[Albion] Enock Mwepu (Retired 10/10/2022)

[dazzer6666]

Surprised that none of these ITK Twitterers have taken advantage of the fact an anagram of Enock Mwepu is… Coup Me Knew

We come, punk.

 

[GT49er]

Why not?

Salzburg have an excellent record for developing talent.

Sadio Mane
Erling Haaland
Naby Keita
Dayot Upamecano

Let's hope Mwepu turns out to be half as good as any of them.

Let's hope he's better than that! Looks like some good players will have to move aside to make room for him (and for the likes of Moder and Caicedo).

I know that all our development squad won't get through to become first team regulars like White and Sanchez - but at the start of this season we had three young midfielders who'd progressed through the U23s and excellet loans, and I think all three of them were in the first team squad.
Sanders didn't get a look in, and went off to Lincoln for a nominal fee (so not very much, then);
Molumby was a full Irish international, but didn't get a sniff of action - went on loan to Preston and got little more than a sniff there either. Now he's lost his Irish place, and will probably want out - probably for less than Millwall would have paid last year, as his stock is likely to have fallen.
Alzate was a full Colombian international; he played what, a dozen or so times? - mostly as a sub; he's lost his place in the Colombian team too. Does he see a future here?

Obviously the team want the best players, and fair enough, the recruitment team know a whole lot more than me about what's needed - but I do think it's a bit sad that there appears to be a bt of a bottleneck, which could cost us three very promising players who at one time looked very likely to break through.

 

[Frankworthington]

Let's hope he's better than that! Looks like some good players will have to move aside to make room for him (and for the likes of Moder and Caicedo).

I know that all our development squad won't get through to become first team regulars like White and Sanchez - but at the start of this season we had three young midfielders who'd progressed through the U23s and excellet loans, and I think all three of them were in the first team squad.
Sanders didn't get a look in, and went off to Lincoln for a nominal fee (so not very much, then);
Molumby was a full Irish international, but didn't get a sniff of action - went on loan to Preston and got little more than a sniff there either. Now he's lost his Irish place, and will probably want out - probably for less than Millwall would have paid last year, as his stock is likely to have fallen.
Alzate was a full Colombian international; he played what, a dozen or so times? - mostly as a sub; he's lost his place in the Colombian team too. Does he see a future here?

Obviously the team want the best players, and fair enough, the recruitment team know a whole lot more than me about what's needed - but I do think it's a bit sad that there appears to be a bt of a bottleneck, which could cost us three very promising players who at one time looked very likely to break through.

This

The other player i worry for is Jenks.I know he out on loan but a midfield player that can score goals.A rare commodity

Is he ever going to get the chance at the Albion?

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Let's hope he's better than that! Looks like some good players will have to move aside to make room for him (and for the likes of Moder and Caicedo).

I know that all our development squad won't get through to become first team regulars like White and Sanchez - but at the start of this season we had three young midfielders who'd progressed through the U23s and excellet loans, and I think all three of them were in the first team squad.
Sanders didn't get a look in, and went off to Lincoln for a nominal fee (so not very much, then);
Molumby was a full Irish international, but didn't get a sniff of action - went on loan to Preston and got little more than a sniff there either. Now he's lost his Irish place, and will probably want out - probably for less than Millwall would have paid last year, as his stock is likely to have fallen.
Alzate was a full Colombian international; he played what, a dozen or so times? - mostly as a sub; he's lost his place in the Colombian team too. Does he see a future here?

Obviously the team want the best players, and fair enough, the recruitment team know a whole lot more than me about what's needed - but I do think it's a bit sad that there appears to be a bt of a bottleneck, which could cost us three very promising players who at one time looked very likely to break through.

I liked Sanders - looked first team ready to me, but Potter knows better than me. Molumby looks a bit agricultural to me - see Duffy for Irish Internationals who don't meet Potter's expectations. Alzate - to me looks talented, but lightweight. Sorry, but when Alzate is the answer as a sub, I'm always wondering what the question is. If they were good enough to break through, they would. But we have set a very high bar for our players and sometimes three players out of three with enormous potential just ain't gonna get there if an opportunity to sign someone better comes along. Moises and Enock may just be twice the midfielders that Molumby and Alzate will ever be, much as Sanchez has just bundled Ryan out of the way. Some will come from the Dev squad and some will be bought with proceeds of sale of Development squad graduates like White and/or Bissouma.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

We come, punk.

cowmen puke
Ewen mockup

 

[Hugo Rune]

This

The other player i worry for is Jenks.I know he out on loan but a midfield player that can score goals.A rare commodity

Is he ever going to get the chance at the Albion?

I think we’ve got to start getting used to a high player turnover similar to teams like Dortmund who I believe are the model.

The likes of White & Bissouma will have a good season or two but will be moved on when their value passes £50m or so.

The likes of Jenks will get a chance if they are good enough.

 

[Icy Gull]

I liked Sanders - looked first team ready to me, but Potter knows better than me. Molumby looks a bit agricultural to me - see Duffy for Irish Internationals who don't meet Potter's expectations. Alzate - to me looks talented, but lightweight. Sorry, but when Alzate is the answer as a sub, I'm always wondering what the question is. If they were good enough to break through, they would. But we have set a very high bar for our players and sometimes three players out of three with enormous potential just ain't gonna get there if an opportunity to sign someone better comes along. Moises and Enock may just be twice the midfielders that Molumby and Alzate will ever be, much as Sanchez has just bundled Ryan out of the way. Some will come from the Dev squad and some will be bought with proceeds of sale of Development squad graduates like White and/or Bissouma.

How many PL clubs recruit regular first team players from their development squad? It’s going to get tougher every year if we are to hit that top ten dream, sadly

 

[chaileyjem]

Surely we are not paying £20m plus for a player with only Austrian league experience

The Zambian source quoted earlier today in the thread said fee was around £13m

 

[forumwayseagull]

The Zambian source quoted earlier today in the thread said fee was around £13m

That is the price the sight transfermarket has him at...If you refer to that Dunk and white are worth about 5 quid. realistically the fee is about 25 million euros (about 21.5 million quid)

 

[Badger Boy]

Let's hope he's better than that! Looks like some good players will have to move aside to make room for him (and for the likes of Moder and Caicedo).

I know that all our development squad won't get through to become first team regulars like White and Sanchez - but at the start of this season we had three young midfielders who'd progressed through the U23s and excellet loans, and I think all three of them were in the first team squad.
Sanders didn't get a look in, and went off to Lincoln for a nominal fee (so not very much, then);
Molumby was a full Irish international, but didn't get a sniff of action - went on loan to Preston and got little more than a sniff there either. Now he's lost his Irish place, and will probably want out - probably for less than Millwall would have paid last year, as his stock is likely to have fallen.
Alzate was a full Colombian international; he played what, a dozen or so times? - mostly as a sub; he's lost his place in the Colombian team too. Does he see a future here?

Obviously the team want the best players, and fair enough, the recruitment team know a whole lot more than me about what's needed - but I do think it's a bit sad that there appears to be a bt of a bottleneck, which could cost us three very promising players who at one time looked very likely to break through.

I share the same concerns, but I think it's very unlikely a player will be able to come straight into a Premier League team from the u23s. It doesn't happen very often that a player breaks through without a loan spell elsewhere first, ala White. Sometimes it does but if you look at the England squad you'll see goalkeepers who have played in the Football League (Pickford actually played non-league in a loan spell or two), defenders who have really gone through the leagues (Maguire in League 1 for two years at Sheffield United and even when he made the Premier League, he couldn't get in the Hull team so he went on loan to Wigan in the Championship). Midfielders who have had loan spells outside the PL (Mason Mount at Derby, Grealish relegated with Villa and then had 3 years in the Championship, Phillips only recently a PL player) and Mr Loanee himself and scorer for Leyton Orient against Brighton, Sir Harry Kane. The players who haven't had a loan spell or played in the lower leagues are few and far between with Rice, Rashford, Sancho, Shaw, James, Foden and Saka. That is more than I expected - but it's a very high bar.

I think Molumby's probably better off departing now, he's not a Premier League player at this point and I'm not sure there's value in us holding on to him. I would assume he's better off, for his career, to move on a permanent deal and get back to the PL through performances in the Championship. Alzate I think is still young enough to spend a year out on loan and then come back, although he is actually older than Molumby, he's been around the first team squad a lot more and I would have thought has more potential to improve.

 

[AZ Gull]

Re Alzate - reasons for keeping him:

1.Propper has gone.
2.Potter doesn't appear to fancy Molumby.
3. Lallana is injury prone.
4. Caicedo probably not ready.
5. Alzate can cover a multitude of positions.
6. He is a decent player.

It seems you (and quite a few others in this thread) have written off Molumby. Have I missed something?

He was certainly in Potter's plans for the first half of last season - made two starts in the Carabao Cup (one against Man Utd), and would have made a third against Preston but was kept out of the line-up as cover for the Man Utd league game after Biss got his red card at Newcastle. He actually made his Premier League debut as a (late) sub at Villa.

Given his limited playing time though a loan in the second half of the season seemed the sensible move for all concerned. It certainly didn't go as well as he would have wanted, but maybe it will prove to be far more beneficial in his career for exactly that reason?

I'd be surprised if he wasn't given an opportunity by Potter during pre-season this time around.

 

[Peter Grummit]

Great work rate and body language from his highlights reel.

It's a yes from me.

Sent from my SM-A105G using Tapatalk

 

[Icy Gull]

I AM excited about this potential signing and our new keeper but where are the LWB and striker. Sorry to be so demanding

Make sure GP has the tools this season, PLEASE

 

[um bongo molongo]

Am both excited by this and a little sad as I think it means Biss is definitely going

 

[GT49er]

I share the same concerns, but I think it's very unlikely a player will be able to come straight into a Premier League team from the u23s. It doesn't happen very often that a player breaks through without a loan spell elsewhere first, aka White.

Couldn't agree more (and isn't Connolly a prime examle of one who should have gone - and still should go - on loan), but the three players I mentioned had all done good spade-work playing 'grown up football' in lower divisions, and had legitimate expectations of being given a chance to break through.

 

[vagabond]

Why not?

Salzburg have an excellent record for developing talent.

Sadio Mane
Erling Haaland
Naby Keita
Dayot Upamecano

Let's hope Mwepu turns out to be half as good as any of them.

Great post.

With Champions League experience, good age, resell value and the pedigree of his club this is a punt worth taking.

 

[GT49er]

I'm struggling to see the logic of literally giving Davy Propper away for free, only to break our transfer record on another central midfielder about ten years younger

Amended to suggest a possible answer for you.

 

[Kosh]

I really like this one. Mostly because a few years back I was in a charity shop in Cornwall and I found a Zambian national shirt, which I often wear to training with the Alnwick Town over 35s (legends XI)

The Copper Bullets.

Accordingly, in something akin to a cheesy ‘inconsequential’ scene from Outlander, the two moments are (obviously) intrinsically linked and a critical part of saving the entire planet… ayeeee etc.

 

[GT49er]

Re Alzate - reasons for keeping him:

1.Propper has gone.
2.Potter doesn't appear to fancy Molumby.
3. Lallana is injury prone.
4. Caicedo probably not ready.
5. Alzate can cover a multitude of positions.
6. He is a decent player.

Reasons for us keeping Alzate, sure. But what's in it for Alzate? Done his time (with considerable credit) on the lower divisions, waitng for his chance while Moder, Caicedo, and now Mwepu are brought in.
I wonder what Mac Allister thinks about Sarmiento coming in too.

 

[GT49er]

“ Mecurial midfielder Enock Mwepu on the verge of joining English Premiership side Brighton & Hove Albion FC, all paper work done, awaiting confirmation.

https://twitter.com/chipolopolodh/status/1412042845813346304?s=21

I find it hard to take anyone who has chosen a user name 'chipolopolodh' seriously ..........................