03 Aug 2026 11:40:56
A lot of the issues we have had up this point transfer wise can be traced back to 3 things. Slot and Edwards leaving plus the Diomande fiasco.
As previously mentioned when Edwards left, transfer plans were a bit of a mess. Slot leaving also changed plans because we had specific targets with him in mind. That meant a lot of scurring about and due diligence in the first couple of weeks after the season finished, whilst we tried to get Diomande in. This is how the Munoz deal came about and caught people off guard. With the Diomande deal being so difficult, it took a lot of time away from other potential transfers.
That being said, things are expected to ramp up over the next couple of weeks with targets being identified and the team being back in the UK.
This comes from someone I trust and is connected to the club.
As the late great Ed2 would say RTFP if you want to know who the targets are ?
03 Aug 2026 12:05:27
So who are the targets?
Kidding!
Thanks, TheFields, makes a lot of sense.
03 Aug 2026 12:06:08
Thanks, TF....
Just the post we needed after that 2nd half performance....
03 Aug 2026 12:08:51
Cheers, Fields. I think quite a few get a little nervous etc when they see 1 or 2 half arsed performances in the second half of that game last night!
I'm trying not to worry too much. I know they're not stupid enough to not know we need some squad depth.
What I am looking forward to though is a manager who will hopefully give some a chance rather than assuming we need to just go and spend another 100mil on someone who, let's face it, most likely has the same or less experience of playing in this league than our youth/reserve players!
03 Aug 2026 12:05:38
Thanks the fields, would you say Diomande is a definite no now and we have walked away? I do rate him and him and Barcola would be great additions, but understandable if we have walked away given his agency.
Is Reals interest genuine?
03 Aug 2026 12:23:03
Are we looking at any HG players under 25? The lack of homegrown/English players in our squad is concerning. Best team in the land should have a good core of British players. Colwill and Alex Scott/Adam Wharton would be a delight.
03 Aug 2026 12:26:49
Cheers, TheFields, let's hope they get a move on.
03 Aug 2026 12:30:09
That's pathetic, though, isn't it? How can one transfer affect the whole window? A multi-billion company can't multi-task. There have been very good players transferred this window while we have been pissing about. No one ever takes responsibility.
03 Aug 2026 12:32:52
History says they are 2 shoes. We have a habit of leaving squad gaps, CB and RW particularly. We’ve been spoiled by VVD and Mo never getting injured, and have run light for a while in those key squad positions, arguably CM as well.
03 Aug 2026 12:36:13
Thanks TF, that all sounds about right, let's hope we have some transfer success these next couple of weeks.
03 Aug 2026 12:37:27
Very concerning at the moment. Four centre back options, with only one of them being fit and only three weeks out from the season. Right back situation also not great.
Hopefully, as you say, it ramps up soon.
Don't like to be negative, but when you see how other teams are strengthening in the market and so far we have let go of three very important players and not replaced one of them.
03 Aug 2026 12:40:21
Cheers, Thefields.
At this point, I have no confidence that we'll close a third of the gaps in the squad, never mind half of them.
03 Aug 2026 12:43:07
Thanks for the update, TF. Hoping we get 2-3 in alongside Barcola and replace any further outgoings like for like. A season of transition to Iraola's coming up, playing style shaping a new team and squad.
03 Aug 2026 12:55:38
Great update, TF, cheers!
As for last night, I have never and will never take any notice of pre season friendly score lines.
03 Aug 2026 12:57:49
The targets from previous posts.
Barcola
Wharton
Konsa
Igor Thiago
Kounde
Tomori
Rayan.
03 Aug 2026 13:12:47
Disappointing to hear that Edwards' departure has any impact on the transfer window, given a) he is not the Sporting Director, but rather an FSG employee tasked with driving the multi-club strategy, and b) that he gave FSG notice of his resignation in August 2025.
What the heck do Richard Hughes, David Woodfine, Julian Ward and Pedro Marques do all day? Has any other club hired so many football directors in order to do nothing in the market?
03 Aug 2026 13:12:51
I wish The club would stop playing "PR" with transfer news and just get business done like other clubs.
03 Aug 2026 13:20:06
Wasn't the current model put in place specifically to avoid this exact issue? The club needs to do better.
03 Aug 2026 13:21:34
Bring in Kounde or Quansah for RB/CB cover replacing Konate. Nyoni replaces Jones. Munoz id see as finally replacing Jota (RIP).
Barcola in and another winger (Right sided) and replace any out goings. I think we'd be good to go, but will feel light if we get hit with 2-3 injuries.
03 Aug 2026 13:55:24
After the first 3 friendlies, it's hard for me to believe that they aren't working on the back line. For me, that would be a gross mistake. I get that they want to get Barcola over the line, but they have to be working on the backline behind the scenes. I cannot believe that is not the priority at the minute.
03 Aug 2026 14:21:35
@soccer man, I have not seen us linked to Igor Thiago once???! The only person who has constantly been pushing it has been you. No clue why because he's far from Liverpool quality and Brentford will ask for heaps.
03 Aug 2026 14:37:19
Thanks TF!
Hopefully we'll see some movement soon.
Fingers crossed that Iraolo trusts some of the youth for cover in some of the weaker positions. Nyoni, in particular, looks promising.
We deffo need more strength at CB. I think we'll manage at RB. If we can shore up CB, then that'll allow Frimpong to be more adventurous on the right.
03 Aug 2026 14:46:30
Hughes is a blagger who is suited.
To a small club or Dubai. Edwards thinks he is the second coming, but his success was built on the shoulders of giants.
Name an Edwards / Hughes signing that is both suited to our style and who has smashed it? Eki was decent, for a while, but we usually
Play with hard working forwards.
03 Aug 2026 13:13:24
@soccer fan where is Igor Thiago coming from lol. That's the first I've seen him linked with us on this forum or anywhere for that matter. Rest are all legit links though correct. Zabarnyi as well though post below reckons that is dead.
03 Aug 2026 13:51:55
Great to see a shout out to the legend that is Ed002.
03 Aug 2026 15:41:59
Cheers the fields, you leg end.
03 Aug 2026 16:49:03
Thanks TF.
Going out on a limb here. Sign Micky VDV for CB/RB. Quick AF. Knows the league. Bit injury-prone, but a good shout.
Koumas takes LMF/LWF. Swing those crosses in. Barcola will be first choice, though, inverted LWF. Munoz & Ngumoha at RWF to hug the touchline, LB & RB can tuck in or inside overlap.
Gakpo stays till winter when Rayan is available. Covering Isak, and could remodel as the new Nistlerooy.
Also get Svensson, replacing Tsimikas. Can play DMF as well, young and tenacious.
Wand of a left foot. Bajcetic & McConnell as Backup DMF. Grava back to his preferred AM post to fight with Wirtz. Szobo & Nyoni to start, easy.
So ins: Svensson, Barcola & Micky. Rayan in winter.
Outs: Jones, Elliott, Macca, Tsimikas, Endo & eventually Gakpo too.
With VVD legs, Micky can cover any counter attack while Kerkez, Frimpong or Bradley bombs forward. Well, at least until Leoni and Jacquet become fit and available. Then Micky can join Gomez on the treatment table hahaha.
03 Aug 2026 17:00:05
So what's the difference with the targets since Slot left. As far as I can see, it's all the same names being linked as when he was manager.
03 Aug 2026 17:38:09
Thefields, keep up the good work, man.
03 Aug 2026 21:57:02
The word on here from a few ITKs was that Slot was gone since about Jan, partly explaining lack of Jan activity in the market. The lack of coherence off the pitch this summer may indicate the decision on Arne was taken later, either way the head coach model should minimise disruption.
I think the Diomande fail has done for us, and we have limited ability to work on multiple deals simultaneously. We're also struggling to offload deadwood for our price, which is slowing everything down.
04 Aug 2026 01:06:52
Thanks, Fields, for the update.
I personally feel it's a bit of a cop out by the club, to be honest. I think they're finding excuses for having a couple of really incompetent people in the main positions tasked with transfers like Hughes and maybe one or two others, but primarily Hughes.
They've had a loooong time to sort out some transfers. I understand maybe not all transfers since they didn't know who the new manager would be to replace Slot, but they could've easily sorted out squad options.
Yes, wait for the new manager to get input on major signings for the forward line and potentially midfield, since we had the WC, the new manager needed to assess current players and outgoings, etc.
Sure, I get that, but the backline could've been well and truly sorted by the start of preseason. We've known for a very long time Bradley is out for a while and struggles with injuries. Frimpong is not a good RB and Ramsey is 3rd choice and was likely on his way out.
Konate left a while ago and we were getting an injured CB that needs to be eased in, have another CB recovering from an ACL injury, have an injury-prone CB who can't play 3 games in a row and have a 35yo CB coming back late from WC duties.
There's zero excuse for not having a CB and RB sorted by the start of preseason. CB and RB targets should've been identified by the start of the WC and deals sorted before the start of preseason or soon after, similar to how other clubs have done it. That way the transfer staff and Andoni could now just focus on forwards and a CM as the gaffer assesses his squad.
It's crazy to me we didn't go for Palestra when everyone knew of his availability before Chelsea got him, or for Kayode before signing an extension with Brentford last month. Many other players we could've gone for all this time.
Sorry, big rant and nothing to do with you, The Fields, of course. I just think the club have some very incompetent people in a couple of crucial positions within the transfer department.