19 Aug 2026 16:20:06
Quick update with the caveat that this info is not from my normal trusted sources.
Barcola deal will be in the region of £125-130m, the issue is the up front payment.
A deal for Mbaye is not currently being worked on.
A deal for both Wharton and Gavi is in the works, we have open dialogue with Palace and Barca about signing them. Camarra will come into the equation if a deal for Gavi doesn't materialise.
Jones to Inter is pretty much done.
Koumas ans McConnell are likely to stay at the club with Ramsey, Morrison, Bajcetic, Wright and a few other youngsters moving on loan.
Expect a very busy couple of weeks with a load of non-starter rumours as well.
19 Aug 2026 16:38:31
Cheers TheFields. Hope you are well.
19 Aug 2026 16:39:02
Great news, TheFields. If everything works out we'll be well set up!
19 Aug 2026 16:40:00
Yes, TheFields!! This is what we want to hear, Barcola and 1 or 2 quality CM's are music to our ears.
Potentially frees Szobo up to cover some RW minutes too. Great news.
19 Aug 2026 16:40:48
Appreciate your info, TF.
I am not too keen on Wharton or Gavi.
Are we still in the market for right wing regardless? Or is this dependent on Gakpo sale? I am hoping we sign a right winger and Camarra rather than Wharton.
19 Aug 2026 16:43:53
Still need a RW, though, TF.
No news on that front?
19 Aug 2026 16:45:20
Cheers, TheFields.
Barcola fee is eye-watering. PSG taking us to the cleaners.
Both Wharton and Gavi/Camara? Wowsers.
19 Aug 2026 16:46:48
Would Gavi and Wharton be either or both? Would be delighted for both but I would assume that would be Macca out along with the announced departure of Jones.
Any idea on who we are looking at for RW if not Mbaye?
Exciting times.
19 Aug 2026 16:47:14
Cheers, TheFields. Hoping we get Mbaye as well.
19 Aug 2026 16:48:20
Cheers, TheFields, hope you're doing good.
19 Aug 2026 16:51:02
So no right winger, Fields? That's concerning if Rio and Munoz are going to be played there as first choice, and neither is a rw.
19 Aug 2026 16:56:26
Thank you, Fields.
Wishing that the transfer window closes smoothly.
19 Aug 2026 16:57:31
I'm good, now that I'm back in reality. ? Hope you're all well.
A winger depends on Gakpo leaving. I know Rayan has always been first choice, but it will be difficult. El Mala was also mentioned.
That would mean either Barcola or Rio playing predominantly on the right tho. Mbaye could come into play tho. I just don't have the sources in France to find out definite tho.
19 Aug 2026 16:58:11
Thanks, the Fields - two midfielders and Jones leaving will give Wirtz some cover too, with McAllister and Szoboszlai both able to play there.
I still think we'd lack a bit of experience on the bench in the forwards, but if this comes through we're almost there imo.
19 Aug 2026 17:00:01
Yeah, I'm afraid that's a bit too high on the wishful thinking scale. Going from the current possibility, we sign no one to replace Jones, to signing two high profiles and keeping McConnell? It just doesn't add up in any shape whatsoever. If we can get Wharton, I'm already shooting fireworks, but even that seems like a distance possibility.
19 Aug 2026 17:03:00
Even if Macca, Jones and Endo leave, surely with Szobo, Gravenberch, Gavi, Wharton and Nyoni, space for McConnell would be limited?
I love those options, and of course that's a more competitive and balanced midfield than we currently have, but I would wonder, if McConnell would be set to stay, would that imply Nyoni is likely to go out on loan.
Both McConnell and Nyoni would need guarantees of consistent game time, you would think, to be happy hanging around the fringes of the first team squad this season.
19 Aug 2026 17:06:27
Next week, guys, that'll be our week.
19 Aug 2026 17:13:55
PSG selling Barcola for £125m while buying Godts for EUR55m. They've really pulled our pants down there. If he was really worth that much, he would be starting for them and they wouldn't be okay with letting him go.
It's the kind of thing we used to do.
Seeing as we are now on the receiving end, it really makes me worry about the current decision-making at the club, especially as the experienced FSG potentially won't be the ones overseeing things in the not too distant future.
19 Aug 2026 17:15:02
The fee Man Utd were rumoured to be offering for Gavi was £40m plus add ons. Apparently he said no to them, but also no intention of leaving. It wasn’t reported whether Barca were willing to sell, although he’s hardly played due to game management after injury. I’d put that one in the possible but why would we risk it type category. Unless he’s just viewed as a cheap squad option to replace Curtis, if that was the case though I’d guess he wouldn’t come.
With Wharton it’s been said repetitively he’d be a Macca replacement. So does that mean he’s off, if Wharton is definitely on.
On Barcola, if the price fields is quoting is about right it’s got to make you think why have we waited all summer to drastically overpay for a player in a position that’s not critical.
If we still haven’t agreed an upfront fee as well. If we were willing to go that far on the fee it should have been tied up weeks ago, he should be training with us now and bedding in.
We can’t afford another Wirtz or Isak who take a year to bed in when we’re shelling out crazy fees. It’d be different if the brinkmanship results in us paying £90m plus add ons, if that was the case you’d accept the delay was worth it.
19 Aug 2026 17:17:17
Can see "things change quickly in football" in a few days. Sorry, no offense, but no way we are signing two CM's this season without Macca departing.
19 Aug 2026 17:18:24
Ooooo Fields to the rescue.
19 Aug 2026 17:20:21
Thank you TF. Keep chanting. ?
19 Aug 2026 17:25:31
Honestly, don't see the point of signing Gavi or any interest in him, his knee is absolutely done for long term and he's only likely to carry on getting long term injuries. One hard tackle and he's done for again.
You'd think we'd learn from signing the likes of Oxlade, Thiago & Arthur that players with a history of injury issues simply cannot be relied upon. If Barca are keen to get rid, then there's a reason and it's not a good one.
19 Aug 2026 17:29:00
Cheers, Fields, good to see you back in your natural environment amongst the 5g. I hear too much of that chanting in drum circles can give you Covid.
19 Aug 2026 17:32:06
Leaving it too late for any of that, I think.
19 Aug 2026 17:36:35
Cheers, Fields... Hope something gets done soon as it'd be good to get him into the group as early as poss.
19 Aug 2026 17:40:09
Awesome news, Tf! Bit of positive hope there, if all goes as planned.
So:
Striker: Isak, Koumas, Gakpo, Ekitike (inj)
LW: Gakpo, Munoz, Ngumoha, Koumas
RW: Barcola, Ngumoha, Munoz, Koumas
CAM: Wirtz, Gavi, Macca, Szobo
Double Pivots: Szobo, Grava, Macca, Wharton, Gavi, Nyoni
LB: Kerkez, Tsimikas, Chambers
RB: Frimpong, Bradley, Gomez
CB: Vvd, Jacquet, Araujo, Leoni, Gomez, Chambers
GK: Allison, Woodman, Davies, Jaros, Mamar
Now this looks like a team ready to challenge for titles! Come on Reds!
19 Aug 2026 18:03:19
If 10% of that happens I'll eat my battered work boot, thanks for the info nonetheless.
19 Aug 2026 19:02:07
Hopefully it's just agents chatter with Gavi, it'd be another very high wage earner who's more out than in. Wharton, I'm not bothered about either.
19 Aug 2026 20:22:44
Hardly exciting. Wharton will get outmuscled and Gavi has the knees of Bruce Forsyth. The ITKs have been pretty iffy. Hopefully this continues.
19 Aug 2026 21:12:13
I'd rather Camara over Gavi or Wharton for more defensive solidity.
I really hope we don't sign Gavi... a year out with ACL and meniscus injury, then 5 months out with meniscus injury again on the same knee!
You can't be signing someone with that history to come play in the most physical league in the world, an accident waiting to happen.
19 Aug 2026 21:32:47
I'd rather Wharton in a double pivot for forward ball progression, he's like a cruise missile launcher similar to Xabi Alonso.
Camara may offer more defensive solidity but the ball will be 'stuck in defence'.
19 Aug 2026 22:46:18
I'd be a lot more concerned about the prospect of RN being a first choice starter in any position than I would of Gavi, gammy leg and all, being part of our midfield selection.
20 Aug 2026 02:44:21
Gavi has played about 21 times this year since his successful surgery, including twice for Spain at the World Cup.
Dunno why people keep saying his knees shot. It's fine now. I did update this yesterday.
20 Aug 2026 07:13:21
Got to ask yourself why Barca would sell a Spanish int though, Nevada, and this isn't his first major injury. The fee rumours suggest a problem with him.
On Wharton, he's not what's needed, but loosely I can see why we'd swap out Macca and replace him with Wharton. I suspect Wharton is marginally better than him.
On the wider point of a difficult market, it's even more critical to spend what you have wisely.
So why spend big money on Wharton, for example, when someone like Sadiki would cost less and be more valuable to us, or an injury risk player.
It feels like our transfer team are scrambling around desperately at the end of the window, after missing our main targets.
20 Aug 2026 09:54:03
Wharton is a far better player to have in the squad than CJ. He'd also have more drive and commitment than MacAllister based on what contributions he has provided so far since joining. I believe he'll be a great signing.