15 Aug 2026 07:37:40
You heard it here first. Barcola 100% done and is flying in Monday. £95m (€111m) plus add-ons.
VG also thinks we're close on Mbaye, with Liverpool trying to get it done around £30m (€35m). At that price the double deal makes sense. Barcola is the starting LW, Mbaye is 18 and mainly right-sided, so they're not competing for the same role. I've heard the initial contact came through Barcola, they are good friends and he pushed it. PSG got a sniff of it.
If Mbaye somehow doesn't happen, the RW hijack names I'd watch are Pablo García and Minteh.
Pablo García is the cheap one. He's 20, naturally plays RW, Hull are already trying to do a deal and the price being talked about is only around €8m (£7m).
Minteh is the more established option. Brighton's valuation has been high, around £60–70m (€70–82m), which is why I wouldn't touch it at that level. But if that price drops late in the window, especially if Brighton decide to cash in or another club does the groundwork, he becomes much more interesting. He's already Premier League proven, right-sided and fits Iraola's pace/pressing profile.
After that Jones is the key domino. If he goes for around £30–35m (€35–41m) it's basically pure accounting profit and I think we go for an athletic 6/8. Lamine Camara still makes the most sense to me at roughly £40–45m (€47–53m). Nyoni has shown enough in pre-season that we don't need another attacking 8 blocking his minutes.
Defence is where I think the next surprise could be. We need someone who can cover CB and RB, is ready now and doesn't cost £60m (€70m).
Geertruida is the one I'd watch. Around €20m (£17m), 26, can play RB, CB and DM, with other clubs already negotiating. Acheampong is the younger outside option at 20 and can cover CB/RB, but would probably cost more.
So my order now that Barcola is done, Mbaye possible if VG is right, Minteh/Pablo García as the RW fallback ideas, Jones out triggering a 6/8, then one versatile defender.
15 Aug 2026 08:53:19
The fact that Minteh is out injured until after Christmas tells you a lot about this post.
15 Aug 2026 08:56:33
Cheers Robbie, for the info.
15 Aug 2026 08:49:02
Genuine question but where are you getting the valuations from? To me it seems the club - starting in last summer's window - tend to pay the going rate if they want somebody badly enough and aren't hung up on a specific number when they negotiate.
15 Aug 2026 08:41:31
Utter nonsense.
You're obviously entitled to your ravings, but this is wearing thin now!
BTW Minteh was injured a day or two ago, likely out for 2-3 months.
Please leave the ITK stuff to people who genuinely are ITKs, and enjoy the ride!
Opinions are great and what this site is built on, but this nonsense needs to stop!
15 Aug 2026 09:08:14
I think Araujo is the centre and right back cover.
Analysing our current non home grown squad and the 17 allowed to registered for the Prem, I assume we would currently register:
Alisson
Mamardashvil
Van Dijk
Araujo
Tsimikas
Kerkez
Ramsay
Szoboszlai
Wirtz
Gravenberch
Ali Mac
Endo
Isak
Ekitike
Gakpo
Munoz
Chiesa
So, for Barcola to come in, who goes?
I guess Ramsey, Chiesa and Gakpo (only because I see rumours about Spurs).
15 Aug 2026 09:08:15
Griz version 5.
15 Aug 2026 09:16:21
Statto, it's easy if those two do come in, Ramsey goes, Gakpo goes, Ekitike doesn't get registered till Christmas, when he's actually back.
15 Aug 2026 09:25:20
Minteh being injured doesn't mean he isn't still being looked at, which he is. They would look to sign in Jan... hence me saying me saying if they decide to "cash in" because they will have to find a replacement themselves.
This is why the Mbaye situation could have changed... read between the lines, Zeddicus.
15 Aug 2026 09:27:20
Read the post properly... Mytton dressed as lamb. ?
15 Aug 2026 10:01:56
I've read it back to front, front to back, between the lines, and the lines themselves.
Still stinks of desperate BS!
You're entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to scorn it!
15 Aug 2026 10:07:26
Now we have ITK aggregators. ?♂️
15 Aug 2026 10:08:00
Barcola 100% done, yeah, you're right, I did read it here first, about 4 weeks ago.
15 Aug 2026 10:12:23
I'm with Zed. That stuff is a load of old tosh as Rome would say.
15 Aug 2026 10:27:41
Someone needs to get off ChatGPT.
15 Aug 2026 10:58:28
Formby mansion prepped and awaiting approval from a certain Frenchman.
15 Aug 2026 10:59:52
Yesterday you said we had just a 50% chance of getting Barcola.
Now it's 100% done. From claims of the clubs being miles apart on valuation, with PSG wanting £145m to now a deal being done for just £95m? Sorry, but that's not how negotiations work.
We have a whole recruitment team doing in-depth research and analysis all year long, creating shortlists and tracking potential targets in preparation for the summer transfer window, and you want me to believe that we're in for Mbaye because "Barcola put a word in"?! Come off it will you.
15 Aug 2026 11:32:23
The reactions. ???? I didn't say Mbaye would join because Barcola put a word in. I said contact came through Barcola... I did not say that he was joining either. Can anyone actually read the post properly? ??
We will see if it happens, then you can judge. ?
15 Aug 2026 12:44:11
Metal Mickey, blink twice if it's the original you!
15 Aug 2026 12:51:07
I stopped reading after "you heard it first".
15 Aug 2026 18:38:13
Sweet baby Fowler, look at the amount of emojis. The lad's only 14.
15 Aug 2026 21:11:02
LOL Chewy!! ?????