A comprehensive round-up... everyone on our books, and the contract status of those known to me. First Team Squad (32 players including 6 U21s) Goalkeepers Artur Boruc - 2015 Kelvin Davis - 2016 Paulo Gazzaniga* - 2016 Defenders Nathaniel Clyne - 2016 Calum Chambers* - ? Jack Stephens* - 2017 Maya Yoshida - 2015 Jose Fonte - 2015 Jos Hooiveld - 2015 Vegard Forren - 2016 Aaron Martin - 2014 Luke Shaw* - 2014 Danny Fox - 2015 Central Midfielders Morgan Schneiderlin - 2017 Jack Cork - 2015 James Ward-Prowse* - 2017 Steven Davis - 2016 Dean Hammond - 2014 Richard Chaplow - 2014 Wingers/Attacking Midfielders Jason Puncheon - 2016 Guly do Prado - 2014 Gastón RamÃrez - 2016 Adam Lallana - 2018 Steve de Ridder - 2014 Lloyd Isgrove* - ? Strikers Rickie Lambert - 2016 Jay Rodriguez - 2016 Emmanuel Mayuka - 2017 Tadanari Lee - 2014 Billy Sharp - 2015 Lee Barnard - 2014 Jonathan Forte - 2014 * qualify as U21s Under 21s (14 players) Goalkeepers Cody Cropper - 2014 Chris Johns William Britt Defenders Matt Young Jordan Turnbull Bevis Muagbi Central Midfielders Corby Moore Dominic Gape Joe Curtis Andy Robinson Harrison Reed Wingers/Attacking Midfielders Omar Rowe Sam McQueen Strikers: Jake Sinclair Academy (13 players) Goalkeepers James White (2nd year) Defenders Fraser Colmer (3rd) - 2014 Tom Leggett (2nd) Jason McCarthy (2nd) Matt Targett (2nd) Isaac Nehemie (2nd) Central Midfielders Jake Hesketh (2nd) Charlie Higgins (2nd) Jake Flannigan (2nd) Niall Mason (1st) Strikers Jamal Branker (3rd) - 2014 Ryan Seager (2nd) Sam Gallagher (2nd) DTLW
As an aside, I intend to keep it updated as players come and go. According to www.transfermarkt.co.uk, our current first team squad is worth £72m.
I'd like to see the following leave from that list over the summer - Aaron Martin Dean Hammond Richard Champlow Steve de Ridder Tadanari Lee Lee Barnard Jonathan Forte
I know teams are limited to a certain number of players (excluding U21s), but someone said that you have to include them if they are on your books even if they are not in your first team squad. Anyone know if this is true? If it is, it might be better to pay some players off in order to shift them.
There is sure to be some interest in one or two other fringe players so this squad will be reduced to reduce wages and to create space for new signings. I think at least another 5 or 6 have to go such as Fox, Martin, Chaplow, De Ridder, Sharp and Bernard.
Yeah it's true ... Dickson & Forte were registered last year for example. But it only applies when you have room in your 25man squad.
Just to work it out right in my head. We're allowed 25 players 21 & over. Of the 32 named above 26 are over 21. However 8 of those players had spells out on loan and none of them look likely to be part of our 1st team plans. That leaves 18? Which gives us bags of room for potential new signings. I think we will see quite a few come in this summer
Call me cynical, but I reckon we will try and sign several players who aren't sure they want to play for us, then at the last minute we'll sign a couple of players in a position we are already strong in.
If fox goes we will need another LB. Who can we get that will sit on the bench and play when shaw is injured? We're not likely to sign a player of sufficient quality to displace shaw so would need to be significantly better than fox but prepared to sit on the bench. I think fox is likely to stay and cover lb.
I agree that Fox is fine as a backup. Won't get anyone in just to sit on the bench, so happy with Fox there personally ... just not regularly!
Forren can back up Shaw. I'd really like to see Fox on the list out. Really not a good backup player for the PL.
If Fox isn't good enough, he isn't good enough. I don't understand the view that we keep him as back up. Shaw is 17 and can easily still have form issues or injuries. We need someone who can push him for his place. That might mean signing a RB and Clyne pushing him, but come on guys, lets start thinking improvement. If we are going to progress then either Fox has to drastically improve by August or we sign a better player and he goes. Accepting someone who really doesn't cut PL standard, is accepting no progression.
Does torrent actually play LB then? I thought that was a myth. If we have a more consistent CB pairing then Fox's weakness is less exposed. Im happy with him at LB if shaw is out. Don't get me wrong i would love to see another top LB compete for the place but we have more important areas to strengthen.
I'd agree there are more important areas, but I was thinking about the squad and who has been the least PL in standard and to me that would be Fox. I'd want a better quality CB first, but thinking we'll sign five or six, I'd want those signings to either include or assume one of the current players to be LB cover. That may be Clyne or Forren, in which case we don't need a signing, however I wouldn't want Fox as LB cover next season. You'll find that I have defended Fox vehemently over the last 20 months, but now I feel he needs to be playing in the championship.
