[Albion] Mohamed Camara

[Blue Valkyrie]

Caicedo?

The trouble is that Moder's injury also leaves us one short - it was OK when we had both Caicedo and Bissouma, but not so great now.

I can see the argument for bringing in another midfielder thus summer.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Mwepu was only around £13m in the end. Think Camara would be ~£20m at least.

Yes where is the print at home option, will it cost more?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The trouble is that Moder's injury also leaves us one short - it was OK when we had both Caicedo and Bissouma, but not so great now.

I can see the argument for bringing in another midfielder thus summer.

Isn't Moder back in light training now?

 

[southstandandy]

Isn't Moder back in light training now?

No, he's in a light boot now. Still on crutches.

 

[JBizzle]

yes but the goal isn't to stand still. depending on what you believe we've been happy to offer significantly more money for certain players, deals that then haven't come off for whatever reason.

if we're set on establishing ourselves in the top ten then we need to change the calibre of talent we buy in. all very well spending smaller sums on players when we're finishing 15th every year, but if we don't want to do that anymore then the simple reality of it is at some point we may just have to bite the bullet and bring in players with a bit more of a financial risk behind them.

so it's no really a question of anyone rushing to spend that money, just that it's inevitable if we want to sustain this level of improvement we're seeing at the moment.

I think that implies that our current model keeps us standing still though. We may well end up spending big money some day, but I don't believe we'd be building a model based on sustainable purchasing and player development only to throw big money around on one player. The only exception could be a player that available who would be an insane upgrade i.e. Nunez. I'd be surprised if it was on a player in a role where we have such strength in depth already.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Isn't Moder back in light training now?

I thought he's out until after the World Cup ?

 

[Frankworthington]

The Toon in the hunt for Camara according to reports

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

The Toon in the hunt for Camara according to reports

Cashworth.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Cashworth.

This is why we should have invested in a sniper, hiding behind the whitegates, to take Ashworth out as soon as he started his journey up north

 

[macbeth]

I think that implies that our current model keeps us standing still though. We may well end up spending big money some day, but I don't believe we'd be building a model based on sustainable purchasing and player development only to throw big money around on one player. The only exception could be a player that available who would be an insane upgrade i.e. Nunez. I'd be surprised if it was on a player in a role where we have such strength in depth already.

I'd certainly disagree that it implies that. our model isn't 'dont spend much money', it's 'identify young talents, sign them at a suitable price relative to their talent and then sell them on in order to be sustainable'. that's much more of a grey area, and what it actually does imply is that our model is malleable and transferable as our status in the PL changes.

if you want that to remain so, you have to shop for players of a higher quality, not the players we were shopping for when we were finishing 15th. People often say that us finishing higher is good because it means we'll be a more attractive option, as we'll be able to compete with other clubs in and around our position in the league, and that's all well and good but it means very little if we're never willing to match the fees these other clubs will offer. genuinely wouldn't be surprised if there are some clubs in the league who would happily just wait for us to identify targets for them before outbidding us. So in short, no, I'm not implying our model will keep us still atm, simply that as we move up the table we need to keep the same model but maybe look to do it on a more expansive, premium level, that allows us to have the talents in the team that wouldn't have considered us before, and unfortunately that means reaching a bit deeper into our metaphorical pocket

 

[GrossTurn]

I was replying to Gross Turn, not the OP and just questioning when or why we need to spend £30m. It's 50 % more than our record and we seem to work with a model that projects more modest fees with less risk and the potential for better outcomes financially and currently playing wise.

Definitely not suggesting we need to, at all - just that it’s inevitable we will at some point for a myriad of reasons including many highlighted by macbeth above.

I think that implies that our current model keeps us standing still though. We may well end up spending big money some day, but I don't believe we'd be building a model based on sustainable purchasing and player development only to throw big money around on one player. The only exception could be a player that available who would be an insane upgrade i.e. Nunez. I'd be surprised if it was on a player in a role where we have such strength in depth already.

Webster - £20m several seasons ago in a position pretty much no-one thought was a priority for strengthening at the time. Don’t think it’s in anyway a stretch to suggest the club will pounce to spend a third more on a player they rate (especially an attacking player) if they feel they’re a sufficient upgrade and it’s a deal worth doing.

I’m very much in favour of, and love our existing model of buying cheap and developing young talent, but spending larger fees to help replace big outgoings and keep the improving the quality of the squad very much comes with the territory of PL top 10. We’ll see over the next few windows if Bloom agrees, anyway.

 

[Machiavelli]

Definitely not suggesting we need to, at all - just that it’s inevitable we will at some point for a myriad of reasons including many highlighted by macbeth above.


Webster - £20m several seasons ago in a position pretty much no-one thought was a priority for strengthening at the time. Don’t think it’s in anyway a stretch to suggest the club will pounce to spend a third more on a player they rate (especially an attacking player) if they feel they’re a sufficient upgrade and it’s a deal worth doing.

I’m very much in favour of, and love our existing model of buying cheap and developing young talent, but spending larger fees to help replace big outgoings and keep the improving the quality of the squad very much comes with the territory of PL top 10. We’ll see over the next few windows if Bloom agrees, anyway.

You're right, of course. We were willing to go over £30m to get Nunez. It'll happen, but only for the right player.

 

[northstandsteve]

You're right, of course. We were willing to go over £30m to get Nunez. It'll happen, but only for the right player.

Evanilson

 

[BluesRockDJ]

Yeah, cos wasting our time on the Ben White’s of this world is just stupid. Never pays off, does it?

To my knowledge, we didn't sign him, he was already at the Academy ?

 

[Justice]

Caicedo?

My maths isn’t the best but surely that still leaves us a quality midfielder short.

 

[Weststander]

Evanilson

A Welshman from Belo Horizonte?

 

[227 BHA]

To my knowledge, we didn't sign him, he was already at the Academy ?

Ok, so if we’re being pedantic, he would have signed at whatever level he started with us.
My point still stands.

 

[Justice]

I'd certainly disagree that it implies that. our model isn't 'dont spend much money', it's 'identify young talents, sign them at a suitable price relative to their talent and then sell them on in order to be sustainable'. that's much more of a grey area, and what it actually does imply is that our model is malleable and transferable as our status in the PL changes.

if you want that to remain so, you have to shop for players of a higher quality, not the players we were shopping for when we were finishing 15th. People often say that us finishing higher is good because it means we'll be a more attractive option, as we'll be able to compete with other clubs in and around our position in the league, and that's all well and good but it means very little if we're never willing to match the fees these other clubs will offer. genuinely wouldn't be surprised if there are some clubs in the league who would happily just wait for us to identify targets for them before outbidding us. So in short, no, I'm not implying our model will keep us still atm, simply that as we move up the table we need to keep the same model but maybe look to do it on a more expansive, premium level, that allows us to have the talents in the team that wouldn't have considered us before, and unfortunately that means reaching a bit deeper into our metaphorical pocket

This model argument isn’t really descriptive of the first team, most of our stand out players cost around £15m, Including the now departed Bissouma we have Trossard, Webster, Cucurella, Maupay, Enoch, Macalister, the rest are made up of plenty of experience players, Welbeck, Veltman, Lallana, Dunk. The only one recently that has worked is Caicedo. Lamptey was always a quality player we got for a bargain and Moder came straight into the first team when he arrived.
Maybe Mitoma will be the next although on average we have paid good money for most of the first team.

 

[chaileyjem]

most of our stand out players cost around £15m.

14 of the 20 most played players last season did not cost £15m and were either free transfers, developed through the academy and a series of loans or bought for c£5m and sent out on loan >> Lamptey, Alzate, Caicedo, Sanchez, Moder, Dunk, March, MacAllister, Gross, Welbeck , Veltman, Lallana, Duffy, and Dan Burn. Only 6 did - Cucurella, Webster, Trossard, Bissouma, Mwepu and Maupay. And of that 6 - all were in the early 20s or younger and had no PL experience.
And Ben White who we sold for £50m last season didn't cost £15m either.

 

[macbeth]

This model argument isn’t really descriptive of the first team, most of our stand out players cost around £15m, Including the now departed Bissouma we have Trossard, Webster, Cucurella, Maupay, Enoch, Macalister, the rest are made up of plenty of experience players, Welbeck, Veltman, Lallana, Dunk. The only one recently that has worked is Caicedo. Lamptey was always a quality player we got for a bargain and Moder came straight into the first team when he arrived.
Maybe Mitoma will be the next although on average we have paid good money for most of the first team.

cucurella was 23, Webster was 24, Mac Allister was 21, and Maupay was 22, none of those are old players and were probably bought with potentially selling on in mind so yes that is the model. And now we're stabilised in the PL the model is changing and looking to recruit even younger players as I said, cause we have a good enough abundance of quality in the first team squad.

and I haven't even spoken about lamptey, caicedo, sanchez or white yet