Your Hidden Gems or under the radar - Wanted Signings

Some thoughts on the names so far I have takes on:

Mitrovic - Contract up in 2024, so buying him cheap after next season to replace Cristiano as our physical #9, backing up a faster 9 would make sense. Ten Hag did that with Tadic playing as a 9 in Europe but lots of Dolberg and Huntelaar in the league one year. If we're actually able to peg teams back, he'd make sense as one of our 2 9s along with a reformed Rashford or more likely some new signing this summer or next like Gnabry, David or Shick or some other big money type.

Pino - Has some Antony in him in that he's good out wide and farther from goal at helping build up. Bit close in age to Pellistri, Elanga or Amad though, so I'd guess we go with a prime left-footed player there now like Antony or Raphinha and have them start while those guys develop.

Ramsey - Similar to Gravenberch in that he can dribble from a sort of half-space midfield position, but I think Villa would want like 80M or some insane number, unless we can somehow tempt Gerrard with like Wan-Bissaka to replace Cash or Harry Maguire or something insane.

Celik - Looked awful for Turkey at the World Cup. I'm against it.

Alvarez - Does have the size and mobility combination to be a Fabinho type, but not a huge part of their buildup which is a bit annoying. On the other hand, he's a DM that Ten Hag trusts and if we can't get Tchouameni this makes sense as his big Ajax signing along with maybe one of Timber or Antony.

Darder- Lovely player the few times I've seen him. Probably not up for it physically and he's 28 and seems to have found a good home in Espanyol after struggling with depression, so I think he might reject the move, but as a Schone type he might improve us.
 
Calvin Ramsay, at Aberdeen, reminds me of a young Dennis Irwin in many ways. Liverpool, Leeds and quite a few other clubs looking at him.
 
@SparkedIntoLife

It's interesting you mention Souleymane Isaak Toure. He looks a very interesting prospect as a left footed ball playing CB. He recently turned 19 and is currently playing at Le Havre in the French second tier and his club has thus far rebuffed attempts from both RB Leipzig and Dortmund to sign him according to reports.

I think he'll need to make a move to someone like a Dortmund, Leipzig/Lyon, Monaco before he's ready for a big club. But I think he definitely has potential to be a top player for a big club someday. He's quick, athletic, technically sound, and around 6'6 tall at 19 years of age.

 
Seeing as alot of the most obvious signings have been mentioned I'll throw out a punt/really stretch signing

Octavian Popescu
Romanian - 19 Years Old - Current Club FCSB
Position - Wide Playmaker - Mainly AML
Estimated Proce - 6 Million Euros

Two footed, can both play a pass and comfortable having a pop from distance. Good positioning just needs to work on his defensive game and bulk up if possible and could be a decent player there. He's arguably the best potential player in the Romanian League. If Ten Haags coaching skill is as good as his backers say there could be potential here for a decent pick up even if its not really a priority position.

 
Adnan said:
@SparkedIntoLife

It's interesting you mention Souleymane Isaak Toure. He looks a very interesting prospect as a left footed ball playing CB. He recently turned 19 and is currently playing at Le Havre in the French second tier and his club has thus far rebuffed attempts from both RB Leipzig and Dortmund to sign him according to reports.

I think he'll need to make a move to someone like a Dortmund, Leipzig/Lyon, Monaco before he's ready for a big club. But I think he definitely has potential to be a top player for a big club someday. He's quick, athletic, technically sound, and around 6'6 tall at 19 years of age.

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It makes sense in many ways. Rangnick is alleged to have said that Maguire isn't good enough but selling him at a huge loss at this point wouldn't be wise. I think we'll keep him at least til January and hope he has a redeeming World Cup to boost his value. As it appears like Jones and possibly Bailly are leaving, bringing in a young centre back to grow for a year as a backup outside of the pressure of starting every week makes sense. One would hope the likes of Isaak Toure would now firmly be on the radar thanks to Rangnick and Ten Hag pushing forward less obvious, smart signings.

I actually believe Lindelof will profit from Ten Hag's appointment and will thrive in his system. So Lindelof and Varane to start, Maguire to rotate in and out a bit and Isaak Toure to pick up minutes occasionally while bedding in before Maguire's sold in January after the WC.
 
Not a hidden gem, but I think Houssem Aouar would flourish here. Lovely player.
 
(...) said:
A few young guys from ligue 1 that would be perfect for you :
- RB : Malo Gusto from Lyon. Still raw and young but he has everything you want in a modern fullback. Not sure if Aulas is going to accept offers so soon in his career but Lyon is going to need money and besides Paqueta and Caqueret they don't have a lot of players with resell value.
- RW-ST : Mohamed Ali Cho. Once again young and raw but he'd be the perfect replacement for Martial. I'm convinced he's going to make it at the top level once he plays for a more attacking side than Angers.
- LW-AM : Sofiane Diop. Very gifted attacking midfielder, can do everything with the ball at his feet. Not the fastest or strongest but a really smart player.
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Interesting name…
 
We have quite a few young players who could be hidden gems with the right coaching. Hope Ten Hag spots this and give them a chance.
 
Has Calvin Ramsay shown he’s a better prospect than Ethan Laird ? I agree with Aaron Hickey on the left as he’s shown his talent for a couple of years and would be good back up to Shaw but I’d rather Laird be back up to our first choice right back.
 
We can add Olise to the 'not exactly a hidden gem but' pile of posts. He apparently has a pretty low release clause?

 
I have no real names to contribute, but I’ll be fascinated to see if any of you have genuinely spotted a real star in the making. Doubtless you’ll be quick to let us know if you do. :)
 
WeePat said:
We can add Olise to the 'not exactly a hidden gem but' pile of posts. He apparently has a pretty low release clause?

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Feels like that will be met in the summer of 2023 by someone if he pushes on next year, as he's a proper left-footer RW who can cross.

Wonder if Palace would do 10M and Wan-Bissaka?
 
davidmichael said:
Has Calvin Ramsay shown he’s a better prospect than Ethan Laird ? I agree with Aaron Hickey on the left as he’s shown his talent for a couple of years and would be good back up to Shaw but I’d rather Laird be back up to our first choice right back.
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He's cemented a starting place in the SPL at 18. He's a very different player to Ethan and more able to not get injured. Hard to compare the 2, reminds me a lot of Irwin in his reading of the game and movement around the pitch. Ethan is far more explosive and flamboyant. Wouldn't be a bad thing having both of them competing for a starting berth.
 
Cutch said:
Calvin Bassey - Rangers. 22 yo left sided defender. Looks a beast
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Agreed. He plays LB or is equally adept at CB, relentless energy and isn't fazed by big match occasions. A freebie from Leicester who will go on to have a stellar career.
 
Red_toad said:
He's cemented a starting place in the SPL at 18. He's a very different player to Ethan and more able to not get injured. Hard to compare the 2, reminds me a lot of Irwin in his reading of the game and movement around the pitch. Ethan is far more explosive and flamboyant. Wouldn't be a bad thing having both of them competing for a starting berth.
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Is cementing a place at Aberdeen a better thing than cementing a place at Swansea then being a squad player at Bournemouth who’ve just been promoted to the PL ? I’m not knocking Ramsay or doubting his talent but just questioning if we’d need to sign a young talented right back with lots of potential when we’ve already got one in Laird then also Jurado who’s the same age as Ramsay ?
 
davidmichael said:
Is cementing a place at Aberdeen a better thing than cementing a place at Swansea then being a squad player at Bournemouth who’ve just been promoted to the PL ? I’m not knocking Ramsay or doubting his talent but just questioning if we’d need to sign a young talented right back with lots of potential when we’ve already got one in Laird then also Jurado who’s the same age as Ramsay ?
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Hard to say which achievement is better, as both played for different clubs. Competition is what the squad needs. Laird is worryingly fragile, Ramsey is a composed & solid performer, like I said an Irwin type player who just plays well week in/out, at 18 that’s very impressive.
 
NoPace said:
Feels like that will be met in the summer of 2023 by someone if he pushes on next year, as he's a proper left-footer RW who can cross.

Wonder if Palace would do 10M and Wan-Bissaka?
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I don't think Palace would take AWB back unless you paid them. I have a few of their fans in my social circle and none of them think he would be good enough for them now.

On Olise though, he bounced around different academies before finding a home in Reading, but he spent the longest time at Cobham which should be enough class him as yet another Cobham product, and such we should be bringing the lad home where he belongs :D
 
bucky said:
Kouadio Koné, CM/DM, from Gladbach. Horrible season for the team, but he has looked very talented especially as of late.

Cheick Doucouré, Lens. Mentioned him a few times, holding midfielder, with good passing, positioning and as well as knack for dribbling/carrying the ball forward.

Vanderson, RB/RW for Monaco. 20 years old, looks very talented, good going forward with good passing.

Nicolás Domínguez, CM/DM for Bologna. Noticed him while watching Hickey, who has also looked promising, solid passing, good workrate.

Quentin Merlin, LB, 19 years old playing for Nantes. Great name, good passing, doesn't lose the ball much, good at dribbling/carrying the ball forward.

Warmed Omari, CB, 22 years old playing for Rennes. Excellent when it comes to aerial duels, very good passing.
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I like this list a lot and hope we bring in one or two. Kone or Doucoure look interesting. It will be great if we start solving our problem issues for fees leas than £40m a player.
 
Loon said:
I have no real names to contribute, but I’ll be fascinated to see if any of you have genuinely spotted a real star in the making. Doubtless you’ll be quick to let us know if you do. :)
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Define spot a star in the making because you can watch a youth match and it's very easy to spot the best talents. That's doesn't mean i spotted them though since they are already highly rated or are you talking more under the radar. As in see a player you like but not dubbed to go to the top but does end up doing so or am i completely over thinking this?
 
CraftySoAndSo said:
Define spot a star in the making because you can watch a youth match and it's very easy to spot the best talents. That's doesn't mean i spotted them though since they are already highly rated or are you talking more under the radar. As in see a player you like but not dubbed to go to the top but does end up doing so or am i completely over thinking this?
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Haha! You’re probably overthinking it, mate, but I mean someone who goes on to become an elite player, I guess.
 
WeePat said:
I don't think Palace would take AWB back unless you paid them. I have a few of their fans in my social circle and none of them think he would be good enough for them now.

On Olise though, he bounced around different academies before finding a home in Reading, but he spent the longest time at Cobham which should be enough class him as yet another Cobham product, and such we should be bringing the lad home where he belongs :D
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It sounds like Palace want him on loan, probably because they rated him and he does seem like he's not part of the problem here from a locker room standpoint, think they have 2 quality backups but no starter in Clyne and Ward.

But my guess is Vieira agrees with you and those fans and he wants a better passer because he's trying to take them from Hodgson-ball to a classic 4-3-3 possession side.
 
Gianluca Scamacca - 6’5 , italian striker for Sassuolo
Strong as an ox, so he holds the ball up very well, puts himself about a fair bit which has lead to him picking up 7 yellow cards in 33 games, scored 13 goals. I think He would be much more likely to be content to play 2nd fiddle for a season behind Ronaldo than Nunez would be.
 
AneRu said:
I like this list a lot and hope we bring in one or two. Kone or Doucoure look interesting. It will be great if we start solving our problem issues for fees leas than £40m a player.
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Thank you. I still hope that we bring in more well known young players like Tchouaméni or Nkunku, since the players on my list would need more time to adapt, but I'm fairly confident that Koné, Doucouré and Vanderson would be good signings.
 
Cheick Doucoure, 22, Lens, MC

Wrote about him here:
https://www.redcafe.net/threads/wha...a-the-never-ending-story.440780/post-28807883


Borna Sosa, 24, Stuttgart, LB

If you want your left-back to overlap, stay high and be your creative output, Sosa is your guy. Very good technically, very good crossing ability. Reasonable, his defensive numbers are not good but his offensive numbers such as assists, shot-creating actions, progressive passes and carries rank him among the best creative fullbacks in Europe. If Stuttgart gets relegated, he should be available for cheap.


Lovro Majer, 24, Rennes, MC/AMC

Creative roaming playmaker who likes to operate mostly in the right half-space. Great vision and is very progressive with the ball due to his dribbling and carrying ability more than his passing. Also, possess a very good work rate and he likes to put pressure and tackle high on the pitch. Potentially perfect free-roaming #8.


Mauro Junior, 23, PSV, LB/RB

My most favorite "hidden gem", mostly because of his transformation to a new position. A very versatile player, who played most of his career as a winger and attacking midfielder, retrained into the full-back position and excel it. Opposite to the aforementioned Sosa, Mauro Junior tends to tuck inside and explore central zones more. Due to his technical ability, he can be very useful in the build-up and also creating chances through central zones. The player who ETH is surely aware of, could be a cheap option and be very useful due to his versatility.
 
Lux Thunder said:
Mauro Junior, 23, PSV, LB/RB

My most favorite "hidden gem", mostly because of his transformation to a new position. A very versatile player, who played most of his career as a winger and attacking midfielder, retrained into the full-back position and excel it. Opposite to the aforementioned Sosa, Mauro Junior tends to tuck inside and explore central zones more. Due to his technical ability, he can be very useful in the build-up and also creating chances through central zones. The player who ETH is surely aware of, could be a cheap option and be very useful due to his versatility.
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Mauro Junior is decent for the Eredivisie but he ain't good enough to perform well in the Premier League. Malacia and also Wijndal are way better in my opinion.
 
rbnZz said:
Mauro Junior is decent for the Eredivisie but he ain't good enough to perform well in the Premier League. Malacia and also Wijndal are way better in my opinion.
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All three are performing kind different roles in their position respectively and Mauro's versatility and the role he is performing for PSV is harder to find in the market and more often require retraining, although I agree with Malacia and Wijnald being highly rated than him.

Not saying he will instantly improve us or start more often than not, but I will rather have him as a squad player on lower wages than limited players like Telles and Wan Bissaka.
 
One player I like and think can have a great career is Josip Šutalo from Dinamo Zagreb. He possesses all attributes modern game requires from a center back and I am sure he can step to the Top 5 leagues after World Cup, probably in the summer of 2023. This sample is based on fbref stats that count for his 675 minutes played in Europa League games last season + Chelsea game in the Champions League and the metric compares him to all center-backs in European competitions and Top 5 leagues.

Tactical & Positioning

Very comfortable playing in both three-at-back and four-at-back systems in different positions and roles. For example, under former Dinamo managers Krznar and Kopić he played very well in three at the back and for Croatia, he had strong performances against Denmark and France being left center back in four comfortably, despite being right-footed. After former Croatia manager Čačić took over, Dinamo is starting to play mostly with a back four again in the league but against Chelsea they played with 3 center-backs.

Without the ball, he is a very intelligent defender in terms of position and he reads the game very well for his age being able to be in right place at the right time.
Also, he likes to put pressure on opponents in possession and he can be a little bit adventurous in that and being dragged out of position, which he should work on more in the future, but he is more often than not successful in pressing opponents into mistakes. With his qualities, he has he can be both an aggressive, proactive and passive defender, depending on what the game and situation require.

Fbref stats:

Pressures:

‌Successful Pressures: 4.00 per 90, 77th percentile

‌Successful Pressure: 46.9%, 99th percentile

‌Pressures (Mid 3rd): 3.73 per 90, 63rd percentile

‌Pressures (Def 3rd): 4.67 per 90: 42nd percentile - bottom half rank but just to compare with the average number of pressures in Mid 3rd

Defending:

‌Interceptions: 3.20 per 90, 97th percentile

‌Tackles Won: 1.33 per 90, 81st percentile

‌Tkl+Int: 4.53 per 90, 78th percentile

‌Errors: 0.00 per 90, 81st percentile

‌Yellow Cards: 0.00 per 90, 99th percentile

‌Fouls Committed: 0.80 per 90, 71st percentile

All in all, his versatility in terms of positions and different roles on the pitch makes him a very valuable asset to every squad and manager.

Technique & passing

Posses great technique and first touch for a center back and can break opponent press through both dribbling and passing. Very composed with the ball, which is pretty rare for the defender, he actually likes to get attention and soak the pressure before picking a right pass or dribbling his way out. His passing is excellent in all kinds of ranges: short, medium, and long with the following rankings from fbref to describe his technique & passing:

Passing:

‌Pass Completion: 93.3%, 97th percentile

‌Pass Completion(Short): 96.8%, 99th percentile

‌Pass Completion(Medium): 95.7%, 95th percentile

‌Pass Completion(Long): 83.1%, 95th percentile

‌Passes Intercepted: 0.27 per 90, 99th percentile

‌Passes Blocked: 0.13 per 90, 99th percentile

Dribbling:

‌Dribbles Completed: 0.67 per 90, 97th percentile

‌Dribbles Attempted: 0.80 per 90, 93rd percentile

‌Successful Dribble: 83.3%, 82nd percentile

‌Fouls Drawn: 1.33 per 90, 96th percentile

First touch:

‌Miscontrols: 0.00, 99th percentile

‌Passes Received: 99.6%, 99th percentile


Bigger stage experience

Šutalo was an integral part of a very good Europa League campaign with Dinamo progressing from Group Stage. Also, he was excellent in both away games in Nations League against Denmark and France, despite not having international experience before. Pretty solid in a recent CL game against Chelsea, and defended pretty well, but Dinamo was possession-wise too much inferior to Chelsea to see Šutalo playing at his best.

Market value

The transfer market values him at 8 mil.€ and with a contract recently signed until 2028., I can't see him leaving Dinamo for less than 20 mil.€. At the end of this summer transfer window he was heavily linked with RB Leipzig as a replacement for Gvardiol, but both Gvardiol and Šutalo remained in their clubs for now.

Conclusion

Although he should be winning more aerial duels with his height of 6′ 2″ and should be more aware of when to step up from his position and when it's better to keep the line with other defenders, I think Šutalo is a great prospect and modern ball playing center back. The sample is small to date, but the early signs are pretty good and encouraging. Surely a player that our scouts should have a closer look at and he could be a perfect up-and-coming CB to provide some cover for Varane.

Really looking forward to seeing him against Milan today and hope he will play a good game. Also hope for Martin Baturina to make an appearance as he is also a very talented player and one to keep eye on for the future.

PS. Bumping an old thread but I couldn't find a more suitable one, so please move wherever it should be posted.
 
Billy Gilmour.

I think he'd of been a smart signing here tbh.
 
Nobby style said:
This Romeo Lavia geezer on Southhampton. Thought he was comfortably the best player on the pitch against us and that screamer he scored against the Renties was amazing. He's going to be fantastic. Too bad City have a buyback clause on him
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Which they probably wont use anyway
 
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