[Albion] REALISTIC signings for next season?

schmunk said:

Fixed for you.

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blue-shifted said:

Can't think of a signing i'd less like us to make

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Stato said:

The talk of other investors seems to be based on the premise that Tony Bloom would actually want to throw money at big wage increases and transfer fees. It seems strange to say it, given how much money he has poured into the club, but he has repeatedly said that he wants the club to be as self sufficient as is possible. The way he has spent his investment supports his statement: large spends on infrastructure and on player development and worldwide scouting that seeks to discover, sign and add value to young players. The appointments of people like Ashworth and Potter seem tailored to build and develop this conveyor belt approach. A large capital investment on the playing side moves a club away from self sufficiency and saddles the organisation with outgoings that it can continue to maintain only if the capital investment is repeated. It also clogs the route to the first team for the players whose progress and eventual transfer could realise a return on the club's investment.

The Southampton model is the one he has mentioned as the aim. Huge investment on the playing side turns it into the Chelsea model, loads of brilliant young prospects, with little chance of a route into the first team. Hence Tariq Lamptey coming to us for a comparative pittance, Tammy Abraham wanting out and, the perpetually loaned, Ruben Loftus Cheek seemingly never destined to achieve his early potential. Some may ask what is wrong with this model if it leads to trophies and Champions League money. The answer seems to be that it is only sustainable if the large investment from rich individuals continues ad infinitum. When Abramovic goes, Chelsea either finds another sugar daddy or the house of cards comes crashing down.

Basically, my view is that if another investor came along and promised to buy us a lovely big fish, Tony Bloom would tell them: 'I could have bought fish if I'd wanted them. I've spent my money on rods and a rowing boat. I'm now building a salmon farm.'

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crodonilson said:

Villa supporting relative says Ahmed Elmohamady would be the perfect signing for us as they've outgrown him but would still do a job for a lower half EPL team and out of contract in the summer.

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um bongo molongo said:

Your relative sounds like an arrogant ****! If Grealish goes, Villa will be squarely a bottom half side next season. They look very average without him.

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Milano said:

In BBC gossip today Arsenal said to be willing to listen to offers for Nkiteh, he’d tick a lot of boxes for us, not the physical presence we need maybe but loads of pace and an eye for goal, we need that too.

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um bongo molongo said:

I do largely agree with this. However, Saints also bought Danny Ings, who is essential to them. There’s a strong argument that our side + Ings would be above Saints. So I don’t think this model precludes a wise investment in a goal scorer (especially one young enough to have resale value like an Abraham or Edouard).

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Stato said:

You're right and I think that Bloom will continue to sign players if he thinks that the deal helps us and suits us. The signing of Maupay and the bid for Nunez over the last two summers suggest this to be the case. I was just suggesting that a lack of additional investors is not what is holding us back.

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Robinjakarta said:

I think bottom half next season with or without Sockboy.

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Stato said:

The talk of other investors seems to be based on the premise that Tony Bloom would actually want to throw money at big wage increases and transfer fees. It seems strange to say it, given how much money he has poured into the club, but he has repeatedly said that he wants the club to be as self sufficient as is possible. The way he has spent his investment supports his statement: large spends on infrastructure and on player development and worldwide scouting that seeks to discover, sign and add value to young players. The appointments of people like Ashworth and Potter seem tailored to build and develop this conveyor belt approach. A large capital investment on the playing side moves a club away from self sufficiency and saddles the organisation with outgoings that it can continue to maintain only if the capital investment is repeated. It also clogs the route to the first team for the players whose progress and eventual transfer could realise a return on the club's investment.

The Southampton model is the one he has mentioned as the aim. Huge investment on the playing side turns it into the Chelsea model, loads of brilliant young prospects, with little chance of a route into the first team. Hence Tariq Lamptey coming to us for a comparative pittance, Tammy Abraham wanting out and, the perpetually loaned, Ruben Loftus Cheek seemingly never destined to achieve his early potential. Some may ask what is wrong with this model if it leads to trophies and Champions League money. The answer seems to be that it is only sustainable if the large investment from rich individuals continues ad infinitum. When Abramovic goes, Chelsea either finds another sugar daddy or the house of cards comes crashing down.

Basically, my view is that if another investor came along and promised to buy us a lovely big fish, Tony Bloom would tell them: 'I could have bought fish if I'd wanted them. I've spent my money on rods and a rowing boat. I'm now building a salmon farm.'

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um bongo molongo said:

I do largely agree with this. However, Saints also bought Danny Ings, who is essential to them. There’s a strong argument that our side + Ings would be above Saints. So I don’t think this model precludes a wise investment in a goal scorer (especially one young enough to have resale value like an Abraham or Edouard).

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crodonilson said:

He reckons DS is going to be given another 100m warchest this summer and Grealish is going nowhere.

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Machiavelli said:

I also agree that it was a great post from [MENTION=22849]Stato[/MENTION], and agree with you about Ings. That said, when they bought him, he'd suffered multiple long-term injuries, and it actually took a while to get him firing on all cylinders. From memory, it was just after Leicester put nine past them that he (and they) started to really deliver. At the time his purchase was somewhat of a gamble is all I'm trying to say, but there can't be m/any better goalscorers playing for a club in the bottom half of the PL.

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Machi said:

We really need to go for Paul Onuachu from Genk. He has everything what we are missing this season. Of course - he is not proven in top league but 29 goals in 33 games in Belgium Jupiler Pro are impressive.

We have thousands of crosses every single game but nobody to finish them. He is 6.5 ft, very strong, obviously great heading and....really clinical finish / COMPOSURE (something that none of our forwards have). Also very good technical skills like for this type of player. We have a good releations with Genk, also we could afford him.

I know, there is a risk but the same risk will be with every other striker on the market who cost +20M £.

If I would have to put my money I would go for him before is not too late.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4pYS0svoQA

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Hugo Rune said:

It’s quite clear that we don’t have a natural finisher at present (Connolly or Zeqiri might develop into one), I think you gain a massive insight into the player by how they miss. I’d love to see the chance he doesn’t bury to see if it’s bad luck of a lack of the instinctive finishing we are so insanely desperate for.

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