The squad has been strengthened significantly this Transfer Window with 4 new 'first team' players .
With the number of games we might have this season our 'first team' might only start in 40% of the games we play (even if all fit) whilst in the other 60% of games the side might have anywhere from none of the first team (in some domestic cup matches) to many of the first team with the other places in the team taken up by tyhe 'non first team' players or youngsters - a real mix and match situation.
So here's our possible first XI with alternative players in brackets - assuming we still sign a new striker, and Rose has left :
Lloris (Hart)
Doherty (Aurier) - Sanchez (Tanganga) - Alderweireld (Dier) - Reguilon (Davies)
Hojbjerg (Sissoko) - Lo Celso (Winks)
Bale (Moura) - Dele (Ndombele) - Son (Bergwijn)
Kane (New Striker)
Those 22 players, categorised by UEFA would be :
Club Trained - 3 ( Kane, Bale, Winks)
Other Assoc Trained 3 (Hart, Doherty, Dele)
Overseas Trained 15 (Lloris, Aurier, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Dier, Reguilon, Davies, Hojbjerg, Sissoko, Lo Celso, Lucas, Ndombele, Son, Bergwijn, New Striker)
Under 21 1 (Tanganga)
Total Players 22
Which allows us enough room in the squad to include a 3rd GK (Gazanigga - overseas trained) and Lamela (Overseas trained) and Sessegnon (Other Association trained).
Total Number of players in above squad = 25 (including u21 Tanganga, but excluding other u21's such as Cirkin, White and Bowden who might feature in early League Cup games for example.
Which leaves no places for - Foyth, Gedson, Clarke, all of whom might be loaned out, or Foyth sold and Gedson loan cancelled.
Might still need another player or two to leave if more than the alternative striker joins.
Now Bale and Reguilon announced, time to consider other possible changes to the squad :
1.
Cameron Carter- Vickers was on the bench in the EL match against Plovdiv - and if he stayed he could take the 4th available Cub Trained place (with Kane, Winks and Bale) to be our 5th CB (after Alderweireld, Dier, Sanchez, Tangaga) who can also play as a FB, which by itself isn't a bad option as there are no other credible takers for the 4th place (Other than GK's Austin and Whiteman). And if CCV leaves we have only 3 Club Trained players and thus a maximum of 24 on the List A squad for UEFA.
2.
A new CB is probably onJM's list, and if CCV is not considered experienced enough at PL level,
Kim Min- jae seems to be the prime target : there have been no credible rumours of any HG CB's coming in (and the only HG CB as a possibility I can think of is Tarkowski). Some biggger names such as Dias and Skriniar mentioned but doubt our budget will stretch as little money to come in from sales imo.
However if we do buy him, we need to find a place for him in the squad - there is one 'overseas trained player place spare provided which is currently earmarked for a new striker in OP above.
3. We already need to
sell or loan players out - likely
Foyth, Gedson Rose and Clarke - and to create an extra space for the new CB I'd imagine the candidates might be
Lamela (who seems superfluous if we get not only Bale but also a new striker) or
Aurier (who seemed desperate to leave - but we then need to rely on CB's to cover at RB) .............and if we sign Kim Min-jae there is no point in keeping on CCV who would need to leave.
4
An alternate striker is required (although we could arguably survive with Bale, Son, Bergwijn or Moura standing in for Kane.
Lots of candidates - so difficult to oredict who might turn up, If we sign King or Ings (HG players), we might choose to loan out
Sessegnon to get more playing time and use his HG spot for King. All other incoming strikers look to be overseas trained, so we will need to sell or loan out a player as detailed in (2) and **(3) above. But a space reserved for the new striker in the squad on OP.
5.
A creative CM/alternate DM has also been on some people's lists.
Its possible but not sure moneywise if its doable and equally other than trying to move on
Sissoko (who is superfluous if we bring in another CM)
I think finding a space in the squad may be too difficult this summer, unless we prioritise this position over a CB..
6 Selling
Gazzaniga has also looked a possibility with Hart coming in. However whilst we have 2 excellent GK prospects in
Austin and
Whiteman, neither have enough experience imo to be a no 3 GK as yet and they would be better if loaned out thios season. All of which means that if we sell Gazzaniga we need to replace him - with the most likely candidates being overseas trained players - sadly Button (who would be Club trained) has just moved from Brighton to join WBA being the other option.
The only change which makes sense to me is buying someone like Onana (Ajax) to be Lloris longer term successor (2 years left on his contract and rumoured to want to wind down in MLS) but Onana has 2 years left on his contract, so will not be cheap. More likely to be next summer's target.
So in summary, still to come :
1 More new players in :
- Striker
- Centre Back
- Creative Central Midfield - possibly a step too far this TW
- Replacement for Gazzaniga GK - possibly a step too far this TW
2. Players to leave either permanantly or on loan or loan cancelled
- Foyth
- Gedson
- Clarke
- Rose
- Lamela or Aurier (if we bring in
both a new striker and CB.
