2025 Summer Transfer Thread. 😂

[MarkBRFC]

Nixon doesn't think Miyoshi is happening now for what it's worth.

[JHRover]

4 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Nixon doesn't think Miyoshi is happening now for what it's worth.

Age and £££ tells me it was never going to

[KentExile]

10 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Nixon doesn't think Miyoshi is happening now for what it's worth.

I am not bothered about that one, he is fairly injury prone (stated this the other day when he was first mentioned so its not sour grapes)

If  the plan is to only sign one more player (barring departures), then we need a goal machine of a right winger, something like Messi in his prime coming off the right will do 😉 

As it is, Rak-Sakyi on a loan would be the stuff of dreams.  We might avoid an almighty relegation scramble then.  Highly doubtful he is sent to a team who will not be fighting for promotion though

Edited 3 hours ago by KentExile

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

4 minutes ago, KentExile said:

I am not bothered about that one, he is fairly injury prone (stated this the other day when he was first mentioned so its not sour grapes)

If  the plan is to only sign one more player (barring departures), then we need a goal machine of a right winger, something like Messi in his prime coming off the right will do 😉 

As it is, Rak-Sakyi on a loan would be the stuff of dreams.  We might avoid an almighty relegation scramble then

Given they absolutely stole Wharton you’d think they’d be embarrassed enough to do us a favour.

[roversfan99]

If its a case of budgets/number restrictions as to why we can only bring in another right winger, and then replacements for any sales. Then some of the current business needs to be questioned.

McLoughlin (although clearly wasnt first choice) makes perfect sense. Good value and at a good age. Signing 2 right backs obviously was necessary, both are cheap, question is how good either will be but they make sense. Obviously a right winger makes sense if we can ever get one sorted. Henriksson sort of makes sense too, although he has played in a slightly different position before, again purely in terms of being a goalscoring midfielder, cant say yet if hes any good.

The decisions to sign De Neve (aside from being so cheap) and of course renewing the contract of Hedges make no sense. Not willing to write off De Neve, but purely on type of player, someone with no track record of scoring and assisting, and someone who often has played at left back before, thats not the profile we needed. And Hedges is just shit, especially post 2 bad hamstring injuries. They arent the profile we needed, we needed more goal threat and pace, even if it means that instead, one was a permanent and one was a loan. We also badly need a striker.

Which brings me onto Tavares and Forshaw. Why we gave Forshaw a new deal, I have no idea. A waste of resources. And I am not commenting on Tavares' ability but unless he is a real find, which I doubt, seems strange to spend our highest fee on a 3rd choice midfielder.

Our attitude to loans has gone from one extreme to another. We usually fill the squad with them, now we seem unwilling to even consider them. One or two to top up the squad with extra quality is something all Championship clubs need to consider.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I agree regarding getting bodies in the box. We wouldn’t have scored the sort of goal they scored after 20 minutes of the game because we wouldn’t have have had enough players in and around the ball for it to fall to one of our players. Hedges and DeNeve won’t be there. Neither will Travis or Tronstad.

In theory we've struggled against long throws as we:ve had nobody capable of taking them.   Perhaps the Miller throw will help improve us in both boxes. 

[Neal]

I'm as pessimistic as anyone but I don't think things are bad as being made out. Yesterday was 2 typical championship teams playing a very typical championship game with not much in it. I didn't think we looked a worse team than West Brom in the 2nd half, in fact I thought we looked better just didn't have enough in the final third. 

 

I'm seeing a lot of negativity on the new signings, based on what I saw... Alebiosu, Miller and Tavares will do fine and be very useful and hard to play against. The problem yesterday was the players who were here last season. Miller's throw in ability automatically picks Gueye ahead of Ohashi in my opinion, would be silly to waste Gueye's arial ability on his throw-ins. 

 

We all know we didn't create enough chances but I think it's a bit simplistic to assume that's down to the strikers and that we don't have enough up front. We didn't create hardly any chances, the midfielders didn't overload hardly, Travis or Tronstad didn't gamble to try and break the lines. The forwards can't score goals if you don't give them anything to attack or chase. 

 

Once we find some balance, have an outlet on the right with Kargbo on the left and perhaps sort selling Trav for a hungrier younger player, we could look like a decent side. 

 

Lots of if's and buts there of course but considering West Brom will be talking about pushing for playoffs I think if we bed in the new boys and make one or 2 decent signings we're no worse than them. Fine margins but I think I good signing or two will be the difference. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Neal

[RevidgeBlue]

2 minutes ago, Neal said:

I'm as pessimistic as anyone but I don't think things are bad as being made out. Yesterday was 2 typical championship teams playing a very typical championship game with not much in it. I didn't think we looked a worse team than West Brom in the 2nd half, in fact I thought we looked better just didn't have enough in the final third. 

 

I'm seeing a lot of negativity on the new signings, based on what I saw... Alebiosu, Miller and Tavares will do fine and be very useful and hard to play against. The problem yesterday was the players who were here last season. 

 

We all know we didn't create enough chances but I think it's a bit simplistic to assume that's down to the strikers and that we don't have enough up front. We didn't create hardly any chances, the midfielders didn't overload hardly, Travis or Tronstad didn't gamble to try and break the lines. The forwards can't score goals if you don't give them anything to attack or chase. 

 

Once we find some balance, have an outlet on the right with Kargbo on the left and perhaps sort selling Trav for a hungrier younger player, we could look like a decent side. 

 

Lots of if's and buts there of course but considering West Brom will be talking about pushing for playoffs I think if we bed in the new boys and make one or 2 decent signings we're no worse than them. Fine margins but I think I good signing or two will be the difference. 

There was another Rovers fan called Carl  who phoned in Talksport last night on his way home from the Hawthorns who was also seemingly quite content with what he saw.

I couldn't quite believe what I was hearing imo if we were to play like that all season we'd be guaranteed to go down, probably with a record low goals tally for a 46 game season.

Im sure we'll improve a bit, we couldn't possibly be that bad every game. The question is, will we improve enough.

It sounded as though another Rovers fan phoned in with the opposite view to Carl later on but I only caught the very end of that one.

[Neal]

7 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

There was another Rovers fan called Carl  who phoned in Talksport last night on his way home from the Hawthorns who was also seemingly quite content with what he saw.

I couldn't quite believe what I was hearing imo if we were to play like that all season we'd be guaranteed to go down, probably with a record low goals tally for a 46 game season.

Im sure we'll improve a bit, we couldn't possibly be that bad every game. The question is, will we improve enough.

It sounded as though another Rovers fan phoned in with the opposite view to Carl later on but I only caught the very end of that one.

I'm not saying I'm content, we lost and had one shot on target, it isn't good enough. What I'm saying is I think there are players to work with to improve and that we're one or 2 decent signings away from being a decent side. I completely understand why people are pissed off, I am with the way the club is run and the lack of investment but make no mistake, this is a shit league with not that much quality in it and a few decent signings and organisation can take you a long way... As we proved last season. Our home form has always been something that's kept us from struggling, we need to start well on Saturday. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Neal

[Ossydave]

Yeah we lost 1 nil, not the horror show some are making out. 
 

We could do with banging a few in against Bradford now, I wouldn’t even be messing much with whatever VI believes is his best 11 and hopefully they shape up and show they can indeed score goals. 

[wilsdenrover]

2 hours ago, KentExile said:

Not before January, it at all

The rules (pasted below) state that conversions can be made based on playing time after 12 months, in which case, if Kargbo has played enough by then, then he can be converted.  The rules sound fuzzy as to if Toth, who will have been here for 18 months by that point, can be converted - I think that he can, but it is up for debate

Mafoumbi - no chance of converting, needs selling/releasing to get an extra ESC slot back this summer

Henriksson - has to wait until next summer to see if he has played enough

By next summer, given the lack of English players in the squad (who are likely to get minutes) we may well have our number of ESC slots reduced

 

 

https://analyticsfc.co.uk/blog/2023/06/21/introducing-esc-the-new-gbe-guidance-opens-up-recruitment-post-brexit/

 

Converting ESC players into non-ESC players

Helpfully, it is not the case that all players signed into the ESC slots have to remain there indefinitely. The goal, in many cases, will be for the ESC player that has been granted a work permit on that basis to convert to a non-ESC player.

This process can take place after twelve months. At this time, if a player fulfils the autopass criteria for GBE or if they now meet the 15pt threshold through the calculations that have been in place since 2020, then they become non-ESC players with a GBE. This means that the player can continue to play in this country, and the club regains the use of that ESC slot.

However, there is another way for the player to convert to non-ESC status. If the player plays in 25% or more of the club’s EQP qualifying matches over the twelve month period or if they play the required percentage of available minutes then they can be converted to a non-ESC player and the club regains that slot.

That required percentage of minutes differs according to the level that the club play at, and the age of the player. The exact details are as in the table below:

	Required percentage of available minutes (ESC)
League in which player participates	ESC Player under 21	ESC Player 21 and over
Premier League	15%	30%
Championship	50%	50%
League One	60%	60%
League Two	70%	70%

 

 

2024/25 onwards Criteria

However, from this season onwards clubs will be able to plan for the number of ESC slots that they have, with the possibility that they could only have one if the number of minutes for EQP is lower than 20%.

	Number of available ESC places
Weighted EQP minutes %	Premier League	Championship	League One	League Two
>= 35%	4	4	2	2
>= 30%	3	3	1	1
>= 25%	2	2	–	–
>= 20%	1	1	–	–

Looking at the criteria again (re Miyoshi) has made me wonder if Toth can/will qualify in January under the points system:

10 points for being at a Band 2 club leaves 5 needed to reach the requisite 15.

5 points are given for playing 40-49% of available minutes (league only, band 2) in the previous twelve months.

League matches in 2025 (if I’ve added up right) = 47 of which Toth has played 100% of 7 of those to date.

Again (and if my maths is right!) he needs to play the equivalent of 12 full league matches out of the remaining 24 this calendar year.

Does that rambling make sense?? 😁😁

The same method might work for Kargbo too but he’s currently on fewer minutes than Toth and looks likely to play fewer than him (for now at least) too.

Edited 2 hours ago by wilsdenrover

[wilsdenrover]

Just to add, if my theory is right, Mafoumbi could reach the 15 points too - all we’d need to do is give him a league minute..

10 for playing for a band 2 club (needs to be named in a matchday squad).

5 as a youth player making his senior debut (needs to get on the pitch).

It can’t be that simple, can it…

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by wilsdenrover

[KentExile]

13 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

Just to add, if my theory is right, Mafoumbi could reach the 15 points too - all we’d need to do is give him a league minute..

10 for playing for a band 2 club (needs to be named in a matchday squad).

5 as a youth player making his senior debut (need to get on the pitch).

It can’t be that simple, can it…

 

 

If it was, then surely they would have had him on the bench instead on Mullarkey-Matthews so he could have come on for a minute and sorted the esc problem out

Wouldn't they?

Edited 1 hour ago by KentExile

[wilsdenrover]

8 minutes ago, KentExile said:

If it was, then surely they would have had him on the bench instead on Mullarkey-Matthews so he could have come on for a minute and sorted the esc problem out

Wouldn't they?

I’ve read the rules a few times and checked and re-checked all the relevant definitions* - I’m not seeing why this wouldn’t work.

Maybe I’m missing something 🤷‍♂️.

* eg we’re definitely his ‘current club’ and he’s definitely a ‘youth player’

Edited 1 hour ago by wilsdenrover

[yeti-dog]

I notice lots of people talking about utilising Gueye's aerial ability.

It might be just me, but I don't think he wins anywhere near enough headers given how tall he is.

[RevidgeBlue]

34 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

I’ve read the rules a few times and checked and re-checked all the relevant definitions* - I’m not seeing why this wouldn’t work.

Maybe I’m missing something 🤷‍♂️.

* eg we’re definitely his ‘current club’ and he’s definitely a ‘youth player’

I find yours and Kent's knowledge on this breathtaking. A lot of it's going straight over my head.

Do we think anyone at the Club would have the faintest idea of what you're on about?

[wilsdenrover]

1 minute ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I find yours and Kent's knowledge on this breathtaking. A lot of it's going straight over my head.

Do we think anyone at the Club would have the faintest idea of what you're on about?

That’s very kind of you to say so, thank you. 👍

I hope, if my interpretation is right, that the club is aware - I fear that they wouldn’t be. 

[Ghost7]

It's hardly ever played in to his head in fairness.

We have terrible wingers delivery wise on both sides. I'd hate to be a tall striker at Rovers. It looks like we've also downgraded the crossing delivery from fullbacks on the right significantly too.

We need to spend good money on a right winger ASAP! Far too much messing about on these positions in terms of allocating cash, or lack of.

Striker, Winger and an athletic Centre back still needed. They need to write some proper fees.

[Lucimo]

1 minute ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I find yours and Kent's knowledge on this breathtaking. A lot of it's going straight over my head.

Do we think anyone at the Club would have the faintest idea of what you're on about?

No, but we all know the club will be reading this, (hi Rudy!) So I dare say they'll be scrambling around asking the question. 

[Ossydave]

4 minutes ago, yeti-dog said:

I notice lots of people talking about utilising Gueye's aerial ability.

It might be just me, but I don't think he wins anywhere near enough headers given how tall he is.

Nah you're wrong there tbf he has good stas for headers won, only Hyam better last season. He was probably amongst the better strikers in the league on that front. However, it is a deceiving stat, Sam Gallagher appeared to be useful if you just looked at aerial duals won because half of them went to absolutely nobody. There's winning headers and there's winning useful headers and making things happen, Gueye is useful at this IMO.

[sharpysharps86]

7 minutes ago, yeti-dog said:

I notice lots of people talking about utilising Gueye's aerial ability.

It might be just me, but I don't think he wins anywhere near enough headers given how tall he is.

His timing for jumps is not good. Needs a lot of work.

[KentExile]

13 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I find yours and Kent's knowledge on this breathtaking. A lot of it's going straight over my head.

Do we think anyone at the Club would have the faintest idea of what you're on about?

Thank you

Although its entirely possible that we are reading it wrong, lol

Some sort of ESC related Dunning-Kruger effect

Edited 43 minutes ago by KentExile

[wilsdenrover]

2 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Thank you

Although its entirely possible that we are reading it wrong, lol

If we are I’m blaming you 😁

[roverblue]

1 hour ago, Neal said:

I'm as pessimistic as anyone but I don't think things are bad as being made out. Yesterday was 2 typical championship teams playing a very typical championship game with not much in it. I didn't think we looked a worse team than West Brom in the 2nd half, in fact I thought we looked better just didn't have enough in the final third. 

 

I'm seeing a lot of negativity on the new signings, based on what I saw... Alebiosu, Miller and Tavares will do fine and be very useful and hard to play against. The problem yesterday was the players who were here last season. Miller's throw in ability automatically picks Gueye ahead of Ohashi in my opinion, would be silly to waste Gueye's arial ability on his throw-ins. 

 

We all know we didn't create enough chances but I think it's a bit simplistic to assume that's down to the strikers and that we don't have enough up front. We didn't create hardly any chances, the midfielders didn't overload hardly, Travis or Tronstad didn't gamble to try and break the lines. The forwards can't score goals if you don't give them anything to attack or chase. 

 

Once we find some balance, have an outlet on the right with Kargbo on the left and perhaps sort selling Trav for a hungrier younger player, we could look like a decent side. 

 

Lots of if's and buts there of course but considering West Brom will be talking about pushing for playoffs I think if we bed in the new boys and make one or 2 decent signings we're no worse than them. Fine margins but I think I good signing or two will be the difference. 

Totally agree about the two centre mids. One of them has to get forwards and run behind otherwise it’s just so easy to play against. Travis and Tronstad were the two biggest disappointments for me yesterday.

[pick32]

Surely we could afford Jamal Lowe decent championship RW