The Winter 2024/25 Transfer Thread

Certainly an ambitious call re Nunez, though costing £45m plus big wages wouldn't leave much change. There's been a lot of buzz around Tammy Abraham this week. He'd probably cost £17-20m but wouldn't be on quite as high a wage. At 27, he should be at the peak of his powers. Still think Cameron Archer is the most likely forward addition.

I think we can do better than Buendia, he hasn't cut it at Bayer Leverkusen and is now back languishing in the Astonvilla reserves. Eduard Spertsyan looks a more attractive proposition and would cost a similar transfer fee, c. £15m. If Gnonto continues to play as wonderfully as he did last week, we might end up very strong in that position.

I think we need to move on from Wober as spare CB, I'd try a sneaky £5m bid for Conrad Jaden Egan-Riley, and see if Spurs bite.

Kellerher does seem to be linked a lot to us, however Aaran Ramsdale will be available when Southampton go down. I'd think £13m could get him, I like that even more.

I'd like to keep Firpo but fear he's heading elsewhere. Dennis Cirkin has been mooted quite a bit, not as attacking but defensively stronger.

That leaves midfield. I really don't want to re-sign Kalvin Phillips. In the three years since he left, he's failed at three different clubs and been told he's fat. Even his final season at Leeds didn't reach the heady BIesla years. And Ampadu is younger, hungrier and club captain. As good as Rothwell has been this year, at 30 he won't have any re-sale value and you've got to ask why Bournemouth dont think he's good enough for them. I think we can aim better. I'd love to get Jobe Bellingham.

We would need to spend big IF we go up,a look at this year's PL table shows the gulf in class between Championship & PL.

At minimum we would need

1 goalie to replace Darlow & fight with Meslier for number 1

A left back & extend Firpo's contract

A center back, competition for Rodon/Strujic

DCM-upgrade on Gruev

Number 10-better than Aaronson

Sign Solomon & one more winger

Number 9-I like Piroe but don't think he would score much in PL

Bogle, Strujic,Rodon,James, Solomon,Ampadu & Tanaka are all good enough to play in PL.

Firpo,Rothwell,Joseph,Piroe & Ramazani would be decent PL squad players

"1 goalie to replace Darlow & fight with Meslier for number 1" - I agree with this. I know he's had some howlers but he's also a very good shot stopper and good distribution and is a big part of why we are top of the table. He's still only 24 and I think he would perform better in the premiership where he will have more to do. There's so many games where our outfield players have been so good, he's just a spectator. If Ipswich get relegated, might we worth doing a landgrab on Muric, might even get him for £5m.

"A left back & extend Firpo's contract" - I largely agree with this, Firpo works well with Solomon down the left and since January 2024 has stepped up his game. I don't want to spend much though on his cover, maybe 22 yera old export from one of the lesser European leagues, and I would like him to be equally adept as LB or RB. If De Winter signs, he can play both full backs as well as CB, so we would be well covered. Kyle Walker-Peters could be available on a free at RB.

"A center back, competition for Rodon/Strujic" - De Winter would be a great acquisition at CB and his versatility is an even better bonus. Ampadu also offers great cover in this position.

"DCM-upgrade on Gruev" - I did think that but when he plays, Gruev never lets us down and plays out of his skin. Farke really likes him. We also hae Charlike Crew in the background. It's Rothwell where I think we can do better. Yes, he would only cost £2m, he fits in well with our style of play. But he's 31, he would probably be a fringe player, he would have no resale value and it should be noted that Bournemouth don't think he's good enough to play in the premiership for them. I woud much rather we get Archie Gray back and I think he would be up for it, given his lack of game time and being used as a right back. We would have to pay £35-40m.

"Number 10-better than Aaronson" - think everyone is agreed on this, although Aaronson has done a stellar job this season and would need to be one of the first names coming off the bench next year. All expectations are on Spertsyan or Buendia being the likeliest targets. We've no chance for McAtee now.

"Sign Solomon & one more winger" - definitely with Solomon, probably get him for £8m. I still like Gnonto and would like to keep him if possible, he has massive potential and has plenty of trickery. But if he's unhappy, then let him go as he would fetch us a big transfer kitty. We might have to take Harrison back if nobody signs him.

"Number 9-I like Piroe but don't think he would score much in PL" - Yes, I think we need more assurance and fully expect us to be back in again for Cameron Archer, all indications are he wanted to come here. Harry Gray will definiely be in the mix next year, so probably need to find a buyer for Joseph leaving us with Archer, Piroe and Harry. I'd keep Bamford until Harry is up and running then loan him out.. Walker-Peters

Cheers, but this seems very odd, signing on loan for the U-21's ?

From what I read he joined City from the Leeds academy a while ago.

Surely his has to be with a view to get him on a permanent deal?

Otherwise this makes no sense.

Did we do the same with the Liverpool lad, Cannonier (who was also with us before)?

Don’t think we were ever interested in Armstrong, just Archer.

Agreed. I just wonder why we get so far into a negotiation and unsettle not only another club's player, but our own too.

By all accounts Archer was up for coming, hence he doesn't make the squad for their last game - but then Joseph says he'll go - he's happy to go back to Spain and now he's not got his move either.

In the mean time other clubs seem to just get on with it - how many new players have Blunts and Burnley brought in this month? I don't mind us being quiet in the sense that we're already good enough, but looking at Joseph's body language when he scored v Cardiff it feels like we have an unhappy striker now. Why didn't we just not bother chasing Archer?

There's too much 'noise' online to know what really happened. All we can say for sure is that we made a bid to loan Cameron Archer which was turned down. We don't know if any other bid was lodged, I suspect not as Farke and Kinnear's stated position was that they expected it to be a quiet transfer window, and that suggests to me that we were only interested in loans as per alst year when we only added Connor Roberts on loan. We then received a cash bid for Joseph which we turned down. What we also do know is that Farke had previously said no first teamers would be leaving unless there was silly money involved, so I'm inclined to believe that the bid by Real Betis for Joseph was unsolicited. But none of us can know for sure.

The other reason our windows are not overly active is because players we look at demand big wages to come here as they believe our 'big club status ' can afford it when really we can not which in-turn sees the deals fizzle out.

Rubbish.

They approached Rod Stewart yesterday and he wouldn't come to Elland Road either.

Oh, no - please, no! Really like him and still think he'll come good. Could come back to haunt us.

Is loan or permanent on the cards? Won't be so disappointed with the former if he's gonna get more game time.

I suspect it's a domino game.

Betis want some kid from Columbus Crew, but if that doesn't unfold they will take Joseph - he wants the move allegedly.

It also hinges on Archer arriving.

Afraid we're talking perm if it happens - we've knocked back £8M so far

yep 😏

20 years old and is only at the start of his real career. When he signed for us he believed he had made it (coaches said he lost that drive) and only over the past 6 months has he discovered that hard work is required to stay a professional. Good luck to the lad as he has the talent.

He cost £2m and we've sold him for a fraction of that. At least theres meant to be a substantial sell on fee.

Basically it has been since lat November that he has started playing like belonged in the men's game not just a youth star. Good luck to him.

Cameron Archer could add another string to our bow. Only 23, versatile, can play as a striker, number 10 or a winger, a former E u21. But would it be a loan or a perm?

Perm

Orta got some of them right....

updates to OP pending.

I gather he has been at Leeds before

I believe he was a ball boy.

It doesn't need an overhaul, it needs a few players who are better than what we already have. And it makes more sense to do it once we are promoted as we will be more attractive to players who don't want to play in the championship. I'd suggest a squad that could look like this.

GK - Meslier, New Signing (Trafford anybody)

RB - Bogle, New Signing who can also play LB (upgrade on Schmidt)

CB - Rodan

CB - Struijk, Wober

LB - New Signing (although I think Farke would like to keep Firpo)

CM - Ampadu, Gruev

CM - New SIgning (big upgrade on Rothwell), Tanaka, Crew/Gyabi

RW - James, Gnonto

S - New Signing, Joseph, Harry Gray

AM - New SIgning, Aaronson

LW - Solomon (he's really impressed me recently but equally happy to sign better), Ramazani

The key priorities being the Number 10, the CM upgrade of Rothwelll, the LB and competition for Meslier. And the long term integration of Crew and Gray (who is going to be a superstar).

Hm, perhaps not a complete overhaul, after all we've got the making of a pretty solid base. But obviously we'll need real quality additions in every department.

Beyond adding 3 -4 top players, we should take a look at the depth of the squad, at least in a couple of positions. For example, Just adding one striker and then relying on young Joseph (who thus far hasn't cut it at Championship level) and an even younger lad?

The thing that worries me big time, could/will be Farke's reluctance (hope I'm wrong) to look beyond those who (may) get us promotion.