, very adaptable and will always do a job no matter where he plays.

But ultimately, until you start to upgrade and look at more specialist players for more specialist roles, you won't progress.

The problem is that we may not have the budget to have specialist players in every position.

Donk and players of his ilk do a lot of unnoticed, unglamorous, unthanked graft that is only missed when they aren't there.

 

[1972 i began]

Cant believe that we are just over two weeks until the start of the season and for a side and squad who have struggled to score goals the last 2 seasons we havent as yet signed one striker, loaned out our back up to Raul and currently have one no9 striker at the club. Really poor.

But we have scored 11 goals in three pre-season games.Not including that stupid practice game yesterday.That's how Jeff will look at it Jos.We have 2 big games coming up now.Besiktas and Sporting.Let's wait and see how many goals we score in those games.

 

[JOSWolf]

If we were to only sign one more first team player this window then surely central midfield would be the priority; therefore we should secure a signing before we even consider letting Donk leave and then only if we are confident of finding a replacement; otherwise we could be in the situation where we are down to two and find that our targets are disappearing as we approach September.

I agree with midfield but the trouble is we desperately need another striker as well. No way you can have only Raul as a no9 at the club. With letting Fabio go they simply have to sign another striker and this is now a huge priority as well as central midfield. If Adama goes a winger becomes anther priority as both Podence and Neto have had injuries and Chiq is out.

 

[Bill McCai]

Someone is imitating you on Twitter Jos!


JOS

@JOS20560689


We should be questioning it now. No links to anyone. No signings appear close and we have one striker at the club and no midfield signing. Really poor with the season just over two weeks away. A couple of injuries and we are stuffed.

 

[JOSWolf]

Someone is imitating you on Twitter Jos!

JOS
@JOS20560689


We should be questioning it now. No links to anyone. No signings appear close and we have one striker at the club and no midfield signing. Really poor with the season just over two weeks away. A couple of injuries and we are stuffed.

Aint on twitter mate but he or she is clearly a fan or a **** fan on the wind up! Great to see!

 

[WolfLing]

The problem is that we may not have the budget to have specialist players in every position.

Donk and players of his ilk do a lot of unnoticed, unglamorous, unthanked graft that is only missed when they aren't there.

Yeah, that is an issue.

But Donk is a utility central midfield player that can cover at centre back. I can't remember him ever really playing for us as a central DM, as it is normally Neves who operates there if we play a 3 man CM.

We have a wealth of centre backs now, to the point where Donk may never be called on to play there again.

So even if we haven't got the budget for specialists in every position, having a 3rd CM option that can either play defensive when needed, or play more effectively as an attacking, progressive option in a 3, would be far more valuable to our squad now than Donk, in my opinion, given how ineffective he's been in that farthest forward of the 3 'midfield winger' position Bruno has talked about.

Nunes is that type of player. He can sit if he needs to, he can attack, he is proper box to box and he has a goal in him. I've said before that the player he reminds me of the most is Bruno Guimaraes at Newcastle. But he's an expensive option that probably doesn't want to come.

It's that Conor Gallagher, all-round box to box type midfield option we have been missing for ages that is the next step to our progression for me.

Andre Almeida might be the one if Nunes never happens.

 

[greco wolf]

If we were to only sign one more first team player this window then surely central midfield would be the priority; therefore we should secure a signing before we even consider letting Donk leave and then only if we are confident of finding a replacement; otherwise we could be in the situation where we are down to two and find that our targets are disappearing as we approach September.

you'd think we would do that

You would also think we would sign a striker before Silva goes out on loan too....

 

[reanswolf]

His positioning, when we was playing 4231, we needed the cam to be sombody to show for the ball, link up play and also get into the box and support the striker. But he just hide from the ball and stood next to the striker and ran in behind constantly. Which I know is useful at the right time but, you're taking the chance away from the striker to run in behind and making it harder for McDonald to link the play from himself to upfront.

He was too bothered about trying to get a goal, then helping the team progress up the pitch first, which in itself should create more chances.

He also pressed on his own often which is either the rest of the team isn't trigging off the signal to press or he's doing it on his own, which could leave us open of they beat his press, which shouldn't be that hard for a championship side.

Meanwhile Donk tries to cover players and at times support the forwards. I see him as a selfless player, sombody you have to carry some of the teams responailities for the better players or for a tactical decision. I don't know many plays that can play centre half, defensive midfield, box to box and also right wing, while being given different responailities each time.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he's a super star or should start every game, but he's definitely useful to have in the squad. Especially with 5 subs. If we're playing a top 6 side or a really physical side he could be very useful to us.

No I do understand, sorry Dan I was just jesting. Players who do the so-called dirty work often go unrecognised, I get that.
This is the beauty of football isn't it, who is right, who is wrong? - to be truthful despite each of us trying to present certain arguments, its just not black and white.

I watch Donk closely, and feel I am right . (That doesn't mean I am, I accept that). I even converted my son, I said "watch him very closely, every interaction", and he started to see the very weaknesses I had identified. He very rarely even gets close enough to the opposition midfielder to even put in a tackle, he is just not nimble enough, so I just do not see those defensive qualities that others feel he possesses. For me, its just poor-quality dirty work, poor quality unappreciated work, at best.

Ruben on the other hand gets in lots of tackles because he times it, and does not just endlessly chase the shadow of the opposition player. I genuinely think Donk is targeted by any smart opposition manager. So he doesn't recycle because he doesn't get the ball in the first place. On the rare occasion he gets the ball, he has no composure and just hurriedly passes it back five yards like a startled rabbit in the headlights. So we know his creativity is very poor, always these short, safe, backward passes, no looking up on the front foot, no creative range of passing, no quick interchange of passes with other players to get things going forward. Ruben would benefit immensely and be even better with another better option, but of course they don't come cheap or easy. I do feel a better CM option would potentially improve the team no end, full stop. Periodically, he does get forward well, to his credit - but last 2 years his shooting has been woeful when in very good positions, something stats can't always accurately appraise. His heading is reasonable, but even then he is hardly dominating in the air for such a tall man.

But I agree, at this stage, we cannot easily replace anyone. Normally I would personally say take £15m all day long for him, but I don't really have much faith in Scott Sellars to manage to convince a replacement at this late stage.

Overall though, harsh though it may be, the centre of attention over the past 2 years has been on the quality of Moutinho ( at times) and predominantly Neves. Paradoxically, Donk has always been the 3rd in line. However, for me, he is simply the wrong type of midfielder to compliment the attributes of Neves and even a 36-year old Moutinho. Its not Donk's fault, we just need someone who can stretch opposition midfields a bit more and connect forward play, at the same time giving Ruben even more time and room to execute his obvious qualities. Midfield, whether a 2 or a 3, is a complex unit that requires co-ordinated component parts, as you would expect from the engine of any good team. We should constantly strive for improvement, and we should address the fact that our immobile midfield generally (but not always) gets overrun after 20 minutes of most matches.

 

[SmiffyWolf]

If we were to only sign one more first team player this window then surely central midfield would be the priority; therefore we should secure a signing before we even consider letting Donk leave and then only if we are confident of finding a replacement; otherwise we could be in the situation where we are down to two and find that our targets are disappearing as we approach September.

If they sign just one more player then as usual we will get caught out when suspension and injuries hit . No way would I have loaned out a few of the players we have if no others are coming in .

 

[JOSWolf]

you'd think we would do that

You would also think we would sign a striker before Silva goes out on loan too....

A lot on here thought a striker was imminent with Fabio going and the club wouldnt be so stupid to loan out Raul's only direct competition without a replacement coming in immediately. It has followed a sadly predictable pattern so far though with no sign of any striker signing at present.

 

[reanswolf]

Yep.

It's not as though all this mysterious unseen water-carrying that Dendoncker does actually makes us better.

We were probably one of the worst teams to watch last season.

He was god-awful in a few games towards the end of last season. Spent 90 minutes chasing shadows that weren't even there against Brighton, a particular lowlight.

If we were playing amazing football and he was part of that, they'd be a case to say the work he was doing was actually leading to results, but it just isn't the case.

We have two very technically gifted midfielders, Moutinho being more of an all-rounder to Neves. Dendoncker is another all-rounder, but just not as good as Moutinho.

Replace Donk with something different and it gives us a different option, rather than just a watered-down version of our first choice midfield. Bring in a proper DM, who is better in the air and can sit in front of the defence, or a ball-carrying progressive midfielder that can add some dynamism, and they will add something new and something we don't have with our current options. If we play a 3, any combination would then probably be more effective than Neves, Mout and Donk too.

I'm on exactly the same wave-length Wolfling.

I don't hate Donk in any way, he just isn't good enough IMO.

 

[Bill McCai]

I think Donk is fine when played in front of the defence - as per Villa at home this season. Why on earth Bruno plays him in that advanced inside right position I have no idea.

Villa Verdict

Time for a drink.... Huge to get a win after the Leeds match. I thought our mentality may be shot after that but fair play. I still think we will struggle to hold on to 7th, but 8th represents a bloody great season. https://streamja.com/Lykyg Decisions are getting weird now

www.molineuxmix.co.uk

 

[Flaneur]

Liverpool not in for Matheus Nunes

https://twitter.com/x/status/1550448516136312834

 

[WolfLing]

Liverpool not in for Matheus Nunes

https://twitter.com/x/status/1550448516136312834

I would be surprised if Liverpool do bring in a midfielder this window, as I think they are nailed on to get Bellingham next summer.

 

[thommo1984]

Yep.

It's not as though all this mysterious unseen water-carrying that Dendoncker does actually makes us better.

We were probably one of the worst teams to watch last season.

He was god-awful in a few games towards the end of last season. Spent 90 minutes chasing shadows that weren't even there against Brighton, a particular lowlight.

If we were playing amazing football and he was part of that, they'd be a case to say the work he was doing was actually leading to results, but it just isn't the case.

We have two very technically gifted midfielders, Moutinho being more of an all-rounder to Neves. Dendoncker is another all-rounder, but just not as good as Moutinho.

Replace Donk with something different and it gives us a different option, rather than just a watered-down version of our first choice midfield. Bring in a proper DM, who is better in the air and can sit in front of the defence, or a ball-carrying progressive midfielder that can add some dynamism, and they will add something new and something we don't have with our current options. If we play a 3, any combination would then probably be more effective than Neves, Mout and Donk too.

Spot on. Shame we've been saying it for at least a couple of years now.

 

[Dan G WWFC]

No I do understand, sorry Dan I was just jesting. Players who do the so-called dirty work often go unrecognised, I get that.
This is the beauty of football isn't it, who is right, who is wrong? - to be truthful despite each of us trying to present certain arguments, its just not black and white.

I watch Donk closely, and feel I am right . (That doesn't mean I am, I accept that). I even converted my son, I said "watch him very closely, every interaction", and he started to see the very weaknesses I had identified. He very rarely even gets close enough to the opposition midfielder to even put in a tackle, he is just not nimble enough, so I just do not see those defensive qualities that others feel he possesses. For me, its just poor-quality dirty work, poor quality unappreciated work, at best.

Ruben on the other hand gets in lots of tackles because he times it, and does not just endlessly chase the shadow of the opposition player. I genuinely think Donk is targeted by any smart opposition manager. So he doesn't recycle because he doesn't get the ball in the first place. On the rare occasion he gets the ball, he just hurriedly passes it back five yards like a startled rabbit in the headlights. We know his creativity is very poor, always these short, safe, backward passes, no looking up, no creative range of passing, no quick interchange of passes with other players to get things going forward. Ruben would benefit immensely and be even better with another better option, but of course they don't come cheap or easy. I do feel a better CM option would potentially improve the team no end full stop. Periodically, he does get forward well, to his credit - but last 2 years his shooting has been woeful when in very good positions, something stats can't always accurately appraise. His heading is reasonable, but even then he is hardly dominating in the air for such a tall man.

But I agree, at this stage, we cannot easily replace anyone. Normally I would personally say take £15m all day long for him, but I don't really have much faith in Scott Sellars to manage to convince a replacement at this late stage.

Overall though, harsh though it may be, the centre of attention over the past 2 years has been on the quality of Mouts ( at times) and predominantly Neves. Paradoxically, Donk has always been the 3rd in line. However, for me, he simply is the wrong type of midfielder to compliment the attributes of Neves and even a 36-year old Moutinho. Its not Donk's fault, we just need someone who can stretch opposition midfields a bit more and connect forward play, at the same time giving Ruben even more time and room to execute his obvious qualities. Midfield, whether a 2 or a 3, is a complex unit that requires coo-ordinated component parts, as you would expect from the engine of any good team. We should constantly strive for improvement, and we should address the fact that our immobile midfield generally (but not always) gets overrun after 20 minutes of most matches.

It's going to be difficult to press when as a team we defend deep and try and soak up pressure, it could be a case of he's pressing on an angle to close players down and force them to pass it certain ways, basically help us contain as a defense, which could lead to other players getting tackles. But without knowing exactly team roles we don't know. Maybe he is just too slow.


I think we tend to get overun in midfield due to our low block and playing 523.

I'm not saying Donk should be a starter for us and we need a new midfielder especially in a 433. But even then I expect him to get a number of starts and appear most games.

I'd personally want £20m to 25m for him, not because that's what I think he's worth but, if we want to get an upgrade and also find sombody to fill in his role too, we'd need a decent bit of money.

I'd be very interested to see how look playing in a 433 of Neves holding and Donk and Moutinho ahead of him and MGW in a free roam on the right. As that kind of Carrilero role, a term people that play fm will recognise would potentially get the best out of him.

 

[JTWolf]

Shooting: Improved tremendously and no longer poor.
Intelligence: Above average.
Strength: One of the best.
Break up of play and intervention: Very good.

Break up of play very good? You’ve not watched wolves last season then? Headless chicken.

He is always a yard off the player. So may cover the space but that’s about as good as you get

 

[JTWolf]

Fabinho, Rodri, Kante, Romeu, McTominay, Doucoure, Soucek, Xhaka, Milivojevic, Ndidi, Hojberg, Dallas, Longstaff.

What do they all bring to their respective Premier League teams?

Most of them, unsung, unnoticed and under appreciated like Donk, who their manager plays nearly every week!

Donk would have to be replaced by another unsung, unnoticed and under appreciated player imo just like one of those mentioned.

Donck isn’t in the same league as many of those names you mention! So their is unsung and there is…