03 Aug 2026 15:13:06.
Doing some thinking about the homegrown situation again, and think we’re in a bit of trouble if we’re going to get all the signings in we need. Just using the CL as the base as the rules are stricter than the Prem, if we sign Barcola, that’s all 17 slots taken:
1. Alisson
2. Mamardashvili
3. Tsimikas
4. Kerkez
5. Jacquet
6. Leoni
7. VVD
8. Mac Allister
9. Szoboszlai
10. Endo
11. Wirtz
12. Gakpo
13. Barcola
14. Munoz
15. Chiesa
16. Isak
17. Ekitike
So if we want to do all the business we need, Gakpo probably swaps out for another winger. A DM signing unless it is Wharton or Scott (neither of which are really DMs), will probably require Mac Allister to leave which isn’t looking likely.
Haven’t heard anything about Endo either.
Main issue though is defence. Who are we getting rid of to get in one or two defenders? Konsa an option to come in apparently but I don’t see that as likely given the price, so it will probably be a foreign player. Ramsay already isn’t even on that 17 man list, so we then probably need to get rid of both Mac Allister and Endo to even allow a defender to come in, but then what is our DM situation going to look like. Could get rid of Chiesa, but then we have no back up striker until Ekitike is back in Feb or so.
Huge issues yet again and I don’t understand why we seem to be the only club where this is a concern every year.
03 Aug 2026 15:49:11
Sweating about non-HG when Ramsey, Endo and Chiesa are seen as surplus and Macca and Gakpo could be on the move is kinda pointless, I would say. There's plenty of space for incomings imo.
03 Aug 2026 16:05:55
FPF,
Ramsay isn't even included there, so him being surplus achieves nothing. In fact, it just means that our RB options in the CL are currently even more non-existent than we thought.
Gakpo leaving is just a one for one swap, so that's fine. Jones leaves, let's just say Nyoni is his replacement, so that doesn't affect squad planning. But if we want a DM, Macca or Endo have to leave. No rumours on that front at all. If we want a defender (we need two ideally), then 2 of those two or Chiesa need to leave.
Chiesa leaving leaves us short in attack again, so he'd need a replacement. Both Macca and Endo leaving leaves us one short in midfield again, unless we're expecting Mcconnell or Bajcetic to contribute, which, I think, it's fair to say, they probably won't.
So the only real solution is signing Wharton as the midfielder, and Konsa as the defender. Wharton isn't a DM, so that doesn't help much. Konsa would cost 80m+. The squad planning is a disaster.
03 Aug 2026 16:35:30
Jacquet will count as a U21 player for this season, so we have a year's respite before he's counted.
Leoni, too, will count as a U21 player.
Fun fact - If Leoni stays with us, he will qualify for HG in the future. So, if he hangs around, he will never take a slot from our non-HG quota.
I still expect at least three of Endo, Chiesa, Ramsey, Macca, and Gakpo to be moved on this summer, and it wouldn't surprise me if bids for Tsimikas would be considered with Luke Chambers showing himself this preseason.
In summary, non-HG is not our biggest issue. Buying players is!
Even HG is not a big issue, with the number of good kids we have that can supplement the first-team squad.
The English Qualified Player (EQP) total minute/starts requirement will be an issue, given the new rules there. We are already paying for that with the Iffy Ndukwe visa.
So your point for either creating or buying in English starters is valid.
03 Aug 2026 16:43:24
You are confusing Prem rules with CL rules. I clarified that in my first paragraph that I'm talking about the CL.
Jacquet and Leoni both need to be registered as foreign players in the CL.
03 Aug 2026 16:58:03
Winning the CL might not be on the agenda this season, DK. We can always not register some players if it is really a problem. We did that to Chiesa last season.
03 Aug 2026 17:22:30
Cheers, Chewy. Hope you're having a nice day, mate.
03 Aug 2026 19:20:17
I'd put Nyoni in and take Endo or MacAllister out.
I'd put Chambers in instead of Kostas.
Chiesa might be on the move.
Gakpo might be on the move.
Is Ekitike going to play before January when the registration window opens again?
If not, he moves out.
I think if we want to put 2 new players in there then Endo or MacAllister plus Tsimikas would be my changes.
03 Aug 2026 22:29:58
They should reverse the homegrown thing.
Make it maximum 8 non-HG players.
04 Aug 2026 10:01:23
Now that's an idea I could get behind @Faith.