Summer 2023 - Major squad changes required

[Miles Away]

You enjoying it up there with BN?

Didn’t let me in. Paper tickets only.

 

[bocadillo]

Didn’t let me in. Paper tickets only.

Lucky escape!

 

[FryattFox]

The lads with one year left have to either resign or we sell.

Certainly Tielemans, Soyuncu, Bertrand, Evans, Mendy and Perez are off.

Of the 9 players with one year left, most will still be here next season.

You and BN have literally said in one paragraph that the 'one year left contract' players have to resign or sell, and then in the next paragraph have a list of 7 players that are still around in their final year of contract.

There's also a chance that we offer Amartey and Evans extensions.

 

[FryattFox]

So what do we reckon then?

Keep: Ward (as back up), Smithies (as back up back up), Justin, Faes, Souttar, Kristiansen, Ricardo, Barnes, Dewsbury-Hall

Going: Iversen (no point being here), Soyuncu (OOC), Bertrand (OOC), Evans (OOC), Brunt, Amartey (OOC). Vestergaard (1yr left), Choudhury (1yr left), Tielemans (OOC), Maddison (1yr left), Mendy (OOC), Praet (1yr left), Perez (OOC), Albrighton (1yr left)

Not sure: Castagne, Thomas (1yr left), Soumare, Ndidi (1yr left), Vardy (1yr left), Iheanacho (1yr left), Daka, Tete (loan)

When we stop playing Football Manager, a much more realistic scenario for movements in our squad is:

Keep (22 players): Ward, Iversen (as back up), Smithies (as back up back up), Justin, Faes, Souttar, Kristiansen, Ricardo, Barnes, Dewsbury-Hall, Brunt, Vestergaard (1yr left), Praet (1yr left), Maddison (1yr left), Amartey (OOC - resign?), Castagne, Thomas (1yr left), Soumare, Ndidi (1yr left), Vardy (1yr left), Iheanacho (1yr left), Daka

Going (7 players) : Soyuncu (OOC), Bertrand (OOC), Evans (OOC), Tielemans (OOC), Mendy (OOC), Perez (OOC), Tete (loan)

Not sure (2 players): Choudhury (1yr left), Albrighton (1yr left)

Definite gaps: So from the first XI, definite gaps will be RW (Tete), CM (Tielemans).

Upgrades suggested: GK, ST (depending on what the Nach / Daka mess looks like)

Obviously a few of the Keeps will leave. And of these, any sales/releases would likely be replaced on a like-for-like basis (e.g. if Maddison leaves, we'd need to sign a replacement)

For reference, excluding Tielemans (who we have to replace) and Evans (who we've already replaced with Souttar, the other combined leavers have a total of less than 1,000 minutes in the PL this season:
Soyuncu (83 mins), Bertrand (0), Mendy (489), Perez (396)

 

[bocadillo]

Only just seen that you edited your post.

The lads with one year left have to either resign or we sell.

Why do they have to resign? Is this some new contract rule that you and BN have dreamed up? We can only sell if somebody wants to buy.

He’s largely right

This global warming thing is starting to affect everything. The first cuckoos are not normally heard until mid-April.

 

[Brown Nose]

Only just seen that you edited your post.


Why do they have to resign? Is this some new contract rule that you and BN have dreamed up? We can only sell if somebody wants to buy.


This global warming thing is starting to affect everything. The first cuckoos are not normally heard until mid-April.

How many first team squad players do you predict will come or go in total this summer?

I'll go with 20. We'll see who's closer.

 

[bocadillo]

How many first team squad players do you predict will come or go in total this summer?

I'll go with 20. We'll see who's closer.

I prefer spectating to speculating but the easy money choice would be 19.

 

[Brown Nose]

I prefer spectating to speculating but the easy money choice would be 19.

Cop out.

 

[bocadillo]

Cop out.

Naah. Just not interested in pointless games.

 

[popillius]

Do me a favour. Christ, the new signings have played three games.

Tete is not going to score in every game. Last week Kistiansen was the second-coming of Paola Maldini and Roberto Carlos rolled into one. And now he’s going backwards? Come on mate, he was part of one collectively bad half of football. And Souttar is going to take time to adjust to the step up in level. His performance at Old Trafford hadn’t gone backwards from his performance at Villa Park.

Amazing isn't it?! For the record, I think Souttar had an excellent game and was the only one of our 11 who bothered for the full 90m against Manchester United.

 

[popillius]

I mean, the ****ing dreaming going on in this thread. It's almost like football-rumours is back.

 

[Miles Away]

Of the 9 players with one year left, most will still be here next season.

You and BN have literally said in one paragraph that the 'one year left contract' players have to resign or sell, and then in the next paragraph have a list of 7 players that are still around in their final year of contract.

There's also a chance that we offer Amartey and Evans extensions.

Yeah because the club have ****ed it up massively.

At least 10 players will leave the club this summer. There’s a massive job on.

 

[Miles Away]

My guess:

Iversen
Soyuncu
Tielemans
Maddison
Albrighton
Choudhury
Bertrand
Perez
Evans
Vestergaard

This assume new contracts for Amartey and Mendy - which we’ve seen no evidence of.

It also assumes we will let Praet, Thomas, Ndidi and Nacho either run out their contracts or renew. If we let them see their deals out we are ****ing stupid.

This also hopes we stay up of course, which is a 50/50 proposition these days.

 

[Micky]

I think Maddison will sign a new contract.

 

[homer]

We have wanted get rid of some these sub-standard players off the books for some time, so the number of departures is not really an issue.

It’s all about our ability to recruit

Losing Maddison and/or Tielemans is the problem

 

[Miles Away]

We have wanted get rid of some these sub-standard players off the books for some time, so the number of departures is not really an issue.

It’s all about our ability to recruit

Losing Maddison and/or Tielemans is the problem

Ndidi and Nacho contracts are a concern too.

I get the impression Wilf wants a change.

 

[Miles Away]

I think Maddison will sign a new contract.

Now who is up in the clouds?

I wish he would. I highly doubt it.

 

[Micky]

Now who is up in the clouds?

I wish he would. I highly doubt it.

Have faith

 

[pork pie fox]

I think Maddison will sign a new contract.

I just cannot see that happening at all. I also think he’d be mad to from his perspective.

 

[Fox Fan]

Losing Maddison and/or Tielemans is the problem

I think the other problem is how little we'll be bringing in for most of these players.

If we don't get genuinely top whack money for Maddison fairly early in the close season, we could find it hard to both replace him and buy the number and quality required to be pushing for top 8 next season.

Being completely cold hearted about it, it might be time to mutually agree to end Vardy's contract. He's offered us nothing this season (sadly) and must be one of the most expensive players on the books. That's a luxury it seems we can no longer afford and he might well fancy a season or two making mega bucks (and repaying court costs) out in the states.

I think it's also a risk going into next season with BR in charge. He seems to have lost his drive to succeed and I wonder if a new challenge might be best for both parties now. However bringing in half a new 1st team, replacing two of our best players and doing so with a brand new manager is a really big risk. No sure what the answer is there.