I think we got lucky with how quickly Jelavic and Gibson settled in last January. It was a different situation then and the new players injected the fresh impetus that the squad had needed at the time. There had been little or no transfer activity over the last couple of windows up to January and the timing of bringing in fresh players was perfect.
For me, this January is more about providing backup to the core group of 14 or 15 quality players currently on the books. The younger fringe players aren’t doing this at present. If I were David Moyes, I would be looking to sign free agents. Hitzlsperger showed on Saturday that he can adequately do a job in the starting XI and I don’t see why this can’t happen with other players.
We would also be signing from a position of strength. With the way we are playing, and the position we are in in the league table, we would be attractive. We could pick and choose, we are not desperate for numbers or a supposed big-name signing. Stoke made a big fanfare out of signing Michael Owen in the summer, yet for all his talk of holding out for a big club, no-one else wanted him. What has he done for Stoke since?
I do also think that if there are decent free agents available, they are going to be picked up very cheaply. At this stage of the season, many free agents may waive a signing-on fee and their wage demands may not be that high. If we do have a limited amount of cash to spend, paying the wages of two or three players signed on short-term deals could be done.
The rules around squad limits may mean that we would still have to sell in January to make space but some of the squad players may already be viewed in this way by Moyes. Like I said, I don’t think some of them have made as much of a mark as we would have hoped for.
The timing of Barkley being recalled is perfect. There will be plenty of potential game time for him between now and the first of January. He may make a difference before the transfer window opens. We may start the second half of the season with a fully fit squad. At the moment, it is looking like Hibbert, Mirallas and Gibson will be available for the glut of games between now and the start of January.
I do think looking to add proven players with enough experience is something that we will need to do. Finding the right freebies may be a huge challenge. If anyone can do it though, I think that Moyes can.
Reader Comments (21)
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2 Posted 23/11/2012 at 17:43:04
I can't think of any real players available currently on a free, Holtby I understand is come the end of the season. Maybe a cheeky bid in January?
3 Posted 23/11/2012 at 17:47:20
4 Posted 23/11/2012 at 18:05:53
I've heard Ronaldinho's contract at Atletico Miniero ends on January 1st.
5 Posted 23/11/2012 at 18:13:28
You may be pleasantly surprised in January ;-)
6 Posted 23/11/2012 at 18:24:37
7 Posted 23/11/2012 at 18:38:36
Nick, if Royston offered us a signing on fee I wouldn't have him back. We would need to be wary of why a player is a free agent, or is being offloaded on the cheap. Players like Drenthe often serve as a cautionary tale. Like I said above, we are currently in a position where we don't need to take a gamble like we did with Drenthe. For all the ability a player like this has, the way in which he would need to be indulged may not be worth the effort.
8 Posted 23/11/2012 at 18:51:52
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/spieler/vertragsende/basics.html
Some are when loans finish rather than underlying contract.
9 Posted 23/11/2012 at 18:48:58
10 Posted 23/11/2012 at 19:14:46
An extension for Hitzleberger would certainly seem to be a no brainer.
11 Posted 23/11/2012 at 19:39:26
The only possible extra payment is if Man U sell him on at a profit, we would be entitled to 25% of said profit. However I think it's not being churlish to suggest that Rooney will not be sold at a profit. His physique suggests that his powers will wane (pardon the pun) quite quickly in his 30s, and either he moves further back and adapts his style, or leaves the game to count his millions.
12 Posted 23/11/2012 at 20:21:30
So why not sell them both you could get 4M plus and save about 50K in wages which you could use to get a good right back replacement, a drop in numbers but an improvement in quality.
13 Posted 23/11/2012 at 20:33:01
14 Posted 23/11/2012 at 20:36:15
Would it surprise you if I said no idea off the top of my head but if Oviedo a 22 year old international with CL experience can be bought for less than 2M I am sure there are right backs aplenty for double.
15 Posted 23/11/2012 at 20:54:33
16 Posted 23/11/2012 at 21:43:25
18 Posted 24/11/2012 at 08:41:27
A year ago he could have gone for $3m, but he's got some recognition since. Would $5m do the job?
19 Posted 24/11/2012 at 10:26:25
20 Posted 24/11/2012 at 12:57:46
21 Posted 24/11/2012 at 13:11:47
22 Posted 24/11/2012 at 13:40:32
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1 Posted 23/11/2012 at 17:34:11
I would happily take Huntelaar from Schalke, but I reckon he's RS bound – shame.