Transfer Rumours/Wishlist

[TJR]

Not sure why the uproar when it comes to Trafford.

Replacing Pope this season didn't make sense imo, so was always going to be a backup keeper. Buying U21 winning keeper, in and around the England squad and happy to sit on the bench to replace crisp packet wrists Dubravka sounds great.

The guy from Valencia was never going to come in as No.2 (now we have no Europe games to alternate the two) and Pope isn't going to sit on the bench.

The only risk is Pope gets injured the day after the window closes and we are relying on Trafford as our No.1 but I supoose 90% teams have that worry with their backups.

100% agree. Seems a smart move to me. Trafford is only young, has good potentially and plenty of time to improve / develop. Pope is a good enough first choice.

[Don Sholeone]

Goalkeepers as back ups are tough ones, I have no issues with Trafford other than maybe experience (I dont trust any young keepers btw), can't say I'd be entirely comfortable if he was relied upon for the majority of the season if Pope was to go down again.

I think he'll develop into a top keeper, but may take a couple of seasons for me to be fully comfortable with him.

[Over The Line]

Steve Harper spoiled us for too many years.

[Don Sholeone]

Thinking about it I wouldn't mind him coming in but heading back out on loan, keep Dubravka for one more season.

[lassassinblanc]

He's a good keeper, I do think he was thrown into the deep end at Burnley and was always going to struggle but it will be a good learning experience for him.

Hopefully can learn from Pope.

[bodacious benny]

I think it's the perfect transfer.

He's cheap (anything £20m or less nowadays isn't a lot of money in the PL), has a lot of potential, won't mind being 2nd choice for a year or two due to his age, he has a great pro to learn from, won't be on silly wages - it ticks a lot of boxes.

Yes he wasn't amazing at Burnley last season, but their suicide football that Kompany refused to change didn't help him, and almost no keeper' at his age has ever looked good at the top level. Everyone knows that keepers' mature/peak later.

[Don Sholeone]

I remember people complaining about Pope because he came from a poor Burnley side so last season doesn't concern me. Like I say only issue for me is age/experience. Also, it will depend on his mentality, a s*** season for a s*** team can be harmful especially for a GK, but he should be fine if he's got a strong personality.

[Over The Line]

Thinking about it I wouldn't mind him coming in but heading back out on loan, keep Dubravka for one more season.

I can't do another season of Dubravka. At least with Trafford I know it's working towards the future.

[bodacious benny]

I remember people complaining about Pope because he came from a poor Burnley side so last season doesn't concern me. Like I say only issue for me is age/experience. Also, it will depend on his mentality, a s*** season for a s*** team can be harmful especially for a GK, but he should be fine if he's got a strong personality.

Better to have had a s*** season in a s*** team so you can blame the team, if you have a s*** season in a good team you’re in more trouble

[lassassinblanc]

Fraser on his way to Southampton, also Hayden in talks to be released.

Should free up some wages.

Best wishes to Isaac Hayden great professional and was great for us at times

[Colly]

Sky reporting we've pretty much got Lloyd Kelly.

[bodacious benny]

Fraser/Hayden wages will more than cover what we'll be paying Kelly then (they were on around £100-120k a week between them).

[beatski]

[bodacious benny]

He rivals Wilson for injuries apparently

[bodacious benny]

Pace is something we desperately need at the back so that’s a bonus.

[lassassinblanc]

Hearing talk of Kellechi Iheanacho on a free to bolster striking options.

Smart move if you ask me

[lassassinblanc]

Dubravka linked with a move to Celtic, wouldn't be a bad move probably wouldn't need to move house either if Celtic allowed him the commute depending on where he actually lives

[bodacious benny]

Dubravka linked with a move to Celtic, wouldn't be a bad move probably wouldn't need to move house either if Celtic allowed him the commute depending on where he actually lives

He'd be fine there, Celtic could play without a keeper' and win the league!

Hearing talk of Kellechi Iheanacho on a free to bolster striking options.

Smart move if you ask me

If he's third choice it's alright I'd say. I don't think he's got enough to lead the line if (when) Isak is crocked.

[Remember Colo]

But also the other side of that is we sell him for £40m, he has another cracking season and ends up an £80-£100m player. We spaff the money on another RW and he's s****.

For me the lad needs to be kept on, especially at 19, the next few years could potentially see him grow into one of the top RW In the world. Like I say, there is a reason Liverpool and one of the CL finalists are looking at signing him.

Allegedly looking at him. As said previous, the Liverpool link seems easy slash lazy journalism, with the Slot involvement. Dortmund need someone to support Adeyemi in the RW role. And there's a strong chance our club/his agency are fanning flames as well.

For what it's worth, I do agree with your assessment Don - we should keep him, and I want to see him in pre season. But I can understand the gamble, the roll of the dice whilst his value is so high. As much as you say he has another cracking season and doubles in value, we sign someone and he's s**** - it could easily be the opposite.

In favour of your argument is Gordon. I genuinely thought we were overspending for him, Everton sold him due to PSR issues, and sold him when his value was highest. We took the punt, and I've never been more glad to be wrong. Thought he was a little s***, shown flashes but not that good. Took a minute to find his feet with us, but the coaching staff - and probably the winning experience with the England u21 side - really pushed him on. Cracking player, and easily one of my favourites now, if not the. Point being, if we sell Minteh for 40m, it could bite us on the back side (especially if to bastard Liverpool) in 18 months time when he's scorching the earth with his performances.

In this case they can't be mutually exclusive though. If anyone is going to pay in the ballpark of 40M it's going to be a top club, and if not a top club, nobody has the budget to risk that kind of money on an uncertainty like him. Which is to say I agree, we're supposed to be accumulating more top talent, not trying to flip it to accommodate 20M spends on a likely back-up GK.

[Timshorts 2]

Yes he wasn't amazing at Burnley last season, but their suicide football that Kompany refused to change didn't help him, and almost no keeper' at his age has ever looked good at the top level. Everyone knows that keepers' mature/peak later.

That's right up to a point, but that only accounts for part of the problem.

He is a good shot stopper. However, he was pretty s*** all season on crosses, his distribution is way worse than muric's. Coming out and claiming a ball among bodies was a regular problem - but that was one of the main reasons that he was s*** on crosses.
There is no comparison to pope. No way. Here's the recent burnley keeper rankings:-
1. Pope
2. Heaton - but he was above pope for much of his time
Bit of a gap
3. Hart
Big gap
4. Trafford as a shot stopper
5. Muric
6. Beast
7. Trafford on everything else.