With the takeover done and a few possible outgoing players (Beto, Patterson and Calvert-Lewin), it seems likely that we’ll do some business this January, whether Dyche stays or goes.
Here’s a quick run through of the likelier sounding rumours so far – and some other players who might also be on the market. I don’t buy the idea that we need a new manager before we do business. I expect any new manager will be happy to work with better players in the short term and Thelwell will be tasked with sourcing them.
Of course, there are literally hundreds of players from across the world and closer to home in the Championship, academies etc who can come out of left-field. However, many (like the highly rated Chris Rigg at Sunderland or Borja Sainz at Norwich) will be waiting to resolve their futures in summer, not January. And some may only be available on loan – but that doesn’t help us since we’ve already filled our loan spots.
Whilst we might all want to simply return Harrison to Leeds – the terms of the deal probably don’t allow that. Could potentially buy Mangala early – but that would only free up a non-UK loan space.
Here are the more persistent rumours and a few options:
Strikers
The rumours…
Ferguson: a really good young striker but patchy goal record. His price tag has probably come down to around the £35M to £45M mark and, still only 20, he’d be a good long-term investment for Friedkin. Possibly only available on loan…
Yuri Alberto: Thelwell seems to have been interested in Yuri Alberto for some time, tracking him while he was at St Petersburg and then continuing after his return to Brazil. He’s been in decent form and now age 23 probably better placed to handle a move to Europe than he was when he went to Russia. Good footballer and quite robust at leading the line.
Igor Jesus: another that Thelwell (I think) has tracked for some time because we were first linked when he was playing in the Middle East when Lampard was manager. Also now 23, he’s back in Brazil and doing well at Botafogo. I do note though that Botafogo are owned by John Textor and this link may date back to his failed ownership bid.
Pepi: 21-year-old USA striker doing well with PSV after failing to make an impression at Augsburg (who made a loss after bringing him to Europe from the MLS). In all honesty, he’d probably be better served developing (in confidence and physically) in the Netherlands for another season before moving on to a tougher league – although he could become really good.
Other options…
Gimenez: Mexican striker, 23, slightly coming off the boil at Feyenoord and could be available for about £40M. Along with Ferguson, probably the best “gettable” striker around right now. Forest are linked.
Brobbey: at 22, a powerful striker with Ajax and generally touted around a transfer target for a whole range of clubs but no great goal record to merit the persistent links to various big clubs.
Wingers / Forwards
The rumours…
Nuamah: fast, talented left-footed right winger playing for Lyon in France. The rumour is persistent (and Lyon seem to need to sell as they are in a terrible mess) but I wonder again if this rumour makes less sense with the Friedkin takeover. We did a fair bit of business with Lyon over the summer (Mangala and O’Brien) but may be less likely to do so with Textor out of the picture for us.
Fellows: right-footed young right winger with a great goals & assists record this season for West Brom – who could play either right wing or even roight-wingback in a 3-4-3 formation. Might be keen to leave after the departure of Corberan.
Ziyech: poor man’s Mesut Ozil but still very talented, but also not much of a worker and career fizzling out in Turkey. Can turn it on for Morocco when he’s arsed, but doubt he’d be good for us.
Akgun: left-footed right winger – now 24, he’s hit 6 assists and 6 goals in 17 this term for Galatasaray. He was on loan at Leicester last season in the Championship though and only got 2 goals and 4 assists in 29. Not sure whether he’s really Premier League quality.
Philogene: he did really well in the Championship for Hull City and performed strongly for England U-21s. But not getting a look-in at Villa (where he came through the youth ranks). Right-footed left-winger – so not really the type of player we need – but might allow Ndiaye to play a bit more centrally.
Also available…
Ben Doak: sickening to hand over the ~£25M wanted by Liverpool, but the young Scot looks like exactly the sort of long-term solution we need for the right flank. Pace, skill, work rate and end product. Doing great at Boro and courted by many other clubs.
Midfielders
Not exactly an immediate priority possibly with (hopefully) Garner and Iroegbunam set to return, but certainly somewhere that could usefully be strengthened with someone genuinely good at football.
Rumours include:
Diarra: young and versatile Senegalese midfielder at Strasbourg (meaning he’s effectively owned by Chelsea) with good technical skills. Would probably take up Doucoure’s role as the most advanced of a central trio but he’s not going to chip in with a lot of goals or assists like, say, Gibbs-White. He just carries the ball forward very well and at pace, and would supply the flanks and forwards. Could be an excellent long-term signing.
Also available…
Dewsbury-Hall: he only moved to Chelsea in the summer for just over £30M but hasn’t made much of an impression due to their embarrassment of riches in midfield. He probably won’t be available till summer – but is a likely future signing or target for us.
Miller: the 18-year-old Motherwell midfielder looks very classy and is linked to all the big-name clubs. Could move for about £5M in January. He wouldn’t make an immediate impression though.
Right-Backs
Rumours include:
Wesley: seems to be a genuinely highly rated top young right-back playing for Flamengo in Brazil. Could be a decent fee involved – ~£20M or so – for a player who is linked to a lot of clubs around Europe now.
Jelert: rotten start to his career in Galatasaray for the young Dane. Looks okay – but maybe not better than a player like Jacobsen who used to be on our books as a right-back.
Also available… I think I’ve mentioned loads of right-backs in previous articles so won’t labour this. Suffice to say there are dozens of options.
Left-Backs
Rumours include… no-one.
The stand-out option in January would be the following (but like right-backs, there are dozens of options).
Brown: tall, young 22-year-old English left-back playing for Gent in Belgium. Linked repeatedly around Premier League clubs.
Centre-Backs
Bit surprised we’re linked with centre-backs in January because it’s one area where we at least have numbers – if not quality:
Rumours include:
Juma Bah: a gigantic 18-year-old centre-back on loan at Valladolid in La Liga, with a parent club still based in his native Sierra Leone. Pretty amazing for him to have adapted so quickly to playing at such a high level. There’s talk of £10M fee – but presumably that would have to wait until summer 2025 once his loan at Valladolid is up.
Victor Lindelof: also approaching the end of his contract, Man Utd might let him go for a modest fee in January. Not exactly the most exciting signing but a low cost, experienced “Steady Eddy” can be good for the side too.
Options include… again, dozens. And since I don’t think this is a priority for January, I’ll leave it at that.