[Albion] The Great Albion Midfield Rebuild - Summer ‘24 edition

[Gabbiano]

Pascal gone.

What is the plan ? Sign Gomez and not loan out Yalcoute until January ? Keep Moder until January ?

For two starting midfield berths and a midfield/CB combo berth we have (including for now those likely to be sold)...

Moder, Gilmour, Dahoud, Wieffer, Baleba, Hinshelwood, Yalcouye, Milner, Buonanotte, Enciso, potentially João Pedro can also play AM. Then fringe players like Sarmiento, Moran, Weir and Ayari who have had minutes in pre-season.

There needs to be a lot of movement in the market for our midfielders, even more if we bring in Gomez and/or Gruda.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Updated…..


Confirmed outs
Lallana - Southampton, Free
Alzate - Free
Groß - Dortmund, £5.8m

Rumoured outs
Gilmour - Napoli - £12m
Moder - Leicester - £10m px
Buonanotte - Feyenoord - Development Loan
Dahoud - ?

Rumoured ins
Gomez - Inter Miami - £12m (January ‘25)
Gruda - Mainz05 £18m - £40m

Confirmed ins
Wieffer - Feyenoord - £25m
Yalcouye - IFK Göteborg - £6m

Probable continuing midfielders
Milner
Hinshelwood
Baleba
Enciso (CAM)
Sarmiento (CAM)
*Ayari ?
*Moran ?
*Weir ?

*Speculative based on minutes played on the Japanese tour.

 

[Han Solo]

Pascal gone.

What is the plan ? Sign Gomez and not loan out Yalcoute until January ? Keep Moder until January ?

Most likely the plan is to sell more midfielders and not bring any more in.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

I’d be amazed if we don’t sign a Gross replacement. Seemingly the club have already tried to do so twice this Summer.

Then again, I was amazed we didn’t sign a left footed winger in January and 6 months on we’ve signed two. Maybe we’ll just have to wait another 6 months

 

[pigmanovich]

I’d be amazed if we don’t sign a Gross replacement. Seemingly the club have already tried to do so twice this Summer.

Then again, I was amazed we didn’t sign a left footed winger in January and 6 months on we’ve signed two. Maybe we’ll just have to wait another 6 months

Not us pinning our hopes on the January transfer window again

 

[sagaman]

Still need a right back who has pace to defend and attack

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I think the best way of visualising they way we will set up a midfield is to say we'll have one deep lying just in front of the defence player, then a left centre mid and a right centre mid

Wiefer as the deep lying, just in front of the defence player. Milner Is his understudy

Buonanotte, I think will be first pick as the left centre mid. Not sure who his understudy would be, but not ruling out Ayari on those pre season performances. Gomez will come into the mix for this position later in the season

Baleba and Hinsh I think will compete for the right centre mid position. This will be a tight selection call.

I see Pedro, Enciso etc as competing for spaces in the front line, but if we need a goal we will likely sacrifice a centre mid to get another one on the pitch.

This also assumes the "worst scenario" of us selling Gilmour and not getting Gruda or anyone.

 

[portslade seagull]

Looking extremely weak in midfield. It will be lightweights against heavyweights with our remaining contingent although we should be great on the wings

 

[Surf's Up]

Looking extremely weak in midfield. It will be lightweights against heavyweights with our remaining contingent although we should be great on the wings

This is my concern too. Clubs like Bournemouth, Brentford, Villa etc have concentrated on bringing in tallish, muscular, quick and skilful players who will be able to cope and flourish with the pace and physicality of the English game.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Looking extremely weak in midfield. It will be lightweights against heavyweights with our remaining contingent although we should be great on the wings

Looking very, very thin.

Where once we had this:

 

[Dibdab]

This is my concern too. Clubs like Bournemouth, Brentford, Villa etc have concentrated on bringing in tallish, muscular, quick and skilful players who will be able to cope and flourish with the pace and physicality of the English game.

You mean players just like Matt’s Wiefer and Baleba?

 

[Han Solo]

Looking very, very thin.

Where once we had this:

View attachment 186368

And just like the current lot, all of those started as "who the f*** is this?"

 

[ewe2]

I’d be amazed if we don’t sign a Gross replacement. Seemingly the club have already tried to do so twice this Summer.

Then again, I was amazed we didn’t sign a left footed winger in January and 6 months on we’ve signed two. Maybe we’ll just have to wait another 6 months

Maybe go back again for Rutter

 

[Milano]

It's August 1st, hardly the time to panic.
In fact don't Gross and WBG exactly fit the 'too lightweight' category which some seem to be so concerned about? Weirdy the same people then seem to want Facu to start who is the most 'lightweight' midfielder at the club!!!
I'd be very surprised if we are finished with incomings this window.

 

[tigertim68]

I’d be amazed if we don’t sign a Gross replacement. Seemingly the club have already tried to do so twice this Summer.

Then again, I was amazed we didn’t sign a left footed winger in January and 6 months on we’ve signed two. Maybe we’ll just have to wait another 6 months

It won’t be 6 months , they won’t buy players in the January window

 

[Gabbiano]

You mean players just like Matt’s Wiefer and Baleba?

A midfield of Wieffer - Baleba - Enciso for me offers a good blend of physicality, flexibility and creativity.

The attacking midfield options are the riskiest. There's lots of lightweight players with high ceilings but as yet unproven.

Opportunity for someone to fulfill their potential have a breakout season though. Probably Enciso would be ideal as his contract is starting to run down and he needs to be worth good money for when we inevitably have to sell him.

Gruda would be great but I'm not convinced he's within our price bracket.

 

[Han Solo]

A midfield of Wieffer - Baleba - Enciso for me offers a good blend of physicality, flexibility and creativity.

The attacking midfield options are the riskiest. There's lots of lightweight players with high ceilings but as yet unproven.

Opportunity for someone to fulfill their potential have a breakout season though. Probably Enciso would be ideal as his contract is starting to run down and he needs to be worth good money for when we inevitably have to sell him.

Gruda would be great but I'm not convinced he's within our price bracket.

Yup. Plenty of options in all midfield roles.

People just want more signings, all the time. Doesn't matter if there's 40 players in the squad like now, people want MORE. And in order to support their silly desire for shiny new things, they try to find flaws and problems that isn't there.

 

[Hiheidi]

 

[Gabbiano]

In that same thread, the suggested CM backup for Man United is our own Lancing-grown Toby Collyer.

Very frustrating that even with the investment in our youth teams and facilities, some of our best prospects like Collyer and Mhueka still get poached. I hope the club have got a beady eye on the current crop of U17s because there's some really great kids in that group who we don't want to lose.

 

[Hiheidi]

In that same thread, the suggested CM backup for Man United is our own Lancing-grown Toby Collyer.

Yes, I saw some Man U fan on Twitter the other day suggesting that they should loan him to Brighton