January 2024 transfer window thread.

[Mile End Wanderer]

Despite being **** they are still one of the biggest clubs in the world.

Still don’t believe they can afford Neto this window. Man Utd are close to breaching FFP

 

[wolfgar]

I think you’re vastly overrating a) Cundle’s ability and b) the championship. He’s doing ok in the championship, nothing more nothing less. Hence why he’s been in and out and not been a guaranteed starter in a below average championship team. Vitinha didn’t get game time for us when in a division higher and competing with 3 seasoned international players. He’s now playing for a top team in Europe. Do you think Cundle will be playing at that level in 2 years??

£2 million with a decent sell on is a good deal for all parties

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

I think you’re vastly overrating a) Cundle’s ability and b) the championship. He’s doing ok in the championship, nothing more nothing less. Hence why he’s been in and out and not been a guaranteed starter in a below average championship team. Vitinha didn’t get game time for us when in a division higher and competing with 3 seasoned international players. He’s now playing for a top team in Europe. Do you think Cundle will be playing at that level in 2 years??

Unless we give our youth a chance… How do we know if they are good enough??

Same example Doyle and Man City. I am sure they are now thinking twice about selling him to us… Especially after his recent performances

Sazsha out the door we should be expecting a striker surely

 

[North West Wanderer]

Unless we give our youth a chance… How do we know if they are good enough??

Same example Doyle and Man City. I am sure they are now thinking twice about selling him to us… Especially after his recent performances

Sazsha out the door we should be expecting a striker surely

i bet they aren’t. Phillips can’t get minutes there so why would Doyle be a concern?

 

[lets all have a disco]

That’s true, but that’s the same for most mid level clubs, the reality is we’ll have squad numbers where by when everyone is fit one or two will miss out on the matchday squad, and with injuries and suspensions we’ll end up one or two short.

People look at a bench of 9 and see kids on there and think it looks weak, it only used to be 7 and a little longer ago 5 so last night we’d have had all 5 slots filled by players who have played for the first team before. That’s without Dawson, RAN, Bueno, Traore, Lemina and Hwang.

Obviously we now have up to 5 subs per game so you do want the squad a little deeper and I’m hoping by the end of the window we’ll have the two forwards we need for that but there’s only 2 games between now and then and even if we’d kept Kalajdzic he wouldn’t have featured based on the last few months.

Obviously we have to get through the next few games and we get the 3 players back from international duty ....

But yesterday wasn't a freak set of circumstances....Bentley apparently had a minor not football related surgery , Hugo Bueno a tight hamstring and Dawson was allowed to recover probably from his gash .....that's not extreme circumstances it's normal at any given time ....we had no midfielder on the bench , no striker cause we was getting rid of Saza , no proper full back , wing back cover ....it was beyond desperate...

Gomes getting sent off and missing 3 games is part n parcel of football...lemina circumstances are life ....we are desperately short....bar chirwera who has done decent with the u21 , none of the rest of the crop are anywhere near ready or suitable for the bench ....Alright Saza can't play the way we want or Fabio but they are both head and shoulders better options than say Enso is at this given time ....

We all want us to do well in the cup and continue to do ok in the league but the squad is creaking a bit for various reasons and surely some of the players and the management are desperate for some help .....we would all like Yerson and Hodge to get a loan but it's probably impossible at the minute.

God help us if Semedo , Cunha and Sa get injured cause we haven't got anybody to replace them ...Some of the players being mentioned are not ready properly for u21 football ..it's not a dig at those players is just the reality ....

 

[North West Wanderer]

we are very light and it’s a worry, however it’s catch 22. we don’t want to buy squad fodder, we need players to improve the 11 and push the existing players out. we can’t afford to do that right now…

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Unless we give our youth a chance… How do we know if they are good enough??

Same example Doyle and Man City. I am sure they are now thinking twice about selling him to us… Especially after his recent performances

Sazsha out the door we should be expecting a striker surely

WE don’t know, but the coaches who work with them daily will have a much much better idea of a players level and ability so I’d trust their judgement. What’s the alternative drop Lemina for a run of games to have a “look” at Cundle? They’ll already have analysed every minute he’s played at Plymouth to know where he’s at.

We had the same in the summer with Sanderson and Giles, some folk were apoplectic about them going when in real terms they were what they are, two championship level plodders.

City won’t care less about Doyle, they’ll have decided long ago that he wasn’t good enough to play for them in the short or medium term. They’ll have protection with a buy back clause if somehow his level sky rockets. They were happy for Cole Palmer to go, they really aren’t worried about TD

 

[SuperGran]

Despite being **** they are still one of the biggest clubs in the world.

Exactly this. Unfortunately most players would absolutely jump at the chance to play for Man Utd

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

we are very light and it’s a worry, however it’s catch 22. we don’t want to buy squad fodder, we need players to improve the 11 and push the existing players out. we can’t afford to do that right now…

That’s exactly my point. It has to be quality over quantity. We walk a tightrope with injuries and suspensions but it’s a calculated gamble or you end up with a bloated squad of average players and the togetherness that’s been worked upon goes out the window with unhappy players. Filling the bench with kids who are happy to be there is much easier to manage than senior players not getting minutes.

 

[GoldenHorseshoe]

Why, apart from £££s, any player would currently think about going to that **** show is a complete mystery.

Inspite of my anti united bias, which I fully admit to, I 100% agree.

 

[MattH]

That's fine for them to sit on the bench but what happens if we get an injury to say Cunha ...

Same as what we'd do the first part of the season...we'd have to stick on an unsuitable player. Just swap Sasa or Silva for Fraser.

Not saying its ideal, I think we really need a number 9, but given they weren't up to it anyway moving on Sasa and Silva without signing replacements doesn't leave us much weaker.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Same as what we'd do the first part of the season...we'd have to stick on an unsuitable player. Just swap Sasa or Silva for Fraser.

Not saying its ideal, I think we really need a number 9, but given they weren't up to it anyway moving on Sasa and Silva without signing replacements doesn't leave us much weaker.

I agree with this. Sasa and Silva are clearly not the type of forwards GON wants, evidenced by their total lack of game time. They were just “bums on seats” so it doesn’t really matter if they’re in the squad or not because he wasn’t using any of them

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

WE don’t know, but the coaches who work with them daily will have a much much better idea of a players level and ability so I’d trust their judgement. What’s the alternative drop Lemina for a run of games to have a “look” at Cundle? They’ll already have analysed every minute he’s played at Plymouth to know where he’s at.

We had the same in the summer with Sanderson and Giles, some folk were apoplectic about them going when in real terms they were what they are, two championship level plodders.

City won’t care less about Doyle, they’ll have decided long ago that he wasn’t good enough to play for them in the short or medium term. They’ll have protection with a buy back clause if somehow his level sky rockets. They were happy for Cole Palmer to go, they really aren’t worried about TD

Hope your right would be bad to lose out on Doyle now

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

i bet they aren’t. Phillips can’t get minutes there so why would Doyle be a concern?

Phillips being sold. Doyle much younger. As SBK said hopefully they are happy for us to have him without buyback clauses and so on.

Still two strikers out we must have someone coming in

 

[wolfgar]

Unless we give our youth a chance… How do we know if they are good enough??

Same example Doyle and Man City. I am sure they are now thinking twice about selling him to us… Especially after his recent performances

Sazsha out the door we should be expecting a striker surely

Cundle isn’t getting a regular start at Plymouth and he certainly wouldn’t be getting game time here ahead of Doyle, Traore or Bellagarde. If he were anywhere near good enough for us he’d be starting every week at Home Park in all likelihood? He’s talented and one of those that could really kick on with the right move (in which case a decent sell on would protect us somewhat), but I wouldn’t be too surprised if he’s found his level either?

 

[lets all have a disco]

Same as what we'd do the first part of the season...we'd have to stick on an unsuitable player. Just swap Sasa or Silva for Fraser.

Not saying its ideal, I think we really need a number 9, but given they weren't up to it anyway moving on Sasa and Silva without signing replacements doesn't leave us much weaker.

We haven't even got the senior u21 options on the bench at the minute....Say Hubner, Fraser, and co . .or a standard of player to say Cundle that we had on the bench in previous season bar say Chirewa...

It's as if the coach is leaving for an away game and they are running around Compton and grabbing any one to stick on the spare seats ...

As I say I'm not a pant wetter by any stretch, never have been , never will be ....just a bit miffed I was getting allsorts chucked at me , cause I dared to say we hadn't got the squad to maintain a cup run , whilst remaining decent in the league .....last night didn't ease my concerns , it made it worse...

I'm chuffed to bits with O'Neil despite have some reservations initially and I want it to continue..but we need a couple of players to make it work...he deserves it.....

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Hope your right would be bad to lose out on Doyle now

He won’t be signing without a buy back clause. That’s their protection for letting him go so cheap

 

[wolfgar]

He won’t be signing without a buy back clause. That’s their protection for letting him go so cheap

He was rated by us/them around £15-20 million supposedly wasn’t he? In which case we saved £15 million or so wth the £4.3 million option. As such, even with a 50% sell on or buyback by City, he’ll have had to have been absolutely outstanding for us for either of things to ever become a real pain, and in which case we’ll have done pretty well out if it all nonetheless?

 

[MattH]

We haven't even got the senior u21 options on the bench at the minute....Say Hubner, Fraser, and co . .or a standard of player to say Cundle that we had on the bench in previous season bar say Chirewa...

It's as if the coach is leaving for an away game and they are running around Compton and grabbing any one to stick on the spare seats ...

As I say I'm not a pant wetter by any stretch, never have been , never will be ....just a bit miffed I was getting allsorts chucked at me , cause I dared to say we hadn't got the squad to maintain a cup run , whilst remaining decent in the league .....last night didn't ease my concerns , it made it worse...

I'm chuffed to bits with O'Neil despite have some reservations initially and I want it to continue..but we need a couple of players to make it work...he deserves it.....

Well yeah, sort of. But I'm talking about striker options - being short in other positions is another matter.

 

[GoldenHorseshoe]

He won’t be signing without a buy back clause. That’s their protection for letting him go so cheap

Was a buy back clause already in the original option agreement? I wouldn't think you could unilaterally change an agreement already made.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

He won’t be signing without a buy back clause. That’s their protection for letting him go so cheap

Glorified loan then really. We develop him and sell him back for a profit

 

[Sussex Wolf]

Was a buy back clause already in the original option agreement? I wouldn't think you could unilaterally change an agreement already made.

I don’t think there was a buy back clause in the agreement as reported. Instead they have a very large sell on clause.

Wolves confirm Tommy Doyle's arrival on a loan deal from Man City

Wolverhampton Wanderers have confirmed the season-long loan signing of Tommy Doyle from Manchester City, with an an option of a £4.3m permanent move

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[AndyY]

I understand people are concerned about the lack of depth with Silva and Kalajdzic being allowed to leave but the reality is even with both sat on the bench for the past few months they haven’t had a look in so does letting them leave really make much difference?

The only discernible difference right now is one less seat is being kept warm on the bench.

Obviously I’d like more depth but it’s been stated by several journalists that we want a wide forward and a striker so clearly the club agrees. If we get those in in place of Silva and Kalajdzic then we’ll be equal on numbers but stronger overall given they’ll actually get played.

It makes a difference if we have injuries, suspensions or AFCON/ Asia Cup. I would bring Cundle back, too. Would rather he was available than one of the U21s, even his long term future is away from the club.

 

[FJRWolf]

People saying were down to the bare bones but I'm not sure that's true. Last night we had 3 first teamers missing, plus Bouba who I'd call a first choice sub, Hugo and Bentley either ill or injured and Dawson who I guess was rested.
We coped quite easily. Obviously there are a couple of holes in the squad, I'd like a forward (preferably 2) as we've loaned 2 out, a CB if we continue with 3 atb, a back up RB. I can see why the club aren't keen to spend a lot in this window but hopefully there will be a bit more in the Summer.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

Glorified loan then really. We develop him and sell him back for a profit

Reported at the time, the purchase option for Wolves includes a 50% sell on clause for Man City rather than a buy back clause.

 

[AndyY]

We will have better shortly in Lemina and possibly Traore as he’s only in the preliminary squad for Mali so could be released

I still think we need more depth, and we are not likely to buy it in so we need to make use of what we have.

 

[lets all have a disco]

Well yeah, sort of. But I'm talking about striker options - being short in other positions is another matter.

I aye confident with tempers flaring we will get through the replay with Brentford with keeping 11 on the pitch.....and that's with only 1 forward and 1 midfielder to pick from .....

And I'm a "surrender monkey" on another thread ..

Hopefully we might get another 1 to pick before we play Brentford, even if it's on loan....

 

[tamwolf]

He won’t be signing without a buy back clause. That’s their protection for letting him go so cheap

The deal for the signing has already been agreed though. It includes a 50% sell on clause, not a buy back clause. He is cheap because it was done with the Nunes transfer and helped them not meet the full Nunes valuation.

 

[Wolf in Kenilworth]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1743542985432645740

https://twitter.com/x/status/1743543440338472972

All of that makes perfect sense.

Neto and Sa will leave this summer 100% IMO along with Sasa, Silva etc and this will give us many options and a bit of financial freedom to evolve the squad.

Johnny Phillips is bang on as per as this window is relaxed as it’s ever been in the PL but the summer is a pivotal one for us.

 

[JamesWolves]

We haven't even got the senior u21 options on the bench at the minute....Say Hubner, Fraser, and co . .or a standard of player to say Cundle that we had on the bench in previous season bar say Chirewa...

It's as if the coach is leaving for an away game and they are running around Compton and grabbing any one to stick on the spare seats ...

As I say I'm not a pant wetter by any stretch, never have been , never will be ....just a bit miffed I was getting allsorts chucked at me , cause I dared to say we hadn't got the squad to maintain a cup run , whilst remaining decent in the league .....last night didn't ease my concerns , it made it worse...

I'm chuffed to bits with O'Neil despite have some reservations initially and I want it to continue..but we need a couple of players to make it work...he deserves it.....

Hubner is out on international duty with Indonesia atm, or else i suspect he would have been on the bench last night

 

[MotorWoden]

Very large sell on clauses are counter productive for the selling team in my opinion, because there is almost zero incentive to sell when so much money goes back up the chain. Chances are that clause will never be activated. It seems like a good deal for us to me

 

[Loojay]

I aye confident with tempers flaring we will get through the replay with Brentford with keeping 11 on the pitch.....and that's with only 1 forward and 1 midfielder to pick from .....

And I'm a "surrender monkey" on another thread ..

Hopefully we might get another 1 to pick before we play Brentford, even if it's on loan....

Doesn't surrender monkey mean French? You don't strike me as French

 

[EastDorsetWolf]

He won’t be signing without a buy back clause. That’s their protection for letting him go so cheap

I thought the deal was £5m plus 50% sell on clause.

 

[Loojay]

I thought the deal was £5m plus 50% sell on clause.

It is, SBK is chatting **** in this instance

 

[Timberwolf]

In other words - Liam Keen reads the Mix to find out.

Unlike some of the melon heads on here, I doubt Liam Keen thinks everything on The Mix is gospel.

 

[lets all have a disco]

Hubner is out on international duty with Indonesia atm, or else i suspect he would have been on the bench last night

I nw....I'm just saying.......we aye even got the senior ones to pick for the first team....it's anyone left standing.....no problem with using kids on the bench to make the numbers up but your just hope it's the senior ones you can use who are decent at u21 level.....not the ones who haven't mastered that level YET......

 

[Slothmonkey]

Personally, I am very relaxed about this month as we were told and GON was told funds would be tight to non existent. I would like a number 9, in a perfect world would like Dia if we can do it but for me goalscoring is not our main problem. We have other areas where we are short.

Doherty getting through 90 and playing well last night has given me a more optimistic outlook that he will do as cover at wing back.

If we can get to the magical 40 points then we can all relax. It's getting there. Can we get there with what we have? A few more wins and a few more draws?

Summer is where we will see what Fosun's ambitions are imo. This window is what it is.

Sasa, Silva were never gonna be the number 9 in GON version of Wolves. He needs to find one that will be. Hwang was the closest we have imo sadly were without him for a bit.

 

[MotorWoden]

Also talk of the squad being light is a bit overdone isn't it? There are international tournaments on which has affected a lot of competing teams which balances it out a bit, and in any case there aren't many league matches over this period.

Silva has not been involved much anyway and in truth neither has Sasa. We have managed for two months without Neto who is now back. Lemina will probably be back in a week or so and that gives us him, Doyle, Bellegarde, Hodge for midfield even with Traore and Gomes temporarily missing. Chirewa needs to get a chance if there are problems in the front three in my opinion, I think he is in the Bellegarde mould rather than an out and out midfielder.

If we do don't turn anyone up we could manage I think, better to do that than waste our resources with a sub-optimal signing for the sake of filling up the squad.

 

[thommo1984]

Sazsha

 

[Woburn Wolf]

Unless we give our youth a chance… How do we know if they are good enough??

Same example Doyle and Man City. I am sure they are now thinking twice about selling him to us… Especially after his recent performances

Sazsha out the door we should be expecting a striker surely

They can think twice all they like but we have an option.