Who do you want Summer 2020

[sacreblueits442]

9 hours ago, FoxFossil said:

Does anyone ITK have information on the owners and clubs financial position?

I have a nasty feeling the reason we didn't spend in January is 'cos we're not as rich as some on here like to think.

Covid will have hit King Power really hard and that is understandably the owners focus. We can't give away some of our previous signings, so very difficult to refresh squad. 

Brendan and players may well have met their bonus target already for this season (top 6?) and promises of rebuilding cash for next season have evaporated in light of Covid. 

Cash for Chillwell and anything we can get for Slimani will be the budget I guess. No CL will seriously undermine possible financial difficulties, as this may well have been relied on by BR. No wonder Brendan is floundering.

..lockdown happened in March not January!!!

  I suspect Rodgers did not envisage the need to spend on wide players or strikers at the time. Demiral was noticeable his target, prior to his injury. So long as clubs are still in European competition they are unwilling to release their top players, January is a difficult window to do business in.

  The potential loss of revenue if we fall to make the Champions league is huge.

 

[Steve Earle]

2 hours ago, jeffschlupp said:

Could well be the case.

 

I think it's always useful to look at the balance of a 25 man squad. I've included Knight here because he can be registered in the European squad when others can't:

GK: Schmeichel, Ward, Jakupovic. No change here but I can see them not registering Jakupovic for Europe to allow them to name another player.

FB: Ricardo, Justin, Chilwell, Fuchs. No change here. If Chilwell goes we would replace him with a non-club trained player which is one spot less in a European squad.

CB: Evans, Soyuncu, CB, Morgan. Bennett out, a new signing in.

MF: Ndidi, DM/Mendy, Knight, Choudhury, Praet, Tielemans, Maddison, AM. 7 players for three positions, plus a utility player in Knight (who replaces Amartey in that role). James leaves permanently or on loan.

WI: RW, Barnes, Albrighton, Perez. Really can't see either Albrighton or Perez leaving, five wide players would be overkill. Gray will be the one to go.

FW: Vardy, Iheanacho, possible striker. Rodgers has almost always had at least three recognised CFs in his squads up until this season. I'd be surprised if we didn't at least look for one.

 

That makes a group of 26, although if one of those players we bring in is born in 1999 or later, we can register everyone in the PL, and all but one (Jakupovic) for Europe.

 

It's obvious to me the character of player we should be looking at in each case:

CB: Younger player, probably no older than 23. Good aerial threat if possible (6ft3+). No more than £20m.

DM: Similar height to Ndidi, perhaps a similar age to Mendy. Composed on the ball. An Iborra/Carvalho type player. No more than £15m.

AM: Someone to add experience to what is quite a young set of midfield options. Lallana fits the bill here - a little more drive than some of our other options. Hopefully a free or cheap transfer.

RW: Someone with pace, power and dribbling ability to take the pressure off Ricardo in this respect. Definitely doesn't need to be in the Mahrez style necessarily. A player in the mould of Traore, Antonio, McNeil. Spend as much as you can here.

CF: Someone a little quicker than Iheanacho, but not necessarily a Vardy type. Edouard?

 

We're looking at a net spend there of probably £50m and upwards. It relies heavily on getting CL football, and even then I don't know if our COVID finances could realistically deal with that much spending.

Vey similar thoughts to mine. Luke Thomas is highly promising at LB and should be ready to step into the squad, replacing Fuchs, the following season. 

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Wes fifth choice CB after Benko, and we do need a fifth, even if its a Wes, Benko or Knight.

 

I've said that one of our midfield signings has to add muscle to the squad - so more a Carvalho type than a Lallana - but if Hamza develops and Mendy stays, maybe not. Lallana would be great, and could at a pinch play wide in a 3 as he has occasionally for England.

 

Five wide players wouldn't be overkill if the plan next season is more 4141/433, but the 5th has to offer versatility like Knight can in his roles. That could be Lallana? Move Albrighton on, keep Gray as 4th choice & query Perez (5th choice wide, 3rd choice ST?), add two more wide players, a starter at RW and one to compete with him and Harvey.

 

I havent watched the YouTubes on Edouard, but he sounds like a good possibility for the CF role. In which case you probably sell either Nacho or Perez?

[frany104]

52 minutes ago, Steve Earle said:

Vey similar thoughts to mine. Luke Thomas is highly promising at LB and should be ready to step into the squad, replacing Fuchs, the following season. 

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Wes fifth choice CB after Benko, and we do need a fifth, even if its a Wes, Benko or Knight.

 

I've said that one of our midfield signings has to add muscle to the squad - so more a Carvalho type than a Lallana - but if Hamza develops and Mendy stays, maybe not. Lallana would be great, and could at a pinch play wide in a 3 as he has occasionally for England.

 

Five wide players wouldn't be overkill if the plan next season is more 4141/433, but the 5th has to offer versatility like Knight can in his roles. That could be Lallana? Move Albrighton on, keep Gray as 4th choice & query Perez (5th choice wide, 3rd choice ST?), add two more wide players, a starter at RW and one to compete with him and Harvey.

 

I havent watched the YouTubes on Edouard, but he sounds like a good possibility for the CF role. In which case you probably sell either Nacho or Perez?

Based on our current wingers and levels of creativity, I think Lallana is a must. We’re so short of ideas in the final third he would walk into this starting 11.

[Tielemans63]

7 hours ago, Ashley said:

Won't happen. 

 

BR openly said in the Q&A at the King Power that he doesn't believe in Target Man/Men. 

 

Goes against his beliefs however did go on to say should he need someone to hold the ball up or win flick ons he would have put Maguire upfront for the last x amount of minutes. 

This is what bothers me about Brendan, he's too rigid in his approach. While I'd rather an LCFC manager was wedded to a passing game rather than hoofball, I feel like there are times when your principles need to go out the window- i.e when there's 10 minutes left of an FA cup QF and you're 1-0 down. If your passing game is causing absolutely 0 problems for the opposition then go long, go direct, just give them something different to think about. The game yesterday was over the minute Chlesea scored. They knew we'd huff and puff and keep working it out wide but ultimately not lay a glove on them. I don't like hoofball but I hate losing a lot more, just feel we're a bit powder puff at the moment, we're not physical enough.

Edited 29 June 2020 by Paddy.

[Steve Earle]

1 hour ago, frany104 said:

Based on our current wingers and levels of creativity, I think Lallana is a must. We’re so short of ideas in the final third he would walk into this starting 11.

I wouldn’t rule Lingard out either. Like Lallana can play both AM & wide. Think we’d be wiser to go for the more experienced (and cheaper) player though 

[fox_up_north]

I know it's crazy but the more I hear about Grealish being linked with clubs the more I think we're the type that suit him.

 

Latest gossip is Man City are looking at him but only if Sane goes. No way he gets in the team over Mahrez, Sterling or B Silva. Same with if he goes to Man United or Liverpool. He's clearly a committed lad or he'd have left Villa years ago but he's worked to get them promoted and try to stay up.

 

Maybe we could chance it and say - "we've got 4 players in the England squad in the last 5 years and you're a guaranteed starter".

 

He'd cost a bloody fortune though but I don't think a reputation as a club that gets you into the elite is a bad one, especially if we limit sales to one big one a year. 

 

Happy to be disagreed with on this. 

[Scotch]

19 minutes ago, fox_up_north said:

I know it's crazy but the more I hear about Grealish being linked with clubs the more I think we're the type that suit him.

 

Latest gossip is Man City are looking at him but only if Sane goes. No way he gets in the team over Mahrez, Sterling or B Silva. Same with if he goes to Man United or Liverpool. He's clearly a committed lad or he'd have left Villa years ago but he's worked to get them promoted and try to stay up.

 

Maybe we could chance it and say - "we've got 4 players in the England squad in the last 5 years and you're a guaranteed starter".

 

He'd cost a bloody fortune though but I don't think a reputation as a club that gets you into the elite is a bad one, especially if we limit sales to one big one a year. 

 

Happy to be disagreed with on this. 

I personally don't know if he would be worth what we would have to pay for him to be honest. He's a great talent but he would cost mega bucks!

[North Leeds Fox]

Looks like Hwang is going from Salzburg to Leipzeg to replace Werner. Shame as he would have been good at us. 

[Scotch]

1 hour ago, North Leeds Fox said:

Looks like Hwang is going from Salzburg to Leipzeg to replace Werner. Shame as he would have been good at us. 

That has to be a Red bull thing....

[Leicester_Loyal]

3 hours ago, fox_up_north said:

I know it's crazy but the more I hear about Grealish being linked with clubs the more I think we're the type that suit him.

 

Latest gossip is Man City are looking at him but only if Sane goes. No way he gets in the team over Mahrez, Sterling or B Silva. Same with if he goes to Man United or Liverpool. He's clearly a committed lad or he'd have left Villa years ago but he's worked to get them promoted and try to stay up.

 

Maybe we could chance it and say - "we've got 4 players in the England squad in the last 5 years and you're a guaranteed starter".

 

He'd cost a bloody fortune though but I don't think a reputation as a club that gets you into the elite is a bad one, especially if we limit sales to one big one a year. 

 

Happy to be disagreed with on this. 

I'd love him here, but can't see him not going to a bigger team than us. He'll either end up at City, United or Spurs. I reckon he'd probably cost about 40 million too.

[Leicester_Loyal]

3 hours ago, Steve Earle said:

I wouldn’t rule Lingard out either. Like Lallana can play both AM & wide. Think we’d be wiser to go for the more experienced (and cheaper) player though 

Dear lord no! We need goals and we need assists from our wide men. 0 goals and 0 assists in 20 games this season, and a total of 6 last season, Barnes has better stats and he's 22 in his debut PL season. Lingard's on about 100k a week too.

[Dan LCFC]

Yeah swerve Lingard. There is better.

[FOXYTALK]

Lingard is dog sh*te. 

[Steve Earle]

1 hour ago, FOXYTALK said:

Lingard is dog sh*te. 

He isn't. He needs to move away from Man U to revive his career for sure, but he's a top-half Premier league player, possibly top 6. But FWIW, I did conclude that Lallana would be a better 'fit' for us, and cheaper too...

[AjcW]

22 minutes ago, Steve Earle said:

He isn't. He needs to move away from Man U to revive his career for sure, but he's a top-half Premier league player, possibly top 6. But FWIW, I did conclude that Lallana would be a better 'fit' for us, and cheaper too...

What does being at Man Utd have to do with his talents?

I was watching their game the other day, and funny thing about the restart is so many players look different with new hair.... anyway I didn't realise Lingard was playing until I saw someone absolutely spanner a shot and realised who it was straight away.

 

No one should be that predictable...

[Steve Earle]

13 minutes ago, AjcW said:

What does being at Man Utd have to do with his talents?

I was watching their game the other day, and funny thing about the restart is so many players look different with new hair.... anyway I didn't realise Lingard was playing until I saw someone absolutely spanner a shot and realised who it was straight away.

 

No one should be that predictable...

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2020/jun/27/jesse-lingard-flashes-powers-faded-manchester-united-norwich

[matty98]

I think we need a real mix up out wide, happy for Barnes to stay but not bothered about the rest.

I'd like to see us bring in 2 or 3 wingers.

In: Benrahma, Sarr and Grealish.

Out: Albrighton and Gray, maybe Perez too.

[Fosse93]

Our defence and midfield is top 4 quality in my eyes, our attack is mid table at best. 

 

Vardy apart, we're not good enough in the final third. Barnes will get there I've no doubt but we really need a couple of top wingers this summer, we get them and we're good for a top 4 finish next season, at the very least. 

 

Sarr from Watford, Ferran Torres from Valencia or Saint-Maxim from Newcastle - take your pick, won't be cheap mind. 

[FOXYTALK]

2 hours ago, Steve Earle said:

He isn't. He needs to move away from Man U to revive his career for sure, but he's a top-half Premier league player, possibly top 6. But FWIW, I did conclude that Lallana would be a better 'fit' for us, and cheaper too...

He is. I'm sorry if we were to sign lingard I would question our aspirations as a club. He averages an assist or goal every 5 games. Doesn't scream intent to me. He is one that's happy to take his paycheck every week at united. Also at 27 he should be at his peak. 

[AKCJ]

We need two genuinely class wingers.

 

Two that can win games on their own like Mahrez would.

 

Barnes and Perez are great when the team is playing well but when we're struggling in a game it's almost like we're playing with 9 men.

 

It's difficult to say who would actually come to Leicester to play. I'd have Sarr from Watford if they were to get relegated. I'd also look to buy Mbuemo from Brentford and give him a season on loan there (if they come up).

 

£15m for Lucas Vazquez would be brilliant business for wide depth.

[jonthefox]

13 hours ago, Foxy_Bear said:

That has to be a Red bull thing....

It gives you Hwangs 

[AjcW]

3 hours ago, Steve Earle said:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2020/jun/27/jesse-lingard-flashes-powers-faded-manchester-united-norwich

Thank you Jonathan 

[Silebyfox_89]

Lingard doesn't fit our current transfer model (buy develop and sell on for profit), also been regressing for 18 months doesn't help. Also for a 100k you want a productive player and i just don't see that happening. Plus he sums up everything wrong in a modern day footballer (Jlingz brand etc....).

[Ric Flair]

3 hours ago, AKCJ said:

We need two genuinely class wingers.

 

Two that can win games on their own like Mahrez would.

 

Barnes and Perez are great when the team is playing well but when we're struggling in a game it's almost like we're playing with 9 men.

 

It's difficult to say who would actually come to Leicester to play. I'd have Sarr from Watford if they were to get relegated. I'd also look to buy Mbuemo from Brentford and give him a season on loan there (if they come up).

 

£15m for Lucas Vazquez would be brilliant business for wide depth.

Pereira on loan at West Brom, if for any odd reason West Brom fail to come up with the £8.25m by close of play today then we should offer Silva and Slimani in a straight swap, even cover 30% of both their wages for the rest of their contracts.

[Nick]

35 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Pereira on loan at West Brom, if for any odd reason West Brom fail to come up with the £8.25m by close of play today then we should offer Silva and Slimani in a straight swap, even cover 30% of both their wages for the rest of their contracts.

There’s no way FT could cope with two overlapping Pereira’s. Crazy talk.