Player Suggestions

Would like to see us go back in for Raul Moro. Nearly signed him in January until he got injured.

 

Vicko Ševelj would be cheap, and can cover multiple positions. The most annoying player I've seen against us. Seemingly always gets in a block, clearance or tackle.

 

Sounds like something we'd do.

 

Would go back in for Vincious Souza if Sheffield United don't go up. Exactly what we need in midfield. Mobile, strong, aggressive and can play.

 

Arif Aiman. Right winger, 7 goals and 13 assists in 21 games. Looks quite tricky and direct and not scared to take a man on. Could be worth a look if we were to move Yang on, although I'm not sure about the quality of the league he plays in.

 

Sakamoto the wee Japanese from Coventry looks a really good player whenever I see him. I think he'd do great for us.

 

Would definitely be tempted to go in for Albert Gronbaek.

Was absolutely unreal for Bodo/Glimt and got them a record fee of £12m. He started well at Rennes but then faded a little bit and ended up at Southampton where he's been kinda plagued by niggly injuries. Only played 4 times for them since January but did play most of Rennes games in France and started nearly half of their games.

Some may say it's the Bodo curse after they leave but I've always felt that players should pick the right place. Knutsen plays high possession based football and when you leave a team like that, you need to go to a place who does the same, surrounded by a better standard of player. Too many clubs in the bigger leagues trying to get the players on the cheap. He's still only 23 so plenty of time to develop. I'm sure we could do a good deal with Rennes for him since we've managed to hash out a couple of fair deals with them already for Kyogo and Jota.

I was screaming for us to sign him as the replacement for Matt O'Riley, when we knew Matt was going to be leaving at the back end of the season. He's got pace and power in abundance, can play deep in midfield, he scored and assisted plenty for Bodo(88 games, 30 goals, 16 assists) so can create plenty as well. He's also been able to play off the left as a winger but I would want to bring him in as a midfielder as a replacement for Hatate.

 

What players have did well since leaving Bodo?

Alot of them seem to return their as well which makes Knutsens little deal all the more dodgier. (He gets cuts of players transfer deals)

 

Not happy with left centre half, which is where I would like us to target in the summer. Think we should try and get Trusty sold and happy enough to keep Scales around as we know he's happy to play a bit part role. So, a young upcoming left sided centre half we should be all over is Albian Hajdari, who plays for Lugano in Switzerland.

Just became a Swiss International back in March, he turns 22 in 4 days time and he's performed very very well. He's played over 100 games for them already, having joined them from Juventus reserves in 2023. His average performance rating over the whole season has been 7.1, which is impressive, especially for someone who isn't even 22 yet.

My only thing is he isn't the fastest centre back in the world but his positioning is excellent for someone so young.

 

I can't really think of any who have done consistently well since leaving, to be honest.

Victor Boniface done well in Belgium and won a title with Leverkusen but he's not played as much of a part for them this season. Still has a decent record there, to be fair. 11 goals in 27 games and he's only started just over a third of them.

Hugo Vetlesen has been the same at Club Brugges. Had a good season for them last year but they bought Jashari, who we were linked with, in the summer and he's been their main player in that position this season.

Joel Mvuka has played more than half the games for Lorient in France but that's in Ligue 2. He had a decent spell on loan at Young Boys last season.

The likes of Berg and Hauge have all returned. Faris Moumbagna started well for Marseille and then ruptured his cruciate so he's been out for months.

You look at all the teams these players moved to and they don't suit them as players at all. I include Gronbaek in that. It's big money transfers for these guys but I genuinely believe that every player I have mentioned would improve our squad.

 

Trusty has looked alot better in Europe for us than he has domestically. For that alone i would be tempted to keep him. Would probably rather punt Scales but he's one of BRs faves

 

I think Gronbaek on a loan to buy would be a good move, he has no future at Rennes and joined a bin fire in Southampton.
Another name from the past that is at Rennes and could similarly be available is Fabian Rieder, Stuttgart failed to take up their option to buy on him but he seems a good option as an attacking midfielder or even on the right of a front 3.

In midfield every time I have a look at players the one I always come back to is Adem Zorgane, he is 25 now but for four years has been statistically a top performing centre midfielder in terms of ball progression; press resistance, chance creation and overall creativity and he does it for a very average team.

He’s 6 foot, has good stamina and can play as a 6 or an 8. He only has 1 goal and 5 assists this season but has an xA of close to 12 which basically says if his team mates could finish he would have very good numbers.

Zorgane and Gronbaek would be two good additions in the middle of the park.

Benjamin Nygren is another given his contract scenario at Nordsjaelland, I think we should go for given his versatility as an attacking 8/10 or off either wing, again very creative and an all round strong contributor both on and off the ball.

Both Nygren and Zorgane are their team’s captains too.

 

Zorgane the guy who plays for Algeria? I'm sure I've seen him play a few times but not kept a close enough eye on him to comment. Would definitely be all for Nygren. Mostly plays off the right for Nordsjaelland but I'd move him inside like you say. He's tall, quick and he's strong. Very similar to Gronbaek, actually.

 

I think when you take where their positions are in the squad, I only feel happy enough to keep Scales because I think he's going to be happy enough to play as back-up. A bit like Ralston and now, potentially Taylor. They'll get plenty of minutes and there isn't any reason to restrict their playing time in home games against the likes of Ross County or St Johnstone.

I think with Trusty, it's different. Even though I'm not his biggest fan, I believe we could get a decent enough fee for him given he did perform well enough in Europe and he's on the brink of winning a treble. Trusty is what you would class as a 'starter' but he's not good enough to be starting games for me. I would prefer an upgrade.

 

Yeah Zorgane is Algerian, he’s a classy player but he is also robust and it is a surprise he still is where he is, as a number of decent clubs have been linked to signing him before.

https://x.com/widescouting/status/1908627249747640506?s=46 this is how he compares to other centre midfielders in the Belgian Pro League. I think he would be a very good addition.

 

Stuttgart aren't activating the £12,5m option to buy for Fabian Rieder. Started well there on loan last season but then faded away and was reduced to be a sub. His market value also should be lower now.

I love Hatate, but if Reo really wants to go it would be a good business to take some of his transfer money and spend it on Rieder. I still believe he could be successfull here and he certainly would give us more creativity and forward power from the midfield.