Hypothetical-Big Val top flight transfer targets

Any team that goes up via the play offs has the least amount of time to plan for the premier league.

With that in mind do you reckon Val has a list of players he would like in should we achieve the impossible dream?

Or has a list already been drawn up for him of which he selects his preferred choices from it?

 

I may be wrong but did Dane say that there would be 2 lists of players drawn up? One for either outcome. I’m sure plans will already be very much in motion.

 

We always have two lists coming towards the end of the season. One for the Championship and one for League 1. Hang on a minute.....

 

Just for a bit of fun who would you like to see brought in should the impossible dream happen?

 

I have no preference whatsoever honestly. Most will for sure be players from foreign leagues that most of us have never heard of.

Maybe we'll start looking at the German Bundesliga rather than the Austrian Bundesliga

 

Mario Ballotelli

 

Why always him?

 

Thierry Henry
David Beckham
Roy Keane

 

“Since Struber” is only 1 transfer window and one where we didn’t really heavily recruit, other than Strikers and a backup centre half. You could be right with regards to the impact of Brexit, but if we’re in the premier league I think the quality of player we’d need would probably hit the requirements anyway (international apps etc)

I just think we’d struggle to recruit the quality of player we’d need from England that can make the immediate step up, while still keeping under budget. I could be wrong though, it’s happened before. It was a Thursday.

Our recruitment the last couple of years has been fantastic, so I trust the recruitment team to find the right players. I just expect it to be players I’ve never heard of for the most part.

 

Get Jacob Brown back if we go up.

I love a bit of sentiment.

 

After successfully bringing in players like Sollbauer, Helik, Brittain, Morris & Dike (for example) in 2020 & 2021, I'm quite relaxed on the recruitment front irrespective of which Division we're in.

 

Adam Armstrong, ivan toney, the lad from Reading who looked decent when we played them

 

Re foreign signings. They now have to reach the age/and or points system To qualify. It probably scuppers a lot of targets.

 

Toney will be beyond our price range even if we go up. Armstrong would score plenty playing on the left of a front three in this system, but not sure how he'd do in the Premier League, and he'd be far too expensive for us in the Championship.

 

Id like to see some real pace up front. Adam armstrong done well again but unsure whether hed cut it in prem. Get mining the pace dimension on the cube. we should be looking at talented young players not getting a sniff in prem teams and also some unheard ofs from ameica that fit the bill like dike.

 

I'm sure that the lists are drawn up already but I'm not even going attempt to predict who's on them as the vast majority of our signings are from deeeeep left-field!

 

To flip it on it's head let's look at the players who might currently be being scouted by Premier League teams who and therefore be considered Premier League quality:

Collins - Obviously came from a Premier League team, but his major assets have been his sweeper keeper role and I'm not sure of any Premier League team who have a goalkeeper who plays like that with the possible exception of Man City and I can't see him being on their radar. On the other hand I don't know of a keeper already in the PL who could do the same job so effectively. So I'd be prepared to stick with him unless we have someone on the spreadsheet who is better.

Sollbauer - has previously played at Europa League level against good teams and not been found wanting. Unlikely to be bought from us by a Premier League team, but I think could probably do a job for us as a squad player.

Helik - Polish international. Will definitely have been scouted by and impressed Premier League teams this season.

Andersen - His profile continues to grow, and again I'm sure I read somewhere that some Premier League clubs had been watching him. If he gets a Danish cap over the summer I think it will prove he could be Premier League quality

Styles - allegedly on both Southampton and Brighton's radar. Could do a job in the Premier League

Brittain - one season at Championship level, however impressive based on where he came from is probably not enough to convince any one to take a punt on him in the Premier League. We have also got Jordan Williams in the position but again, I don't think we'd be selling either to Premier League teams. I'd keep Brittain and supplement him with a Ludewig type signing. A young player struggling to break through into a top team. Ideally on loan with a guaranteed option to buy.

Mowatt - might well stay if we get to the Premier League because if he leaves on a free i can't see him getting a move to any of the existing PL sides, or even any of the newly promoted ones. Most likely to go to somewhere like Sheffield United to help with a promotion push next season but on better wages if we don't do it.

Palmer - has been consistent this season at Championship level but it's asking a lot for him to step up to Premier League standard. Would expect to sign at least one promising centre midfielder and keep Palmer as an option from the bench. Two if Valerian has decided Kane isn't going to be in his plans... although for what it's worth I think the extra time on the ball given by most Premier League teams would suit him.

Frieser - Lots of energy but I envisage a loan move away if we're up in the Premier League, likewise Chaplin.

Dike - The obvious signing we need to make, but there'll be bigger fish lurking so we better hope our deal is watertight.

Woodrow - had a quiet season, but sacrificed for the system. If we intend to play the same system in the Premier League he might well find himself on the bench and I'm not sure we'd want to lose out on the value.

Morris - Worth a crack at Premier League level as his pace, physicality and trickery would probably impress once there, but can't see him being subject to any bids from teams up there this summer.

In summary, in my considered yet irrelevant opinion, if we stick to this season's tactics and don't sell any one, we need the following:

1) Ready moulded "Sweeper Keeper" to push for the number 1 jersey. Nothing against Walton, but I think that can be the only reason he's been displaced by Collins under Val.
2) High potential wing back, preferably who is capable of playing on either wing
3) Quality central defender unless we think Sibbick and Kitching are both going to be able to make the step up to Premier League level
4) Creative central midfielder plus destructive central midfielder to break up play
5) Two wide forwards with plenty of energy but who can also hit the net with some regularity.

I reckon to get those 7 players we'll be looking at spending a minimum of £35m and that's if we take a punt on potential.

Great to have these hypothetical situations to consider though rather than wondering who might get sold in the summer, isn't it!