Season 15/16
- Thread starter wee_od_88
- Start date
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
Our chances of getting Denayer are higher now that Man City forked out 30Million Euros on 30 year old Nicolas Otamendi from Valencia, Denayer's representatives have been told to find him a club to go on loan to. If we can get the Champions League football then we could get him back.
Definitely need a new LB, I think Deila will be losing patience with Izzy but still feels that it's his best option due to the inexperience of the likes of Tierney and Waters.
We absolutely need another striker too! There's a whole raft of options but we seem to be looking at....well I don't really know what we're looking at when it comes to strikers! This Marega guy doesn't look much to me!
To name a few:
Munas Dabbur - more expensive but in form and would suit our system!
Mihai Roman - big, skillful, loads of potential, scores good goals
Nicolai Jorgensen - at Copenhagen who've crashed out of the Europa League, they may look to cash in, versatile, pacy, tall
Andreas Cornelius - just returning from a broken leg, young with bags of potential, tall and powerful, a good target
Lukasz Zwolinski - young Polish striker, tall and quick, has a knack for scoring! similar to Griffiths but bigger!
Anton Maglica - plays in a 4-3-3 as the lone striker so would suit the system, the cheapest option on the list most likely, probably the most raw on the list but scores good goals and all from inside the box!
Definitely need a new LB, I think Deila will be losing patience with Izzy but still feels that it's his best option due to the inexperience of the likes of Tierney and Waters.
We absolutely need another striker too! There's a whole raft of options but we seem to be looking at....well I don't really know what we're looking at when it comes to strikers! This Marega guy doesn't look much to me!
To name a few:
Munas Dabbur - more expensive but in form and would suit our system!
Mihai Roman - big, skillful, loads of potential, scores good goals
Nicolai Jorgensen - at Copenhagen who've crashed out of the Europa League, they may look to cash in, versatile, pacy, tall
Andreas Cornelius - just returning from a broken leg, young with bags of potential, tall and powerful, a good target
Lukasz Zwolinski - young Polish striker, tall and quick, has a knack for scoring! similar to Griffiths but bigger!
Anton Maglica - plays in a 4-3-3 as the lone striker so would suit the system, the cheapest option on the list most likely, probably the most raw on the list but scores good goals and all from inside the box!
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
YES! Man City have told his advisors to get him a club to go to on loan again, it seems they either want him at a CL club or in a top European league or the Championship, so we'd just have to convince him to come back as he's likely to have offers!
I read a report earlier saying the VVD deal is done with Southampton and he's expected to join on Wednesday. The Malmo game is on Tuesday I think so that ties in. £10.5m.
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
So Denayer is joining Galatasaray on loan so we're missing out on him!
Gary Hooper will also not be returning as it looks as though he will be joining Sheffield Wednesday on loan.
We have been linked with a new striker however. Libor Kozak from Aston Villa. It seems he's not in Tim Sherwood's plans having been signed 2 years ago by Paul Lambert for around £7m from Lazio. Reports suggest we've reached an agreement with Villa as they close in on a replacement for Benteke who joined Liverpool this summer.
Kozak is 26 and was a player Lennon tried to sign for us before I believe. I think he and Tonev were both targets for us in the same summer and Villa got both of them. Kozak had a decent start to life in England, only 4 goals in 15 games in his first season before unfortunately suffering a fractured leg but he was performing quite well. That injury ruled him out of basically all last season, he played 1 game for the U21s. That's the big problem with this potential signing, his lack of even training over the last 18 months.
Gary Hooper will also not be returning as it looks as though he will be joining Sheffield Wednesday on loan.
We have been linked with a new striker however. Libor Kozak from Aston Villa. It seems he's not in Tim Sherwood's plans having been signed 2 years ago by Paul Lambert for around £7m from Lazio. Reports suggest we've reached an agreement with Villa as they close in on a replacement for Benteke who joined Liverpool this summer.
Kozak is 26 and was a player Lennon tried to sign for us before I believe. I think he and Tonev were both targets for us in the same summer and Villa got both of them. Kozak had a decent start to life in England, only 4 goals in 15 games in his first season before unfortunately suffering a fractured leg but he was performing quite well. That injury ruled him out of basically all last season, he played 1 game for the U21s. That's the big problem with this potential signing, his lack of even training over the last 18 months.
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
Apparently VVD told media last night that he didn't want to really discuss it but that there were offers for him and he's open to a move but will be sad to leave in the circumstances!
Still being linked with Libor Kozak, 26 year old Czech striker from Aston Villa.
So let's make a shopping list:
Centre back
Left back
Striker
I am still convinced we don't even need to spend a fortune to get in good players for these positions either.
Still being linked with Libor Kozak, 26 year old Czech striker from Aston Villa.
So let's make a shopping list:
Centre back
Left back
Striker
I am still convinced we don't even need to spend a fortune to get in good players for these positions either.
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
So I've decided to post my ideal shopping list for the final week of the transfer window based on our needs and also based on VVD being sold.
Munas Dabbur - 23 year old Israeli striker playing in Switzerland for Grasshoppers. Not in Europe but doing well at the top end of the league. 7 goals and 7 appearances, is used to playing as a front 1, has height and strength, he also has 6 assists which says he links up well with others.
Cost - £3-4m
Berat Djimsiti - 22 year old Albanian defender, not represented his country yet having previously played for Switzerland U21s. Can play anywhere across the back, literally he has played at RB, CB and LB so far this season. He's quick, he's strong, good on the ball and going forward and his versatility would be a big help! A lot of footage shows him at LB so comfortable playing there until a new LB is sorted.
Plays for FC Zurich in Switzerland who've had a terrible start to the season and just appointed Sami Hyppia as their new manager.
Cost - £1.5-2m
Georgi Terziev - 23 year old Bulgarian international defender playing for PFK Ludogrets in Bulgaria. Has experience of Champions League, CL qualification and Europa league experience and is comfortable as a CB or RB. Big, although not the tallest for a CB but he's strong and quick and reads the game well.
It would solve a CB problem as well as a possible RB problem. Adds another RB cover anyway.
Cost - £1.5m
Takashi Usami - 23 year old Japanese international attacker. Plays as a striker leading the line or in behind the secondary striker role, can equally play out wide as well. Tricky player, very direct, has a knack of scoring and spent time with Bayern Munich when still only a teenager. Things didn't work out for him in Germany, perhaps a little too young but since returning to Japan, he's been fantastic! Could add a real spark to the team!
Cost - £1.5-2m
Altogether, I believe we could add 4 players, all of which I think should be available, for £8-9m. Basically if we spend the VVD money, I think we can get in 4 young but talented and with decent experience players to really add to our squad!
If you want to go with an out and out LB, I'd go for either:
Jere Uronen - 21 year old Finnish international LB playing for Helsingborgs.
Taleb Twaitha - 23 year old Israeli international LB playing for Maccabi Haifa. Or
Riza Durmisi - 21 year old Danish international LB playing for Brondby.
All 3 of these would be available for less than £750k.
Munas Dabbur - 23 year old Israeli striker playing in Switzerland for Grasshoppers. Not in Europe but doing well at the top end of the league. 7 goals and 7 appearances, is used to playing as a front 1, has height and strength, he also has 6 assists which says he links up well with others.
Cost - £3-4m
Berat Djimsiti - 22 year old Albanian defender, not represented his country yet having previously played for Switzerland U21s. Can play anywhere across the back, literally he has played at RB, CB and LB so far this season. He's quick, he's strong, good on the ball and going forward and his versatility would be a big help! A lot of footage shows him at LB so comfortable playing there until a new LB is sorted.
Plays for FC Zurich in Switzerland who've had a terrible start to the season and just appointed Sami Hyppia as their new manager.
Cost - £1.5-2m
Georgi Terziev - 23 year old Bulgarian international defender playing for PFK Ludogrets in Bulgaria. Has experience of Champions League, CL qualification and Europa league experience and is comfortable as a CB or RB. Big, although not the tallest for a CB but he's strong and quick and reads the game well.
It would solve a CB problem as well as a possible RB problem. Adds another RB cover anyway.
Cost - £1.5m
Takashi Usami - 23 year old Japanese international attacker. Plays as a striker leading the line or in behind the secondary striker role, can equally play out wide as well. Tricky player, very direct, has a knack of scoring and spent time with Bayern Munich when still only a teenager. Things didn't work out for him in Germany, perhaps a little too young but since returning to Japan, he's been fantastic! Could add a real spark to the team!
Cost - £1.5-2m
Altogether, I believe we could add 4 players, all of which I think should be available, for £8-9m. Basically if we spend the VVD money, I think we can get in 4 young but talented and with decent experience players to really add to our squad!
If you want to go with an out and out LB, I'd go for either:
Jere Uronen - 21 year old Finnish international LB playing for Helsingborgs.
Taleb Twaitha - 23 year old Israeli international LB playing for Maccabi Haifa. Or
Riza Durmisi - 21 year old Danish international LB playing for Brondby.
All 3 of these would be available for less than £750k.
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
£500k bid for Ryan Christie (don't like that little, diving shit!) with us loaning him back to ICT for the season. Is that just so he can't then play against us and cause us problems when we play them?
Don't particularly like this move, simply because I don't like Christie. I don't think the idea of buying a talented young player is a bad idea and loaning him back to the club until we're ready to use him, but once again where is he going to fit into our team? Even next season where will he fit in? We're going to be overloaded in midfield and we have some talented young midfielders coming through ourselves, it's just putting them further back in their development!
Also apparently close to signing Man Utd defender Tyler Blackett on a season long loan with a view to a permanent transfer next summer. He made 12 appearances for the first team last season. He was in favour at the start of last season but gradually seemed to fall out of favour under Van Gaal. He's a 21 year old left footed CB who can also play LB.
Personally I don't think he's strong enough to play CB, or certainly not for us but he's also not quick enough and skillful enough to play as a LB in Deila's system. No doubt he's a talented young defender and he'd be a good asset but I'm just not sure he'd be right for Celtic at the moment. Maybe if we're going to use him as a LB but I'm not convinced by that. As far as CBs go, we need someone far more experienced!
I actually think he's best suited to what Man Utd were playing last season, a 3 man defence. He's left footed so would play the LCB role, is quick enough to cover that whole side, big enough to win headers....I don't think he quite has the attributes to play CB or LB but in that sort of mixed role, I think it suits him perfectly!
[youtube=LyykpAioPuA]
Don't particularly like this move, simply because I don't like Christie. I don't think the idea of buying a talented young player is a bad idea and loaning him back to the club until we're ready to use him, but once again where is he going to fit into our team? Even next season where will he fit in? We're going to be overloaded in midfield and we have some talented young midfielders coming through ourselves, it's just putting them further back in their development!
Also apparently close to signing Man Utd defender Tyler Blackett on a season long loan with a view to a permanent transfer next summer. He made 12 appearances for the first team last season. He was in favour at the start of last season but gradually seemed to fall out of favour under Van Gaal. He's a 21 year old left footed CB who can also play LB.
Personally I don't think he's strong enough to play CB, or certainly not for us but he's also not quick enough and skillful enough to play as a LB in Deila's system. No doubt he's a talented young defender and he'd be a good asset but I'm just not sure he'd be right for Celtic at the moment. Maybe if we're going to use him as a LB but I'm not convinced by that. As far as CBs go, we need someone far more experienced!
I actually think he's best suited to what Man Utd were playing last season, a 3 man defence. He's left footed so would play the LCB role, is quick enough to cover that whole side, big enough to win headers....I don't think he quite has the attributes to play CB or LB but in that sort of mixed role, I think it suits him perfectly!
[youtube=LyykpAioPuA]
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
Also now being linked with Anderlecht's out of favour LB and DR Congo international, Fabrice N'Sakala. They seemed to use a LW as a LB in their previous game and also have a new LB at the club as well. The 25 year old French-born defender could seemingly be free to leave before the transfer window closes.
He's seemingly quite defence minded rather than attack minded, but that may be no bad thing for us in Europe! We've already seen that particularly away from home, our fullbacks will sit deeper. He seems to prefer picking out a pass up the line or a long ball up front than trying to dribble up the pitch or to make overlapping runs. He will make the runs but not the same way as even the likes of Izzy would do.
[youtube=_8evCzak8Cc]
He's seemingly quite defence minded rather than attack minded, but that may be no bad thing for us in Europe! We've already seen that particularly away from home, our fullbacks will sit deeper. He seems to prefer picking out a pass up the line or a long ball up front than trying to dribble up the pitch or to make overlapping runs. He will make the runs but not the same way as even the likes of Izzy would do.
[youtube=_8evCzak8Cc]
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
Deila says he wants to bring in some experienced players. That doesn't necessarily mean old, it just means players who've played at the top level to help out our young, inexperienced squad. Normally this would cost a lot of money, hence why it's typically going to be someone older. So I decided to go out and have a look at what we could get for not very much.....players without a club at the moment basically! Remember, we don't have much time left to get a deal done!
First up that I found was Ondrej Mazuch, 26 year old Czech international CB who has just left Ukrainian side Dnipro (Champions League this season) having previously played at Fiorientina and Anderlecht. He has played 39 Europa League games in his career so far, plus he has played in 6 Champions League qualifiers.
His current market value is around £3m and there was interest from EPL teams back in January. So far this summer he has been training with Sparta Prague in his homeland, so far though it seems he is a free agent still! Surely this is the sort of signing we should be making? Even if we're paying him high wages, if he does well, he's the sort we can sell on or can help us get to the CL and reclaim the money.
May Mahlangu, 26 year old South African international midfielder. He's like Brown, a box to box midfielder, happy to move into wider areas and run with the ball, gets into the box and scores goals, hard in defence and he's quick. We were looking at him once before, he's a free agent having left Konyaspor in Turkey after only 1 year, previously he played in Sweden with Helsingborgs and Gothenburg. Not that much experience in European competition but has been in the Europa League before, and Champions League qualifiers.
[youtube=JICL5WowZlA]
Urby Emanuelson, 29 year old LM/LB/CM. Former Ajax, AC Milan, Fulham, Roma and Atalanta player he has made 32 appearances in the Champions League, 16 UEFA Cup appearances, 11 Champions League qualifiers, 11 Europa League Play-Offs, 8 Europa League appearances and 2 Europa League Qualifiers.
Now he has moved from Milan, to Roma and then to Atalanta all in the space of a year....but I don't know why. The Roma deal was a 1 year deal with an option of a further 2 apparently but left after only 6 months, after 6 months with Atalanta he is now seemingly a free agent. He has bags of experience and is surely still worth a look?
He's been back at Ajax, training with their youth team to stay fit!
[youtube=KgylBUqi87w]
Slobodan Rajkovic, 26 year old Serbian CB, left footed so can also fill in at LB, signed as a teenager by Chelsea, came through their system and went on loan to PSV, FC Twente, Vitesse all in the Dutch top flight before a permanent move to Hamburg in the Bundesliga. He's been at Hamburg since 2011 but last season was their worst for a long time, they finished in the bottom 3 and had a play-off to remain the Bundesliga. In the history of Hamburg, they have never been relegated! They stayed up thanks to the play-off which they won. Rajkovic has left the club this summer and is a free agent. Not a huge amount of European experience but plenty in two of the best 8 leagues in Europe.
This video was 4 years ago during a pre-season game for Chelsea.
[youtube=W0vmsKlPt50]
Johan Martial, 24 year old French CB. He's just left Stade Brest2 29 in France. He's not got the European competition experience but he has more first team experience than Boyata, 2 seasons in Ligue 1 and 2 seasons in Ligue 2. He's quite a no-nonsense defender, just defends well, not uncomfortable in possession but prefers to let the more talented players use the ball. For free, I think he'd be a good addition.
[youtube=JYAAfS7BigY]
First up that I found was Ondrej Mazuch, 26 year old Czech international CB who has just left Ukrainian side Dnipro (Champions League this season) having previously played at Fiorientina and Anderlecht. He has played 39 Europa League games in his career so far, plus he has played in 6 Champions League qualifiers.
His current market value is around £3m and there was interest from EPL teams back in January. So far this summer he has been training with Sparta Prague in his homeland, so far though it seems he is a free agent still! Surely this is the sort of signing we should be making? Even if we're paying him high wages, if he does well, he's the sort we can sell on or can help us get to the CL and reclaim the money.
May Mahlangu, 26 year old South African international midfielder. He's like Brown, a box to box midfielder, happy to move into wider areas and run with the ball, gets into the box and scores goals, hard in defence and he's quick. We were looking at him once before, he's a free agent having left Konyaspor in Turkey after only 1 year, previously he played in Sweden with Helsingborgs and Gothenburg. Not that much experience in European competition but has been in the Europa League before, and Champions League qualifiers.
[youtube=JICL5WowZlA]
Urby Emanuelson, 29 year old LM/LB/CM. Former Ajax, AC Milan, Fulham, Roma and Atalanta player he has made 32 appearances in the Champions League, 16 UEFA Cup appearances, 11 Champions League qualifiers, 11 Europa League Play-Offs, 8 Europa League appearances and 2 Europa League Qualifiers.
Now he has moved from Milan, to Roma and then to Atalanta all in the space of a year....but I don't know why. The Roma deal was a 1 year deal with an option of a further 2 apparently but left after only 6 months, after 6 months with Atalanta he is now seemingly a free agent. He has bags of experience and is surely still worth a look?
He's been back at Ajax, training with their youth team to stay fit!
[youtube=KgylBUqi87w]
Slobodan Rajkovic, 26 year old Serbian CB, left footed so can also fill in at LB, signed as a teenager by Chelsea, came through their system and went on loan to PSV, FC Twente, Vitesse all in the Dutch top flight before a permanent move to Hamburg in the Bundesliga. He's been at Hamburg since 2011 but last season was their worst for a long time, they finished in the bottom 3 and had a play-off to remain the Bundesliga. In the history of Hamburg, they have never been relegated! They stayed up thanks to the play-off which they won. Rajkovic has left the club this summer and is a free agent. Not a huge amount of European experience but plenty in two of the best 8 leagues in Europe.
This video was 4 years ago during a pre-season game for Chelsea.
[youtube=W0vmsKlPt50]
Johan Martial, 24 year old French CB. He's just left Stade Brest2 29 in France. He's not got the European competition experience but he has more first team experience than Boyata, 2 seasons in Ligue 1 and 2 seasons in Ligue 2. He's quite a no-nonsense defender, just defends well, not uncomfortable in possession but prefers to let the more talented players use the ball. For free, I think he'd be a good addition.
[youtube=JYAAfS7BigY]
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
Being linked with Steven Fletcher again.......I don't think that would be a good move! 11 goals in 30 appearances in his first season at Sunderland but only 9 goals since......yeah that's the sort of striker we want! NOT! He's on the fringes of a team that are still playing poorly at the bottom of the EPL.
Blackett seems like good business and will probably start at left back. Simunovic come a week late and they are now racing to get a deal done before the window closes. I bet they do. If we kept Virgil until January and had Simunovic, we could make a real stand in the Europa League.
wee_od_88
Vital Football Hero
I hope Blackett does well. Just not convinced about him being a CB or a LB, not sure if he's good enough for either yet.
Simunovic seems to be highly rated but that is a lot of money for us to spend on an U21 international. Normally if he was that good, he'd have already been called up to the full national team. I like that we're spending a bit more cash but at the same time it seems a lot for such a player, especially when we could bring in someone with more experience for less and therefore afford more players as a result.
Apparently still looking to bring in a striker, rumours at the moment suggest Fletcher on loan.
Also apparently trying to bring in a 3rd but not sure who or what position yet.
Stokes and Scepovic still linked with an exit to free up funds.
Simunovic seems to be highly rated but that is a lot of money for us to spend on an U21 international. Normally if he was that good, he'd have already been called up to the full national team. I like that we're spending a bit more cash but at the same time it seems a lot for such a player, especially when we could bring in someone with more experience for less and therefore afford more players as a result.
Apparently still looking to bring in a striker, rumours at the moment suggest Fletcher on loan.
Also apparently trying to bring in a 3rd but not sure who or what position yet.
Stokes and Scepovic still linked with an exit to free up funds.
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