Who, of our core players, could you stand to lose in the summer window?

[kremlyn]

Everyone has a price and with Daniel Levy that price has a premium, but I don't think for a second that will stop our financially doped rivals from bidding for some of our players. Partly because they've proved to be very good, hard-working players and partly because it could affect our chances for rivalling them for the CL places next year.

Looking at the "Wish List" thread below there is the usual mix of pragmatism and delusion, but in terms of losing players we seem to only be considering the loss of the chaff rather than the wheat, so the likes of Bentaleb, Carroll, Yedlin and Fazio will be replaced by anyone from Lukaku to Dendonker depending on which end of the "spectrum" you belong to.

I think we'll get bids for Kane this year. I don't think we'll sell but it will be as much to turn his head. However if RM dropped by with another €100m, well, who knows.

I also think we'll get offers for Eriksen, Lamela and Alli. I can see Citeh bidding for one of Vertonghen and Toby.

This isn't about who I think we'll lose, because who knows what one of those desperate giants might bid, this is about who of our premium players we could bear to lose and hope to replace or even upgrade. Dare I say that I expect to lose at least one of them?

For me, with a heavy heart, I think we could cope with the loss of Eriksen. He's our most intelligent player and our playmaker but for me we could replace him with a playmaker in CM and be more effective as a team and free up the No. 10 role for Alli.

There. I've said it and I hate myself.

What do you think?

 

[freeeki]

For me it's not about whether we can 'cope' with the loss of someone like Eriksen.

We coped with the loss of Berbatov, Sheringham, Carrick and Bale, but frankly, we're second in the league and going from strength to strength, why should we be thinking about coping with losses?

Eriksen is a key player for us IMO. We shouldn't be preparing for losing any of our first team regulars this window, at all, coming off the back of one of our best seasons in living memory.

 

[RomanzoCriminale]

Why do people write this shit...... Honestly take a valium and start thinking positive.

We won't be selling anyone from the first team and if we do it's only because that player want's to leave.

 

[Crowedem]

It's vital that we don't break up this side at all. As soon as we let one of the 'premium' squad members leave then it might start to turn other players heads. This is particularly relevant due to the large Belgium contingent at the club. One of those go and it could change the dynamic - but I doubt this will happen, particularly it the Bathshuayi rumours are true. }

Can't even think who would be the option I would let go with a heavy heart, it's madness to let anyone - we're second in the league. I also worry that if we start selling his squad it won't be easy to keep Poch (just like Southampton after they starting selling his young squad)

 

[kremlyn]

Why do people write this shit...... Honestly take a valium and start thinking positive.

We won't be selling anyone from the first team and if we do it's only because that player want's to leave.

You might be right. But there is a lot of precedent to suggest that you won't be. We've got a lot to offer and I'm sure it would be difficult for us to sell and for a player to leave.

I'm not being deliberately negative or controversial; this is more of a question of, if we were forced to change key personnel, who would you lose and hope to make us better for it with a canny buy or two?

 

[CosmicHotspur]

I agree that we have to keep this squad together if we are aiming high. We should certainly look for a playmaker/striker backup. Could be an older, more experienced player who could come off the bench if and when needed. Someone like
VDV.

 

[Tucker]

We shouldn't be selling the key players in the squad, but there are definitely people within the squad that we could improve on. The likes of Mason, and Bentaleb for example wouldn't be catastrophic losses. I would rather they pushed on and did well here, but personally I don't think they will.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

You might be right. But there is a lot of precedent to suggest that you won't be. We've got a lot to offer and I'm sure it would be difficult for us to sell and for a player to leave.

I'm not being deliberately negative or controversial; this is more of a question of, if we were forced to change key personnel, who would you lose and hope to make us better for it with a canny buy or two?

Every big name who has left in the past has wanted to leave.
I don't believe Levy sells anybody only because the offered fee is good.
There is always an additional reason, either that the player wants the move, or the player is no longer wanted.
That's especially true for PL transfers. Levy hates selling the top guys to other PL clubs, and will happily turn down
good money to prevent it. All this is proven in the past.

To answer the initial question, the player from the starting 11 that I'd be the least sad over would probably be Walker.

 

[Lighty64]

It's vital that we don't break up this side at all. As soon as we let one of the 'premium' squad members leave then it might start to turn other players heads. This is particularly relevant due to the large Belgium contingent at the club. One of those go and it could change the dynamic - but I doubt this will happen, particularly it the Bathshuayi rumours are true. }

Can't even think who would be the option I would let go with a heavy heart, it's madness to let anyone - we're second in the league. I also worry that if we start selling his squad it won't be easy to keep Poch (just like Southampton after they starting selling his young squad)

Poch left Southampton before they started selling, he had made it clear he intended to leave before they started selling

 

[rocklink]

Kane, Toby, Dier, Alli - I could stand to lose these four in the summer window ..

 

[Danners9]

Should be adding, not taking away. This squad doesn't have the deadwood of previous years. The only players we could get rid of and not suffer are players like Bentaleb (who doesn't play), Carroll and Mason (who don't play much), Fazio/Yedlin (who aren't here...).

Otherwise, no, not really anyone. Lamela at a push, because his position should contribute more goals than he does - although his overall game is getting better and he has become more useful to the side as the season has progressed, key passes and clever fouls. Some not so clever ones, though.

It's vital that this team stays together as much as possible.

 

[Insomnia]

Please be Chadli, please be Chadli

 

[Geyzer Soze]

Obvs Fazio and Bentaleb, their days are up and whatever.

Chadli, although I am an adoptive parent, simply does not seem to be able to bring himself up to what we know he ought to be capable of sadly.

Caroll & Mason perhaps. Although as squad players it might be difficult to replace them with anyone better. But i wouldn't cry.

Anyone else I would be very upset.

 

[Geyzer Soze]

Kane, Toby, Dier, Alli - I could stand to lose these four in the summer window ..

I don't think you understood the question ...

 

[Gassin's finest]

No offence, but I don't like these sort of threads. Right now everyone is pulling their weight, and everyone's contributed in their way. We're not there yet and I don't really want to think beyond that.

 

[kremlyn]

Obvs Fazio and Bentaleb, their days are up and whatever.

Chadli, although I am an adoptive parent, simply does not seem to be able to bring himself up to what we know he ought to be capable of sadly.

Caroll & Mason perhaps. Although as squad players it might be difficult to replace them with anyone better. But i wouldn't cry.

Anyone else I would be very upset.

Ok. Say we did sell Eriksen but used our profits and the money from the sale to buy Pjanic (CM playmaker) or nicked Goetze, would you be consoled? That's a bit pie-in-the-sky but we could probably manage something like it.

If you had to lose one our top players, who would it be and who would you try to reasonably replace them with (and where?)?

 

[kremlyn]

No offence, but I don't like these sort of threads. Right now everyone is pulling their weight, and everyone's contributed in their way. We're not there yet and I don't really want to think beyond that.

I'm not offended ;-)

The reason I asked is I was reading the rags today who are speculating on who is going to be taken from the Leicester squad over the summer and I thought that Leicester fans were probably being tortured by the realities of football in the run up to their greatest ever season finale. So why not us? Why do we assume we can fly in the face of football reality? If we do that, can't we be described as being as deluded as West Ham fans?

It's a tough question. Can you put sentimentality to one side and be as pragmatic as Levy has had to be?

 

[Geyzer Soze]

Ok. Say we did sell Eriksen but used our profits and the money from the sale to buy Pjanic (CM playmaker) or nicked Goetze, would you be consoled? That's a bit pie-in-the-sky but we could probably manage something like it.

If you had to lose one our top players, who would it be and who would you try to reasonably replace them with (and where?)?

Yes, i would be consoled!

 

[walworthyid]

/thread

 

[Geyzer Soze]

No offence, but I don't like these sort of threads. Right now everyone is pulling their weight, and everyone's contributed in their way. We're not there yet and I don't really want to think beyond that.

There are bound to be squad changes, i don't think it's unreasonable or poor form to discuss what they may be at this point in the season