Dusic

He lives in Bmth area and presumably has been training up there - have been a few pics of him taking the same flight this summer so nothing out of the ordinary.

All gone quiet on Yuri Alberto - guessing with the logistics etc that will not happen now...and I guess our budget is significantly different than it was when we though Bijlow was coming in. The winger from Toulouse seems to be the most likely attacking addition.

Wow..great deal if that gets over the line. Guess it will impact what we can do elsewhere but would be huge.

On Ramsdale, surely zero chance it happens if there is an obligation attached, even if we were to stay up. Why would Ramsdale himself agree to that? Its quite a drop from Arsenal and after a good season out on loan surely he would have more options? Only way I see it happening is a straight loan which suits all parties - Arsenal will have more takers at £30m next summer and we get an elite keeper for a crucial season and can re-assess next summer. He gets regular shop window minutes.

Bet we will end up with Dubravka or that Greek GK Newcastlye PSR'd from Forest. Neither would be good but don't see us paying whats needed for Ramsdale unless Arsenal massively change stance. All feels very scattergun/desperate unfortunately, recruiting for major positions at this late stage rather than taking advantage of something too good to turn down.

Ramsdale - personally don't see us being willing to fork out what is needed for him unless its a straight loan. Arsenal are not stupid and know we are likely going back down so an option or obligation if we stay up are both unlikely to happen so they are asking a lot for what is effectively a one season loan - something close to £8m with wages included. Also from his perspective - surely he wants a loan without an obligation as even if we did stay up the next summer there would likely be better options for him. Steele I think is a possible now Verbruggen is back. If they don't loan out Rushworth that will be a big signal and IMO this is the most likely. Other factor is whether we were confident we would get Bijlow so went after domestic loans in other areas - which would now be dead. Fellows - good prospect but we need a guarenteed starter and he isn't that. Also whilst his assist record is decent his goal output is poor - we have that already with Edozie. Clarke's numbers for G&A are different level to Fellows - he was the one.

Don't see the need of some get quite personal about a guy who gave many one of their very best days as a Saints fan. Did he get the setup wrong vs Forest? Yes, and I am sure he realises that and will adapt. Afterall, he adapted at the end of last season to very good effect. Its going to be tough this season, because the PL is hard, ruthless and probably this is one of the strongest years - we have not got the cash others do so rightly started as favourites to go back down. We will lose lots of games so overly hysterical and personal reactions to one result are pretty pointless.

Good, logical responses from Russell on the transfer market with specific reference to the Onuachu/Kamaldeen window - he genuinely seems happy with what has been done ans what we will still do. Interesting he wouldn't be drawn on Bijlow and that Sulemana still possible to leave. KWP staying, would be great if he signed an extension even if just for a year but doubt he will.

Carillo vibes. All of a sudden Delap looks very much like the one rhat got away. Wonder how many there have been in between those two on our 'list'? Personally I think the bigger need is someone to actually create chances.

JWP - surely its a non starter unless WH were able to subsidise a loan which they very likely will not? Also whilst he would clearly help its not really the area of the pitch that we are short in - with recent additions its probably where we have the most depth. Nice story but extremely unlikely.

ABK news - unfortunately the other German team to have agreed person terms (Stuttgart) are instead signing Al-Dakhil from Burnley so looks at this stage like he will be back with us for the time being. Wonder what impact us not getting the £10m from his expected sale has/will have? Wonder if there is any scenario where he stays (perhaps could loan Edwards out for regular Championship games) or whether its so broken that we would just loan him out for nothing to have him away? Suspect the latter, frustrating as he does (did?) have some great attributes - especially 1vs 1 - that none of our other CBs do.

Now we are getting Bijlow rather than a domestic keeper we still have one PL loan we can use, albeit not from Chelsea. Likely to be a few decent attacking players available this week, any suggestions? Here are a few potentials... Reiss Nelson - 24 now, needs proper minutes. Good player who can score goals I think Jadon Philogene - we have been keen before. Unlikely Villa would get him out but perhaps if they signed Sterling? David Brooks - not getting a look in at Bmth. Perhaps not the most exciting but would improve the squad. Don't think they would loan to another bottom third club though Julio Enciso - supposedly won't be loaned out but hard to see him getting too many starts with Rutter, O'Riley and Gruda joining of late. Ben Doak - has been linked buly a few decent sources during the summer and not gone anywhere yet. Would only play League Cup at Liverpool but Championship loan would probs get him more minutes. James McAtee - seems v unlikely as Pep on the record as wanting him to stay but has only played 1 min in first two games despite no Foden. Gundogan signing will also cost him mins. Would be ideal for our style and is PL hardened after last season and we love an ex Blade... Ryan Fraser - he will clearly leave NUFC and if he can't get them to pay up his deal maybe a subsidised loan could work? Really him like but not sure he overly improves us now? Daniel Ings - feels like he will leave WH. Clearly class last timw but not done much since and has supposedly turned us down - plus big wages. Evan Ferguson - unlikely but also how often will he start for Brighton once back from injury?

Huge need for a ball carrier - if only Sulemana had something more than pace. Clarke would have been ideal for us. Not many other links as most others have gone elsewhere, but lots of our moves have been quite under reported until just before the player has signed so hopefully they have something lined up.

New contract please or he will be gone next summer with just a year left. He is our best chance of a big PSR boost in future so need to protect the asset as will be a top PL player in a couple of years.

Will be nice to have a keeper who very specifically suits the style long term. Also keeps a domestic loan spot free. Hopefully he can play at Cardiff.

An often overlooked element re O'Riley is that surely even if we had the cash he would have picked Brighton anyway? Perhaps thats as much a reason as any why we moved on? Regardless, just adding BBD and Archer in attack ic clearly not enough so lets wait and see and hope Alcaraz moves and perhaps someone is mad enough to drop 7 or 8m on ABK?

Echo a while back said ths intention is for him to join us rather than GozGoz. Could be a nice boost in Jan and imagine if KWP does go this week we will try to get him sooner. Torino also wanted him so he obviously has something and on a free its super low risk anyway.

For a super direct team that plays about as opposite you can get to us. If anyone in the PL wanted him he would be easy to get. There is a reason why nobody does.

Why? He wouldn't play. We were in for Delap, he went to Ipswich so we signed Archer, who is a central striker. We have BBD, Archer and Arma (plus the very much lesser spotted LND). IMO we much more need someone to create clear chances for those guys (like Clarke would have) than another person who will feed off scraps. IMO we have a load of midfielders, a decent stack of forwards but not much in between aside from Edozie and a raw SAA. This area is our clearest need.

Overall I like the business we have done, but still arguable we have mainly improved our squad rather than the starting XI that finished 4th in the Championship. Assuming we have nearly sorted GK I think the first two thirds of the pitch look strong and with depth. The final third we are still massively short of what is required to stay up - there just aren't enough players who will score goals and a lack of creativity and one vs one ability that you need in the PL - especially when under the cosh. Will be a massive shame if we fairly often play well and just don't have enough to get the goals our play deserves...and not something the manager can really impact either. Arma struggled big time at this level before and hard to tell what we will get output wise from BBD and Archer. Beyond that we have nobody who can be relied upon for more than a couple of goals really - so its still a massive issue.

Don't see Hugo as being a first team starting option. Downes is not a replacement for a creative player. Fernandes looks like he will add something going forward but judging from his record he isnt going to be getting 7 or 8 goals and a few assists. Someone like Clarke possibly would. There is definitely a need for a player like this in the final third. He is quite expensive but after about 3 good games in the PL will be worth more anyway.

I see the thinking and don't overly disagree but it still means there are basically three goalscoring players in the whole squad and neither of those three are particularly creative. If one of those gets injured or is in poor form, or you want to change things from the bench (when facing a low block like vs Newcastle) then the first options will be Edozie, Kamaldeen etc - players who will not be a difference maker in the PL because they weren't in the Champ. BBD and Arma suit coming in from wide areas but they aren't natural wide players, and aren't really creative players who will break down a defence - different skillsets to the wide players we have been linked with. There is space to have both BBD/Arma and an alternative option. The more threats the better as we seem light on creativity and goals. MOR would have helped that but he is going elsewhere and Fernandes is a differenr type. Clarke would suit our style very well and has a proven history of scoring goals - we have tracked him for ages so would be a blow if Ipswich get him. Re spending £20m on a Pelle type - we won't. We signed Archer who is a striker.

Re Clarke links - I can't see us going above £20m for him and sounds like Ipswich are close to that with their latest offer. However - we really do need to add a player in the wide areas that looks capable and scoring and assisting, and Clarke definitely does that. Our current wide options of Edozie, Kamaldeen and SAA for various reasons won't get enough goals and assists and it puts so much pressure on BBD, Arma and Archer because lets face it they look like needing to score about 80% of our goal total and would nees at least one to hit double figures to have much of a chance. Also interesting that so many of our current option playa from and prefer the left (just Arma and SAA on the right). Clarke is another left sider but we were clearly in for JRS who is a right sided player and that Pardo guy from Gent too. As others have said, handy to have that 2nd PL loan spot free buts whether loan or perm we need to add a player likely to provide end product - with CM and GK seemingly resolved this is our last key position.

GK and a wide player then done? Then wait and see on KWP.

Looks a top prospect, have to view it as a good deal for us and on a five year deal a solid investment. But...key question...are we going all in on the " "Fernansh" pronounciation?