Originally Posted by
Kev0909
Granted it's only BBC sport, but apparently we have no plans to sign anyone this summer.
Hmmmm
In the Covid-19 environment, that's actually quite an understandable stance.
1. Alisson, Van Dijk, Wijnaldum and Elliott could use updated deals to keep them here and keep Barcelona/Real Madrid etc. away.
2. Fans will likely be refunded in regards to ticket sales, we don't have ticket money coming in, less sponsor money will be coming in, TV revenue will be reduced no doubt and coupled with all of those finances lost, we still have to pay our playing/staff wages, with players alone costing £110m per year in wages, which could potentially rise with upgraded deals.
3. Outside of luxury/cover, what to we TRULY "need" in the grand scheme? Our squad has the following -
GK - Alisson, Adrian, Karius. Karius will likely be going if we can shift him, but we do have goalkeepers.
FB - Trent and Robertson, with Milner able to cover if required and I'm sure a youth player or two able to step up - right back looks slightly better-covered than left-back you'd argue, but we're not entirely stuck.
CB - Van Dijk, Matip, Gomez, Lovren. I'd have liked to move Lovren on, but if we're stuck, we have four centre-backs. Van Dijk is the World's best and both Gomez and Matip are capable of partnering him well. Fabinho would be perfectly capable of covering for a bit if we were very stuck.
MF - Henderson, Fabinho, Milner, Wijnaldum, Ox, Keita - six different players with different skill-sets for 3 positions is perfectly workable.
FW - Firmino, Mane, Salah, Origi, Shaqiri, Minamino - I would have liked to have been selling Shaqiri, but we can keep him if stuck. If we move him on, Elliott or Brewster is able to fill in. Would I prefer that the "4th" player be more "elite" than what we have for more rotation? Yes of course. But the Covid-19 situation is unprecedented and is an anomaly our sustainable business model can't instantly respond to. Minamino is also an interesting on in that I feel he could cover an attacking mid position if we're desperate.
I'd have loved to have added from a position of relative strength and we have a couple of areas that are weaker than others (full-back cover, elite forward, perhaps an eventual upgrade on Adrian) but we have a squad that was competed in two very close title challenges (we're winning it this year) and reached two Champion's League finals in the last 3 years, one of which we won. Other teams won't stand still, but they have a serious, serious gap to bridge and if we can keep our powder dry for a bit and ensure we don't financially shoot ourselves in the foot then going with what we know may be a reasonable option until circumstances change.
It would be very easy to invest too much, too soon and potentially regret it further down the line - look at Pulisic at Chelsea - many of us bemoaned not getting him and would now be delighted we didn't. Other opportunities will arise, be it this Summer or in those yet to come. In terms of short-term (if we find we can spend even a little) there's talk that Rashica's release fee could be as little as £15m if Werder Bremen are relegated.
We'll be fine.
Your hobbies are rollerblading and you're also a bit of a rat-hound? Steel Wool
Sid knows he's crazy and he likes it. Balinkay
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