Summer 2023 Transfer Window Thread

[sc91]

Doesn’t surprise me to hear that. Absolute joke. Baffling that some posters were falling over themselves to defend him.
I’ll never forget his performance at Chelsea, I’d made the pea hearted little **** walk home.

Absolute weasel of a man. To give so little **** about anything, like he does, is just levels of embarrassing. If his career from now on is a flop, then it is all his own fault.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Why does it take so long to make a bid?

Loads of paper work that goes with it

Burofax these days

 

[Rauls Headband]

The old classic 'transfers are really hard and complex'. Yet we don't have a problem selling

Its always easier to take money from someone for a player who probably wants out the door in the first place!

That said……

Neves hardly had a queue of buyers, and he’s been ‘on the market’ for at least two summers
Collins went because as you said yourself he was third choice and wants to play football
Coady we actually did well to sell to Leicester
Sanderson gone for a small fee after being on loan forever

Everyone else has either gone on a free or we haven’t sold yet so I wouldn’t say we don’t have a problem selling.

 

[The Clock]

That’s all well and good except…

Arsenal have shipped 6 players
Chelsea have shipped 25(!) players
Liverpool have shipped 11 players
City have also shipped 11 players
Spuds have shipped 3 players
United have shipped 8 players

So they’re all in similar boats having to get rid first and so the spend isn’t as great as you’re making out.

Clubs like us have to wait for the ‘big boys’ to do their business for the dominos to fall and as at the moment they’re actually doing a very similar thing and not blowing the cash it’s become a waiting game for pieces to slot into place.

It’s the usual transfer window hysterics, even if we don’t get the players we want personal I’m a lot more confident in how the club is being run now than it was 12 months ago.

I was replying specifically to your comment “And it’s not like other teams are pulling up trees regards signings either, not even the Sky 6/7.”
Seems United have spent another £44m since I posted

 

[LINT70]

Sounds like we should be signing the Swindon keeper LOL

We did that many years ago and ended up with Tony Lange! ‍

 

[Rauls Headband]

I was replying specifically to your comment “And it’s not like other teams are pulling up trees regards signings either, not even the Sky 6/7.”
Seems United have spent another £44m since I posted

Yes but they’re not ‘spending’ the amounts you’re suggesting because they’re balancing the spend by getting rid of players, and they’re not replacing those players either and slimming down their squads and adopting a ‘sell to buy’ approach this season too. So no, at this stage, hardly pulling up trees, with maybe the exception of Arsenal.

 

[Hot Fuss]

Exactly. We're hardly stronger are we!

I’d argue that with Dawson, Lemina and Gomes added, the squad, even as it stands today, is better balanced than it was at the start of December.

That’s before the inevitable signings are made this summer.

Why folk can’t wait till mid August before losing their **** is beyond me.

 

[WISAW]

Its always easier to take money from someone for a player who probably wants out the door in the first place!

That said……

Neves hardly had a queue of buyers, and he’s been ‘on the market’ for at least two summers
Collins went because as you said yourself he was third choice and wants to play football
Coady we actually did well to sell to Leicester
Sanderson gone for a small fee after being on loan forever

Everyone else has either gone on a free or we haven’t sold yet so I wouldn’t say we don’t have a problem selling.

Playing for us is what affected Neves getting a move. He was like a 6th defender most of the time, played so deep. His stats would have been way better in a side that was offensive.

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

I park up there on match days and have a walk round. Squirrels are aggressive little buggers though!

It's those nasty inner city squirrels innit? Not Wolverhampton, but Victoria park in East London a gang of squirrels once mugged me for a Mars bar - furry little grey *******s.

 

[Rauls Headband]

Playing for us is what affected Neves getting a move. He was like a 6th defender most of the time, played so deep. His stats would have been way better in a side that was offensive.

Agreed. He always looked better playing 10 yards further forward. Though his defensive stats would have suffered

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

Surprised we are still waiting for the first signing and not counting the free transfer who left Northampton Town. Less than three weeks until the season starts and we have no real idea who the striker will be as fitness doubts over Sasa and Raul and Fabio not even with us yet. One back up to Kilman and Dawson and no real improvements at all to a side that was so bad at scoring goals the last few seasons.

Hopefully players are coming in soon but we seem to be taking an age to even get Doherty over the line for whatever reason.

Really could ideally do with a couple of additions in to join the squad before we leave for Portugal on Friday.

Who knows what Lopetegui is thinking but I cant imagine he is totally happy with the current situation. We really dont want to be facing Man Utd and Brighton undercooked and not repeating the same mistakes as the start of last season.

Lopetegui will have far more of an idea of what's going on than any of us. For all we know, he may be reasonably satisfied with how recruitment is going. Maybe we have our ducks in a row?

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

Think that's very unfair on the players mentioned.

Collins was third choice. Moutinho was poor unless he was a sub admittedly, but he helped us see out games. Traore was a constant threat, sometimes our only one. Costa did a job, wasn't great, but he was picked by Lopetegui.

The main point is those four, and especially Neves, contributed to keeping us up, and they haven't been replaced.

The only valid point, and it's obviously a massive one, is that there's still time to rectify it. We shouldn't technically moan until the end of the window but we've been stung before, so it's natural to fear the worst right now.

Traore a constant threat? Depends how you define constant and threat.

 

[Scallywolf]

Traore a constant threat? Depends how you define constant and threat.

On the subject of Adama, does anyone know just exactly what his situation is?

Out of contract, without a club, presumably no wages, what is he doing?

There doesn’t seem to be much interest in him from any clubs atm.

 

[SoCal_Wolf]

The old classic 'transfers are really hard and complex'. Yet we don't have a problem selling

Not quite. See Sarkic, Matija.

You never know until the contract is signed...

 

[Padraig]

Why does it take so long to make a bid?

You have to “prepare” the bid first

 

[SoCal_Wolf]

"JL would have to be incredibly dense to not know that we were up against FFP."

That was your first post, now you're saying he wouldn't know and not only that, he wouldn't know the HG rule! Come on. Lopetegui or his coaches or Garagarza wouldn't know? That's very disrespectful to them.

Obviously Hobbs didn't say 'we lied to Julen' but I take 'we have to acknowledge the project is different to what he thought it was' as close as you can get to that in football terms! As I said, delighted that Lopetegui decided to stick with us considering the goalposts were moved.

I hope you're right about the next week or so, and agree with a striker. As a member of the Fabio fan club I think we can do without one, even if I would like a new one to replace Raul in an ideal world, so same stance with you on that one.

I just gave an example off the top of my head. The Everton news and the new FFP requirements tying player wages, transfers, and agent fees based on the percentage of revenues might be a better bet. But, I do not believe that Shi pulled the rugged out from under Julen...

 

[el gringo]

Have we seen this? I took a quick look around and I didn't see it (hard to know where to look with so much OT stuff going on, haha). It's from ESPN UK's Facebook stream.

 

[wolfgar]

I get that people are anxious, but the only player that has left that would be playing regularly had they stayed would be Neves. By contrast, Sasa, Silva, Chiquinho, Giles and Cundle all have the potential to add something, and the likes of Raul, RAN, Neto, Nunes and Bouba might well all be in a much better position to contribute than they were able to last season? So are we really any worse off as it stands? Add say Scott, Elvedi and Doherty to that mix, alongside perhaps another forward and a GK, and I think there would surely be cause for at least some optimism?

Losing the likes of Collins, Coady, Traore, Costa, Moutinho and Sanderson isn’t exactly a hammer blow to us is it, surely? Other mooted outgoings like Sa and Podence hardly seem to me irreplaceable either? I’d encourage people not to panic, the club certainly don’t seem to be?

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

I get that people are anxious, but the only player that has left that would be playing regularly had they stayed would be Neves. By contrast, Sasa, Silva, Chiquinho, Giles and Cundle all have the potential to add something, and the likes of Raul, RAN, Neto, Nunes and Bouba might well all be in a much better position to contribute than they were able to last season? So are we really any worse off as it stands? Add say Scott, Elvedi and Doherty to that mix, alongside perhaps another forward and a GK, and I think there would surely be cause for at least some optimism?

Losing the likes of Collins, Coady, Traore, Costa, Moutinho and Sanderson isn’t exactly a hammer blow to us is it, surely? Other mooted outgoings like Sa and Podence hardly seem to me irreplaceable either? I’d encourage people not to panic, the club certainly don’t seem to be?

Everything is under control

 

[Pseudonym]

I'm not guessing. Hobbs said: "We have to acknowledge the project is different to what he thought it was. We had to allow him time to understand it and get his head around how to build a squad to be competitive in the Premier League."

That's an admission that the project was different to what he was sold. That's obviously against a key part of your point.

I get your point with the rest, but we don't have Elvedi and we don't have Scott. I don't care about 'interested', if we get them my tune will change and I'll be more relaxed and excited about the season. Right now, we don't. We're considerably weaker than the poor side that finished last season.

As you say though, let's wait and see. But I really hope we don't waste the first month of the season like we did last season.

Continually showing a complete ignorance for where we find ourselves within the footballing hierarchy and FFP situation. We can’t just dictate the market like you claim we can and should.

I also don’t know how you can spend so much time posturing and professing to talk in certainties about the inner workings of the club when you in fact have absolutely no idea - despite how “obvious” you claim things to be.

Probably should just wait and see (and then judge) like the rest of us. So much wasted energy otherwise

 

[SA Wolf]

I’d argue that with Dawson, Lemina and Gomes added, the squad, even as it stands today, is better balanced than it was at the start of December.

That’s before the inevitable signings are made this summer.

Why folk can’t wait till mid August before losing their **** is beyond me.

Because we were told that Loppy wanted player in before pre-season. Because we are told that pre-season is so important, especially with a (relatively) new coach who needs to build a strong team mentality, a club identity and mould a squad to play the way he wants.

I'm not 'losing my ****' as you put it, but have great concerns about this coming season, with all of the disruption at Wolves, all of the changes in personnel and seeing very little strengthening of the squad, despite the start of the season just a few weeks away.

We may well strengthen before 'mid August', but that risks losing early matches and having to use important league and cup games to inbed new players.

 

[North West Wanderer]

Because we were told that Loppy wanted player in before pre-season. Because we are told that pre-season is so important, especially with a (relatively) new coach who needs to build a strong team mentality, a club identity and mould a squad to play the way he wants.

I'm not 'losing my ****' as you put it, but have great concerns about this coming season, with all of the disruption at Wolves, all of the changes in personnel and seeing very little strengthening of the squad, despite the start of the season just a few weeks away.

We may well strengthen before 'mid August', but that risks losing early matches and having to use important league and cup games to inbed new players.

you’ve said that first paragraph repeatedly and in reality it’s never ever going to happen

 

[Ponty]

you’ve said that first paragraph repeatedly and in reality it’s never ever going to happen

The only way it happens is if you sign players who aren’t interested in signing for a bigger club. I’d rather wait a bit than end up with six Doherty standard signings.

 

[wolfgar]

Everything is under control

I know we haven’t signed anyone yet, but turning down the bid for Kilman, offering some decent cash for Scott, and the interest in Elvedi and Doc, I think are all fairly positive signs that things are under control and there is a plan. It’s reassured me a little personally.

Hopefully some decent replacements for Sa and Podence (and perhaps either Silva or Raul) are lined up for if/when any of them moves on.

 

[SA Wolf]

you’ve said that first paragraph repeatedly and in reality it’s never ever going to happen

Not sure I understand your point. Of course it's never going to happen as the time has passed! Doesn't mean that we weren't told that was Loppy's intention, though.

 

[Supadavewolf]

How are we weaker lol?

We've lost our player of the season for a start, which is a pretty big one.

Costa, Traore, Moutinho also contributed.

We are certainly weaker losing Neves.

However, from both squad balance and JL's coaching point of view (having joined last December) , losing Costa, Moutinho and Adama is counterbalanced by in effect gaining Sasa, Chiquinho and Fabio (plus for JL in terms of coaching, effectively Boubacar) for the coming season.

IMV, JL already has de facto four 'new' senior squad signings before - hopefully - Alex Scott and Elvedi join.

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

On the subject of Adama, does anyone know just exactly what his situation is?

Out of contract, without a club, presumably no wages, what is he doing?

There doesn’t seem to be much interest in him from any clubs atm.

He's on the rock n roll.

 

[groundhogwolf]

Those comments may be unfair on the players, but it’s not an unfair statement to make that those were the views of a large number of posters on this forum. A very quick read of the threads relating to those players, and match day threads, won’t take you long to find the type of comments I mentioned.

It’s not even a strong argument to say most of those players contributed to keeping us up (Neves being the exception). Once JL came in and understood what he was working with:

Collins was not trusted and benched
Mouthino was benched more often than not and brought on as a sub
Adama almost always benched and brought on as a sub
Costa only played as JL had no one else to link up with Cunha

None of them could be considered nailed on first team starters from last season. If you’d asked most on this forum in March if they’d miss any one of the above the answer would have been a loud no. The club now get rid of them and some are now losing their minds.

With competing clubs, leagues, player demands, players families, agents, press, sponsors, lawyers, required background checks, medicals, money, FFP, work permits, theres so many moving parts to transfers tbh it’s a miracle any transfers make it over the line at all, but of course all these things should all be able to get sorted out in an afternoon over a beer in the The Stile Inn and if the club don’t do that then they’re clowns.

I guess we’re all watching the circus then at Molineux this season.

There is a way stronger argument that the reason we were in a relegation battle was due to the players released, no doubt they made more appearances pre Lopetegui than post Lopetegui.

 

[North West Wanderer]

Not sure I understand your point. Of course it's never going to happen as the time has passed! Doesn't mean that we weren't told that was Loppy's intention, though.

what about Hobbs saying that this is going to be a slow window?

 

[Ponty]

Not sure I understand your point. Of course it's never going to happen as the time has passed! Doesn't mean that we weren't told that was Loppy's intention, though.

I think he meant in any year not just this year. Obviously we could choose to overpay both in terms of fee and wages and get substandard players in early but I’m sure nobody wants that.

 

[SA Wolf]

I think he meant in any year not just this year. Obviously we could choose to overpay both in terms of fee and wages and get substandard players in early but I’m sure nobody wants that.

Ah, I see. Thanks for clarifying.
Of course we have bought early in past windows. Last winter, we got Cunha in early, but certainly overpaid in that case. In our promotions season, we got players in early and iirc, in the Lambert/Zenga season. We've also confirmed loan to buy signings early in the past.
In all cases, we've had players available for pre-season and season starts, unlike what looks like happening this, despite Loppy's wish!

 

[SA Wolf]

what about Hobbs saying that this is going to be a slow window?

What about it? My point was in relation to Loppy's stated aim, and the risk to the season's start with not having players bedded-in for the kick-off.
In any case, it's not a 'slow window' for a lot of our rivals. You may not see that as a concern, but I do, although I'm not 'losing my ****' as the poster to whom I replied put it, but concerned nevertheless.

 

[JR WAS KING]

I think he meant in any year not just this year. Obviously we could choose to overpay both in terms of fee and wages and get substandard players in early but I’m sure nobody wants that.

Oh, I don't know. I think a few on here would.

 

[Hot Fuss]

Because we were told that Loppy wanted player in before pre-season. Because we are told that pre-season is so important, especially with a (relatively) new coach who needs to build a strong team mentality, a club identity and mould a squad to play the way he wants.

I'm not 'losing my ****' as you put it, but have great concerns about this coming season, with all of the disruption at Wolves, all of the changes in personnel and seeing very little strengthening of the squad, despite the start of the season just a few weeks away.

We may well strengthen before 'mid August', but that risks losing early matches and having to use important league and cup games to inbed new players.

All managers want players in by pre-season, rarely happens. JL will have to deal with it.

I don’t understand the panic over losing one first team starter? Especially as Lemina and Gomes came in and Bouby is on his way back.

Personally I’m delighted at the “disruption and changing of personal”.

Players, obviously, will come. Will they be the right players? Who knows? But I’m looking forward to finding out. Be more interesting than the dull, anti football we’ve watched for 3 years hopefully.

If it takes time, it takes time. If that means a bit of bedding in time needed then JL will have to manage it.

 

[Woburn Wolf]

I’m resigned now to thinking we are not signing a striker and Adams was never an option
Be good to get Elvedi and Scott over the line but we are lacking up top and no pace in the team with Traore gone
I can’t even think of a striker in our budget range though and it’s a bit worrying

Neto and Nunes lack pace??

 

[wolfslair]

Player has agreed to the move In principal. Bentley has helped convinced him to come. Up to the club to agree fee and the formalities that go with it

Bentley acting like this seasons Costa….. you could see he made a difference to cunha and j.gomes.

Everything I see and hear about Bentley is so positive, I was happy we got him in jan. The role of the second choice keeper is a strange one over a season and he seems like a great guy and professional for the changing room which is what you hope that guy is as they rarely play.

 

[Fifty Niner]

I get that people are anxious, but the only player that has left that would be playing regularly had they stayed would be Neves. By contrast, Sasa, Silva, Chiquinho, Giles and Cundle all have the potential to add something, and the likes of Raul, RAN, Neto, Nunes and Bouba might well all be in a much better position to contribute than they were able to last season? So are we really any worse off as it stands? Add say Scott, Elvedi and Doherty to that mix, alongside perhaps another forward and a GK, and I think there would surely be cause for at least some optimism?

Losing the likes of Collins, Coady, Traore, Costa, Moutinho and Sanderson isn’t exactly a hammer blow to us is it, surely? Other mooted outgoings like Sa and Podence hardly seem to me irreplaceable either? I’d encourage people not to panic, the club certainly don’t seem to be?

Looking at that list, Sasa and Chiquinho haven’t played for a season due to injuries. Sasa is a kick away from another long lay off. Neto is injury prone. Raul hasn’t been the same since his injury. Maybe last season was just one of those seasons and these players will light up and stay free of injury.

 

[wolfslair]

I’m resigned now to thinking we are not signing a striker and Adams was never an option
Be good to get Elvedi and Scott over the line but we are lacking up top and no pace in the team with Traore gone
I can’t even think of a striker in our budget range though and it’s a bit worrying

Wolves are looking and discussing moves for strikers. It is just timing isn’t quite there yet and often they are the hardest position to move on due to their importance to the club they are leaving.

 

[wolfslair]

Can only imagine Doherty is done but they are holding back a press release until they can put a more exciting name into the new shirt.
Does wonders for Doc’s self esteem.
I mean , it can’t be that difficult to sign a freebie, can it?

He has had other options.

For example where is adama right now???

Adama was far more active last season and isn’t onto his third club in 12 months potentially. Still no deal for him.

The market is in a crazy state of flux due to the stupid (but saviour to our season) winter World Cup.

 

[Woburn Wolf]

Or Kevin Muscat.

I would prefer Muzzie to Doc