Official Transfer rumours and gossip thread

[Sydney_Iron]

"The window is open for all clubs in Europe's top five leagues on Monday, January 1st 2024 and closes on Thursday 1 February 2024. In England, the window will close at 11pm (UK time) Players linked in Andr?© Trindade (MF) - Fluminense Jonathan Tah (CB) - Bayer Leverkusen Dan Axel-Zagadou (CB) - Stuttgart Serhou Guirassy (Str) - Stuttgart Akor Adams (Str) - Montpellier Hugo Ekitike (Str) - Paris Saint-Germain Ronnie Edwards (CB) - Peterborough Ian Maatsen (LB/LMF) - Chelsea Kyle Walker-Peters (RB) - Southampton Players signed Kalvin Phillips - Man City (Loan) Linked out Benrahma Kehrer - Monaco Ings - Southampton Cornet Nayef Aguerd Fornals Players confirmed out Kehrer - Monaco (Loan) Kriszti?°n Hegyi - FC Den Bosch(Loan) Gideon Kodua - Wycombe Wanderers (Loan) Conor Coventry - Charlton spacer"

[Sir Alf]

"Hmmm… Soucek scores on average how many goals each season? Will he score another 5 or more? Over his time at the club maybe 7 a season on average? Will us having the ball more mean we concede less annd also be able to create more from open play ? Btw imo Phillips does actually break forward from midfield and can create openings. He did for England when Rice sat deep at times. More importantlly, we should not be overrun half as much in midfield because playing Soucek does imho cause that as it’s often like being a player short he is so slow and limited with controlling and passing a football. No absolute guarantees we score more by having more of the ball of course but over 20 games it should help and perhaps even improve the style of play. I suppose not playing Soucek does perhaps mean us being less able to deploy the low block as his aerial ability in defence could be missed? So overall I am of the opinion that Phillips at his best will more than compensate for the loss of the painfully slow and technically limited footballer ( not as a person or team man that is never in doubt ) that Soucek is?"

[Nutsin]

Only issue I’d have with it is that our midfield would be all right footed. But I’d still be good with signing him. He’d definitely contribute. I bet he has a lot to prove too. Sure he’d want to get his England place back too.

[goose]

I’m not saying don’t replace Soucek. I’m saying you have to replace him with someone who offers something in the final 3rd. That person isn’t Phillips. There’s no point replacing him with an even more defensive player.

[Gaffer58]

"Always thought that Phillips at Leeds was the inferior version of Rice, trouble is he went to City where the best defensive midfielder in the world is playing, Rodri, and if he tried to play the attacking role he’s competing against KDB, so again only second best."

[fraser]

"Soucek shouldn't be anywhere near the starung11... I'd have both of those over him, a team that doesn't give the ball away and can pass it will always be more of an attacking threat"

[goose]

Being more of an attacking threat than Phillips isn’t difficult. He’s only ever scored one PL goal. Soucek is a much bigger attacking threat than JWP or Phillips.

[fraser]

So no Kudus and Paqueta not in his best position...

[Nutsin]

A diamond formation in midfield with Alvarez at the back and Paqueta at the front with Phillips and JWP in the middle would look good. I’d be up for that. Goose JWP is more of an attacking threat than Phillips.

[Stevethehammer]

"Fulham are after Trevor Chalabah, loan with option to buy. Can't help but think we should be looking at that kind of signing too. We have bought well from Chelsea over the years and what with Aguerd away with Morocco and the Greek with a mistake in him, having another option there would be ideal. Ogbonna has been okay but as the season progresses we need options and a loan would be decent."

[goose]

A quick look at JWP goals & assists from open play will tell you everything you need to know. There’s a good reason why he rarely plays in attacking roles.

[Meerkat]

"Would be handy if we got free kicks around the area , but for some reason we do not . Wonder if it has anything to do with our style of play ?"

[fraser]

"But Kudus is better than JWP as an attacking midfielder, Bowen is better on the right than he is up front. How about we buy players which enable us to play our best players in their best positions."

[Nutsin]

"Wiki again After starting his career as a box-to-box or central midfielder,[81] Phillips was converted into a defensive midfielder by Marcelo Bielsa before the start of the 2018–19 season.[81] He is known for his range of short sharp passing, long ball distribution and ability to start attacks whilst covering his defensive duties, with him described as a 'lynchpin'.[43] Marcelo Bielsa described his style ""He's very good at getting the ball and putting it into another space, a better space. He's very good when he has to cover the team when our full-backs go in attack. And when we are outnumbered, he is very good with his defending.""[82] Phillips was also converted into playing as a centre back under Bielsa.[83][84] For his similar style of play, Phillips was given the nickname ""Yorkshire Pirlo"" by Leeds fans in homage to Andrea Pirlo.[85][86] Pirlo himself has labelled Phillips a ""bit of a regista"",[87] the role for which Andrea was highly regarded himself.[88][89] Following his performance for England against Croatia at Euro 2020, he was described as “brilliant at finding little pockets of space that turn a simple passing move into a dangerous attack.”[90]"

[Nutsin]

"From wiki Mainly playing as a central midfielder, Ward-Prowse can also play as an attacking midfielder, right midfielder,[82] or right back.[83] He is particularly known for his skill and accuracy at taking free kicks,[84] and in February 2023 was described as ""one of the best ever"" set-piece takers.[85] He holds the Southampton record for Premier League free-kick goals, has the league's best free-kick conversion rate since 2003, when Opta started recording them,[86] and is considered one of the top set-piece specialists in the game.[87] Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola remarked that Ward-Prowse is ""the best free-kick taker I have seen in my life"".[88] Ward-Prowse is also acclaimed for his exceptional fitness levels and stamina; in 2021, he became the first Premier League player to play every single minute of two consecutive Premier League seasons.[89] He is known for celebrating his goals by mimicking a golf swing Playing him in a more attacking role or even have him and Phillips inter change would make our midfield formidable."

[fraser]

Oh and JWP isn't our best passer of the ball Paqueta is... He's not really an attacking midfielder he's probably best as an 8... He's definitely not a defensive midfielder he's fucking shit there..

[fraser]

"If we bought a left sided player and a striker Bowen could go back on the right, Kudus, Paqueta and Alvarez would make a brilliant midfield. Oh and according to a Lyon season ticket holder Paqueta played the majority of his last season there as an 8 and he said that was easily his best position. He did play as a 10 for Brasil but only when Neymar was out I believe..."

[Nutsin]

"JWP not an attacking threat ffs? He is the best crosser of the ball and passer of the ball we have, his link up play and ball distribution is far better than his tackling."

[RM10]

I’m certainly not getting excited about any signings we might get

[goose]

Why would you want to push JWP into an attacking role when that’s clearly not his game? If you’re going to replace Soucek it needs to be with someone who will contribute at that end of the pitch. That person is Phillips.

[goose]

Why would you want to push JWP into an attacking role when that’s clearly not his game? If you’re going to replace Soucek it needs to be with someone who will contribute at that end of the pitch. That person is Phillips.

[Nagel]

"""But Moyes bought Paqueta when he played as an 8 for Lyon and Brazil and then played him as a 10."" This gets bandied about on here constantly but it's just not true. Paqueta never played as an 8 for Brazil until the World Cup. They used to always use 2 DMs out of Guimares, Fred, Fabinho or Casemiro and Paqueta usually as a 10. He actually played more times for them as a LW than an 8 before the World Cup. Similar story at Lyon. He did play as an 8 probably half the time but never with a 10 in front of him, only when they played with a DM and two 8s, so he was still usually the most advanced CM. Personally I think the real issue was that too much pressure was put on Paqueta from the start to be the one providing the goals and assists and when that burden was taken off him a little then he improved and was able to play his natural game a bit more."

[marty feldman]

On a rival west ham site . Some idiot tried denying we could get mount . probably the most overrated player I've seen in years . The sexton Blake's couldn't wait to get shot . Says it all.

[Nutsin]

"Waste of time signing Phillips ffs? Shit you read on here. If he is available on a loan to buy you make it work. Even if it’s a straight up buy now deal ffs. He’s English he is good and would put Soucek on the bench more often than not, plus we can push JWP in a more attacking role. Offload some of the many dead wood we are carrying including Downes at the end of the season to help pay for it. Broja for $50 mill is taking the piss. But that is their starting offer, we should be able to bid them down though. Although even $40 mill is still too much."

[Lee Trundle]

"I don't really understand all the grief Cornet seems to be getting. He didn't play particularly well, but who did? And I didn't think he was anywhere near our worst player that night."

[Sir Alf]

*** Cornet’s first 90 mins ***