Transfer Rumour Thread Season 2021/22

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

1 minute ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Wheres my crisps?!

I'm sorry I've let you down.

Salt and Vinegar or Cheese and Onion?

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,781]

1 minute ago, Bethnal Yellow and Green said:

I'm guessing he is someone who has been identified by Norwich's new bit of kit that looks at physical data. Lees-Melou covers a huge amount of ground and will provide the legs in midfield to allow others to play the more intricate stuff (not that he is awful at that).

That was supposed to be Amadou last time round and look how that turned out.

[birchfest 397]

Well I’m going to be optimistic about the french lad, they’ve obviously seen something in him they like and it seems like competition for McClean and Rupp by the looks of things, no bad thing. Yes we’ve had our fair share of flops over the years but we’ve also had some unknowns pay off too, let’s see how he does!

[NorthCarolinaYellow 197]

12 minutes ago, Bethnal Yellow and Green said:

He seems a bit of a divisive figure at Nice - seems some fans love him and some absolutely hate him.

 

Could this be because Nice has struggled to score goals in recent seasons and supporters have viewed him as a CAM when we'd be using him as a CM?

 

20-21: 9th position, 50 goals

19-20: 5th position, 41 goals

18-19: 7th position, 30 goals

 

Overall, it seems Nice have been knocking on the door of UCL qualification but haven't quite got there due to lack of firepower? The frustration over PLM could be linked to that frustration. He could be better fit for us.

[TheGunnShow 5,932]

He looks like he's got plenty of pace, can keep it simple in possession, and has a heck of a gas tank. Good basics for a box-to-box man. If he likes a tackle and is diligent when off the ball, he could be a very underrated signing.

[NorthCarolinaYellow 197]

This is thin evidence, I suppose, but I use the FotMob app to keep up-to-speed on all things football and they have PLM scoring in the 6.8-7.0 region for the last few years which is typically indicative of a good player. I'm not sure where they get those scores, though, or how they are calculated.

 

An experienced box-to-box CM with top-level experience at a good age for around £5 million feels like very good business overall? It's all about marginal upgrades.

[NorthCarolinaYellow 197]

Again compare what we'd be starting this PL campaign with in CM versus 19-20 ... it's not even close I would say?

 

21-22: Dowell, Gilmour, Lees-Melou, McLean, Rupp, Sorensen

19-20: Amadou, Leitner, McLean, Steipermann, Tettey, Trybull, Vrancic

[WSM 62]

14 minutes ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

That was supposed to be Amadou last time round and look how that turned out.

The failure of Amadou was why they invested in the physical database

[Indy 3,283]

I’m getting the impression we’re not hitting many first choice targets, not sure this Nice player actually improves our starting 11! Wasn’t that a prerequisite of Webber’s statement early this summer?

[PurpleCanary 5,554]

1 hour ago, PurpleCanary said:

The only comment (and lone comments are hardly to be relied upon) I can find so far from a Nice fan is that Lees-Melou would have been useful in the coming season in case of injuries to their starting midfielders.

On the other hand the next comment is from a fan who rates him and is sorry he is going! For what little it is worth I get good vibes about the player, because he looks to have a bit of pace and physicality about him to add to the mix.

The fun question, assuming he signs, is indeed whether that is us done in central midfield or are we still looking for another. If the former, then as Bethnal I think suggested, the comparitively low price (certainly less than we would pay for Billing, for example) might indicate there could be money for other positions as well as for a central defender.

Just on numbers, at the start of the last PL season we had (with appearances) six central midfielders: Vrancic (6), Leitner (7), Trybull (15), McLean (32), Tettey (28) and Amadou (8). With Lees-Melou we would have five.

[PurpleCanary 5,554]

14 minutes ago, Indy said:

I’m getting the impression we’re not hitting many first choice targets, not sure this Nice player actually improves our starting 11! Wasn’t that a prerequisite of Webber’s statement early this summer?

I imagine both Gilmour and Rashica fall into that category, and Gunn as an upgrade in the back-up keeper position.

[Capt. Pants 4,201]

11 minutes ago, Indy said:

I’m getting the impression we’re not hitting many first choice targets, not sure this Nice player actually improves our starting 11! Wasn’t that a prerequisite of Webber’s statement early this summer?

I could have understood us signing him last summer, but it seems slightly strange to expect him to make the step to the Premier League. We'll see how it goes I guess.

[NorthCarolinaYellow 197]

We're overthinking this I feel ... if he's good enough to start ~130 games in CM for a top half Ligue 1 side he's more than good enough for us.

 

🙂

[Dr Greenthumb 746]

49 minutes ago, Indy said:

I’m getting the impression we’re not hitting many first choice targets, not sure this Nice player actually improves our starting 11! Wasn’t that a prerequisite of Webber’s statement early this summer?

Have you seen him play regularly?

[Indy 3,283]

5 minutes ago, Dr Greenthumb said:

Have you seen him play regularly?

I doubt anyone of us has!

Edited July 12, 2021 by Indy

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

He’ll definitely strengthen the first team squad, what impact he’ll make on the starting XI is more debatable. McLean is quietly effective in midfield and Farke is a big fan, Lees-Melou will add competition in that area, but may struggle to adapt to the intensity. 

For the price he seems a good addition, but isn’t a transformative player. He’ll certainly make it harder for opposing teams to run straight through Norwich’s midfield which happened with alarming regularity last time in the Prem. 

[Crabbycanary3 994]

1 hour ago, Bethnal Yellow and Green said:

I'm guessing he is someone who has been identified by Norwich's new bit of kit that looks at physical data. Lees-Melou covers a huge amount of ground and will provide the legs in midfield to allow others to play the more intricate stuff (not that he is awful at that).

Which, tbf, you could describe a number of midfielders who have made many appearances in the Prem, with these attributes. Not all Prem midfielders are slinky, swivel hipped, dribbling masters.

[TheGunnShow 5,932]

Just speculatively chucking a name into the mix, but wouldn't Marc Guehi be worth a look as a loan call, perhaps? Especially if we got Gilmour from Chelsea already, and it would give us that important fifth centre-half.

That's assuming we decide not to go after Ajer or Adarabioyo.

[king canary 7,580]

1 minute ago, TheGunnShow said:

Just speculatively chucking a name into the mix, but wouldn't Marc Guehi be worth a look as a loan call, perhaps? Especially if we got Gilmour from Chelsea already, and it would give us that important fifth centre-half.

That's assuming we decide not to go after Ajer or Adarabioyo.

The fact we already have Gilmour means we couldn't loan him- can't loan more than one player from a specific Premier League team.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

1 minute ago, TheGunnShow said:

Just speculatively chucking a name into the mix, but wouldn't Marc Guehi be worth a look as a loan call, perhaps? Especially if we got Gilmour from Chelsea already, and it would give us that important fifth centre-half.

That's assuming we decide not to go after Ajer or Adarabioyo.

Can’t loan more than 1 player for a Premier League club so Guehi isn’t possible. Even if he was I doubt Chelsea would let him come to Norwich without a guarantee of playing time, which I’m not sure he’d get ahead of Hanley or Gibson. 

[TheGunnShow 5,932]

Just now, king canary said:

The fact we already have Gilmour means we couldn't loan him- can't loan more than one player from a specific Premier League team.

Ah, fair enough. I thought we could have two on loan and that both could be from the same club. Thanks for that.

[king canary 7,580]

Just now, TheGunnShow said:

Ah, fair enough. I thought we could have two on loan and that both could be from the same club. Thanks for that.

Two from other Premier league teams but can't both be from the same club I believe. I do like Guehi though, looked very decent last season.

[BobLoz3 492]

I'm happy with this signing. For 5 million, it's a bit like a "bolstering" signing and I'd wager that we break our transfer record on another attacking player before the window is out. Possibly with a lower value CB too. 

[Dr Greenthumb 746]

1 hour ago, Indy said:

I doubt anyone of us has!

So how do you know he doesn’t improve our starting 11?

[Petriix 2,834]

Rupp and McLean have both been used in the number 10 role and I suspect Lees-Melou will be seen as an option there as well as a CM. Pace and physicality are something we need. Could be a good signing if he gells with the team and our overall philosophy. 

[chicken 2,604]

3 hours ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

That was supposed to be Amadou last time round and look how that turned out.

No it wasn't. Amadou was a DM/CB. Ideally he was going to replace Tettey. 

This chap has been likened to McLean. And looking at his highlights, I would suggest that is correct.

He's also 6' so I suspect another one added for a bit of height and a 1 in 5 goal scoring ratio for Nice in the top flight along with quite a howitzer of a long range shot on him, I would argue he certainly adds something to our squad. Arguably, could be a step up on McLean, but I also wonder if he could also offer an option in the No.10 role as he is an attacking midfielder. Perhaps a Stiepermann replacement?

Edited July 12, 2021 by chicken

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,781]

33 minutes ago, chicken said:

No it wasn't. Amadou was a DM/CB. Ideally he was going to replace Tettey. 

It wasn't a reference to position, more with regards to style of play. A player designed to give us more physicality in the midfield which allows our smaller, technical players to play without getting bullied. 

[chicken 2,604]

12 minutes ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

It wasn't a reference to position, more with regards to style of play. A player designed to give us more physicality in the midfield which allows our smaller, technical players to play without getting bullied. 

Isn't it more about having physicality to be able to stop other teams smaller technical players from being able to play? 

If he plays as a No.10, or offers competition there, I can see him being used like Stiepermann.

[Yellow Green Army 237]

I would still love us to put a bid in for West Brom’s Matheus Pereira. 

[Yelloow Since 72 54]

His pass success rate on WhoScored is 86.3% which is better than most of our players had in the Championship. He shows a good touch in the video compilations, but those are his finest moments really. Be interesting what all of the new signings do in pre season games.