Honestly though, I wouldn't say Johnson needed replacing. Nor Poveda. Looking a bit like Markanday essentially replaces Khadra since he wasn't available last season and looks like he has similar attributes in pre-season, although that's not for sure and we need to see some goals from him. Wouldn't say Giles needs replacing either, we didn't use him remotely right and he was probably a hindrance as a result. We do have some young players coming through who can probably account for a slight shortfall in numbers by being squad or fringe players. So I wouldn't say all of that really needs replacing. It's still utterly essential to replace: Lenihan and JPVH (possibly just one if playing with 2 CBs but if 3 is the plan definitely both), Rothwell. Davenport sort of needs replacing, as he would play sometimes and was, along with Johnson who was shite, our backup spoiler, so between the two of them we probably need a player for that role. But Garrett may potentially fill it. A gamble though as he's totally untested at this level. Edun can play backup there too of course, but only when Pickering is fit. Between both Khadra and Poveda going, and Markanday only potentially replacing one, another attacker might not exactly hurt, even though if we'd just signed him now we'd be saying he replaced Khadra and we probably don't need to replace Poveda. So 4/5 more players should about cover the (new) shortfalls that matter, and as long as we bring in good players there I'm not too bothered by youth players being tried in other areas when numbers are short, until January, as it's a transitional season anyway. They're mostly filling in for players who weren't good enough anyway. We'll never know if they're good enough themselves if they don't play. However I do think maybe add one more to that due to how we will seemingly play, with Buckley more withdrawn, a CAM and Dack having injury trouble again. Probably need a CAM even though we haven't lost one, hence the Szmodics bids. And BBD will likely leave and need replacing, obviously. Wouldn't mind a more reliable backup GK either, those can be hard to find at the right money though.

No, same height according to Wiki. What excites me a bit about Styles is he has recently started playing for Hungary, seems to be about the same time Hungary starting playing well above themselves against top sides recently... Szmodics outscored him last season though, but I think Styles plays a bit deeper usually. Styles 4 years younger too. Not sure it's an either/or thing though, or whether we're even in for Styles. I suspect we are in for him or another Barnsley player though, due to the compliments about Barnsley after signing Brittain. Feels a bit like we are keeping them sweet. And they have some decent players at reduced prices.

Wow, Szmodics is tiny, 5 ft 6. Doesn't bother me personally because of where he plays, but I know some on here like to talk about how we need height throughout the team.

Nyambe explains why he left

It hasn't 'been made clear', it just is clear. He has clubs circling who won't think twice about giving him 60k per week, especially on a free. Our limit seems to be around 20k. Even for an exceptional case I doubt we'd go past 30k, which would still be half what he's likely to be able to get. We can't even keep RBs that want 6k p/w from joining shite like Wigan, there is no chance he stays here for half what he can get somewhere like Sevilla or West Ham. IMO the only possibility is if he stops being Diaz and reverts back to Brereton, then sees a now excessive offer on the table from us with far less interest elsewhere. Otherwise it really is a non-starter far as I can see.

Still more likely than a fit Ayala though.

It would also put our CB budget in about the range you guessed for JPVH. Since 3 mill for Anel and 4 mill for Davies was mentioned. If that's the literal majority of our budget though, and we have spent about 1 mill on Brittain, it probably means there is only about 2 million or so left for other recruits. About a mill upwards of which seems to be earmarked for the Peterborough lad. Leaving about a million or less for the CM we need. Assuming Nixon is right and that he is being literal rather than exaggerative, both of which are...questionable.

We possibly shouldn't celebrate yet, it may just be with an expectation of the Brereton money coming in. I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet though, so I will. If Brittain is around the 1 mill mark that's the most we have spent on a defender in a very long time. In fact I think in Venkys reign it's only eclipsed (for a defender) by the Scott Dann and Duffy deals. Actually possibly scratch that, wiki says the initial fee for Duffy was about 400k. We probably didn't keep him long enough for too many add ons to trigger. So this might be the second most expensive defender Venkys have approved, and the first to cost more than about 500k probably since Scott Dann when we were in the Prem. In the Mowbray years the only fees we have paid at all for defenders I think were Bell, Williams, Pickering and a nominal fee for Paul Downing.

If they're shopping around it does put him down the pecking order, but would it make him 4th choice or 5th? Do Brighton play 3 CBs or 2? I suspect if he has a solid chance of making 10 or more appearances in the Prem this year, he'd take that over another Championship run. You're right he seems the sort to want to play every week, but if he's realistic he will know this is the only way he's getting his foot in the door in the Prem. Once your foot is in the door, you try to open the bugger the next season. If he's only going to be an emergency backup kind of player who will be lucky to play more than a token game or two then yeh I'd think he won't want that. Disagree on the loan. His low wages don't mean we can't be blown out of the water by a richer club, as such a club can just throw a bigger loan fee at them. Also for his progression, both he and Brighton are likely to want him at a realistic promotion chaser and that just isn't us right now for me. If I were a relegated Prem side I'd very much be eyeing him. He did really enjoy his time here, but the only scenario I can see him joining on loan is if the other loan offers were just other clubs likely to do no more than slog around midtable, which would very much surprise me, and also none of those clubs offering a larger loan fee than us. I do wonder what they'd want for him permanently...I remember Mogga telling us Tosin would cost 8 figures, then he went for about 2 mill at the end of that season.

For sure. Ordinarily I'd want to keep the one with more Championship games around, but JRC isn't good enough right now and needs regular games to find himself. Then again, he is made of glass so probably won't get that, but that's also why he isn't reliable as a backup option here. Don't think any Championship clubs would take him on loan apart from maybe the promoted ones who may want experienced players at this level, cheaply. Be hilarious if he ended up at Wigan...

I can't remotely imagine us getting him on loan again. Especially if he is in his last year.

Really? Seems odd I've heard no mention of it. The internet seems to agree it expires next summer, but I wonder if there's a 1 year option. Seems odd for a Prem club to spend a couple mill on a youth player and not give him a 4 year deal. In that case I expect they'll try to tie him down to new terms if there is no extension option. Shouldn't be too hard for them. Even if he leaves next summer they'll be due compo if they offer him a deal of the same or better terms and since they paid a fee it should be reasonable. I doubt they're in a rush but I guess it opens the slim possibility of a sale. A better financed Championship club would probably outdo us on wages though, I'd be surprised if there are more than a couple of clubs in this league who wouldn't like to have him.

Personally, not so sure I'd loan Brown, maybe on a 2 or 3 month loan at most. Leaves us with just JRC (known to be shit there and perennially injured or unfit) and Carter (a CB really) as cover. Shame we don't have any young lads of note coming through there like we do at LB.

Sorry I didn't mean to have a go, it just keeps coming up. Sadly it's a pipe dream.

Yes people keep wondering this, and keep having to be told that no, there isn't really. Brighton will want him to get a higher level loan or maybe even use him themselves. After last season he is too good for them to want him to just come here again.

If they only risk losing him if we pay him 20k per week, he can sleep very very soundly. More likely to be about half that. And I should think the player would be very thankful for it too.

Yes it could really be the key ingredient needed in our 12th place finish, then we can replace him for free next summer.

The daftest part of it is that Nyambe at 6.5k pw is bargain basement!

Ok, just what your words implied. Don't be ashamed, it's 2022, you can be loud and proud 😉

The player has said this deal has been going on for weeks, so yep, coincidence!

What, you used to date Poveda?

There was no blank at CB though, after Brittain filled the only defensive one.

There's optimism and there's delusion. Thinking BBD is signing an extension here is the latter.

Sounds like most games he plays.

🤣🤣🤣 I'll go with 'no impact'