How can we balance organic growth and incoming transfers?

[Everlasting Seconds]

As the Summer Transfer Wish List thread constantly is hijacked by people with no interest for discussing actual transfer targets, I thought I’d give everybody a nudge and move a part of the debate to a separate thread.


What, if any, is the correct balance between “organic squad growth” (promotions to senior squad from within) and incoming transfers?



On one hand, we have an academy that is hailed by many outsiders, adored by many fans, and invested in by the club. And I do think that we all agree that there are several interesting names with great potential, that some academy graduates probably have a future other places than in Spurs, and that we have seen some great finished products.


Kane is the obvious example of unbelievable youth product. That the club from within should produce such a striker is amazing. Nobody would have predicted that only a couple of seasons ago. Harry Kane makes the entire academy worth it.


But other players haven’t lived up to huge expectations. Last season’s team regulars Mason & Bentaleb had to take s huge step backwards this season. Injured, yes. But regardless of reason, they are two academy graduates who actually took a step back in the pecking order.


To stick with CMs, Tom Carroll has been hailed as the next big thing for literally 5 years. I remember fans were crying out for AVB to start him vs. Chelsea. Away.

Now, I don’t dislike Carroll at all. But in all honesty, to what level has he developed in 5 years? I can see little change in him, and I think he still has the same obvious flaws.


Bringing this together, let’s have a look at the present kids.

In no particular order, Winks, Harrison, Walker-Peters, Oduwa, Onomah, Ball, Carter-Vickers, Edwards, and Pritchard seem to be the kids with the most buzz. But given the various ways of development: Kane being the bomb out of nowhere, Bentaleb stepping back, Carroll plateauing, and I haven’t even mentioned Veljkovic yet who was a big name at one point and left the club and PL in Feb. Who can really say that they know a kid is going to be such a great alternative, there is no need for purchases?


I want to finish this part of the post with pointing out one thing. Yes we do have a great academy. But HOW great? No new academy graduate has seen any substantial amount of game time this season. At all. In the light of ManUtd successfully implementing Rashford, Fosu-Mensah (who is a horny son of a bitch), and maybe Borthwick-Jackson, aren’t they succeeding better in what we want to do?


Let’s look at the incoming transfer side of things


Some stats are just so obvious,that there is only one SC-user left who contests them. From our present most trusted 11 players, 1 is academy graduate. 10 were purchases at one point. The new players in the senior squad this season who made the most impact were all purchased in 2015. No new impactful senior player was an organic addition to the squad.


Looking back over the last years, all our star players except one, was purchased. But, some tremendous failings were purchases, too. I offer Chiriches, Paulinho, Soldado, Holtby, Sigurdsson, Dempsey (who I personally actually enjoyed a lot), Stambouli vs. Modric, Bale, Lloris, Eriksen, Dembele, Vertonghen and Dele Alli. Toss in there Capoue (who I still don’t think was a failed purchase in terms on in-game ability), Wimmer (a great signing), Dier (an even greater signing), Lamela, Walker, Trippier, Rose, Alderweireld, and hopefully Son & N’Jie, I think must ask a simple question, doesn’t our overall transfer strategy actually work? Especially now that we’ve narrowed down and defined our present transfer strategy? The number of Eriksens and Dele Allis outweigh the number of Paulinhos and Soldados.


In my mind, I think the club is doing a great transfer job from an overall perspective.


But they are doing a great academy job, too. I sound biased, I’m not. I must point out that I don’t dislike the youth players. I don’t lack faith in Carter-Vickers et Co. But what is an academy for?

1) Produce players that can be sold on to raise funds for new signings

2) Hopefully, once in a while find a player who becomes a star

3) Supply the senior squad with cheap fringe players

I’m equally proud of all of these outcomes. I think it’s great when a Spurs academy graduate is sold and becomes a steady PL player for another club. I love the fact that parts of the bench are players who love the club and who cost nothing. Isn’t it better to pay a kid 3.000-40.000 a week than to pay a failed signing 80.000 a week on top of 25 millions in transfer fees?


But I do love cunning and smart transfer business most of all. The type of Lloris, Eriksen, Dier, Vertonghen. Not extremely well known. Not outrageously expensive. But goddarn great signings.


Is it not possible to balance a continued search for great singings with on-going academy developments?


I believe it is.


I will finish off with a plea. I don’t feel like an inferior supporter just because I don’t type the initials of Carter-Vickers constantly in reply to possible defensive signings. I don’t think going on and on about how great the kids will be next season makes anybody a truer or purer supporter. So I think it is OK that SC users want to discuss possible transfers targets without the interference of the same 5 names being mentioned as a reason not talk about possible signings.


We all want the best for he club. And this summer, the best for the club is to continue doing great signings and continue promoting kids form within.

Any Spurs-fan should wholeheartedly welcome both approaches.

 

[nicdic]

Agree. We need a mix of both. As long as we have a mix of both I'm happy. I think what comes with that though is a need to realise that we may need to leave space for youth players to come through. We don't want to fill every position with new signings or established players, we want and need space for youth players to get the odd chance.

There's plenty of potential coming through that combined with a few astute signings should see us progress very well.

I think the aim with the academy ought to always primarily be the first team, but if they don't make that, they'll be steady PL players elsewhere and bring in decent money. If we aim for the latter, we'll never get the first and may struggle to even achieve that.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Agree. We need a mix of both. As long as we have a mix of both I'm happy. I think what comes with that though is a need to realise that we may need to leave space for youth players to come through. We don't want to fill every position with new signings or established players, we want and need space for youth players to get the odd chance.

There's plenty of potential coming through that combined with a few astute signings should see us progress very well.

I think the aim with the academy ought to always primarily be the first team, but if they don't make that, they'll be steady PL players elsewhere and bring in decent money. If we aim for the latter, we'll never get the first and may struggle to even achieve that.

I think that's a great comment.
It points to another dimension, though. This summer, we probably need to cut some losses on a very few players.
I do think there are academy kids who could become new parts of the senior squad given enough space for them. And I firmly believe that we need possibly three signings (two?). To make both of those happen, somebody will have to leave this summer.
The time has come for some decisive decisionmaking.

 

[JayB]

It's important that we continue to be able to give opportunities to academy products in order to reap all the benefits you've identified.

I think the keys to that are to avoid stop-gap signings, to continuously cull the squad of deadwood, and to recruit versatile players to fill multiple positions, thereby keeping the squad light on numbers and opening up chances for academy players to stake a claim to the first team in domestic cup fixtures.

There's absolutely a balance to be struck that allows us to bring in new signings to address the weaknesses of the senior squad without preventing youth progression. We just have to be exacting in terms of the signings we do make, and every indication is that under Poch and Mitchell we are attempting to do just that.

 

[wishkah]

Having skim read the above I think we are all in general agreement. A balance is needed but my thoughts are as follows:

Signings ONLY if a material gap cannot be filled by academy/other members of the squad. Pushed further only material improvements to the first team.

I forget sometimes how lucky we are to our 'average chaff' players being of such quality. Mason obviously has been no Dembele in recent games however it's great Mason is next on the list, and that a player as good as Mason is was free. Same goes for Carroll, Winks, CCV etc etc.

So adhering to the balance discussed above, focus on improvement but also ensuring our "average" squad player is a good player comes from the academy.

 

[JimmyG2]

Well that's my all Academy Champions' League triumph
gone up in smoke.
Thanks.
For all you know I might have had money on that.
Bastard.

 

[npearl4spurs]

yeah this is all well and good but when are we signing Ben Chilwell?

 

[Shea]

As the Summer Transfer Wish List thread constantly is hijacked by people with no interest for discussing actual transfer targets, I thought I’d give everybody a nudge and move a part of the debate to a separate thread.


What, if any, is the correct balance between “organic squad growth” (promotions to senior squad from within) and incoming transfers?



On one hand, we have an academy that is hailed by many outsiders, adored by many fans, and invested in by the club. And I do think that we all agree that there are several interesting names with great potential, that some academy graduates probably have a future other places than in Spurs, and that we have seen some great finished products.


Kane is the obvious example of unbelievable youth product. That the club from within should produce such a striker is amazing. Nobody would have predicted that only a couple of seasons ago. Harry Kane makes the entire academy worth it.


But other players haven’t lived up to huge expectations. Last season’s team regulars Mason & Bentaleb had to take s huge step backwards this season. Injured, yes. But regardless of reason, they are two academy graduates who actually took a step back in the pecking order.


To stick with CMs, Tom Carroll has been hailed as the next big thing for literally 5 years. I remember fans were crying out for AVB to start him vs. Chelsea. Away.

Now, I don’t dislike Carroll at all. But in all honesty, to what level has he developed in 5 years? I can see little change in him, and I think he still has the same obvious flaws.


Bringing this together, let’s have a look at the present kids.

In no particular order, Winks, Harrison, Walker-Peters, Oduwa, Onomah, Ball, Carter-Vickers, Edwards, and Pritchard seem to be the kids with the most buzz. But given the various ways of development: Kane being the bomb out of nowhere, Bentaleb stepping back, Carroll plateauing, and I haven’t even mentioned Veljkovic yet who was a big name at one point and left the club and PL in Feb. Who can really say that they know a kid is going to be such a great alternative, there is no need for purchases?


I want to finish this part of the post with pointing out one thing. Yes we do have a great academy. But HOW great? No new academy graduate has seen any substantial amount of game time this season. At all. In the light of ManUtd successfully implementing Rashford, Fosu-Mensah (who is a horny son of a bitch), and maybe Borthwick-Jackson, aren’t they succeeding better in what we want to do?


Let’s look at the incoming transfer side of things


Some stats are just so obvious,that there is only one SC-user left who contests them. From our present most trusted 11 players, 1 is academy graduate. 10 were purchases at one point. The new players in the senior squad this season who made the most impact were all purchased in 2015. No new impactful senior player was an organic addition to the squad.


Looking back over the last years, all our star players except one, was purchased. But, some tremendous failings were purchases, too. I offer Chiriches, Paulinho, Soldado, Holtby, Sigurdsson, Dempsey (who I personally actually enjoyed a lot), Stambouli vs. Modric, Bale, Lloris, Eriksen, Dembele, Vertonghen and Dele Alli. Toss in there Capoue (who I still don’t think was a failed purchase in terms on in-game ability), Wimmer (a great signing), Dier (an even greater signing), Lamela, Walker, Trippier, Rose, Alderweireld, and hopefully Son & N’Jie, I think must ask a simple question, doesn’t our overall transfer strategy actually work? Especially now that we’ve narrowed down and defined our present transfer strategy? The number of Eriksens and Dele Allis outweigh the number of Paulinhos and Soldados.


In my mind, I think the club is doing a great transfer job from an overall perspective.


But they are doing a great academy job, too. I sound biased, I’m not. I must point out that I don’t dislike the youth players. I don’t lack faith in Carter-Vickers et Co. But what is an academy for?

1) Produce players that can be sold on to raise funds for new signings

2) Hopefully, once in a while find a player who becomes a star

3) Supply the senior squad with cheap fringe players

I’m equally proud of all of these outcomes. I think it’s great when a Spurs academy graduate is sold and becomes a steady PL player for another club. I love the fact that parts of the bench are players who love the club and who cost nothing. Isn’t it better to pay a kid 3.000-40.000 a week than to pay a failed signing 80.000 a week on top of 25 millions in transfer fees?


But I do love cunning and smart transfer business most of all. The type of Lloris, Eriksen, Dier, Vertonghen. Not extremely well known. Not outrageously expensive. But goddarn great signings.


Is it not possible to balance a continued search for great singings with on-going academy developments?


I believe it is.


I will finish off with a plea. I don’t feel like an inferior supporter just because I don’t type the initials of Carter-Vickers constantly in reply to possible defensive signings. I don’t think going on and on about how great the kids will be next season makes anybody a truer or purer supporter. So I think it is OK that SC users want to discuss possible transfers targets without the interference of the same 5 names being mentioned as a reason not talk about possible signings.


We all want the best for he club. And this summer, the best for the club is to continue doing great signings and continue promoting kids form within.

Any Spurs-fan should wholeheartedly welcome both approaches.

Very nice post, interesting read

 

[spurs9]

As the Summer Transfer Wish List thread constantly is hijacked by people with no interest for discussing actual transfer targets, I thought I’d give everybody a nudge and move a part of the debate to a separate thread.


What, if any, is the correct balance between “organic squad growth” (promotions to senior squad from within) and incoming transfers?



On one hand, we have an academy that is hailed by many outsiders, adored by many fans, and invested in by the club. And I do think that we all agree that there are several interesting names with great potential, that some academy graduates probably have a future other places than in Spurs, and that we have seen some great finished products.


Kane is the obvious example of unbelievable youth product. That the club from within should produce such a striker is amazing. Nobody would have predicted that only a couple of seasons ago. Harry Kane makes the entire academy worth it.


But other players haven’t lived up to huge expectations. Last season’s team regulars Mason & Bentaleb had to take s huge step backwards this season. Injured, yes. But regardless of reason, they are two academy graduates who actually took a step back in the pecking order.


To stick with CMs, Tom Carroll has been hailed as the next big thing for literally 5 years. I remember fans were crying out for AVB to start him vs. Chelsea. Away.

Now, I don’t dislike Carroll at all. But in all honesty, to what level has he developed in 5 years? I can see little change in him, and I think he still has the same obvious flaws.


Bringing this together, let’s have a look at the present kids.

In no particular order, Winks, Harrison, Walker-Peters, Oduwa, Onomah, Ball, Carter-Vickers, Edwards, and Pritchard seem to be the kids with the most buzz. But given the various ways of development: Kane being the bomb out of nowhere, Bentaleb stepping back, Carroll plateauing, and I haven’t even mentioned Veljkovic yet who was a big name at one point and left the club and PL in Feb. Who can really say that they know a kid is going to be such a great alternative, there is no need for purchases?


I want to finish this part of the post with pointing out one thing. Yes we do have a great academy. But HOW great? No new academy graduate has seen any substantial amount of game time this season. At all. In the light of ManUtd successfully implementing Rashford, Fosu-Mensah (who is a horny son of a bitch), and maybe Borthwick-Jackson, aren’t they succeeding better in what we want to do?


Let’s look at the incoming transfer side of things


Some stats are just so obvious,that there is only one SC-user left who contests them. From our present most trusted 11 players, 1 is academy graduate. 10 were purchases at one point. The new players in the senior squad this season who made the most impact were all purchased in 2015. No new impactful senior player was an organic addition to the squad.


Looking back over the last years, all our star players except one, was purchased. But, some tremendous failings were purchases, too. I offer Chiriches, Paulinho, Soldado, Holtby, Sigurdsson, Dempsey (who I personally actually enjoyed a lot), Stambouli vs. Modric, Bale, Lloris, Eriksen, Dembele, Vertonghen and Dele Alli. Toss in there Capoue (who I still don’t think was a failed purchase in terms on in-game ability), Wimmer (a great signing), Dier (an even greater signing), Lamela, Walker, Trippier, Rose, Alderweireld, and hopefully Son & N’Jie, I think must ask a simple question, doesn’t our overall transfer strategy actually work? Especially now that we’ve narrowed down and defined our present transfer strategy? The number of Eriksens and Dele Allis outweigh the number of Paulinhos and Soldados.


In my mind, I think the club is doing a great transfer job from an overall perspective.


But they are doing a great academy job, too. I sound biased, I’m not. I must point out that I don’t dislike the youth players. I don’t lack faith in Carter-Vickers et Co. But what is an academy for?

1) Produce players that can be sold on to raise funds for new signings

2) Hopefully, once in a while find a player who becomes a star

3) Supply the senior squad with cheap fringe players

I’m equally proud of all of these outcomes. I think it’s great when a Spurs academy graduate is sold and becomes a steady PL player for another club. I love the fact that parts of the bench are players who love the club and who cost nothing. Isn’t it better to pay a kid 3.000-40.000 a week than to pay a failed signing 80.000 a week on top of 25 millions in transfer fees?


But I do love cunning and smart transfer business most of all. The type of Lloris, Eriksen, Dier, Vertonghen. Not extremely well known. Not outrageously expensive. But goddarn great signings.


Is it not possible to balance a continued search for great singings with on-going academy developments?


I believe it is.


I will finish off with a plea. I don’t feel like an inferior supporter just because I don’t type the initials of Carter-Vickers constantly in reply to possible defensive signings. I don’t think going on and on about how great the kids will be next season makes anybody a truer or purer supporter. So I think it is OK that SC users want to discuss possible transfers targets without the interference of the same 5 names being mentioned as a reason not talk about possible signings.


We all want the best for he club. And this summer, the best for the club is to continue doing great signings and continue promoting kids form within.

Any Spurs-fan should wholeheartedly welcome both approaches.

Great post. I'm actually in 2 minds about our approach this coming season as, part of me thinks we need to make all of our signings early, so that get as much preseason with Poch as possible and on the other part of me thinks that we have a lot of players to assess in preseason (current squad, loanees and youth) and much of our first team needs could already be contracted to the club.

In regards of assessment of players, the Euro's & Copa America could be a bit of a blessing for us, because the only first team squad players available for the start of preseason and for the first few friendlies will probably be Vorm, Trippier, Bentaleb, Mason, Carroll, Onomah, Pritchard, Eriksen & Njie (assuming Yedlin and Fazio are sold).
Also, most signing we would look to make would also be unavailable to join the squad at the start due to these comps, so maybe that lessens the rush for signings straight away a little bit?
Whilst it's not great that we won't have many of our important players until the end of preseason, most of our rivals are in the same boat.

In regards of first team needs, I think we could do with the following (not meaning one player with each attribute necessarily, 1 player could have several in the AM for example):

1)Striker, preferable with pace and ideally can play out wide.
2)AM that is a skillful dribbler with end product, who is decisive, ideally with pace.
3)AM with pace that runs the channels from wide positions and gets in behind the defence
4)Creative player with good delivery.
5)CM who moves the ball forward quickly, skip challenges and can hold onto the ball (ideally with good delivery and vision).
6)Back up for Dier
7)4th choice CB

Now looking through our current squad, I don't think anyone would argue that we done't need to bring in a striker, so the sooner we do this, the better. The questions, I would like to assess in preseason before making signings are
Could Pritchard or Edwards fill roles 2 & 4?
Can Njie do roles 2 & 3?
Can Oduwa do role2?
Can Bentaleb (post knee op), Mason (post knee op), Winks or Onomah fill 5?
Could Ball fill 6 & 7?
Could CCV fill 7?

We also have the versatile Ward, who is very hard working, getting very good reviews from his loan spells, so will be interesting to see where/if he can fit in.

My gut feeling is that we will need to bring in a player that can fill role 2 & another for 6. I think Son will be able to fill 3 with a season already under his belt, it's just a shame he will be away in the Olympics.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Very nice post, interesting read

Cool, then I should have made it longer

 

[THOWIG]

I don't think anyone is advocating wholesale changes, but the overall squad needs improving. We all agree on that.

It's also about being brutally honest about some players and saying are they really the quality we need regardless of whether they've come from the academy or not.

We need to make sure we don't block the progress of some existing players. We just need a balance.

 

[Flynn]

I can see us getting at least one marquee signing and a couple of others, possibly younger players.

I'm confident that our youngsters that are deemed good enough will be kept around and those with a question mark over them will secure a loan or move on.

Agents from around Europe will be busy linking us with their players to drive up cost and look for new contracts.

 

[guy]

Really it's up to the academy guys to show their desire, hard graft, passion and quality in training or for the u21s. If they do this poch will use them. If they have all the attributes they will succeed and we will not have to dip into the transfer market.

Of course the striker position does not look like being filled by a young player so we will buy for that.

Again for a def midfielder, if winks or ball are not ready/suitable this year we will buy.

We have to keep progressing and improving, and cannot wait two years for players to come through if there is a gaping whole in the squad now. If the academy product is good enough(mentally and quality-wise) they will make it at the club. That, I am sure of.

Balance is key (as you have all said)

 

[dontcallme]

Good OP.

I think one of the elements that has made this such a good season for us is the character in the squad. There appears to be a real togetherness and collective desire to achieve by playing as a team.

I think part of that is having the likes of Carroll in the squad. A player like Carroll is much more likely to be happy to be part of the squad than the £5-8m squad signings we have previously been making.

I want us to keep the same mentality next season and I hope the likes of Trippier, Davies, Dier, Alli, Carroll, Pritchard and Kane continue to improve and be a part of the squad whether as a first team starter or a rotated player.

I don't think we are going to be as reliant on player purchases as some teams around us as we have such a young squad that they will improve in time if they keep working.

So I hope we have moved on from the steady average Prem player signings and conetinue to use the academy players and young players we have purchased as squad members.

If we can buy the likes of Lacazette, Batshuyui and other highly talented players i can't spell then we should be looking to sign them.

 

[Japhet]

I think it's very important that we get decent loans for some of our youngsters. Keeping some of them here for the odd run out in the domestic cups doesn't do much for their development. On the other hand, sending Pritchard to WBA was a complete waste of time. I can't see players like Walker-Peters, Oduwa, Winks etc really pushing for a start here, but they are good enough to be gaining some top level experience.

 

[JimmyG2]

Good thread.
2 if Pritchard can step up/in.
Striker certainly as none apparently on the horizon from Academy.
Could do worse than Shane Long
unless we are going down the mercenary over paid route.
Defensive mid if Bentaleb and/or Mason are discarded.
Winger if Chadli or Clinton discarded.
Centre half if Vertonghen put into midfield,
but he's very slow moving and thinking.
Non runner literally in my view.

Suspect Levy will back Mauricio in trying out own growns for obvious reasons.
but its a balance agreed.
But don't throw the Academy baby out with the bathwater.
They helped get us where we are and deserve respect.

Extra TV/ CL money could finance a general wage boost
but there is still the Stadium to build.

Cloning Dembele and Dier
Eriksen and Alli might work.
We have the technology.
it's nearly 20 years since Dolly the sheep.
But commentators especially David Pleat might struggle.
Could make the clones a different colour.

But I digress.
Newcomers must not upset the wage structure, team spirit,cohesion.
of the current squad and fit Pochettino's blueprint.

 

[JimmyG2]

I can see us getting at least one marquee signing and a couple of others, possibly younger players.

I'm confident that our youngsters that are deemed good enough will be kept around and those with a question mark over them will secure a loan or move on.

Agents from around Europe will be busy linking us with their players to drive up cost and look for new contracts.

I thought we sold the marquee to the Enfield Scouts troop.
I suppose we could borrow it back for a couple of days.

 

[FreddieYid]

We need to continue to give (the best) youngsters opportunities in the first team and combine that with sensible purchases that can improve our first 11.

Some fans do get a bit carried away with our youth system... Now I agree that it's something that we should be proud of given how long we had to wait after Ledley broke into the first team for another graduate to make the grade... However... There seem to be some who just think the answer to strengthening the first team is as simple as 'we don't need another midfielder just promote Winks' (insert Pritchard/CCV/KWP etc, etc)

Because we have Kane (who lets be honest is the only youth team player that would currently make our strongest 11) that doesn't mean that every young prospect at the club can come in and play at the level we are now competing at. The better we get the harder this will be.

Poch sees these lads day in, day out and has proved he will give them their chance if/when he feels they're ready.

Walker, Alli, and Dier are not graduates of our youth system and if you read a lot of these threads Mason, Carroll and Nabil are players that quite a lot are happy to see move on in the summer.

I'm not being downbeat and think that we have a few exciting prospects, but let's just remain realistic about the situation.

If we want to go one further next season then the immediate solution won't come from the youth team.

 

[yankspurs]

I think a mix is needed. I think Onomah, Pritchard and CCV will all make a significant impact next season. Possibly Harrison, Winks, Ball and Ward as well. KWP and Edwards could make a few appearances. Possibly even Sterling.

I think we could see at least 2 of Bentaleb, Carroll and Mason sold this summer. Possibly all 3. I think it is very obvious that we desperately need to upgrade our squad depth, especially in the CM. We need to bring in cover for Dier and better cover for Dembele. We could keep 1 of the 3 HG CM's, but that's it. AM is where it gets dicey. I personally think we should sell Chadli but not buy anyone there. Pritchard and Onomah are 2 really good talents. I'd like to see them get the opportunities. At striker, we need at least 1 incoming and then its a question of whether to promote Harrison or bring in a 3rd striker. I'd like to promote Harrison there but im sure many might disagree with that. At the back, Yedlin and Fazio will probably be sold and we dont need any incomings. CCV will be cover for Toby. Ogilvie might make an appearance but it is probably more likely he'll be loaned to an L1 or Championship club. KWP will probably make some scattered appearances.

 

[guy]

I think a mix is needed. I think Onomah, Pritchard and CCV will all make a significant impact next season. Possibly Harrison, Winks, Ball and Ward as well. KWP and Edwards could make a few appearances. Possibly even Sterling.

I think we could see at least 2 of Bentaleb, Carroll and Mason sold this summer. Possibly all 3. I think it is very obvious that we desperately need to upgrade our squad depth, especially in the CM. We need to bring in cover for Dier and better cover for Dembele. We could keep 1 of the 3 HG CM's, but that's it. AM is where it gets dicey. I personally think we should sell Chadli but not buy anyone there. Pritchard and Onomah are 2 really good talents. I'd like to see them get the opportunities. At striker, we need at least 1 incoming and then its a question of whether to promote Harrison or bring in a 3rd striker. I'd like to promote Harrison there but im sure many might disagree with that. At the back, Yedlin and Fazio will probably be sold and we dont need any incomings. CCV will be cover for Toby. Ogilvie might make an appearance but it is probably more likely he'll be loaned to an L1 or Championship club. KWP will probably make some scattered appearances.

Pritchard or onomah will need to really step up massively to be able to have them replacing Chadli.

Chadli is not everyone's fave, but poch obviously rates him, and he has contributed 15 or so goals/assists each season.