13 Aug 2026 04:18:12
Barcola, Mbaye, Kounde and Sadiki or Camara
I would take that, to be honest, with the sales of Chiesa, Jones, MacAllister and maybe Elliott.
13 Aug 2026 08:36:56
I think nobody would argue with that list, Shughes.
13 Aug 2026 08:45:33
Completely agree with Barcola and Mbaye.
Not sure why we would loan Araujo and then also bring in Kounde, who has a similar positional background? Nor why Barca would let us take both.
I think the Kounde ship has sailed.
Sadiki or Camara - I wonder whether the recent murmurings about a top midfielder would mean we get them but no others?
Agree with your outgoings list, Shug.
13 Aug 2026 08:45:38
Shughes, that's a hell of a lot of business to do in just over 2 weeks of the window left.
13 Aug 2026 09:12:36
I agree, JK. I just can't see a couple being done. Jones is definitely a possibility as is Endo. Don't really want Chiesa and Elliott to go - they will make up the squad and sub players. Macca should only be replaced by a like for like, but I haven't seen us linked with anyone.
13 Aug 2026 09:39:47
I can see Fede going, both for us (non-HG places, may make more sense to use someone like Koumas as an alternate as he is U21) and for him, the guy deserves minutes to see if he can ever get back to the levels he was at.
13 Aug 2026 10:40:06
We need a dedicated RB, that's why Kounde makes sense. He'd fix a glaring problem that all opposition teams will try to exploit.
13 Aug 2026 11:01:17
SG, but we have that in Araujo, don't we?
Posters may say "sick note" etc., but AI and the STC have made their decision.
Maybe Kounde wasn't available? Maybe they see a higher bar for RA, especially with VVD potentially leaving in 12m?
I certainly think that across Leoni, Jacquet, Ndukwe and Ndiaye, we have a core of excellent CB options, but lacking in experience. Maybe they see that if RA is over his injury issues (both mental and physical) then he would be the perfect leader of that group after VVD goes.
We also have an excellent RB in Conor Bradley. His injuries are a major concern, but perhaps the medical team know he's on the road to, hopefully, a permanent recovery.
So many ifs, buts and maybes, but there's no chance of Kounde now, with us having got RA.
13 Aug 2026 11:59:39
In his last 50 appearances for Barca Araujo has played RB 4 times apparently. Seen as he's only played for Barca 63 times in the last 2 seasons, that could well be just a coupla games at RB a season in that time. If we are serious about challenging we need a RB. Otherwise be happy with Top 5.
13 Aug 2026 12:13:28
Sadiki is not moving.
13 Aug 2026 14:46:16
Ron,
You are close to the Sunderland hierarchy too?
He would move if we got in his ear, told him he was our next big midfield star, and threw £80m across the table to Sunderland.