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The new number 9…

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rurikbird said:
Sesko - potentially high ceiling as an all-around striker, but still pretty raw and unproven in the Premier League.

Alvarez - most experienced of the bunch and a real top-class finisher, but expensive and doesn’t give you physicality up front.

Joao Pedro - there is much less sense in signing a false 9 if we get Wirtz, plus his character is questionable.

Ekitike - seems like a safest bet in terms of tactical and stylistic fit, but still raw while Frankfurt are asking world-class striker money.

Woltemade - I love a gangly awkward-looking striker, could be a good choice if we’re looking for an attacking option rather than a guaranteed starter.
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I agree with pretty much all of that - Ekitike is way overvalued - by about £20-£30m - that’s Frankfurt chancing their arm after fleecing City.

I wouldn’t be paying more than £60m (but it’s not my money) - this is, as you say a world class talent - it’s Darwin money for someone less proven than Darwin.

Don’t know much about Woltemade or whether any of the links are credible.

I’m leaning towards not signing a No 9 this window.

I think we’re pretty much done for major transfers after Frimpong, Kerkez & Wirtz.
 
Maybe we could get Watkins out of Villa for a halfway reasonable fee now that Villa have missed out on CL. Might be worth it for £50m or so. There really seems to be nothing out there.

Could someone like Mbeumo do a job there?
 
StevieM said:
I agree with pretty much all of that - Ekitike is way overvalued - by about £20-£30m - that’s Frankfurt chancing their arm after fleecing City.

I wouldn’t be paying more than £60m (but it’s not my money) - this is, as you say a world class talent - it’s Darwin money for someone less proven than Darwin.

Don’t know much about Woltemade or whether any of the links are credible.

I’m leaning towards not signing a No 9 this window.

I think we’re pretty much done for major transfers after Frimpong, Kerkez & Wirtz.
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We absolutely require a 9. What's the point in loading the gun with wirtz, szob, Macca, gakpo, Diaz and Salah, if we're gonna have this as our 9 options


Western_scene_compressed.jpg
 
peterhague said:
Maybe we could get Watkins out of Villa for a halfway reasonable fee now that Villa have missed out on CL. Might be worth it for £50m or so. There really seems to be nothing out there.

Could someone like Mbeumo do a job there?
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Tbh id rather not think short term with it, as we're going to need to phase Salah out over the next 2 seasons. Mbuemo is better on the wing and Watkins is decent but he'll probably fall off sooner rather than later.
 
Yep, if the club aren’t fully convinced by anyone (and I understand why)I’d happily take Watkins for a few years.

Doing nothing isn’t an option. Nunez will be sold to the highest bidder and needs replacing. Personally, I’m keeping my expectations low given the state of the market. I’m not convinced we’ll find someone who can truly replace Salah’s goals long term, though Wirtz will be part of the solution.

Our current attack still outscored every other team by 14 goals, which is significant—and now we’re hopefully adding Wirtz to the mix. I don’t think we need a striker to come in and be world-class or ridiculously prolific.

We can always revisit the market when it’s time to move Jota on. If the right offer came in now, I’d be happy to cash in. But overall, not landing a Torres or Suarez-level forward this summer would be fine. There are enough goals across the team to carry us. Right now, I would settle for someone who’s fitter than Jota, better than Nunez and reasonably priced.

If the scouts can find better than happy days.
 
The thing is, we have to replace the Mo goals too. He's Afgone in December-January, and he drops Feb-May, usually. We do need goals from other places, I would argue, and fast. Wirtz would be one place. Isn't it crazy that with a banjaxed striker (Jota) and a shite one (Nunez) we still outscored everyone? Isn't it even crazier that literally every striker we are linked with is a better option than Nunez?

Nunez is what happens when you let Managers sign players based on instinct perhaps.
 
rurikbird said:
Sesko - potentially high ceiling as an all-around striker, but still pretty raw and unproven in the Premier League.

Alvarez - most experienced of the bunch and a real top-class finisher, but expensive and doesn’t give you physicality up front.

Joao Pedro - there is much less sense in signing a false 9 if we get Wirtz, plus his character is questionable.

Ekitike - seems like a safest bet in terms of tactical and stylistic fit, but still raw while Frankfurt are asking world-class striker money.

Woltemade - I love a gangly awkward-looking striker, could be a good choice if we’re looking for an attacking option rather than a guaranteed starter.
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Pedro and Waltemade track back and according to data best fit a slot system. They have more progressive carries. Pedro is faster, better in the air than WalteMade. Pure #9 Ekitake wins but runs the least amongst the 3.
Again it depends who leaves, as its looking like Cheesy and NUnez to leave for sure and not sure what Slot has in plan for Jota as he has been poor from returning from injury. There is a question mark on if Diaz resigns or somehow Barca decide they want to spend €85m on a winger.
 
peterhague said:
Maybe we could get Watkins out of Villa for a halfway reasonable fee now that Villa have missed out on CL. Might be worth it for £50m or so. There really seems to be nothing out there.

Could someone like Mbeumo do a job there?
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Saw Watkins mentioned as a possible player we were looking at. Cant remember which journo it was though.

Ekitike
Watkins
Gyokeres (meh)
Sesko


I don't think Alvarez makes as much sense now that Wirtz is coming.
Shame there aren't many strikers on the market these days.
 
Woltemade plays more as a second striker I think and he looks like German porn star from the 80s.
Big N O from me.
 
If we are purely looking for a finisher. We should really be all over Gyokeres. Yes it's Portugal. But hes heading to his peak now. Let's not over think it.

I do think we get a 9 as I think both Darwin AND Jota will be off.
 
Feels like after we hopefully sign all 3 of Frimpong, Wirtz and Kerkez the attention will shift to sales for a while - we need to clear space for more additions. Things might change depending on which one of Jota or Diaz goes for example.
 
Not convinced about Gyokeres anyway, I'm afraid. He's decent, but doubts about whether he's of the absolute highest class predate his move to Portugal - no Prem club was in a rush to get him when he was still at Coventry.
 
bluebell said:
Pedro and Waltemade track back and according to data best fit a slot system. They have more progressive carries. Pedro is faster, better in the air than WalteMade. Pure #9 Ekitake wins but runs the least amongst the 3.
Again it depends who leaves, as its looking like Cheesy and NUnez to leave for sure and not sure what Slot has in plan for Jota as he has been poor from returning from injury. There is a question mark on if Diaz resigns or somehow Barca decide they want to spend €85m on a winger.
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According to AI, you mean? I would take anything it says with a big grain of salt; in all likelyhood most of the stats in its “analysis” are pulled out of its virtual arse.

If choosing the right player was as simple as asking ChatGPT who is the best fit, we would not need to employ Edwards/Hughes at all.
 
I think they'll move on strikers when they've decided or know the fate of Nunez, Jota, Diaz and Cheesy. I think we will know in a couple of weeks. Diaz's father wants his son to go to Barca and supposedly they will offer the €85m.
 
rurikbird said:
According to AI, you mean? I would take anything it says with a big grain of salt; in all likelyhood most of the stats in its “analysis” are pulled out of its virtual arse.

If choosing the right player was as simple as asking ChatGPT who is the best fit, we would not need to employ Edwards/Hughes at all.
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Agreed. But it was interesting to see how AI broke it down. Ekitike is a pure #9 the other two will come much deeper. If Slot wants his strikers to come deeper and be more involved then Pedro is the better option, if however, he wants a target man Ekitike wins
 
We're going to buy a 9. Probably one just before they're about to become sensational. There's zero sense to overpay for a striker over 26.

We saw the interview with one of the spreadsheet squad, and they had to BEG to get van dijk. No fucking chance they'll go for Watkins
 
I think we'll either compete with arsenal for sesko, or spend the money on Ekitike and try to negotiate a mad payment structure, or cut them a deal on one of our players.

There's every chance it could be a Johnathan David as well of course.
 
If we’re completing on Frimpong and Kerkez plus Wirtz playmaking as a shapeshifting unmark-able genius, I can see us going for a bigger physical presence (but technical player) like Sesko up top.
 
All the options are a bit shit.

Ekitike - bad finisher, needs a 100 shots to score.
Sesko - cant create changes
Gyokeres - Everyone says he's shit.
Joao Pedro - possibly a cunt. Loves Richarlison
Woltemade - slow, unproven.

Why aren't we in for Delap?
 
Hyena said:
All the options are a bit shit.

Ekitike - bad finisher, needs a 100 shots to score.
Sesko - cant create changes
Gyokeres - Everyone says he's shit.
Joao Pedro - possibly a cunt. Loves Richarlison
Woltemade - slow, unproven.

Why aren't we in for Delap?
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I like Delap and would be happy with that. He is a good finisher, works hard, and has scored goals against premier league defenses. All the others seem to high a risk for their prices and there are not any obvious younger players coming through for us to wait for. We need a solution and I think Delap ticks the most necessary boxes at a great value.

And, if we can't beat Man U to his signature, our recruitment pitch is really shit.
 
Buddha said:
If we’re completing on Frimpong and Kerkez plus Wirtz playmaking as a shapeshifting unmark-able genius, I can see us going for a bigger physical presence (but technical player) like Sesko up top.
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The player I think would fit very nicely is Mateo Retegui.

Havent heard anything about any club targeting though. Don't think he is up for a move.
 
Fabio said:
I think we'll either compete with arsenal for sesko, or spend the money on Ekitike and try to negotiate a mad payment structure, or cut them a deal on one of our players.

There's every chance it could be a Johnathan David as well of course.
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Isn't he on a free this summer?
 
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