2025 Summer Transfer Thread. 😂

[Forever Blue]

1 hour ago, Herbie6590 said:

 

What’s this about? Just a picture on its own isn’t very informative.

[Jimmy612]

19 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Plenty

Brittain Hyam Szmodics Tronstad Ribeiro Ohashi Ayari Chrisene Cantwell Mcloughlin Gueye to name a few. 

But of course some haven't like Mola, Wahlstedt, Ennis. 

Just like every championship club. 

Sorry, should have been a bit clearer. I said since 2022 because that was when we signed Szmod, Brittain and Hyam, all players with Championship experience.

Your post said “quality championship players”.  The vast majority of your other examples were overseas gambles or young loans.  Chrisene for example had only played limited games in Scotland. 
 

I would say since it was made clear that the ‘project had changed’ under JDT we have signed the following;

McFadz (Free)

Weimann (Free)

Batth (Free) 

Fleck (Free, Disaster)

Ribeiro (Free)

Cantwell

Forshaw (Free) 

McLoughlin

Some disastrous loans as well in Dennis and Woodrow. God knows the average age of that list, but the vast majority are well over 30 and free. 

This window alone Charlton have brought in Kaminski, JRC and Bell who all know the championship well and I would say are Champ quality. They’ve also signed players who won’t have played much or any Champ football, but until they have done we can’t possibly say whether they are Championship quality, so your original question/point is totally moot. 

[OsloRover]

I'm questioning the "our squad gets weaker every window" narrative, so I decided to do a little analysis of our past three transfer windows. I've not considered loans, nor youngsters with barely any first team minutes.

SUMMER 2024

IN:
Balázs Tóth - Goalkeeper
Danny Batth - Centre-Back
Todd Cantwell - Attacking Midfield
Andreas Weimann - Attacking Midfield
Yuki Ohashi - Centre-Forward
Makhtar Gueye - Centre-Forward

OUT:
Leopold Wahlstedt - Goalkeeper
Sammie Szmodics - Attacking Midfield
Sam Gallagher - Centre-Forward
Semir Telalovic - Centre-Forward

Analysis
6 players in for 4. We might not have known it at the time but with hindsight there's no question that we improved both goalkeeper, defense and strikers in this window. Szmodics is the only (although obviously big) downgrade but we did replace him with two good players.

JANUARY 2025

IN:
Augustus Kargbo - Left Winger
Yuri Ribeiro - Left-Back
Adam Forshaw - Central Midfield

OUT:
Arnór Sigurdsson - Left Winger
Kyle McFadzean - Centre-Back

Analysis
Three players in for two. Sigurdsson probably better than Kargbo but injury-prone, too early to call.
Ribeiro a very solid signing.  McFadz not playing much by this time and Forshaw is Forshaw.
It's hard to argue the squad got significantly worse this window, I'd actually say better with Sigurdsson not that big of a loss.

SUMMER 2025
Too early to judge yet, but so far we have

IN:
Sidnei Tavares - Central Midfield
Dion De Neve - Left Midfield
Sean McLoughlin - Centre-Back
Ryan Alebiosu - Right-Back

OUT:
Joe Rankin-Costello - Right-Back
Tyrhys Dolan - Right Winger
Andreas Weimann - Attacking Midfield
Dilan Markanday - Right Winger
Danny Batth - Centre-Back

Analysis
4 players in for 5. Although I'd personally have liked to keep Markanday, he hasn't contributed much.  Batth and Weimann both did very well here but will they do the same this year at their age? McLoughlin is a solid, younger Batth replacement. JRC handy but wouldn't start in front of Brittain anyway. Alebiouso should be able to replace him.
Dolan is the big one that hasn't been replaced, so I hope we see some more action there.
So far this window, it can be argued we are weaker, but it is far from finished.

Add to this any academy graduates coming up, which looks more likely this year than last, and I just don't believe our squad is consistently getting weaker. In fact you could argue it's getting stronger, younger, and more financially sustainable. At least I'm sure that's what Gestede is thinking.

Edit: Woodrow didn't belong in the list as many have pointed out. Removed.

Edited 1 hour ago by OsloRover
fixed mistake

[47er]

I reckon most of us hope you're right but think you're wrong!

[B16Rover]

14 minutes ago, Forever Blue said:

What’s this about? Just a picture on its own isn’t very informative.

Allegedly a championship player has had a dodgy hair transplant in Turkey (according to Nixon) due to some ridicule from team mates. 

It's gone a bit Pears shaped and he's out for the start of the season.  Nixon won't say who, but has said for all team photos he's had a cap on

[Ossydave]

You've missed Dennis off Jan 2025. Granted he didn't contribute much unfortunately, but at the time I think most of us were in favour of that deal, believing it strengthened our attacking options.

[B16Rover]

The risk with Charlton, Wrexham and Birmingham coming up and spending (all be it with different approaches) is that the 'obvious' relegation candidates aren't there beyond Sheff Weds

If I know anything about Rovers, when the pressure is on - we don't rise to it. 

Need a winger who can score a goal to come in.  

[TurkishDelight]

1 minute ago, Ossydave said:

You've missed Dennis off Jan 2025. Granted he didn't contribute much unfortunately, but at the time I think most of us were in favour of that deal, believing it strengthened our attacking options.

And that is why many people here talks about proven Championship players or the lack of it.. He must be good, he is a proven Championship players. That is not important. What is important is are they going to be proven. And that is the big ???. We don't know with the players that is veiing brought in.

[Leonard Venkhater]

9 minutes ago, 47er said:

I reckon most of us hope you're right but think you're wrong!

The clue is in B16'S phrase "what Gestede is thinking".

[OsloRover]

3 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

You've missed Dennis off Jan 2025. Granted he didn't contribute much unfortunately, but at the time I think most of us were in favour of that deal, believing it strengthened our attacking options.

Dennis was a loan

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

How many quality championship players have they signed this summer? 

I said domestic not championship. 

[...]

6 minutes ago, B16Rover said:

Allegedly a championship player has had a dodgy hair transplant in Turkey (according to Nixon) due to some ridicule from team mates. 

It's gone a bit Pears shaped and he's out for the start of the season.  Nixon won't say who, but has said for all team photos he's had a cap on

This is hilarious 😁🤣

[Ossydave]

2 minutes ago, OsloRover said:

Dennis was a loan

Ah sorry I clearly didn't read your post properly 😶

[Ossydave]

6 minutes ago, B16Rover said:

The risk with Charlton, Wrexham and Birmingham coming up and spending (all be it with different approaches) is that the 'obvious' relegation candidates aren't there beyond Sheff Weds

If I know anything about Rovers, when the pressure is on - we don't rise to it. 

Need a winger who can score a goal to come in.  

Hull are in quite a predicament too, although the bookies have Oxford more likely for the drop

[MarkBRFC]

6 minutes ago, OsloRover said:

Dennis was a loan

So was Woodrow.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

7 minutes ago, OsloRover said:

Dennis was a loan

So was Woodrow but he's on your list? 

[OsloRover]

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

So was Woodrow.

Touché. My mistake, but it doesn't weaken my argument.

[Hasta]

28 minutes ago, OsloRover said:

I'm questioning the "our squad gets weaker every window" narrative, so I decided to do a little analysis of our past three transfer windows. I've not considered loans, nor youngsters with barely any first team minutes.

SUMMER 2024

IN:
Balázs Tóth - Goalkeeper
Danny Batth - Centre-Back
Todd Cantwell - Attacking Midfield
Andreas Weimann - Attacking Midfield
Yuki Ohashi - Centre-Forward
Makhtar Gueye - Centre-Forward

OUT:
Leopold Wahlstedt - Goalkeeper
Sammie Szmodics - Attacking Midfield
Sam Gallagher - Centre-Forward
Semir Telalovic - Centre-Forward

Analysis
6 players in for 4. We might not have known it at the time but with hindsight there's no question that we improved both goalkeeper, defense and strikers in this window. Szmodics is the only (although obviously big) downgrade but we did replace him with two good players.

JANUARY 2025

IN:
Augustus Kargbo - Left Winger
Yuri Ribeiro - Left-Back
Adam Forshaw - Central Midfield

OUT:
Arnór Sigurdsson - Left Winger
Kyle McFadzean - Centre-Back

Analysis
Three players in for two. Sigurdsson probably better than Kargbo but injury-prone, too early to call.
Ribeiro a very solid signing.  McFadz not playing much by this time and Forshaw is Forshaw.
It's hard to argue the squad got significantly worse this window, I'd actually say better with Sigurdsson not that big of a loss.

SUMMER 2025
Too early to judge yet, but so far we have

IN:
Sidnei Tavares - Central Midfield
Dion De Neve - Left Midfield
Sean McLoughlin - Centre-Back
Ryan Alebiosu - Right-Back

OUT:
Joe Rankin-Costello - Right-Back
Tyrhys Dolan - Right Winger
Andreas Weimann - Attacking Midfield
Dilan Markanday - Right Winger
Danny Batth - Centre-Back
Cauley Woodrow - Centre-Forward

Analysis
4 players in for 6. Although I'd personally have liked to keep Markanday, he hasn't contributed much. Woodrow is no great loss either. Batth and Weimann both did very well here but will they do the same this year at their age? McLoughlin is a solid, younger Batth replacement. JRC handy but wouldn't start in front of Brittain anyway. Alebiouso should be able to replace him.
Dolan is the big one that hasn't been replaced, so I hope we see some more action there.
So far this window, it can be argued we are weaker, but it is far from finished.

Add to this any academy graduates coming up, which looks more likely this year than last, and I just don't believe our squad is consistently getting weaker. In fact you could argue it's getting stronger, younger, and more financially sustainable. At least I'm sure that's what Gestede is thinking.

The issue I have is last summer ‘worked’ because we brought in proven experience with Batth, Weimann and Cantwell on potentially higher salaries.  Ribeiro was also proven at this level. It was a change in the recruitment philosophy and it worked.

So far this year we have 1 ‘proven’ champ player and 3 unproven I suspect on cheaper salaries.

Plus if we were forward thinking, we would know which of Travis, Tronstadt and Brittain were likely to leave and would be looking at suitable quality replacements now. That’s how you progress. Trying to replace like for like when they leave is just bad planning.

 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Hasta

[Exiled_Rover]

17 minutes ago, B16Rover said:

The risk with Charlton, Wrexham and Birmingham coming up and spending (all be it with different approaches) is that the 'obvious' relegation candidates aren't there beyond Sheff Weds

If I know anything about Rovers, when the pressure is on - we don't rise to it. 

Need a winger who can score a goal to come in.  

'Goal contributions' is the new fancy term.

We need a RW who either scores goals themselves (thereby creating space for teammates) or creates goals for Gueye and Ohashi. 

We still really, really need a set piece taker too - that's worth 10 goals a season on its own. 

[Exiled_Rover]

6 minutes ago, Hasta said:

The issue I have is last summer ‘worked’ because we brought in proven experience with Batth, Weimann and Cantwell on potentially higher salaries.  Ribeiro was also proven at this level. It was a change in the recruitment philosophy and it worked.

So far this year we have 1 ‘proven’ champ player and 3 unproven I suspect on cheaper salaries.

Plus if we were forward thinking, we would know which of Travis, Tronstadt and Brittain were likely to leave and would be looking at suitable quality replacements now. That’s how you progress. Trying to replace like for like when they leave is just bad planning.

 

 

From what I've read Batth and Weimann weren't on higher salaries - we were the only team in the Championship willing to give them a chance at their respective ages. 

[Exiled_Rover]

27 minutes ago, B16Rover said:

Allegedly a championship player has had a dodgy hair transplant in Turkey (according to Nixon) due to some ridicule from team mates. 

It's gone a bit Pears shaped and he's out for the start of the season.  Nixon won't say who, but has said for all team photos he's had a cap on

To be fair it's worked out wonderfully for us.

He won't get his starting job back now. 

[Forever Blue]

36 minutes ago, B16Rover said:

Allegedly a championship player has had a dodgy hair transplant in Turkey (according to Nixon) due to some ridicule from team mates. 

It's gone a bit Pears shaped and he's out for the start of the season.  Nixon won't say who, but has said for all team photos he's had a cap on

Thanks. Why is he out though? Is it infected? Or he just can’t take being ridiculed so won’t play?

[Forever Blue]

18 minutes ago, Hasta said:

The issue I have is last summer ‘worked’ because we brought in proven experience with Batth, Weimann and Cantwell on potentially higher salaries.  Ribeiro was also proven at this level. It was a change in the recruitment philosophy and it worked.

So far this year we have 1 ‘proven’ champ player and 3 unproven I suspect on cheaper salaries.

Plus if we were forward thinking, we would know which of Travis, Tronstadt and Brittain were likely to leave and would be looking at suitable quality replacements now. That’s how you progress. Trying to replace like for like when they leave is just bad planning.

 

 

Batth and Weimann were on low salaries, as reported by Jackson on a few occasions. They came here to prove themselves with presumably the expectation that if they did well they would get a new contract and a pay rise. Presumably Derby offered bigger contracts. 

[B16Rover]

6 minutes ago, Forever Blue said:

Thanks. Why is he out though? Is it infected? Or he just can’t take being ridiculed so won’t play?

Hairline fracture 

 

No, apparently a big nasty rash 

[RevidgeBlue]

40 minutes ago, OsloRover said:

I'm questioning the "our squad gets weaker every window" narrative, so I decided to do a little analysis of our past three transfer windows. I've not considered loans, nor youngsters with barely any first team minutes.

SUMMER 2024

IN:
Balázs Tóth - Goalkeeper
Danny Batth - Centre-Back
Todd Cantwell - Attacking Midfield
Andreas Weimann - Attacking Midfield
Yuki Ohashi - Centre-Forward
Makhtar Gueye - Centre-Forward

OUT:
Leopold Wahlstedt - Goalkeeper
Sammie Szmodics - Attacking Midfield
Sam Gallagher - Centre-Forward
Semir Telalovic - Centre-Forward

Analysis
6 players in for 4. We might not have known it at the time but with hindsight there's no question that we improved both goalkeeper, defense and strikers in this window. Szmodics is the only (although obviously big) downgrade but we did replace him with two good players.

JANUARY 2025

IN:
Augustus Kargbo - Left Winger
Yuri Ribeiro - Left-Back
Adam Forshaw - Central Midfield

OUT:
Arnór Sigurdsson - Left Winger
Kyle McFadzean - Centre-Back

Analysis
Three players in for two. Sigurdsson probably better than Kargbo but injury-prone, too early to call.
Ribeiro a very solid signing.  McFadz not playing much by this time and Forshaw is Forshaw.
It's hard to argue the squad got significantly worse this window, I'd actually say better with Sigurdsson not that big of a loss.

SUMMER 2025
Too early to judge yet, but so far we have

IN:
Sidnei Tavares - Central Midfield
Dion De Neve - Left Midfield
Sean McLoughlin - Centre-Back
Ryan Alebiosu - Right-Back

OUT:
Joe Rankin-Costello - Right-Back
Tyrhys Dolan - Right Winger
Andreas Weimann - Attacking Midfield
Dilan Markanday - Right Winger
Danny Batth - Centre-Back
Cauley Woodrow - Centre-Forward

Analysis
4 players in for 6. Although I'd personally have liked to keep Markanday, he hasn't contributed much. Woodrow is no great loss either. Batth and Weimann both did very well here but will they do the same this year at their age? McLoughlin is a solid, younger Batth replacement. JRC handy but wouldn't start in front of Brittain anyway. Alebiouso should be able to replace him.
Dolan is the big one that hasn't been replaced, so I hope we see some more action there.
So far this window, it can be argued we are weaker, but it is far from finished.

Add to this any academy graduates coming up, which looks more likely this year than last, and I just don't believe our squad is consistently getting weaker. In fact you could argue it's getting stronger, younger, and more financially sustainable. At least I'm sure that's what Gestede is thinking.

Sorry, disagree with your post completely.

In January the squad was running on absolute fumes and needed a major refresh to keep us in play off contention. I'd say the window was nothing short of a disaster. The marquis signing Kargbo went down with a serious injury after 2-3 games, barely anyone else who came in was match fit, only Ribeiro made any sort of contribution whatsoever and the manager walked out on the back of it.

This window we've lost Batth and Dolan who were first team staples, Weimann who was a  decent squad player and Brittain is likely to go as well. Mcloughlin might be an adequate replacement for Batth, other than that the guys who have come in are completely unproven. And that's the best case scenario, assuming neither Travis or Tronstad leave.

As it stands at this precise moment I'd say it's another near disaster but Im sure Tommy will be along in a minute to remind me "It's a good job it's not the end of the window then!".