January 2024 transfer window thread.

[WKFWolf]

I'm a observer of Mol Mix rather than a frequent poster but wanted to respond to your previous post as I believe it is (from my perspective) mis-leading.

That's a minor issue but I would presume he's disappointed with the club as he has made it perfectly clear the issue is down to finances.
I think your 'presumption' is flawed and wrong.. GON has been consistent in every interview I have seen that he was acutely aware of the financial situation and FFP with Wolves. If there is any 'disappointment' I would think it is more likely to do with inflated prices from clubs and/or player demands than anything inflicted on him by the club.

But anyway, the main point. You're saying we don't need Sasa and that we shouldn't be demanding a forward.
The evidence over recent weeks would seem to suggest that GON feels we don't need Sasa. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't be looking for a forward....just not 'any old forward'

Again, your opinion, but as I keep repeating, I'm echoing O'Neil, but you're criticising me.
I don't think you are accurately 'echoing' O'Neill. Its your interpretation which is open to scrutiny, debate and ultimately respectful disagreement.

However, as my opinion is the same as O'Neil's, I think it's funny you're effectively telling our manager he's wrong about the state of his squad and Sasa.
I don't think your opinion is the same as O'Neill's and I don't think the poster is telling GON that he is wrong.

bang on, you should post more

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

I'm a observer of Mol Mix rather than a frequent poster but wanted to respond to your previous post as I believe it is (from my perspective) mis-leading.

That's a minor issue but I would presume he's disappointed with the club as he has made it perfectly clear the issue is down to finances.
I think your 'presumption' is flawed and wrong.. GON has been consistent in every interview I have seen that he was acutely aware of the financial situation and FFP with Wolves. If there is any 'disappointment' I would think it is more likely to do with inflated prices from clubs and/or player demands than anything inflicted on him by the club.

But anyway, the main point. You're saying we don't need Sasa and that we shouldn't be demanding a forward.
The evidence over recent weeks would seem to suggest that GON feels we don't need Sasa. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't be looking for a forward....just not 'any old forward'

Again, your opinion, but as I keep repeating, I'm echoing O'Neil, but you're criticising me.
I don't think you are accurately 'echoing' O'Neill. Its your interpretation which is open to scrutiny, debate and ultimately respectful disagreement.

However, as my opinion is the same as O'Neil's, I think it's funny you're effectively telling our manager he's wrong about the state of his squad and Sasa.
I don't think your opinion is the same as O'Neill's and I don't think the poster is telling GON that he is wrong.

Fair enough, it shouldn't be misleading.

To simplify: O'Neil has confirmed he didn't want Sasa to leave. I agree with this.
O'Neil has stated the squad is too small. I agree with this.

I don't get how this is interpretation, but yes, it is entirely open to disagreement.

You can argue that Sasa wasn't used by O'Neil. However, I would counter that by saying he wasn't needed because Hwang and Cunha were fit. But O'Neil wasn't vague with his comments. He was adamant that Sasa shouldn't be sold because we didn't have the numbers.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

How have we weakened the squad by getting players off the wage bill who were never going to contribute, still time to strengthen using their wages

Because you're just making up that they 'were never going to contribute'.

Firstly, as Sasa did contribute by scoring two winning goals.

Sasa and Silva featured in19 combined games. They've not been replaced.

If you can guarantee that Hwang and Cunha will play the rest of the season, we probably could get by. You can't, and we're actually without Hwang for the next two games at least, so it could already be costly.

 

[crocos]

Bizarre how some folk appear to be reacting to us being careful with our cash, and calmly refusing to be spending gold-prices for bronze-pieces.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Hopefully this is a bluff . If not then why are other clubs not having to make as many sales like with dud with Nunes and Neves ?. Appreciate FFP but we cleared our decks funny now that others are not . So either 16 odd teams need fire sales which I am not seeing. Without investment in the team I think we will drift and bob about in the lower part of the league until one day your luck runs out .

Just my opinion but we did our selling in the summer . If we can't afford players now then come the summer will be the same BS .

The fire sale with other clubs will be the summer and there’ll be lots of them doing it

 

[WolfLing]

For anyone saying we are just off European places, so now is the time to strengthen, I think we need to lessen expectations again.

At the start of the season, most pundits and a lot of our fanbase had us tipped to be in a relegation scrap. We have massively overperformed expectations so far this season to be where we are. At the same time, clubs like Newcastle, Chelsea and Man United have massively underperformed their ability to be where they are.

Realistically, most people would not have given us a chance of finishing above Newcastle, Chelsea, Man Utd, Brighton or West Ham at the start of the season.

We would need to finish above 4 of them to have any hope of Europe, and even then, if Chelsea finished outside the top 7, but won the Carabao cup, we'd probably have to finish 6th, or win the FA Cup to get to Europe, so would probably have to finish above all those teams.

It would take either, a) a minor miracle, or b) significant investment to do that.

I hate to be a party pooper, but as good as we've been recently, we aren't getting to Europe this season. In fact, 11th might just be the best we can hope for once the clubs mentioned that are in poor form, but already above us start to turn their form around.

So this season becomes about consolidation. It might be unambitious in the short term, but not spending now will give us more spending power when the **** hits the fan for a lot of clubs in the summer, putting us at more of a competitive advantage for next season.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

 

[the 15th Wanderer]

Who asked for £30m?

Why on earth do all you people who take great offence to any criticism of Wolves always lie. I do not want us to spend £30m on a striker.

I would have been perfectly happy keeping one of Fabio or Sasa and going through until May. So please, please, please stop making out like I want us to spend all the time. I don't and it's just your way of moaning about fans.

I want us to sign a replacement for ONE of the two players we let go.

O'Neil was 'very confident' that we would sign a player on Monday. Now we can't afford to sign the players he wanted.

Why has that changed? It would seem obvious that the goalposts have been moved, and our recruitment team and manager have wasted all their time looking at players. It's ridiculous.

Fair comment but it may not be wolves moving the goalposts. It's a game of poker who blinks first which is why so many deals go to the wire. We are far less desperate than this time last year.

 

[tonto]

Because you're just making up that they 'were never going to contribute'.

Firstly, as Sasa did contribute by scoring two winning goals.

Sasa and Silva featured in19 combined games. They've not been replaced.

If you can guarantee that Hwang and Cunha will play the rest of the season, we probably could get by. You can't, and we're actually without Hwang for the next two games at least, so it could already be costly.

I didn’t make anything up, looking at how and when they were used gave me good idea that they had fallen out of favour, I maybe should have said unlikely to contribute, sorry for the confusion

 

[arctic rime]

Yes he did, but the pant wetters have skimmed right past that and gone straight to “the sky is falling in” mode.

Yes he clearly said it, I'm confused.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

For anyone saying we are just off European places, so now is the time to strengthen, I think we need to lessen expectations again.

At the start of the season, most pundits and a lot of our fanbase had us tipped to be in a relegation scrap. We have massively overperformed expectations so far this season to be where we are. At the same time, clubs like Newcastle, Chelsea and Man United have massively underperformed their ability to be where they are.

Realistically, most people would not have given us a chance of finishing above Newcastle, Chelsea, Man Utd, Brighton or West Ham at the start of the season.

We would need to finish above 4 of them to have any hope of Europe, and even then, if Chelsea finished outside the top 7, but won the Carabao cup, we'd probably have to finish 6th, or win the FA Cup to get to Europe, so would probably have to finish above all those teams.

It would take either, a) a minor miracle, or b) significant investment to do that.

I hate to be a party pooper, but as good as we've been recently, we aren't getting to Europe this season. In fact, 11th might just be the best we can hope for once the clubs mentioned that are in poor form, but already above us start to turn their form around.

So this season becomes about consolidation. It might be unambitious in the short term, but not spending now will give us more spending power when the **** hits the fan for a lot of clubs in the summer, putting us at more of a competitive advantage for next season.

I agree with most of what you say here in terms of we shouldn't expect to reach Europe. Plus, even if we spent £200m in January it would not guarantee we finish above these clubs by any means.

But I feel you're falling into the trap of exaggerating to debate a point nobody has said.

We will surely all acknowledge it's hard to reach Europe, but we should at least try. Are we trying by making our squad worse? Obviously not.

Nobody is even talking about spending money. From my perspective, I wouldn't even be bothered if we'd kept Sasa and done nothing.

 

[steve vena]

It’s the written version of old fashioned Teamtalk. Misleading headlines with waffle and stating the bleeding obvious underneath.

I spent a fortune on team talk in the 90s lol.

 

[WolfLing]

I agree with most of what you say here in terms of we shouldn't expect to reach Europe. Plus, even if we spent £200m in January it would not guarantee we finish above these clubs by any means.

But I feel you're falling into the trap of exaggerating to debate a point nobody has said.

We will surely all acknowledge it's hard to reach Europe, but we should at least try. Are we trying by making our squad worse? Obviously not.

Nobody is even talking about spending money. From my perspective, I wouldn't even be bothered if we'd kept Sasa and done nothing.

I suppose the point I'm trying to make is actively trying to get to Europe will involve spending money, as we would probably have to significantly improve the squad to do so.

Even then, as you say, you could spend £200, but still finish behind all the teams already above us.

The only real changes we will be able to make in January are tweaks. That's not just about our finances or ambition, it's also about what's available on the market.

For example, a tweak like changing our backup striker for one with PL experience.

Even then, luck (with injuries, VAR calls, other teams) will probably end up having more bearing on our final league place than any business we do in January.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

its not us its everyone

https://twitter.com/x/status/1750553150736498913

 

[wwbug]

How many of those have played much or any ??

The point is to swop those who dont fit the system for those who do.

 

[wwbug]

The players going out haven’t been used much the wages saved are a big saving every penny counts , like numerous others have said the bargains will come when everyone needs to sell to get there accounts in order and can’t find buyers, remember the phrase Fire Sale

We didnt though .

 

[Northampton_wolf]

Another quote -

"It looks likely he will leave us this month and if it turns out that financially we can't add any, I don't foresee too many others leaving. People will have to stay and make up the numbers for us."

So if we dont bring anyone in no one else can go out, which i guess is fraser and hodge

 

[ade123]

For anyone saying we are just off European places, so now is the time to strengthen, I think we need to lessen expectations again.

At the start of the season, most pundits and a lot of our fanbase had us tipped to be in a relegation scrap. We have massively overperformed expectations so far this season to be where we are. At the same time, clubs like Newcastle, Chelsea and Man United have massively underperformed their ability to be where they are.

Realistically, most people would not have given us a chance of finishing above Newcastle, Chelsea, Man Utd, Brighton or West Ham at the start of the season.

We would need to finish above 4 of them to have any hope of Europe, and even then, if Chelsea finished outside the top 7, but won the Carabao cup, we'd probably have to finish 6th, or win the FA Cup to get to Europe, so would probably have to finish above all those teams.

It would take either, a) a minor miracle, or b) significant investment to do that.

I hate to be a party pooper, but as good as we've been recently, we aren't getting to Europe this season. In fact, 11th might just be the best we can hope for once the clubs mentioned that are in poor form, but already above us start to turn their form around.

So this season becomes about consolidation. It might be unambitious in the short term, but not spending now will give us more spending power when the **** hits the fan for a lot of clubs in the summer, putting us at more of a competitive advantage for next season.

Good post. While we need a striker in we shouldn't be held to ransom by clubs who find themselves faced by their own FFP issues. Chelsea have to lose players fast because of stricter PSR as players have 8 year contracts so they will have less headroom for longer than most other clubs seeing they have a massive squad of players registered to them.
Another point: we don't actually know if it's Broja and Eti who GON is referring to. It may be some off-the-radar strikers we may have never heard of from South America for all we know.
Hobbs and GON have shown they have the capability to find some gems; let's hope one more comes through the door.

 

[tonto]

The point is to swop those who dont fit the system for those who do.

I agree but let’s see if it’s possible, spend wisely

 

[adencool]

lets be honest here - played 21, so 17 left to go.
sitting on 29 points

magic number from the last few years:

• 2022: 36 points.
• 2021: 29 points.
• 2020: 35 points.
• 2019: 35 points.
• 2018: 34 points.
• 2017: 35 points.
• 2016: 38 points.
• 2015: 36 points.

so at the most we need 7 points from 17 games!

(yes i know higher up the table = more money but 17th to 8th is a spread of 20 mil)

so it doesnt make sense to buy one atm!

 

[tonto]

We didnt though .

Didn’t what?

 

[Erick1011]

Looks like Holman and Fraser then.

A little daft to let Fabio and Sasa go out on loan without a replacement...
Classic Wolves.

 

[wolvesjoe]

Shi obviously unfamiliar with the concept of striking while the iron is hot

 

[wwbug]

Didn’t what?

Need to save pennies . Sasa and Silva went because they were not fitting the system.
Neves and Nunes, Collins and Traore , Jimmy and Costa ,Moutinho, Coady and Podence went to save pennies .

 

[lets all have a disco]

I reckon we will have had quite a few offers for loan forwards especially from abroad from agents and clubs ...it's quite public we have been after a forward..the Benfica striker will probably be one .......it's probably just a case of working out if any of them are good enough or worth the outlay , even if it's not much in terms of cost ...

 

[ade123]

Did I miss Podence going? where's he gone?

 

[wwbug]

No point thinking logically. If we miss out on Europe it’s purely down to letting two players go out on loan who weren’t playing!

They’re all liars and cheats, Fosun out!

I do feel that if VAR had gone our way and we had an extra six points we could safely had shrunk the squad even more.

 

[Timberrrr]

Chill ya bones

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

I suppose the point I'm trying to make is actively trying to get to Europe will involve spending money, as we would probably have to significantly improve the squad to do so.

Even then, as you say, you could spend £200, but still finish behind all the teams already above us.

The only real changes we will be able to make in January are tweaks. That's not just about our finances or ambition, it's also about what's available on the market.

For example, a tweak like changing our backup striker for one with PL experience.

Even then, luck (with injuries, VAR calls, other teams) will probably end up having more bearing on our final league place than any business we do in January.

Again, I'm not disagreeing with your overall point, although I do think the 'January is difficult' gets overplayed, particularly considering four of our most important players at the moment arrived in January last year. But, generally, yes.

I agree with tweaks as well. But I also said I was perfectly happy doing nothing. That changed when we decided to let two strikers leave, so the emphasis is then on us to do something. We quite clearly need at least one striker.

I genuinely see such parallels to 2022.

I looked back on the threads, it's the same arguments. We even got SBK criticising fans for thinking the 'sky is falling in'

The same people laughing at the same people concerned. As I've said, we then produced near-relegation form over the remaining few months of the season because the squad wasn't good enough.

Of course, just because it happened then doesn't mean it will happen now. But I feel our squad is woefully short up top and I expect us to fall away as the demands on your squad increases.

 

[Thank you Sir Jack]

Shi obviously unfamiliar with the concept of striking while the iron is hot

Strike while the iPad isn't overheating is the way forward.

 

[Thank you Sir Jack]

Did I miss Podence going? where's he gone?

Down the side of the settee.

 

[Thank you Sir Jack]

I'm a observer of Mol Mix rather than a frequent poster but wanted to respond to your previous post as I believe it is (from my perspective) mis-leading.

That's a minor issue but I would presume he's disappointed with the club as he has made it perfectly clear the issue is down to finances.
I think your 'presumption' is flawed and wrong.. GON has been consistent in every interview I have seen that he was acutely aware of the financial situation and FFP with Wolves. If there is any 'disappointment' I would think it is more likely to do with inflated prices from clubs and/or player demands than anything inflicted on him by the club.

But anyway, the main point. You're saying we don't need Sasa and that we shouldn't be demanding a forward.
The evidence over recent weeks would seem to suggest that GON feels we don't need Sasa. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't be looking for a forward....just not 'any old forward'

Again, your opinion, but as I keep repeating, I'm echoing O'Neil, but you're criticising me.
I don't think you are accurately 'echoing' O'Neill. Its your interpretation which is open to scrutiny, debate and ultimately respectful disagreement.

However, as my opinion is the same as O'Neil's, I think it's funny you're effectively telling our manager he's wrong about the state of his squad and Sasa.
I don't think your opinion is the same as O'Neill's and I don't think the poster is telling GON that he is wrong.

You should post more often with content as good as this.

 

[sedgwolf1980]

Still think we will sign a striker, probably on loan. Can see the last 24 hours of this window being like silly street right across the league.

FFP though is seemingly threatening to be a lot more real than many of us, me included, seemed to think. If man united need to be careful with what they spend, what chance the rest of us.

 

[WolfLing]

Again, I'm not disagreeing with your overall point, although I do think the 'January is difficult' gets overplayed, particularly considering four of our most important players at the moment arrived in January last year. But, generally, yes.

I agree with tweaks as well. But I also said I was perfectly happy doing nothing. That changed when we decided to let two strikers leave, so the emphasis is then on us to do something. We quite clearly need at least one striker.

I genuinely see such parallels to 2022.

I looked back on the threads, it's the same arguments. We even got SBK criticising fans for thinking the 'sky is falling in'

The same people laughing at the same people concerned. As I've said, we then produced near-relegation form over the remaining few months of the season because the squad wasn't good enough.

Of course, just because it happened then doesn't mean it will happen now. But I feel our squad is woefully short up top and I expect us to fall away as the demands on your squad increases.

I wouldn't worry too much about 2022. I think a lot of evidence suggests that the fall off that season was down to the manager. We didn't have any major issues with injuries, there was no specific loss of a player that caused it. Every managerial position Bruno has had showed an initial surge, followed by a dramatic relative fall-off and a sacking! As more stories come out about how he treated players, it's no surprise.

I don't have the same concerns about GON. This squad is more together than it's been since Nuno.

I would actually compare it more to Nuno's time here, where there was always concern about our small squad size, which was generally unfounded until a serious injury to a key player, which any team struggles to cover.

Like I say, it'll be more about luck than what we do in January.

 

[North West Wanderer]

Why are you only mentioning Broja? If they want £45m walk away, obviously. He said options, so not just Broja.

On January 24th we should not be in a situation where we don't know what our budget is, which is what we've done. It's amateur stuff.

And, the answer to what we're supposed to do is keep Sasa or Fabio until the replacement came in. Pretty simple and how most normal clubs operate.

where have we said we don’t know what our budget is?

 

[Golden Arrow]

I reckon we will have had quite a few offers for loan forwards especially from abroad from agents and clubs ...it's quite public we have been after a forward..the Benfica striker will probably be one .......it's probably just a case of working out if any of them are good enough or worth the outlay , even if it's not much in terms of cost ...

Yep, that's how I see it. Maybe a loan player before the end of the window.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

where have we said we don’t know what our budget is?

O'Neil: "Me, Matt Hobbs and the recruitment team have done an awful lot of work on a couple of options. We had a meeting yesterday and it looks like they're not going to be doable financially for us, at this point. It's disappointing firstly because we felt like we were making some headway on a couple, but it looks like they're not going to be doable."

I took that as us targeting players that we can't afford, which is bizarre on January 24th. Why are we wasting time on multiple players if they aren't in our price range?

O'Neil went from 'very confident' we would sign a striker on Monday, to now not knowing if we will get one in. So it seems as though the meeting yesterday was pretty significant.

I have no doubt you will see this differently though

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

I don't buy this "we weren't using them" business with the other two strikers at all.
We had 4 potential goalscorers at the start of the season fighting it out for 2 places. Hwang was dropped a few times and had to earn his place by working his balls off and scoring goals. Noone would have predicted that before the start of the season, and there is no guarantee that he doesn't level off now he's made his spot his own. I want competition for places. I think what we're seeing now is a result of it as much as anything else. We have been 2 players per position everywhere except centre back, and the effort levels have been there throughout the pitch.

 

[Oldskooldayz]

Obviously disappointing noises coming out but I'm taking them with a pinch of salt, plenty of players and agents will be going into overdrive after the weekend trying to force a move so all is not lost.

We all knew before the season started finances were tight, we only really did any business last few days so I'm not shocked at where we are with a week to go.

With next to no chance of being dragged into the relegation zone and a slim chance of getting a European spot paying over the odds right now is the worst thing we could do, if the deals aren't right then go with what we've got and have a look here and there at some of the kids, bringing in the mentioned strikers on over inflated terms will do nothing for us.

I'd rather keep our powder dry and start working on summer transfers when we should be in a much better position

 

[WolfLing]

Still think we will sign a striker, probably on loan. Can see the last 24 hours of this window being like silly street right across the league.

FFP though is seemingly threatening to be a lot more real than many of us, me included, seemed to think. If man united need to be careful with what they spend, what chance the rest of us.

Just get Diego back on a short-term deal until the end of the season. Sorted.