Finney Is Back
Andy Thompson
On to those in the lower leagues in England or up in Scotland I like all of the following:
1. Isiah Jones. Right wing back for Middlesborough who I think is head and shoulders better than Djed Spence who we have been linked with. Really good going forward and has improved his defending this season. Is a big part of Boro's promotion push
2. Lloyd Kelly - I think he could be a brilliant, reasonably inexpensive way for us to fill our LCB position for years to come, with the added bonus of being an English player and also a very accomplished 4-4-2 left back (which I think is a massive benefit for a Conte 3 at the back system). I suggested that he would be a good signing for us to make back when he was playing at Bristol City, Bournmouth paid £13m for him back then and he wouldn't have been ready for us at the time but was one to bring in and then loan out for a year or two. I would guess that £25m probably gets him now and I think that would be great value for a 23 year old with his level of talent. We don't pay the wages or the transfer fees or have the pull for the really big players so I would love to see us concentrate on this sort of market.
3. Dan Neil. 20 year old central midfield player at Sunderland who has real class on the ball. Is a great dribbler who can go past players with ease from a standing start, has a touch of Gascoigne about him in the way that he plays. Perfect option for a buy and loan back (maybe even an 18 month loan back if Sunderland get promoted)
4. Calvin Ramsay. 19 year old Aberdeen right back who I think will go right to the top. Loads of skill, good pace, good with the ball, good without the ball. The sort of signing we would've made years ago when we were on the up under Jol/Redknapp. £10m would definitely get him and the price would probably be closer to £6m. Would make sense to loan back to Aberdeen for the rest of this season and then loan him to Championship the season after with him then likely being ready for us.
5. Alex Scott. 18 year old at Bristol City. Loads and loads of talent on the ball. Still young and has lots of developing to do, but the talent he has is something that can't really be taught. Another player that you would buy and then loan back, perhaps even for 18 months. Lots of PL scouts have been watching recently so I expect somebody to snap him up this summer.
6. Fabio Carvalho. 19 year old attacking midfielder or wide forward at Fulham who can also play as more of a pure central midfielder (though I think he is better suited further forward). Great numbers in the Championship at Fulham this season (7 goals and 3 assists in 17 games) despite only being 19. It's not just his numbers that impress me though it is his touch, the way that he seems to glide with the ball and that he plays with his head up. He is out of contract this summer (though would command a tribuneral fee) but doing a buy and loan back deal with Fulham now for probably £6 to £10m and perhaps letting them keep him for a year if they get promoted would be a really, really smart thing to do. Another English player as well.
7. Scott Twine. A player that Pleaty has recommended to the club. He is a bit of a late bloomer and is now 22 but has lovely balance, great touch with both feet and is a great striker of the ball. Could be the sort of signing where lots of people go 'who?... why?' but ends up being a really good player. One of the few players that I have seen that I think could be moulded into playing an Eriksen type role. 12 goals and 8 assists from attacking midfield in 26 games for MK Dons this season.
8. Another that the scouts are all raving about (though I can't confess to having seen him play myself) is Ronnie Edwards at Peterborough. Playing centre back in the Championship and looking very accomplished at only 18. Also playing for England under 19s now. Peterborough's chairman has been quoted as saying that they could sell him this summer to make enough money to operate for 3 seasons so it sounds as though he is preparing to sell him. According to a few friends in the game the German clubs are watching him as well as lots of PL clubs.
1. Isiah Jones. Right wing back for Middlesborough who I think is head and shoulders better than Djed Spence who we have been linked with. Really good going forward and has improved his defending this season. Is a big part of Boro's promotion push
2. Lloyd Kelly - I think he could be a brilliant, reasonably inexpensive way for us to fill our LCB position for years to come, with the added bonus of being an English player and also a very accomplished 4-4-2 left back (which I think is a massive benefit for a Conte 3 at the back system). I suggested that he would be a good signing for us to make back when he was playing at Bristol City, Bournmouth paid £13m for him back then and he wouldn't have been ready for us at the time but was one to bring in and then loan out for a year or two. I would guess that £25m probably gets him now and I think that would be great value for a 23 year old with his level of talent. We don't pay the wages or the transfer fees or have the pull for the really big players so I would love to see us concentrate on this sort of market.
3. Dan Neil. 20 year old central midfield player at Sunderland who has real class on the ball. Is a great dribbler who can go past players with ease from a standing start, has a touch of Gascoigne about him in the way that he plays. Perfect option for a buy and loan back (maybe even an 18 month loan back if Sunderland get promoted)
4. Calvin Ramsay. 19 year old Aberdeen right back who I think will go right to the top. Loads of skill, good pace, good with the ball, good without the ball. The sort of signing we would've made years ago when we were on the up under Jol/Redknapp. £10m would definitely get him and the price would probably be closer to £6m. Would make sense to loan back to Aberdeen for the rest of this season and then loan him to Championship the season after with him then likely being ready for us.
5. Alex Scott. 18 year old at Bristol City. Loads and loads of talent on the ball. Still young and has lots of developing to do, but the talent he has is something that can't really be taught. Another player that you would buy and then loan back, perhaps even for 18 months. Lots of PL scouts have been watching recently so I expect somebody to snap him up this summer.
6. Fabio Carvalho. 19 year old attacking midfielder or wide forward at Fulham who can also play as more of a pure central midfielder (though I think he is better suited further forward). Great numbers in the Championship at Fulham this season (7 goals and 3 assists in 17 games) despite only being 19. It's not just his numbers that impress me though it is his touch, the way that he seems to glide with the ball and that he plays with his head up. He is out of contract this summer (though would command a tribuneral fee) but doing a buy and loan back deal with Fulham now for probably £6 to £10m and perhaps letting them keep him for a year if they get promoted would be a really, really smart thing to do. Another English player as well.
7. Scott Twine. A player that Pleaty has recommended to the club. He is a bit of a late bloomer and is now 22 but has lovely balance, great touch with both feet and is a great striker of the ball. Could be the sort of signing where lots of people go 'who?... why?' but ends up being a really good player. One of the few players that I have seen that I think could be moulded into playing an Eriksen type role. 12 goals and 8 assists from attacking midfield in 26 games for MK Dons this season.
8. Another that the scouts are all raving about (though I can't confess to having seen him play myself) is Ronnie Edwards at Peterborough. Playing centre back in the Championship and looking very accomplished at only 18. Also playing for England under 19s now. Peterborough's chairman has been quoted as saying that they could sell him this summer to make enough money to operate for 3 seasons so it sounds as though he is preparing to sell him. According to a few friends in the game the German clubs are watching him as well as lots of PL clubs.
