Next Seasons Midfield?

Looks like a large part of our summer budget will be organizing a new midfield if the recent reports are anything to go by:

Hayden - will be off as everyone knows, the lad has been very open and honest about wanting to move closer to family and as long as he grafts for the rest of the year, he'll leave with not a bad word said about him by me having proved a lot of doubters wrong.

Shelvey - Apparently an option for a number of clubs, West Ham looking at £20m offer according to the times but we will see, can see him moving on though if he can't get back in the team ahead of Hayden and Longstaff between now and the end of the season.

Diame - Contract up this year and although there is an option for a year extension, he seems to be saying he want's 2 years or he's leaving - again can't really blame him, this is his last contract being 31 currently and he'll get a good signing on fee if he leaves on a free wherever he goes - I'd imagine China or Middle East for one big final payday.

Ki - probably started the season as peoples third choice CM but for me now he's fifth choice, somewhere in-between Shelvey's creativeness and Diame's industry but Longstaff and Hayden both ahead of him now. Probably the most likely to stay of the 4 seniors but not sure I'd want him being a automatic number 1 pick in the CM position.

Longstaff - probably the most likely to stay but equally probably our most sale-able asset and we all know what Mikey thinks about selling players that have come through the youth system. Would expect him to sign a new 6 year contract shortly.

So we may need 1-3 midfielders in the summer - plus a striker/Rondon in, a winger and a LB to replace the current loans. Be interesting to see if Diame takes the extension or if Shelvey makes a move for first team football, one may depend on the other in that case. Hayden certainly off though. Add to that the players that NEED replacing - Joselu, Manquillo, Atsu etc. think it could be another agonizingly long summer window.

 

Get Micky Merino back and play him with Longstaff. Ki and Shelvey as back up, get rid of slow Mo and Hayden

 

Hayden is a dreadful footballer. Against West Ham the only thing he did successfully was run around. He had a free header in midfield and proceeded to head it 20 yards straight up in the air, summed up his performance.

He will leave at the end of his contract and he'll be lucky if someone like Reading offers around 20% of his current weekly wage.

 

The only players that don't need replacing are

Dubravka
Lacelles
Ritchie
Schar
Almiron
Rondon
Longstaff

 

Er? Rondon needs replacing even if it is with himself.

Also Lejeune is our best cb.

 

Aye, there's definitely a lot of work to do. Out of our current squad i'd only have the following as "purples" :-

Dubravka, LeJeune, Schar, Lascelles, Longstaff, Almiron and Rondon. The rest are all acceptable squad players for me with the exception of the following who need to be moved on this summer :-

Joselu, Atsu, Manquillo, Hayden (only cos he wants to go), Aarons, Lazaar, Saivet, Elliott, Ki.

Quite a bit of work there I reckon and something which I think is gonna take 3 years at least to sort out at the rate our current owner works at.

 

Lejuene aye forgot him

So we're only about 500 million away from top half

 

Personally for next season we should stick with our current back 6 being Dubravka, Yedlin, Schar, Lascelles, Lejeunes and Ritchie. In fact for next season I would keep all back up defenders that we have - Manquillo, Dummett, Clark and Fernandez.

This then allows whatever money we do have to be spent on a striker and at least 2 midfielders (assuming we also get to keep Rondon).

 

We will sell lacelles I think

 

What about our best attacking player?

 

No harm

 

I don't - think his stock has gone down a bit. Plus who would he realistically go to? Assume we are a 10-14 type side. That means there are 9 or so clubs above. Doubt Man City, Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelski, Liverpool or Spuds would need him. That leaves Everton, Wolves, Watford, West Sham and Leicester - I'm sure he would be thinking that they are sideways steps (maybe a kerb step up if that) and would any of those clubs really spend £30M+ to get him. I don't think so.

 

Yes

 

I might be in the minority here but I really rate Ki as a player. Although I wouldn't have him starting ahead of Longstaff on current form, he is the kind of player I'd want to keep in the squad. When he had a run of games earlier this year, he was a solid and calm presence in midfield and ideal for games where we need someone to keep it simple and tidy and close out a game.

 

Disagree

 

I see Mr Aarons is putting together a run of form for Sheff Wed in the hope of persuading Benitez he's not a lost cause. I think its a case of too little too late. What a waste of talent. He comes across as a nice lad but you always get the impression he wants the fame and footballers life more than the actual job of performing. Granted he has had fitness issues and I was one who hoped he make use of his undoubted talent but it might make sense to cash in at the end of this loan spell if he maintains this form.

I'd retain Ki as back up. Longstaff needs a more sitting midfielder alongside to release him. Hayden is not PL quality so its good we will get rid while his stock is a bit higher. We need to strike while the irons hot there. Diame is pretty average and now at an age where we need to shift him on. Shelvey I don't know what to do. Clearly he has talent but I'd only retain him as back up to Longstaff. Shelvey won't want that, he's petulant and so to avoid trouble I'd shift him too.

Retain: Longstaff, Ki
Sell: Shelvey, Diame, Hayden

Who to target? Hard to say but I'd imagine they will have another go for Thiago Maia. I quite like him when I've seen him play for Lille. The problem is Lille are having a great season and sitting 2nd. Obviously they already look set to lose Nicolas Pepe. We made a big mistake not showing an interest in Santiago Ascacíbar for me. He only cost Stuttgart 5m. Its not like he was some unknown, he was captain of the argentine youth sides. He'll cost you 5 times that now. However Stuttgart are struggling near the bottom of the Bundesliga. They look set to escape relegation but I'd still think there has to be decent hope of getting him out of there. That would be where I was looking along with Maia. Maia and Ascacibar will end up mainstays of the Brazilian and Argentine national squads eventually. The older guys in their roles are coming towards the end.

There is a mass of talented midfielders in South America ready to make the move to Europe. If anyone watches Argentine football its pretty high standard. Centrally you have the likes of Barrios, Nandez, Palacios, Quintero, Zaracho. All operating for top clubs Boca, River and Racing. Some play a little further forward so you have to balance that with the fact we have Almiron. Palacios and Barrios would be good fits though for the central roles. Racing have a right back who would suit us too called Savaria. The problem with all these young guys though is you have to move really quick because the likes of Lille, Atletico Madrid, Bordeaux, Juventus etc all have footholds in South America having set up links with clubs in the top division. You know progressive club strategies and all that. I'm sure Mike is on it...

 

I like south Americans usually as generally they are quite tough (Argentinian football is particularly full blooded) and have good mentality as haven't had it handed to them on a plate.

 

Shelvey is going if we get a decent offer (if he's not back in the first team soon I can't see why we wouldn't sell him to anyone offering £15m+ and I think someone will) but because of that I think we'll offer Diame the extension he wants. Ki and Longstaff are staying too.

So we'll have £20m or so (Shelvey + Hayden) to buy one central mid. So long as Rafa gets the money to spend I don't see the issue. Oh hang on...

 

Yep that in built toughness combined with techniques which match up to any in the world is a good combo. Plus they also get great tactical coaching there. If you look at the coaches who have come out of South America to try their hand in Europe etc, they tend to be very astute. Hence the likes of Poch, Simeone, Martino etc all end up at top clubs.

If you look at most top sides, there will be south americans in there. Barca are the obvious ones with Messi, Suarez, Vidal, Malcom, Arthur etc. The good news is Benitez has a good history of signing south american players. That tactical nous really suits him so its understandable. It goes way back to Valencia with Ayala (one of the best centre halfs I've watched), Pellegrini and Aimar. Obviously Liverpool you had the likes of Mascherano and Rodriguez. Later with Napoli with Higuain and Jorginho. So I think we have hope Rafa will have his contacts working overtime in South America and also scouting those already in Europe.

 

Maybe Man Utd want to loan out Fred? Had a season to settle now and you don't turn **** over night.