Who would you sign for each position?

RB - Coleman
CB - Marquinhos (but we need 2)
CM - Vidal (need 2)
Winger - Nani back please + Bale.
Striker - Don't need one unless Wilson is loaned, if we must then Ings.
 
Walrus said:
Fellaini has been arguably one of our best players this season. Just because you (and many others) dont like him, thankfully LvG disagrees.
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LvG uses him as he's the only physical CM we have, he even said his priority in the summer is a box to box CM.
 
I'd sell Fellaini, Evans, Valencia or Young, Hernandez, bring back Nani and obviously not bring back Falcao, and try to minimize the amount of change made, buying a couple superstars (even if the prices were astronomical) rather than a bunch of new players. The following guys stay:

-----Rooney----- (RVP, Wilson)
DiMaria-Mata-WF (Januzaj, Nani, Herrera, Rooney)
------Herrera---- (CM)
-----Blind-------- (Carrick)
Shaw--------Rafael (FB, Valencia/Young)
---CB--Smalling-- (Rojo, Jones)
------De Gea----- (Valdes, Young Goalie)

Then it's just about value and who we can get, depending on if they'll come, will their club sell and are we in the CL.

WF -Reus and if not him then Bale, and if neither Depay. We need goals from out wide. Sanchez would have been perfect, sadly.
CM - Koke, and if we get him he starts and Herrera/Mata fight for a place. Verrati would be worth a massive bid, too.
CB - Laporte is already solid and at his age will only improve.
FB - A player who can cover both sides and doesn't get hurt. Tempted to say Darmian after this summer but I don't really ever watch Torino. Clyne is good enough too if we think he'll stay healthy.

Then see how we do and in the summer of 2016, replace Carrick with a CM who can compete with Blind and RVP with a new 2nd or 3rd striker depending on how Wilson's development goes. If Smalling or Jones haven't stepped up, sell one and replace with a new CB.

I'll add that despite the last paragraph, though I haven't seen Malaga much this year, Ignacio Camacho is now in the Spain squad as a midfielder, aged 24 and not at a CL club and so should be signed immediately since it really can't go too wrong.

More likely, we'll have to shop a bit less ambitiously, so I'd be very happy with a summer of young talent like Depay, Kovacic, Laporte, Darmian/Clyne and if we take 2-3 years to build, that's fine. Everyone but Di Maria and Rooney that I think will be good enough to start for a treble-fighting side on the team (De Gea, Herrera, Shaw, Rafael, Januzaj) are under 24 anyways.
 
Realistically I would go for these

RB/LB- Aaron Creswell (I know he is an ex dipper but has been very impressive every time I have seen West Ham play). Shouldn't cost more than 12mil
CB-Ryan Shawcross, about time we brought him back. Bags of experience, tough as nails, a proven leader, would be a decent option to have. Shouldn't cost more than 15mil
CM- Moussa Sissoko, a quality underrated player. Shouldn't cost more than 18mil. Plus get someone like De Jong in on a free
Winger-Depay, 21mil?
ST-None
 
Eto'odinho said:
Realistically I would go for these

RB/LB- Aaron Creswell (I know he is an ex dipper but has been very impressive every time I have seen West Ham play). Shouldn't cost more than 12mil
CB-Ryan Shawcross, about time we brought him back. Bags of experience, tough as nails, a proven leader, would be a decent option to have. Shouldn't cost more than 15mil
CM- Moussa Sissoko, a quality underrated player. Shouldn't cost more than 18mil. Plus get someone like De Jong in on a free
Winger-Depay, 21mil?
ST-None
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Too depressing, not enough upside. Stewart Downing could fit this list.
 
NoPace said:
Too depressing, not enough upside.
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We have got to be realistic and stop pissing money down the drain. They may not be the names that immediately spring to mind but they would be pragmatic signings. Players with tons of experience, and pretty much made for the Premier League
 
Eto'odinho said:
We have got to be realistic and stop pissing money down the drain. They may not be the names that immediately spring to mind but they would be pragmatic signings. Players with tons of experience, and pretty much made for the Premier League
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I think some of those signings would be pissing money down the drain.
 
NoPace said:
I think some of those signings would be pissing money down the drain.
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That's a risk associated with any transfer but it is better hedged with those signings than bringing in expensive exports with relatively limited experience of the rigours of the Premier League. I have seen some names bandied about here with plenty of questions marks about them: Dyabala (he is a lightweight kick and run merchant who is only really coming into his own this season and in an accommodating Serie A), Vietto (hasn't he just arrived in Europe?), Lacazette (Aulas would demand an arm and a leg for him)
 
Silverman said:
I feel we need a RB, CB, CM, winger and striker. We may need more than one in certain positions but I was just wondering who everyone would pick if the could only choose one.
Try and pick players we have been linked with. (No Messi's or Suarez's etc)

RB - Clyne
CB - Godin
CM - Pogba
Winger - Depay
Striker - Dybala
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Pogba will never happen. No idea about a striker. I would be happy with Godin and Clyne though. Definitely not Strootman.
 
Eto'odinho said:
That's a risk associated with any transfer but it is better hedged with those signings than bringing in expensive exports with relatively limited experience of the rigours of the Premier League. I have seen some names bandied about here with plenty of questions marks about them: Dyabala (he is a lightweight kick and run merchant who is only really coming into his own this season and in an accommodating Serie A), Vietto (hasn't he just arrived in Europe?), Lacazette (Aulas would demand an arm and a leg for him)
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I think the aim is to go up the league table, not down.
 
Eto'odinho said:
Realistically I would go for these

RB/LB- Aaron Creswell (I know he is an ex dipper but has been very impressive every time I have seen West Ham play). Shouldn't cost more than 12mil
CB-Ryan Shawcross, about time we brought him back. Bags of experience, tough as nails, a proven leader, would be a decent option to have. Shouldn't cost more than 15mil
CM- Moussa Sissoko, a quality underrated player. Shouldn't cost more than 18mil. Plus get someone like De Jong in on a free
Winger-Depay, 21mil?
ST-None
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What in the name of feck? Apart from Depay thats a terrible list
 
Eto'odinho said:
We have got to be realistic and stop pissing money down the drain. They may not be the names that immediately spring to mind but they would be pragmatic signings. Players with tons of experience, and pretty much made for the Premier League
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Realistically, we have a lot more money to spend then you've outlined there, we can attract better players than those you've listed and we need to attract better players than those you've listed.
 
RB - Coleman
CB - Varane
CM - Modric
Winger - Robben/Bale
Striker - Lewandowski
 
Koke would be the dream signing for me. Versatile enough to play on the flanks with his technique and pinpoint deliveries but his future is surely in central midfield. Perfect composition of technique, graft, physicality, vision and the gritty mentality to top it all off. Could probably play in just about any midfield (pivot, trio, diamond etc) as well, with his all round game and versatility. Something LVG will appreciate surely.

Granted, it's not the most feasible of signings and we'd have to do one heck of a job convincing him to leave Atletico and part with a huge fee on top of it (probably less than the fees touted for Pogba and I rate him above Pogba). He just signed a new contract at the start of this season iirc, which makes it all the more harder.

Real have a stacked midfield and probably won't do business with Atleti, Barça have the transfer ban to contend with and several other clubs have FFP issues as well. Probably won't happen but one can muppet.

Godin for the CB spot. He is 29 but quite simply the best defender in the world imo and would be great.
 
I'm not sure about Clyne, I like Godin because he is a leader, Not sure about CM tbh Pogba's ideal but unlikely, possibly Schneiderlinn. I do think we need to wingers, Depay and one other to add to Nani returning. I like the look of Dybala for the striker role.
 
Whilst Pogba would add the drive and flair that is sorely lacking from our midfield I don't think he's the solution to our midfield troubles. He does have the stamina and physicality but I do find his defensive work, discipline and graft lacking at times.

He's more of a Y.Toure than a Matic type player, when it's the latter type (or someone veering more towards it) our midfield is crying out for to supplement our creative midfielders and bring balance to it. It's about time we signed that industrious box to box who can both graft intensely whilst being good on the ball to beast midfield battles. Strootman was supposed to be that guy but injuries look to have wrecked him for now and Koke suits the bill more than Pogba imo.
 
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Joga Bonito said:
Koke would be the dream signing for me. Versatile enough to play on the flanks with his technique and pinpoint deliveries but his future is surely in central midfield. Perfect composition of technique, graft, physicality, vision and the gritty mentality to top it all off. Could probably play in just about any midfield (pivot, trio, diamond etc) as well, with his all round game and versatility. Something LVG will appreciate surely.

Granted, it's not the most feasible of signings and we'd have to do one heck of a job convincing him to leave Atletico and part with a huge fee on top of it (probably less than the fees touted for Pogba and I rate him above Pogba). He just signed a new contract at the start of this season iirc, which makes it all the more harder.

Real have a stacked midfield and probably won't do business with Atleti, Barça have the transfer ban to contend with and several other clubs have FFP issues as well. Probably won't happen but one can muppet.

Godin for the CB spot. He is 29 but quite simply the best defender in the world imo and would be great.
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Koke would be a dream signing no doubt. He's built for the english game. Unfortunately he's probably the only Atletico player out of our reach. Everyone else is 'gettable' imo. Even Godin.
 
RB - Danilo
CB - Hummels
CM - Geis
W - Sterling
ST - Vietto

de Gea
Danilo - Smalling - Hummels - Shaw
di Maria - Geis - Herrera - Sterling
Rooney - Vietto​
 
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CB: Hummels
RB: Clyne
CM: Pogba
W: Depay
FW: Bale

de Gea
Clyne - Smalling - Hummels - Shaw
Blind
Pogba - di Maria
Bale - Rooney - Depay

Subs: Valdes, Rojo, Carrick, Herrera, Mata, Januzaj, Wilson
​
One can dream.
 
CB: Hummels
RB: Clyne
CDM: Geis
CM: Schneiderlin
LW: Depay

De Gea
Clyne Jones Hummels Shaw
Geis
Schneiderlin Di Maria
Nani Rooney Depay

Valdes
Rafael Smalling Rojo Blind
Carrick
Januzaj Fellaini Herrera Young
vPersie

Lindegaard, Valencia, Wilson
​
 
Eto'odinho said:
Realistically I would go for these

RB/LB- Aaron Creswell (I know he is an ex dipper but has been very impressive every time I have seen West Ham play). Shouldn't cost more than 12mil
CB-Ryan Shawcross, about time we brought him back. Bags of experience, tough as nails, a proven leader, would be a decent option to have. Shouldn't cost more than 15mil
CM- Moussa Sissoko, a quality underrated player. Shouldn't cost more than 18mil. Plus get someone like De Jong in on a free
Winger-Depay, 21mil?
ST-None
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This is better than my list.
 
Eto'odinho said:
That's a risk associated with any transfer but it is better hedged with those signings than bringing in expensive exports with relatively limited experience of the rigours of the Premier League. I have seen some names bandied about here with plenty of questions marks about them: Dyabala (he is a lightweight kick and run merchant who is only really coming into his own this season and in an accommodating Serie A), Vietto (hasn't he just arrived in Europe?), Lacazette (Aulas would demand an arm and a leg for him)
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Dybala isn't a kick and run merchant in the slightest, he's very skillful, and while he's not big built he has wiry strength like Sterling when he's one on one with bigger players. The players you listed would see us stuck circling the top 6 and hurt our club brand which like it or not is a big part of modern football.
 
Joga Bonito said:
Koke would be the dream signing for me. Versatile enough to play on the flanks with his technique and pinpoint deliveries but his future is surely in central midfield. Perfect composition of technique, graft, physicality, vision and the gritty mentality to top it all off. Could probably play in just about any midfield (pivot, trio, diamond etc) as well, with his all round game and versatility. Something LVG will appreciate surely.

Granted, it's not the most feasible of signings and we'd have to do one heck of a job convincing him to leave Atletico and part with a huge fee on top of it (probably less than the fees touted for Pogba and I rate him above Pogba). He just signed a new contract at the start of this season iirc, which makes it all the more harder.

Real have a stacked midfield and probably won't do business with Atleti, Barça have the transfer ban to contend with and several other clubs have FFP issues as well. Probably won't happen but one can muppet.

Godin for the CB spot. He is 29 but quite simply the best defender in the world imo and would be great.
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I agree on Koke and we could no doubt pay his buyout easily enough, but he'd have to want to leave and I given his status there and the fact he's Atletico born and bred may mean he wont want to leave.
 
Joga Bonito said:
Koke would be the dream signing for me. Versatile enough to play on the flanks with his technique and pinpoint deliveries but his future is surely in central midfield. Perfect composition of technique, graft, physicality, vision and the gritty mentality to top it all off. Could probably play in just about any midfield (pivot, trio, diamond etc) as well, with his all round game and versatility. Something LVG will appreciate surely.

Granted, it's not the most feasible of signings and we'd have to do one heck of a job convincing him to leave Atletico and part with a huge fee on top of it (probably less than the fees touted for Pogba and I rate him above Pogba). He just signed a new contract at the start of this season iirc, which makes it all the more harder.

Real have a stacked midfield and probably won't do business with Atleti, Barça have the transfer ban to contend with and several other clubs have FFP issues as well. Probably won't happen but one can muppet.

Godin for the CB spot. He is 29 but quite simply the best defender in the world imo and would be great.
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Koke is wonderful, and you're right that he could play in literally any formation. If we only signed him among front 6 players, I'd be really curious to see how far a team of:

------Rooney-----
DiMaria-Mata-Koke
---Blind--Herrera

would do with everyone running around and linking up. Might suit Januzaj too in the coming years as the 10 if he looks to go wide frequently and Di Maria and Koke can hit the gaps created when Rooney and he move around.

In terms of where he would go, I have a suspicion that Guardiola may want Koke now that Thiago Alcantara is a crock. Bayern have to buy somewhere, and it won't be at CB with Badstuber back and Benatia not even playing much. They'll do something this summer, and they're flush with attacking talent. I could see them just spending big on Koke and not doing much else buy some young talent type.

Or Barca will just get him in 2016 when the ban is lifted. They'll need someone to replace Iniesta and Xavi and play in the middle with Busquets and a 3rd man, be it Rafinha or Rakitic. Neither of those guys seems like game controlling types, so unless that Samper fellow is the business right away, I think they'll be in the market for someone with an elite pass and move game. The names that jump out to me on that score are Koke, Modric, Verrati, Thiago and if they hits their potential, Kovacic and Oliver Torres.

I think Atletico should just keep Koke and start focusing on how they can get a sort of reverse plan B going whereby they play a more traditional pass and move game. Most big teams play nice, expansive football and need to get tougher and more solid in some bigger games. Atletico need to do the opposite and win more games against the middle and Europa league-esque sides. Bring back Oliver Torres and let him and Koke control the midfield in front of a DM with Griezmann as a goal threat from wide, a 9 and either Arda Turan or a new signing on the other wing.
 
@ctp do you support United or just follow them? Just curious, had you pegged down as a Bayern supporter.

Devil may care said:
I agree on Koke and we could no doubt pay his buyout easily enough, but he'd have to want to leave and I given his status there and the fact he's Atletico born and bred may mean he wont want to leave.
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Yeah like I said it probably won't happen, at least any time soon. However, you never know really. Atletico haven't been great this season and have struggled to replace key individuals who left last season (F.Luis, Costa and Courtois). Besides their key players such as the impregnable duo Godín-Miranda and Juanfran are approaching their 30s, with the likes of Gabi and Tiago into their thirties. They are also a selling club and don't mind selling players if the price is right. They've done well to replace them in general but it does affect the stability and continuity of the first team.

Atletico do have promising young players potentially breaking through like Niguez, Jimenez and Oliver Torres with the youngish Griezmann already quite an established player, which should help in the long run. However, I do think they'll struggle to hit the impressive heights that they did the past few seasons, sadly enough.

So who knows, Koke might feel it is time to move on in the near future to further his career or stay loyal to Atletico and reject the overtures of other clubs (like he did with Barça last transfer window). Hopefully the former if there's any chance of him coming here. He'd be perfect for our midfield :(.
 
@NoPace Yeah Guardiola will be keen on him with Schweinsteiger aging, Alonso more of a stop gap measure given his age and esp with Martinez and Thiago having their fair share of injury problems. Hopefully he rates Hojbjerg and Gaudino highly enough to not go big for a CM.
 
Joga Bonito said:
@ctp do you support United or just follow them? Just curious, had you pegged down as a Bayern supporter.
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German doesn't always equal Bayern fan. Some people might take offence, you know. Not me, mind. I mainly support Mainz, but I have English family and '99 is the first big final I remember watching so I've liked United for a long time, too.
 
ctp said:
German doesn't always equal Bayern fan. Some people might take offence, you know. Not me, mind. I mainly support Mainz, but I have English family and '99 is the first big final I remember watching so I've liked United for a long time, too.
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Apologies. I do follow Bundesliga and the Bundesliga thread at times. I remember you (or confusing you with someone else here) making a detailed post on Bayern there and I wrongly assumed that you were a Bayern fan. It's nice to have different club fans here and it adds to the diversity overall. Besides following Bayern should be boring anyway :p.
 
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