Who do we need (Summer 2026)

[Finnegan]

16 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Everyone i've spoken to who's bread and butter is League One thinks midfield is where we look weakest which has surprised me. Apparently we need a proper bruiser and then a Braybrooke type.

 

I refuse to make any predictions at all or take anyone else's seriously until we see how Leicester are actually going to turn up and play week one. We have no idea where we stand until we play. 

 

Because tactics and the quality or experience of your players and everything else is just completely and totally irrelevant if the mentality isn't there. The last two seasons have been pure unfiltered dogshit in that department. 

 

If we play like a mixture of weak scared boys and lazy, demotivated, checked out prima donnas then nothing else matters. 

 

However, if we actually turn up and the players actually like Martin and play with some self belief, I don't think the usual squad building norms in League One apply to us. I think it'll be the Enzo season all over again where the entire league just collectively drops their guts and parks the bus when we roll up. 

 

We won't need a midfield bruiser anymore than Enzo needed one. That's why Enzo got away with having centre backs that couldn't defend with just Winks sat in front of them. 

 

If that's how it's going to be, we don't need a juggernaut in the middle we need someone that is amazing on the ball under pressure, has an excellent first touch, ice in their veins and can turn to beat the press. 

 

It's a huge amount to put on Braybrooke's shoulders but that's it. 

 

Edited 6 August by Finnegan

[jv1]

11 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Everyone i've spoken to who's bread and butter is League One thinks midfield is where we look weakest which has surprised me. Apparently we need a proper bruiser and then a Braybrooke type.

Honestly apart from the obvious goal scorer I think it’s where we are lightest to - braybrooke and page are more than good enough to play one of the 8s each game but I really don’t like skipp at all as our solid defensive mid - I trust Russel has already seen enough that he knows we need one - pretty sure we will be looking - reality of getting one in is completely different - did someone say morsey is on a free ? I know you would flip your lid but on a 1 year contract to give us a bit of bite maybe wouldn’t be worst but hoping we are looking at someone else on loan 

[Long Eaton Fox]

2 minutes ago, jv1 said:

Honestly apart from the obvious goal scorer I think it’s where we are lightest to - braybrooke and page are more than good enough to play one of the 8s each game but I really don’t like skipp at all as our solid defensive mid - I trust Russel has already seen enough that he knows we need one - pretty sure we will be looking - reality of getting one in is completely different - did someone say morsey is on a free ? I know you would flip your lid but on a 1 year contract to give us a bit of bite maybe wouldn’t be worst but hoping we are looking at someone else on loan 

We don't do 1 year contracts

[Scotch]

The biggest position i think we are going to have to look at is CB. 

 

At FB, Aluko, Joseph, Thomas, Woyo and McFarlane.

 

CM, Braybrooke, Page, Choudhury and Skipp (unless we can move on one of the latter two. 

 

#10, Cullen, Chaplin, Alves, Page

 

Wingers, Watson, Burns, Alves, Woyo and at LEAST one of Evans and Mavididi (unless someone is dumb enough to buy him)

 

ST, New Bosnian lad, Cullen and HOPEFULLY someone else. 

 

Which leaves CB. I suspect Okoli and Faes will both go on loan before the end of the window. Souttar will prob be sold and possibly Nelson too if he can get fit on time so that is at LEAST 3 new CB's. That is the biggest question mark for me. 

[Tommy Fresh]

Wouldn't say a bruiser is required when we're likely to have over 60% possession every week

[kingfox]

Finners is bang on, you know what to expect from a Russell Martin midfield, as much as some fans would like a bruiser type, having a Winks/Downes type is what will be required. I can understand why Russell is playing Skipp there atm, he performed that role at Norwich, just frustrating that we’ve never seen that form at Leicester. 
 

If he goes, then you’ll need a ball playing 6, it’s why I’ve advocated for Archie Collins all summer, there’s a couple of other free agents like Morsy and Tronstad who could also do that job. 
 

What we can’t be doing is playing Hamza in that position, you’ll need to stock up on incontinence pads if that ever happens.

[Ric Flair]

8 hours ago, kingfox said:

Finners is bang on, you know what to expect from a Russell Martin midfield, as much as some fans would like a bruiser type, having a Winks/Downes type is what will be required. I can understand why Russell is playing Skipp there atm, he performed that role at Norwich, just frustrating that we’ve never seen that form at Leicester. 
 

If he goes, then you’ll need a ball playing 6, it’s why I’ve advocated for Archie Collins all summer, there’s a couple of other free agents like Morsy and Tronstad who could also do that job. 
 

What we can’t be doing is playing Hamza in that position, you’ll need to stock up on incontinence pads if that ever happens.

I'm fascinated to see how League One is. As i've said, mates who follow that level have said it's the worst of the three EFL leagues for dirtiness and physicality. League Two the athleticism isn't there so any player like Braybrooke etc who can play and get about will prosper but in League One it's grim and the referees don't protect players at all.

 

Sounds like scare mongering to me but I would like to see one of Skipp or Hamza gone and ideally a 6ft + strong CM as we are such a small squad.

[Tuna]

Al Hamadi on loan worth a look?

[ClaphamFox]

2 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

I'm fascinated to see how League One is. As i've said, mates who follow that level have said it's the worst of the three EFL leagues for dirtiness and physicality. League Two the athleticism isn't there so any player like Braybrooke etc who can play and get about will prosper but in League One it's grim and the referees don't protect players at all.

 

Sounds like scare mongering to me but I would like to see one of Skipp or Hamza gone and ideally a 6ft + strong CM as we are such a small squad.

For some reason fans of League One clubs do tend to mythologize its physicality a bit. I'm not saying it's not a physical league, but the suggestion that it's some kind of uniquely unforgiving graveyard for technical players is overdone. There have been plenty of deep-lying playmakers of similar or smaller stature than Braybrooke who have thrived in League One—Massimo Luongo, Barry Bannan,  Tomoko Iwata, Paik Seung-ho, Ryan Wintle, etc. James Maddison built his reputation in League One before moving to the PL. Connor Hourihane was a similar player to Braybrooke and was captain of Barnsley when they got promoted to the Championship in 2016—presumably he'll have a few nuggets of wisdom to impart to Sammy.

 

I do worry a little bit about our ability to defend set pieces, so I agree another 6ft+ CM would be ideal. I also suspect that we'll get a lot of penalties and see a lot of opposition teams get red cards against us, as Birmingham City did when they got promoted in 24/25.

[FoxKent_88]

2 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

I'm fascinated to see how League One is. As i've said, mates who follow that level have said it's the worst of the three EFL leagues for dirtiness and physicality. League Two the athleticism isn't there so any player like Braybrooke etc who can play and get about will prosper but in League One it's grim and the referees don't protect players at all.

 

Sounds like scare mongering to me but I would like to see one of Skipp or Hamza gone and ideally a 6ft + strong CM as we are such a small squad.

I watched the league 1 playoffs. Standard of football was awful. Will be interesting to see how we cope with the aerial duels and set pieces - hardly something we're renowned for being good at. Harry Souttar staying would obvs be a huge bonus on the playing front if not financially.  

[kingfox]

3 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

I'm fascinated to see how League One is. As i've said, mates who follow that level have said it's the worst of the three EFL leagues for dirtiness and physicality. League Two the athleticism isn't there so any player like Braybrooke etc who can play and get about will prosper but in League One it's grim and the referees don't protect players at all.

 

Sounds like scare mongering to me but I would like to see one of Skipp or Hamza gone and ideally a 6ft + strong CM as we are such a small squad.

When it comes to lack of height, I’d like to see us eradicate that issue by signing a physical striker, along with 2-3 CB’s who have decent aerial ability alongside ball playing ability. 
 

When it comes to midfield in a Martin system, as we’ve seen with Enzo, we know what to expect. A ball playing 6 like Winks is one of the most crucial parts of the jigsaw, preferably I’d want a midfielder with a bit more defensive nous than Winks, but @ClaphamFox makes a great point of the type of players that have thrived at this level, Ryan Wintle last season being the prime example. 
 

If Skipp left for example and we signed Collins, this is what he’d give us…

[Bluearmyfox28]

14 hours ago, kingfox said:

Finners is bang on, you know what to expect from a Russell Martin midfield, as much as some fans would like a bruiser type, having a Winks/Downes type is what will be required. I can understand why Russell is playing Skipp there atm, he performed that role at Norwich, just frustrating that we’ve never seen that form at Leicester. 
 

If he goes, then you’ll need a ball playing 6, it’s why I’ve advocated for Archie Collins all summer, there’s a couple of other free agents like Morsy and Tronstad who could also do that job. 
 

What we can’t be doing is playing Hamza in that position, you’ll need to stock up on incontinence pads if that ever happens.

There’s a small part of me that believes Archie Collins hasn’t signed for anyone because we have a deal in place with him but trying to move Skipp out of the door first.

[mancunianfox]

7 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

I'm fascinated to see how League One is. As i've said, mates who follow that level have said it's the worst of the three EFL leagues for dirtiness and physicality. League Two the athleticism isn't there so any player like Braybrooke etc who can play and get about will prosper but in League One it's grim and the referees don't protect players at all.

 

Sounds like scare mongering to me but I would like to see one of Skipp or Hamza gone and ideally a 6ft + strong CM as we are such a small squad.

I watch quite a bit of Stockport County, a 35 year old Ollie Norwood can look like Pirlo in this division and Louie Barry was definitely too good for the division last year. The league isn't great and I'm not sure the physicality is that much different to the Championship. You've got a lot more teams trying to dominate the ball which is trickling down the divisions but not a lot who are actually good at it and a team good at pressing should be able to win the ball back easily from defenders and keepers who are not good with their feet. Quick or technical players do stand out but the latter need to be tougher as they will get fouled a lot - I'd like to see a bit more pace in our side but then teams are going to play very deep against us because I don't think they will have the ball all that much.

[kingfox]

Thoroughly expect Malachi Hardy or someone of his ilk to come in on loan before the Notts County game.

[Tuna]

Martin indicated we would be more active looking for a centre back with Nelson's injury, so I'd expect one to come in at least now.

[Bluearmyfox28]

1 hour ago, Tuna said:

Martin indicated we would be more active looking for a centre back with Nelson's injury, so I'd expect one to come in at least now.

If there is any funds left I would expect John Souttar, alternatively if they’ve been dried up then Malachi Hardy or Finley Burns on loan.

[Roosters boots]

Can see us going for someone on loan like Cashin from Brighton. CB on loan at Blackburn last season, been linked with us before especially with Nelson out  

[Stopharage]

Hear me out but I reckon we might need a striker or two. 

[FosseSpark]

If we dont get them in we will be middle table and on our third manager by January....

[kingfox]

Test Stockport and get a bid in for Kyle Wootton if we still have funds, a hard-working physical presence who knows where the net is at this level, plus he only has one year left on his contract.

 

You need some physicality and height at this level, this stat from last season proves it.

[moore_94]

18 minutes ago, kingfox said:

Test Stockport and get a bid in for Kyle Wootton if we still have funds, a hard-working physical presence who knows where the net is at this level, plus he only has one year left on his contract.

 

You need some physicality and height at this level, this stat from last season proves it.

Should be asking them about Ethan Pye as well

[kingfox]

1 hour ago, moore_94 said:

Should be asking them about Ethan Pye as well

His contract was coming up too, but he signed a new three year contract last week 

[FrankieADZ]

on cb's.....someone like FInley Burns(yr left on his deal at man city) or Tyler Bindon(2028 at nffc), can imagine you can get finley burns for under 500k and Bindon on loan

and in terms of a forward.....someone like Cameron Archer could be a decent one on loan...different sort of striker and with Southampton just about to get Mubama from Man City on loan...his time will be even more limited

[boosmanana]

On 02/08/2026 at 23:28, boosmanana said:

Think we're going to need at least 1 Centre Back, potentially more depending on outgoings. Done a bit of digging and analysis of stats, video footage etc and came up with these 2. Both would hopefully be attainable for £1.5m or under and presumably wouldn't command huge wages either. 

 

Julius Berthel Askou - 

 

Hakon Volden - 

 

 

Just to add to these after losing Nelson for the season, Souttar looking more likely to be leaving and Okoli being Okoli, I've continued to look for potential ball playing centre backs. 

 

Theo Eyoum - 

 

Marlon Junior - 

 

I think the first 2 would be my preference, but Eyoum looks pretty impressive too. Looks to be comfortable on the ball, athletic and aggressive which we'll need from our centre backs in the system we're utilising. 

[kingfox]

As we like shopping in Slovenia, Artemijus Tutyskinas - LCB.