Rather than being a sheep and getting this thread back on track, this article from PD - Sporting director Stuart Webber made it clear at the recent shareholders’ meeting big-money signings are off the agenda in next month’s transfer window. “I totally agree. Normally as a coach you are sitting here asking for quality and more options. “On this I have the same attitude as Stuart,” said Farke. “I have had the experience in several years as a coach when you are on a good run and you are creating momentum and the players are in a good shape that it was a danger then to bring two or three more quality players in. “Then the team bonding is not so tight. I would say it is more important for clubs who are not in the position they want to be, maybe fighting relegation or struggling to score goals. Then they have to take a bit more risk to do some business in January.” Webber did reiterate Farke is under no financial pressure to sell. IMO, I’d be VERY surprised if we bring in any players and I just hope that ALL the players stand firm against their agents and don’t do a ‘Pritchard!!!’ https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwi...on-january-transfer-window-strategy-1-5802451
We might bring in more youth players for development and perhaps someone like Kieran Sadlier as a low cost option on the wings, but certainly no high cost players. I did think we needed another LB, but as both Pinto and Marshall can play there, that's probably enough. Keeping hold of our current players has to be the priority.
https://readnorwich.com/2018/12/02/besiktas-and-norwich-agree-e3m-fee-for-oliveira/ #earlyxmaspresent
Fully expect him to flourish, but DF said last week that he has enough strikers in the squad – especially with Morris on the comeback trail and Idah in the wings (hoping to see the latter play against Wolfsburg on 13th)
How about using the Basil money for Bradley Dack? - he has the right attitude and scores/makes goals for fun. He'd fit in.
IMO, we don’t need any more midfielders. I'd rather put the money in the bank to spend in the summer!!
For me the only places we need strengthening/backup are keeper and LB respectively. But both are good enough for now, if we go up the shopping list surely changes, but still with a keeper top of the list. Bah!
After the AGM we still have a £5M hole in the budget next year. Prudence would suggest holding on to that money plus his saved wages just in case. I'm not sure where we buy a player that will materially alter our chances of promotion given that the team is performing so well and we have good players struggling to get a place. I agree with RER that now is the perfect time to get some good prospects into the academy, at negligible cost, as we can point to our record in this and previous seasons as to how well it is working and that Narch is good (great) place to get your career under way.
I do agree that another keeper would be good but as I said I'm not sure where we find one for that money who would be a good investment for a PL campaign next year and not a burden in the championship if it doesn't happen. To my mind the logic applies to almost all positions in the team at the moment. Our defenders have also made mistakes during the campaign that have cost goals and the strikers have missed chances that cost goals at the other end. It's a cliche that keepers mistakes are almost always very visible but it is true. As things stand today I'd rather see some really good prospects snapped up for the academy. You don't need a particularly high hit rate to make a really good return on investment at that level.
We need somebody with assured handling of the ball in his own area. Here's my suggestion:- https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/11566351/bartosz-bialkowskis-blunder