January 2022 Transfer Thread

Excellent.

A cunning plan hatched by the Bucket God

😂😂😂😂😂

Yeah just seen that the Van De Beek loan has no option to buy so we would, in effect, have only got him fit and up to speed for the next Mancscum manager.... so probably a wise move on our behalf.

However, if he'd have done well for us, loved the club and our fans, he'd have surely wanted to stay for next season knowing he was going to be virtually guaranteed a starting place.... player power would have forced him out!?

I really rate Van De Beek and think he'd be a perfect upgrade on Klich....

Tough one though and maybe Bielsa does know more than me on this particular point alone. ...

Now that i can understand why we didn't pursue mouseman, but still dosen't explain / answer where was plan B "if" midfielder "A" didn't sign for whatever reason??

Are the board gambling that there are 3 teams worse than us this season and they effectively are chancing their arm to topup the coffers by minimal spend and offset some of the losses the Club endured during covid last year?

But even that stalling tactic, longterm, will mean we will have to cough up more in the summer to buy 6 players in July rather than space them out 2 in Jan & 4 in July!!!!!!

If a manager dosent want new players then what board buys?

some do yes but id say if Radz/Orta bought a player and landed him into TA without Marcelo knowing of an arrival id say he would jack and could you you really blame him, he is either in charge or he's not.

Van debeak was loan only no option to buy and a hefty fee to borrow just to get him fit for manua to sell on no thanks

Didn't hear that about De Beek and Leeds offer, surprised as you say it was a loan to nothing, would have got us instant experience into the first team squad and another option for MB to utilize until KP returns in 6 weeks (minimum).

Despite him being a manu player we could certainly have found a spot for him even if we used him as substitute or play him beside Forshaw to fill up the center of the pitch.

And yes TC10 "if" De Beek was a success what better way to blood a new player into next seasons team/squad than to play him in half of this years one.

I just hope MB isnt just sticking to his principals of "i only want a small squad" regardless of external factors like injuries, amount of matches at a really high level, and potential suspensions coming in the next 5-6 weeks.

If we disregard Norwich & watford then

one goes down from the following

Burnley, barcodes, everton, leeds, brentford, and Palace of that list you gotta admit the relegation / top flight in-experience is in the Leeds & Brentford camps, now i still believe we WILL finish above Brentford im certain of that, and that may just be enough but what if Watford & Sarr hit form like they did in October? then can we score enough goals to stay ahead of Burnley / Newcastle???

Off the wall stuff here but i'm wondering if the 49er's playing the SB semifinals last weekend had any role in our inaction in this transfer window? cause it looks like we only tried to land Aaronson and when that didn't materialize we didn't seem to have a plan B

Just seen it's been 8, yes EIGHT, transfer windows since we signed a midfielder.... Forshaw was the last in 2018!!

Obviously the present ones have done BRILLIANTLY to get us out of the Championship but we have to add and improve the squad to keep moving forward gradually and don't get left behind....

Apparently Winks and Van De Beek were offered to us on loan and turned down by Bielsa.... I would have loved Van De Beek and was surely a win win situation for us in that if he played well we could have had the option to sign him in the summer.... he'd have been fully integrated with the team and ready for next season!

We still won't go down but just hope Bamford comes back firing and give Geldhart a fkn chance before Roberts!!

A creative midfielder was a priority purely to make chances as Raphinha isn't making as many and Harrison and James are very inconsistent....

I actually think Newcastle have made good signings who know the division and will keep them up.... these players will be very good squad players and competition when they sign the superstars in the summer....

Watford and Norwich will definitely go down. Norwich have got a couple of wins but that won't keep going and Watfordscum are just awful and I don't recognise any of their players.... they'll both be happy picking up the unbelievable parachute payments for fkn failure and give them an unfair headstart on the other Championship clubs next season.

Bumley will also go down. Weghorst is a good signing but won't get enough chances created for him....

I've always said Wood will thrive and score goals at a bigger club and think he'll prove this at Newcastle when they get some bigger signings.... St Maximum is already going to set him up loads of chances this season and I reckon he will get 10 goals by the end of the season and wish we'd have got him.

Thats something that will keep cropping up now until we are safe Andyl, and the pundits will say we didnt help ourselves by not signing anyone in January eventhough we had long injury list.

The only team i think almost certainly going down will be Norwich, and I think watford are doomed too. so thats 2 out of three spots filled so whose the third team?

Personally i have a feeling Burnley will survive

Newcastle "if" they get a bounce from the new signings could close the gap to us very quickly despite having everton, villa & west ham in their next three games.

Everton likewise i think will get a bounce from lumpturd going there and will get improved performances from the players which in turn will see them pick up points against newcastle, leeds, southampton

then there is us in 15th spot a point behind brentford but with 2 games in hand and a further point behind Palace on 24 points but we have a game in hand on them also.

Maybe im old school but id prefer to have the points in the bag rather than the games in hand.

I dont feel the butterflies so im not really panicy, but we certainly have more work to do, and PL safety is far from guaranteed

Everyone team around us bar Norwich have used the window.

We have to really hope they don’t make too much of a difference.

No senior striker, no defensive midfielder and no attacking midfielder of any class.

If the manager persists with James up front, tickets will definitely be easier to get next season because we won’t be playing Liverpool etc unless it’s in the cup.

Closed. Done.

Tumbleweed (for better or worse we shall see).

We NEED a creative midfielder as a PRIORITY to create chances for Roberts to miss.... or not be in the correct position to attempt a finish in the first place.

A forward is also a priority to COVER/COMPETE with Bamford.... it's not fkn rocket science and the goal stats in the for and against column prove this.

For a team of our ambition you don't have just ONE striker!!

I have kept banging on that injury, suspension and loss of form will affect our standing.... I'm not saying how fkn intelligent I am with a great knowledge of football but it's so fkn obvious!!

With a quality creative midfielder and half decent striker to go alongside our wingers we'll score more goals than we'll concede and therefore have more points for a mid table finish to again grow again next season and push for Europe gradually....

Assuming nothing happens in the next 7 hours and we don't sign anyone, maybe just maybe Bielsa may learn that a small squad in other Countries may work, like he is used to, but when it comes to the English PL and the competitive nature in this league that concept dosen't really work.

OK you can argue he has had one season in the PL and we finish 9th so why is this year so different? My theory on that is the fans are back, pundits, sports journalists, TV programmes, all the pressures are all back and its all systems go (the first "real" PL in my view) that this current Leeds team are experiencing what its like playing at the very highest level in England.

So maybe just maybe going forward he might change his view on playing numbers he thinks he may need for a competitive season and he may decide to give it another whirl next year?

who knows? but id say he has rarely if ever have to endure playing such quality opposition week in week out without any real meaningful break / rest for his key players.

And one thing i'd say he is definitely glad of, that being we didn't qualify for Europe last year because those extra games, extra mileage in the legs would have us playing more games with even youngsters in our starting xi.

But for me these transfer windows are a bloody joke and need breaking, it just dosent / work help any Club or Manager that may be encountering unusual amounts of player injuries in any season or part of.

Shut the windows PERMANENTLY

Looks like the usual January with LUFC not singing anyone other than for the U23s or panicking and bringing in an Augustin!

Perhaps news of a Rod Stewart show at ER will keep me up this evening?

I fully expect us to sign the following tomorrow.... but I won't hold my breath!

Aaronson.... attacking midfield 22m

Minamino....forward loan

Raskin....holding midfield 6m

Calvin Ramsey.... RB 5m

An experienced back up keeps....

I think this is a very sexist post Guy and the mods need to sort this filth out in this day and age of equality ....

I'd like to see her handle a huge tackle and then the balls whilst sucking the opposition in whilst playing with her 2 up front....

Danish, just take a look at the official lufc site.😂

The new signing (she) is quite good looking!

I have to say that I'm also a believer that the January window should be abolished. I would suggest something like 1st June - 1st July (bit radical i know), but the advantages are that players are in and then set for pre-season giving them a good few weeks before the start of the season. It would also mean that clubs would need to invest in their U23's for cover as there would be no cop out in January.

There should also be a maximum of 4 wingers per team, which would make Orta look somewhere else!🤣

Very much like the look of our new signing from Boro.

Looks the deal to me and can play at LB, RB and center midfield!

Won't be disappointed if we don't sign anybody over this window.

Still a bit cross that over the summer we failed to adress several positions in the starting 11 and squad that we're not adressed properly.

Of course no one could have predicted we would suffer that many (severe - longterm) injuries to key players.

Also hope the rumours regarding the Liverpool player aren't true, wouldn't mind Summerville going out on loan.

He just isn't someone who'll get played before the likes of Harrison, James, Raphina, Dallas. Lately MB seems to favour McKinstry.

The alternative is to do what Biesla does best - improve what we already have. He has turned mid championship players into premiership quality. Given we won't get relegated or compete for honours, there's no point spending money for the sake of it, just let him work his magic.

The transfer market is a mugs game, especially in January. We are still paying the price from our last aborted today into - the Augustin transfer. I read today that Leipzig are looking for even more money, and will no doubt get it.

I hate the transfer window. I hate the way the media pitch fans against the club, fans against the manager, and invent stories of breakdowns between club and players. Even dipping into the cesspit of transfer speculation feel sordid.

What a brilliant film Stevethemouse.

We should steer clear of doing business with Liverpool. No deal in the past with them, has turned out well for us!

Ken de Mange, Ian Rush, Nick Barmby, Fowler and, of course, Kewellscum. They'll sell us another donkey for top dollar, particularly with Orta doing the dealing and paperwork.

The sooner this TF shuts (like every january window) the better in my eyes. Vast majority of talk / spin / in negotiations is all Bulls*t€ if you ask me.

Think the old way of buy a player any time you want is better all round.

Far too much hype in dark dreary January nights and sky are fueling the fire by having Transfer shows and breaking news scrollbars every fcking hour of every day. I know they need to make money and gotta talk about something but jezzzzzz its blown out of all proportion

Back to the good old days a club needs a player in November, or at any stage of the year they should be allowed to sign him.

Clubs at all levels in different leagues pick up different amount of injuries at different stages in a season, take LUFC this season for example in my mind we have suffered the most, with injuries, in the PL and are struggling to put out any starting xi on any given weekend a team that would resemble or be considered anything like our first team (player standard wise) at any stage in the season.

Start of the year Bamford & Philips were behind due to involvement in the Euros with England and other players with other Countries playing last summer too but tbf weren't as impacted as much.

Then we start playing our PL games and we pick up a knock or two (ayling , cooper , koch), add to all that covid outbreaks / close contacts. Now before we get any sort of run going we are behind the eight ball as we are already starting to dip into our u23's for cover on the bench. More hammers and muscle strains come, training knocks, ligaments, lads going over on their ankle, etc and all of a sudden we find ourselves half way thro the season after having giving 8 lads their PL debuts and have a bench in one game looking like its a waiting room at the dentist, a 15 year old on the bench for a PL game. When last did manu, arsenal, liverpool, city have to dig that deep into their various dressings rooms to find someone to put the jersey on? ok maybe league cup or FA cup ties they did but not PL games.

Managers get the sack in football (yes because of poor results) but if the manager cant bring in any changes into that dressing room, how is he expected to get different results?

We say it all the time the definition of madness is doing the same thing time and time again but getting the same result. Putting the same players out onto the pitch maybe in a different formation is the same as rearranging the deckchairs on the titanic, just aint going to work, and hence the fans get frustrated, start making banners and flags, outside the stadium demonstrations, and a time comes when the board say well if we dont get rid of this guy the fans will turn to us next, so bye bye manager.

Get rid of the transfer windows both of them but yes keep the rule if you have played in any competition for one team you cant play in that same competition for another.

Sky have lifted this story from Carl Markham at The Independent - a Liverpool/Everton reporter with a pretty mediocre hit rate on transfer gossip. I don't buy it. Somerville isn't a first squad player, he's not one of MB's magic 18. If he left, he would be replaced with a new u23 signing and Miller or McKinstry would become next taxi on the subs bench. Though, wait a minute, that's already happened! This is definitely being pedalled by an agent.

I can spot a fake transfer story from forty feet and Minamino reeks of agent spin. The last thing we need is another left winger. It'll never happen. It's solid gold BS.

We are looking for an attacking midfielder and nobody else, apart from maybe some u23 reinforcements.

Yes, Minamino linked to us, exactly the kind of player we often go for → small & lightweight.

We've put in an initial bid for Takuma Minamino from Liverpool according to SKY - competing with Monaco - but initial bids have been rejected.

Probably not all connected with Leeds, but Salzburg have signed a young Belgian midfield player (Van Den Brempt) from Brugges.

Our u23s are decimated they at least will be relegated end of season

If that's the case and i respect your view soop i think the Club are playing a very dodgy game with MB. One could class Marcelo as "my way or no way" type of guy, if ye recall he left Lazio after 2 days, gone from Lille in 6 months (during the summer period and all May-November), all stemming back to the Club not living up to his demands or didn't do what they said they would do when he signed a contract.

I've read alot about Marcelo and ok paper never refused ink and stories are "dramatized" so that more books are sold, but if there is a rift i hope its resolved and not forgotten about and left for things to fester away in the background and hoping the problems go away (heads in the sand type of approach), we all know where that leads to.

If the Club are thinking beyond Bielsa and they would be stupid not to have at least some discussions about that day, I would have thought MB himself may / should be asked as to he thinks or could he suggest a replacement to takeover the next phase of the Clubs progression.

Diplomacy works and if people are asked their opinion on any topic at least that person feels valued and go away not feeling any ill feeling towards the Club. Just my opinion but MB wouldn't be a man that will roll over like a puppy dog id say he has a fiery temper like most South Americans highly strung

There are only 2 logical explanations for the club's stance on letting these players go out on loan against Bielsa's wish:

1) There's a rift with that group of U23's that were earmarked for first team by Angus Kinnear at the start of the season, so they are being allowed to progress elsewhere to keep the camp happy.

2) The club are thinking beyond Bielsa for next season and getting these young players prepped for a shot at the first team squad next season under new management.

Apologies if that's controversial.

i thought MB came out and said (re CD)

'I did not think he needed to play games elsewhere.He was a player who was very necessary with all of the absences we have

Bielsa begrudgingly granted the right-back's wish despite our injury crisis as he did not want to keep a player against his will.

Gone

Twitter story say’s bielsa don’t want Summerville to go as with Codey

so if these moves are being sanctioned from above see him hon seasons end

Spoken very well, eh Bull😁

Well

I get your point(s) Smurf, but...

Both Bamford and Rodrigo have both missed plenty of games because of injuries.

Even when fit MB hardly uses Rodrigo as a striker (he's hardly a prolific goalscorer).

Geldhardt is still very young and MB uses him very sparsely.

In fact MB prefers James up top and to replace the later, he obviously prefers the talented Roberts.

To me Greenwood doesn't look ready for the Premiership yet.

With Geldhardt you feel fairly confident he's gonna make it.

However I'm not even convinced Greenwood will make it at Premiership level.

The young Spanish you talk about has been here what 2-3 weeks and has played ± 15mins with the U-23's.

You're correct that we miss a playmaker in the Pablo mould to create openings and rather often the final ball isn't just good enough.

However in a fair number of games we've looked toothless up front / no cutting edge. WIthout Bamford there's really nobody who can hold up play and bring others into play.

In other games, like against Newcastle we often got in behind them but the chances still went missing.

Two reasons;

1) A lack of the correct final ball.

2) A lack of a striker sensing when to get into the right area (Bamford & Joffy seem to have that quality).

Personally unless its the "right" player at this stage MB should just tell the squad whats here is here till May so time to knuckle down and start picking up the points we need to ensure safety.

I can never understand why clubs leave everything for the last minute to make the signing. The cynic in me would say "sky for the deadline day drama pay people to make these last second signatures", it happens every year. This season we last played on the 22nd of Jan and our next game is the 9th Feb (18 days) that a new player would have time to bed in and get to know the Club, players, management, but we, looks like, have wasted effectively half of the transfer window period by leaving it to lastminuite.com.

All the experts, pundits, managers, ex-players say "it takes time for a new player to fit in and to find his feet, so why oh why is everything left to the end of Jan???? just dosen't makes sense. Now add to that what everyone says with MB and his tenure with LUFC it takes any player coming in at least 4-6 weeks to get up to speed and to understand what his role on the field is so again i scratch my head and think well do the transfer in the first fcking week of the transfer window so!!!!

For me at this stage id be happier if the club concentrated on getting the injured players back and to iron out any potential issues in the youth development teams, because afterall if we start to disgruntle the grassroots then it wont be long before a famine arrives (no youth development structure = either of two things 1) First team will be full of bought in players with no connection to the club and prove to be a very costly affair (as we have experienced in the past) or 2) No young players coming through will mean no pressure on existing players which in turn leads to complacency and lack of desire/passion, again not going to end well for LUFC.

But i think everyone knows very few Jan window signings prove to be standout, the best example i can think of is Mitrović signing for Fulham in 2018 from Newcastle and dragged them from the bottom half of the championship table in Jan to playoff spot (just missed out on an auto spot) but were still promoted to the PL that year, but thats 4 years ago now and i dont remember any other player / transfer having an impact such as that.

Josh Galloway on loan to FC United of Manchester

Like BB I can't see us make any signings now.

As per usual we leave things until very late on and either we have to pay far too much money or the deal collapses.

Smurf, you make some very good points.

But I'm stunned and really baffled fo find out we've got plenty of strikers and good ones at that ?

Yep, we've god a very good one in PB, but if I'm not mistaken he's already missed more games than he played this season.

We've also got a very talented young lad in Geldhardt and ... that's it.

Number of goals between them → 3!

Are we left a bit short upfront? You bet we are.

I cannot see us signing any anybody be do see us letting Jimmy go, even if it is a loan.

Bits on Twitter that Summerville is wanted by hamburg

The transfer window shuts next Monday.... anyone worried yet that we won't sign a decent player!?

This happens EVERY window when we're linked to hundreds of fkn players and get nobody or lose him on the last day....

Love LeedsNewsNow and believe every fkn thing they say but I'll never fkn learn....

I remember the best bulllshit news that our club came out with and said not to go to bed because exciting news is imminent.... only for Rod fkn Stewart to be announced as playing a gig at Elland Road!!!!

That was a real kick in the cnut.... 🤬🙈🤣😂

I can sort of see their point. If you are 20/21 then you and your agent will want first team football to help increase your profile.

Even kids at Chelsea now are looking to leave on permanents instead of loans.

Summerville is not going to usurp Rafa, Harrison or James. Sending him out on loan for a year and a half whilst extending his contract may suit both sides.

If Drameh does well at Cardiff, then he will have shoved himself into out first team picture for next year.

Now we just need someone to workout how to keep Cresswell, Bate, Greenwood, Geldhart & Co happy.

Can see Summerville going on a permanent. Will not be for much. Maybe upto £2million with a sell on clause.

Yeah saw that Soopa, not unexpected because lately he has not been involved with the first team squad or even the U-23's.

Perhaps we should consider offering Roberts as part of the deal😏

Summerville now strongly linked to Hamburg on various sites - loan move

Young world class players tend to leave clubs in the Championship to further their careers.

We have seen that before - Milner, Lennon, Delph (albeit we were in L1), Rose, Tavener and others who had a good chance but did not quite make it like Woods, Taiwo, Garbutt, etc

The only way to keep the best of the youth is to have a great academy, a path to the first team AND A SIDE IN THE PREM.

Great potential is only great if it is fully realised.

Ask Ravel Morrison, Delli Ali etc.

Kinnear does seem prone to exaggeration and is best treated like an enthusiastic amateur. That said, potentially there could be some great players coming through - time will tell, but they are at one of the better academies and one where hard work pays off. Touchwood!

I certainly hope you guys are correct about James.

I'll give you that he puts in a lot of effort & running, his pace is/should also be an asset.

But any sort of end result from him is so often missing, even at Manure with (arguably) better players around him, how many assists did he provide? Single digits?

Furthermore I'm not convincede we've got a proven track record in getting the right players at inflated (high) transfer fees & ditto wages over the line.

I for one can certainly can't judge if that young American would be the end all.

The story of they have to be better than what we've already got?

I' don't buy that one for a second, let me point you towards a certain bloke called Roberts. → Further proof → Rodrigo at 27+M GBP, James at 25+M GBP.

The performance at West Ham was very good, yesterday the performance was ok but the end result was awful and could & should have been avoided.

Things need to be looked at in and at a certain perspective/balance.

Most people will certainly aknowledge that we've got some very talented youngsters coming along.

But in the matchday programm Kinnear exaggerates that we've got young world class players coming through (not sure he's doing them any favours).

To me that's just some kind of deflection or justification.

I would rather we spent big on just one player who we really want and where there is a clear gap in the first team, than spend the same amount on multiple players like Swift, Nandez or O'Brien who are no better than what we already have and would just clog up squad spaces which stop our u23s progressing. Aaranson looks as if he is in the Pablo Hernandez mould and that's the type of player who would make a difference, and who we miss.

I also reckon we got James at a bargain price, and we will benefit long term from his signing. I agree that now might be the best time to cash in on Rodrigo, especially as Gelhardt looks to be ahead of schedule in terms of development, and we can use his wages to give Raphinha a better contract.

As we're not exactly loaded with dosh, we need to be very carefull when splashing out ± 20M GBP on just the one player.

Been there before with overspending on James and others.

So we need to get the next one(s) spot on!

Agree with Danish and others that in reality we do need to cut our losses with Rodrigo, certainly when considering his transferfee, his wages and his struggles to adept to the pace of English football.

I also struggle to see how and when he would make us a better side.

Looking at his age, now is the time to get rid.

With Roberts it's just plain and simple as can be.

It's really not just a coincidence that he can't get into the Wales starting 11.

Not the lad his fault, but he himself must at times wonder how the fuck he's actually involved in Premiership football.

I wouldn't even have Roberts at my hometown club Luton in the Championship....

Burnley in for Aaron Ramsey on loan for the rest of the season.... surely we should be in for a player like this!?

I would cut our losses and sell Rodrigo for whatever sum we can get for him in order to pay Salzburg over-price for Brenden Aaronson. We so badly need a proper 10’er, and Aaronson definitely looks to be a good player in that position - for now as well as for the future.

I’d also give away Tyler Roberts to any Championship club willing to take him off our wage bill. Seriously.

Orta pictured at Munich Airport by a Leeds fan and said he was there for business.... Salzburg is only a short trip away so presume Aaronson is a serious target 👏👍😉⚽

Raskin as our defensive midfield signing at only 6m and young....

Aaronson as our creative signing at 16m and young....

Mitrovic is only 27 and a goalscorer and 20m....

Defence seems to be ok now that Cresswell and Hjelde can hopefully back up....

40 odd mill is nothing in this day and age for these 3 players....

I'm not saying to definitely buy him and said this before BUT.... Mitrovic is an UNBELIEVABLE goalscorer!

He has a well over goal ratio of 1 in every 2 games for both Serbia and Fulham and proven over EVERY season for years....

OK, he only scores loads in the Championship for Fulham but that's because when they reach the Prem every other season, they languish down the bottom and don't create many chances.... think how many chances he'd get for us!?

Yes, we all hate him and he's one of those players that get under the opposition skin. However, we grew to love Diouf after a while and Mitrovic is the kind of player that we love to hate but would love his passion in our team....

If we could get him for circa 20m as competition / back up / partner for Hattrick I think he'd score goals for us.

Ready for all to say he'd unsettle the changing room and wouldn't suit our style of play with my tin hat firmly on again.... 🖕🥊🖕🥊🖕🥊🖕🥊

i feel a ben white situation in the offing

Well if nothing else, we have a new Twitter follower.

Though you're not wrong about striking when the iron is hot. Offer him a beanie and Salzburg £20m and be done with it.

I haven't seen Aaronson mentioned on any of the credible sites so far, just the dodgy fanzine clickbait that routinely make stuff up. He's also an American player and it's not unusual for them to be pimped our way by their agents.

That said, he does fit the bill for the only real vacancy in our squad - attacking midfielder, which has been vacant since Hernandez and Saiz left the club. He's also another option on both the left and right wings, so would be an attractive acquisition for MB. Anything over £20m would be too much. I'll note it for interest, for now, and see if anything more reliable emerges.

Lots of reports VO is after Red Bull Salzburg No.10/No.8 Brenden Aaronson with our first bid of £15 million being rejected last night.

Just hope this is not another Che Adam/Gallagher saga where we keep chasing but get nowhere.

I know nothing about the guy, however, from what I have read, he sounds more than decent.

The Austrian league is not that strong. Salzburg walk it each year. This year they are something like 14 odd points ahead of their nearest rivals but they are also in the last 16 of the Champions League but Bayern await them there, so not much hope of them progressing.

Can you imagine the fck fest that would lead to, if on the 22nd May all PL fixtures haven't been played.

Just think 2 of the bottom 3 have all 38 games played but one of the bottom 3 has a game or two to play, but the points available from their remaining matches "could" see them out of the drop zone!!!

Or

a team at the top end of the table are fighting for european spot,

team currently in 7th can technically finish 4th if they won their remaining games, it would be a nightmare,

What would that club do? They could say they didnt seek any cancellation of any game so why are they punished if the season isnt allowed to be completed, where is the fairness in that??

or imagine westham supporters in 4th and in a CL spot and the chance to see their team playing with the big European boys only to be told the EFL cant confirm them as one of the 4 english clubs because Arsenal have 3 games to play and they could finish 4th, there would be war...

Back to the Xfer info!!!

We allegedly have a new player coming in. Brenden Aaronson from RB Salzburg. Centre Mid, allegedly at least £15M fee - US International and 21 years old.

I agree BB but reading a few books about MB one quickly understands, get to grip with, Marcelo's philosophy on football. He believes the game is beautiful and should be played openly and allow the people on the pitch to express themselves without to much defensive style tactics, so for MB to come out on Sunday and say that he saw no reason to seek a cancellation wasn't a surprise to many Leeds fans. He just wanted a game of football to go ahead and ask the group of players in the dressing room to play football the way he sees football and how it should be played.

MB will not want to be relegated i'm sure as that would be the ultimate failure for him. He isn't worried about his "job" as manager, anywhere he goes as he knows as one of the top 5 managers in the world he will get a role in another Club fairly quickly.

Other managers don't have that self belief / job security so for them if they lose their job it could take a year or more to get back in. OK drop a division or two and a PL manager will get one but that also means a paycut as lower league clubs wouldn't have anywhere near the money that a PL side would have.

Dyche chanced his arm and it paid off for him, and in a way i cant really blame him for trying, they need points quickly and they have just sold their striker to a rival relegation candidate so this buys him time to work on things on the training field that havent been working on matchday. But in Arsenals case that's just simply wrong, a work buddy of mine told me that Arsenal have 88 professionally contracted players at the Club, and they cant find 16 players to put on a teamsheet????? come on!!!!! the EFL were lead a merry dance on this one i feel.

As i said above the EFL need to do two things and sort them this week, they need to issue a press release announcing the dates for all re-arranged games and to clarify the rules for Clubs seeking a postponement, otherwise with more injuries, suspension, covid cases, etc more and more clubs will look for a cancellation as their best xi isn't available on that day and it isn't the Clubs problem (especially those at the bottom of the table) if the PL season doesn't finish on the 22nd May.

There is enough space from Feb for games to be played mid-week. Sure Burnley will moan, particularly if they keep losing, that they are facing 2 games every 3-4 days for weeks, so play the U21s if first-team players cannot cope!

However, I doubt that will be the case as players love playing not training. It just means you give them a bit more rest. Every team's sports science guys will know what to do.

v Wet Spammers our bench had 7 teenagers including a 15-year-old. MB did not complain and moan nor did he seek a postponement. Time for other managers to man up.

Well we have given 8 of our youngsters their PL debut since the start of the season so far and that type of experience you cant buy. With Burnley/Watford game now off im beginning to wonder will the 22nd of May be the last game of the season??.

Burnley have the least played games but according to Dyche they only had 10 "recognized" first team players yesterday, meaning they probably had another 3 or 4 fringe players available throw in a few of their u23's and they could have fulfilled the fixture. However with them in real danger of going down and the financial loss that would certainly bring can you really blame them for requesting a cancellation and try to play their games with the full squad available.

The EFL must step in now and tell all clubs

a) dates for all re-arranged fixtures

b) change the parameters in which a game can be requested to be called off.

personally i cant understand how Burnley are 5 games behind City who have also played 6 more CL games thats 11 games more already in 5 months!!!!

although the 5 league games they are behind i read Burnley requested 2 games, their opposition requested 2 others and snow called off the 5th so we must look at the whole picture. But the EFL must do something and must develop a plan that's transparent to all Clubs, i mean do we want a football game to be decide on the boardroom table like Leinster in rugby union, which was really farcical, the french team had an outbreak of covid cases, the french government refused entry to France Leinster the ERU awarded the game (28-0) to the french side and last weekend the corresponding return game in Dublin last weekend saw Leinster win 89-7 (scoring 13 tries).

So when are Burnleys games to be re-fixed (thankfully they are gone from the FA Cup already)

Spurs (still in Europe & FA Cup)

Leicester (same Europe & FA Cup)

to play Villa Twice, however only league left

Everton (FA Cup)

Its going to be difficult and i can see SD lodge a complaint on player welfare grounds if they are going to be asked to play like 4 games in 9 days, because part of their defense will also be they only sought 2 refix's.!!

This.

Why buy in January if we can win games with the U23 players - signing now doesn't work very often, it's expensive and when all the injuries are back you have the cast of thousands all whining on the bench.

The injury situation has cost us some points no doubt, but the value and experience of the U23 group has been enhanced massively for the future.

By May the likes of Hjelde, Bate, Cresswell, Summerville etc will be much wiser and stronger than they were at the start of the season and that means the close season becomes very interesting! It may mean that just 2 signings will propel us forward - a RB to replace Ayling now Drameh has p!$$ed off and a box to box to replace Klich

My "acquaintance" , the football agent has finally just text me.

We may be in for some players but we will keep our powder dry until after Barcodes game.

Summer is likely for major signings unless we lose.

Bamford will be back for this game, albeit on bench

Firpo and Forshaw should be available but not risked as international break follows, so only bench for them at most unless med team deem them fully fit and not at risk.

After international break, Joffy, Roberts, Baby Shacks and Greenwood should be available.

Coops and KP should be back in training mid Feb latest.

So a win and no more injuries this weekend means no more signings!

MB trusts Hjelde, Bate, Summerville and others to cover in the short term and will not risk their development by bringing in short term singings.

Decent young player with a good engine.

His team are having a very poor season and they've got a lot of debt.

In the Flemish part of the Belgian press they do mention the report from the Sunday Mirror.

However the local papers (Liège) deny there's any truth to the story.

Raskin rumour out there - £6M from Belgium (Midfielder)

Donny Van De Beek is apparently able to leave Mancscum on LOAN this window.... WTF has happened as he was a great player before he came to England but never really had a chance.

Should we not be in for him IF we haven't got much dosh and he's an attacking midfielder with goals in him....!?

I'm sure we could afford his wages if there's no transfer fee apart from the loan fee!