The January 2026 Transfer Window

[47er]

31 minutes ago, aletheia said:

I thought so (though obviously the majority including me were not persuaded) -perhaps plenty was the wrong word but half a dozen persistent voices saying that they were excited by all the changes. I remember arguing with them 🙂 

"plenty"?

[roversfan99]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

And what happens if Rovers see him playing up front in a 2 similar to what Thomas-Asante did? Have you ever thought of that?.

It would make more sense to me to actually sign a natural striker.

Our team/squad seems to be a growing collection of square pegs in round holes.

[KentExile]

19 minutes ago, M_B said:

How can you attempt to play with wingers if you haven't got any? 

Kargbo - the winger

De Neve - His primary position is a winger

Hedges - Rovers are delighted to confirm the signing of winger Ryan Hedges

Morishita - versatile attacking player, who can operate as a winger

 

3 of those have been available most of the season

[M_B]

13 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Isnt it logical to question the idea of signing a winger when we play a formation that doesnt include wingers?

Yes, but I'd also ask you the question, if you wanted to be able to adapt to play a different way, wouldn't it be logical to sign players to be able to adapt ? 

[M_B]

3 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Kargbo - the winger

De Neve - His primary position is a winger

Hedges - Rovers are delighted to confirm the signing of winger Ryan Hedges

Morishita - versatile attacking player, who can operate as a winger

 

3 of those have been available most of the season

How many do you rate as wingers? 

[briansol]

4 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

We tried for a big chunk of the season. 

Ismael has mentioned for example signing a wing back as if we will be playing 352 going forward. Hence why I am asking, why would we sign a winger when our current formation doesnt include wingers? 

As I suspect you know and are just being obtrusive.

Reyes is probably not seen as a pure winger, he's in the modern "versatile forward" bucket. Type of signing that seems to align with the current "transfer strategy". Young, versatile, re-sale value, athletic/physical and far from a finished article. It was also clear in the interviews in the summer Gestede/Owen that the club looks to smaller foreign leagues + lower leagues based on our financials.

Certainly a gamble, but seems to attributes that the squad is missing. Has a really good scoring record at youth level and a decent goal return/assist for senior level. 

Would he be a worse option than Henriksson up top?

Head Coach, Conor Hourihane, added: “I’m thrilled to have Reyes on board. He’s got great attributes - pace, power, and a natural instinct in front of goal. He’s also versatile, which gives us different options across the front line

[KentExile]

9 minutes ago, M_B said:

How many do you rate as wingers? 

That wasn't your original argument, are you instead now saying that the club recruited poorly?  If so, then yes I agree

Edit - Not to say that Morishita is a poor player, he is just not a winger, and Hedges does look useful at wing back, but again, has not offered much in an attacking sense as a winger, although I do appreciate his work rate

 

Edited 4 hours ago by KentExile

[Emerald Isle Rover]

Is wing forward and winger the same thing?

cleary could easily do the Ohashi role he constantly runs the channels both left and right 

but I do agree I’d only be content with the signing if there was a proper number 9 to follow 

[MarkBRFC]

Ismael banging on about how we're ready for the transfer window and that all the players will be ready to integrate themselves in the FA Cup game.

First bid for a player rejected.

Guess we're not that ready then?!

[roversfan99]

3 minutes ago, M_B said:

Yes, but I'd also ask you the question, if you wanted to be able to adapt to play a different way, wouldn't it be logical to sign players to be able to adapt ? 

To an extent, but in reality you just end up with players who are at least somewhat uncomfortable or unnatural in at least one of those formations.

The current formation tends to need more specialist players. Because we have signed 2 duds in De Neve and Kargbo, and because Morishita is probably better central, we would have to do a much deeper revamp of the squad to start playing wingers.

If 352 is the way forward, I would rather that we recruit in a way where all recruits slot naturally into that formation.

2 minutes ago, briansol said:

Reyes is probably not seen as a pure winger, he's in the modern "versatile forward" bucket. Type of signing that seems to align with the current "transfer strategy". Young, versatile, re-sale value, athletic/physical and far from a finished article. It was also clear in the interviews in the summer Gestede/Owen that the club looks to smaller foreign leagues + lower leagues based on our financials.

Certainly a gamble, but seems to attributes that the squad is missing. Has a really good scoring record at youth level and a decent goal return/assist for senior level. 

Would he be a worse option than Henriksson up top?

Head Coach, Conor Hourihane, added: “I’m thrilled to have Reyes on board. He’s got great attributes - pace, power, and a natural instinct in front of goal. He’s also versatile, which gives us different options across the front line

I think a traffic cone would be more effective than Henriksson, that is a very dangerously low benchmark!

He seems well thought of and talented, but signing players in this way (based on attributes, supposedly flexible) hasnt really worked. It would make more sense to me to sign an actual striker. Sense long left the building at Rovers though.

Against Sheffield Wednesday, Ohashi as he tends to do was often seen wide and we had no presence in the box.

[M_B]

 

8 minutes ago, KentExile said:

That wasn't your original argument, are you instead now saying that the club recruited poorly?  If so, then yes I agree

 

I  agree with 2, Morishita will prove to be an important signing but is  never a winger, he was thrown in for decoration,and Hedges has proven to be a better wing back.

The other 2 have been dire, which leaves me to think that if I was to try to play with at least one winger, I might have to sign one.

I'd be more inclined to think he'd be more of a wide forward than an actual winger. 

Edited 4 hours ago by M_B

[chaddyrovers]

15 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

It would make more sense to me to actually sign a natural striker.

Our team/squad seems to be a growing collection of square pegs in round holes.

He can play up front and wide. See the above comment on the Barnsley head coach on him. 

He started off as striker at WBA aswell. 

BTA is one of the strikers in the league now. Wish that was us with him in our team. 

Also you want a 2 strikers so why cant he been one of them? 

[KentExile]

1 minute ago, M_B said:

Yep, we've reached the point where the thread needs renaming. 

I  agree with 2, Morishita will prove to be an important signing but is  never a winger, he was thrown in for decoration,and Hedges has proven to be a better wing back.

The other 2 have been dire, which leaves me to think that if I was to try to play with at least one winger, I might have to sign one.

I'd be more inclined to think he'd be more of a wide forward than an actual winger. 

I edited my post whilst you were replying

9 minutes ago, KentExile said:

That wasn't your original argument, are you instead now saying that the club recruited poorly?  If so, then yes I agree

Edit - Not to say that Morishita is a poor player, he is just not a winger, and Hedges does look useful at wing back, but again, has not offered much in an attacking sense as a winger, although I do appreciate his work rate

 

 

[roversfan99]

2 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

He can play up front and wide. See the above comment on the Barnsley head coach on him. 

He started off as striker at WBA aswell. 

BTA is one of the strikers in the league now. Wish that was us with him in our team. 

Also you want a 2 strikers so why cant he been one of them? 

Again, would make more sense to sign 2 more natural strikers in my opinion. 3 Rather than someone who maybe can do a job there but has been playing as a winger.

Can you see us signing 2? You dont even think we should sign 2 if i recall correctly. 

Its all hypothetical. Not convinced that Cleary ends up here.

[M_B]

8 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Again, would make more sense to sign 2 more natural strikers in my opinion. 3 Rather than someone who maybe can do a job there but has been playing as a winger.

Can you see us signing 2? You dont even think we should sign 2 if i recall correctly. 

Its all hypothetical. Not convinced that Cleary ends up here.

Even if he does sign, we definitely need another forward to play with 2 up. 

[Emerald Isle Rover]

22 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Ismael banging on about how we're ready for the transfer window and that all the players will be ready to integrate themselves in the FA Cup game.

First bid for a player rejected.

Guess we're not that ready then?!

Well tbf nobody would be ready… can’t force a club to accept a bid unless we go the illegal route and tap the player up beforehand 

[chaddyrovers]

17 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Again, would make more sense to sign 2 more natural strikers in my opinion. 3 Rather than someone who maybe can do a job there but has been playing as a winger.

Can you see us signing 2? You dont even think we should sign 2 if i recall correctly. 

Its all hypothetical. Not convinced that Cleary ends up here.

I just give up with you now. Pointless 

[roversfan99]

8 minutes ago, M_B said:

Even if he does sign, we definitely need another forward to play with 2 up. 

That is true.

[RevidgeBlue]

26 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Ismael banging on about how we're ready for the transfer window and that all the players will be ready to integrate themselves in the FA Cup game.

First bid for a player rejected.

Guess we're not that ready then?!

Yep, we've heard all this guff about wanting players in early before.

Always fools a few into thinking we're serious about doing something.

[MarkBRFC]

1 minute ago, Emerald Isle Rover said:

Well tbf nobody would be ready… can’t force a club to accept a bid unless we go the illegal route and tap the player up beforehand 

That happens everywhere and would be naive to suggest it doesn't.

If Rovers were as ready as they claimed, then they would know if the player wanted to join, and what the fee would be for him.

If they have had a bid rejected, it shows they haven't really done any planning at all.

[roversfan99]

2 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

That happens everywhere and would be naive to suggest it doesn't.

If Rovers were as ready as they claimed, then they would know if the player wanted to join, and what the fee would be for him.

If they have had a bid rejected, it shows they haven't really done any planning at all.

Dont talk rubbish.

We have our "top spy" on the job.

[Emerald Isle Rover]

6 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

That happens everywhere and would be naive to suggest it doesn't.

If Rovers were as ready as they claimed, then they would know if the player wanted to join, and what the fee would be for him.

If they have had a bid rejected, it shows they haven't really done any planning at all.

Tbh we have been failed a million times I don’t blame the narrative but this surely is an overreach on being negative 

are we ready with a list of players (as usual yes) but going by your theory most clubs aren’t ‘ready’ as if they were then there would never be a rejected bid ever because as you say the buying club hasn’t done any planning at all

but of course we both know most if not all clubs have numerous bids rejected for players in every window 

so again rightfully be sceptical but also a bit nonsensical at the same time 

[dingles staying down 4ever]

20 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Well he has good enough record on our signings compare to others. 

Not for me, plays that role for Australia 

I would let Carter leave either on a free transfer with sell on clause or agree on terminate cos he is too injury prone. 

No chance on Wharton, our best centre back when everyone is fit  

Nixon is hit and miss at best. Granted he has several right but got a lot wrong as well. 

Im 5 stone over weight and Id fancy my chances in a sprint with Miller. Wharton has a mistake a game in him, Carter probably a mistake every two games I'm afraid but both Carter and Wharton are injury prone. IMO Carter is the better player when both  are on form and fit. 

Our great manager complained about the amount of injuries our players suffer and he would sort it out. So far this has got worse not better. If you giving anyone a free transfer it would be our fitness dept.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

45 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Ismael banging on about how we're ready for the transfer window and that all the players will be ready to integrate themselves in the FA Cup game.

First bid for a player rejected.

Guess we're not that ready then?!

Ready to make sure we dont sign anyone but at least we tried.

[Elrovers]

If we do get clearly, then I think it would be a pretty solid signing. 11ga for a mid table Barnsley side ain’t too bad. He’ll be ready to start as well.