A few free agent options

[king canary 7,654]

If we don't get promoted (feels highly likely at this point) and we don't have a big budget for next season, I thought it would be interesting to look at a few players with experience in this country and contracts expiring soon who might be of interest....

Jack Stacey (27) RB- good age and experienced with solid game time at both Championship and Premier League level. A potential replacement for Aarons if he leaves and an upgrade on Byram. Also 5' 11" which might help our vulnerability to deep crosses to the far post.

Axel Tuanzebe (25) CB- a player who's career seems to have stalled somewhat since he was a vital cog in promotion for Villa. Injuries are a concern and have limited his playing time of late but he's still a quality player in a position we look weak in. 

Jake Cooper (28) CB- Another defender and a model of consistency for Millwall over the years. If they don't go up he could be the perfect 'solid' addition to the backline.

Alex Pritchard (29) AM- probably not the most popular option but seems to have gotten his career back on track post the ill-fated move to Huddersfield and would be an exciting creative option to help supply whoever is leading the line for us this season.

 

 

[Indy 3,314]

Pukki

[Leedscanary 345]

Pritchard could be interesting - did Wagner sign and work with him at Huddersfield?

could be decent competition for Dowell

 

[Indy 3,314]

3 minutes ago, Leedscanary said:

Pritchard could be interesting - did Wagner sign and work with him at Huddersfield?

could be decent competition for Dowell

 

Dowell is out of contract this summer isn't he?

[cambridgeshire canary 6,778]

"Injuries are a concern"

 

Sign him up!

[Leedscanary 345]

7 minutes ago, Indy said:

Dowell is out of contract this summer isn't he?

Yeah, but I expect given the way he started with Wagner that the boss would like to keep him around. 

[Ulfotto 641]

Other interesting field to look at would be Premier League players on loan at clubs at the bottom end of championship or top end of league one. 
 

As let’s be honest next season will hinge on getting more Skipps and less Patrick Roberts.

[The Raptor 1,231]

Not Pritchard. He thought he was better than us and couldn't wait to get away.

Axel was amazing for me on football manager so he must be good! If the injuries are behind him sign him up!

The others sound promising 

[Tommo 51]

Ashley Barnes 

[Dr Greenthumb 750]

Surely there was a free agent centre back we could have got in given our current crisis

[Midlands Yellow 4,044]

James Bond. 

[Midlands Yellow 4,044]

**** Barton. 

[KeiranShikari 1,426]

23 minutes ago, Tommo said:

Ashley Barnes 

I think this is a really good shout. Replaces the experience we're losing and would fit Wagner's game far more than Pukki. 

[canarydan23 4,060]

29 minutes ago, KeiranShikari said:

I think this is a really good shout. Replaces the experience we're losing and would fit Wagner's game far more than Pukki. 

Got that ****ishness that we lack as well. No more nice Norwich with him leading the line.

Edit: Didn't realise he was 33, might scupper that

Edited April 21, 2023 by canarydan23

[By Hook or Ian crook 917]

First two are good shouts 

[Tetteys Jig 830]

Sunderland sound happy with Pritchard… would think he’ll get a new deal?

[sgncfc 1,253]

I'd much rather go with our own youngsters (or indeed other clubs youngsters) than shell out millions in wages on a few hasbeens. 

[GodlyOtsemobor 2,361]

I'd take Stacey and tuanzebe! 

 

[king canary 7,654]

8 hours ago, sgncfc said:

I'd much rather go with our own youngsters (or indeed other clubs youngsters) than shell out millions in wages on a few hasbeens. 

Which of these 4 players are you describing as 'hasbeens?' 

[Robert N. LiM 4,464]

Where's our DM? Surely this summer has got to be when we finally sign one...

[king canary 7,654]

6 minutes ago, Robert N. LiM said:

Where's our DM? Surely this summer has got to be when we finally sign one...

Not many decent defensive midfielders with expiring contracts realistically in our range. 

[Robert N. LiM 4,464]

1 minute ago, king canary said:

Not many decent defensive midfielders with expiring contracts realistically in our range. 

It is a hard position to fill, isn't it? Basically the post important role in the side. No idea what money we're going to have to spend this summer, but this is where I'd be spending it. Just don't know enough about non-NCFC players to know who we should target.

[A Load of Squit 5,208]

The problem with free agents is that he and his agent usually demand a signing on fee which most clubs apportion over their contract.

When the move doesn't work out some bright spark will come up with 'why are we paying this bloke insert large amount of money here grand a week, he's useless'.

 

 

[Worthy Nigelton 1,062]

Pritchard is 29! I feel like he should be 35 by now.

[yellowrider120 777]

21 hours ago, Leedscanary said:

Pritchard could be interesting - did Wagner sign and work with him at Huddersfield?

could be decent competition for Dowell

 

Why on earth would Pritchard come back here? Given any sort of decent offer from The Mackems he will stay there. 

[The Raptor 1,231]

I doubt we'd even consider Pritchard but have we ever had a player/manager who left and then came back be ok the second time round?

Darel Russell maybe. Crook if you count his day as an Ipswich player!

Certainly not Walker, Fleck, Gunn

[TheGunnShow 5,985]

On 21/04/2023 at 15:53, king canary said:

If we don't get promoted (feels highly likely at this point) and we don't have a big budget for next season, I thought it would be interesting to look at a few players with experience in this country and contracts expiring soon who might be of interest....

Jack Stacey (27) RB- good age and experienced with solid game time at both Championship and Premier League level. A potential replacement for Aarons if he leaves and an upgrade on Byram. Also 5' 11" which might help our vulnerability to deep crosses to the far post.

Axel Tuanzebe (25) CB- a player who's career seems to have stalled somewhat since he was a vital cog in promotion for Villa. Injuries are a concern and have limited his playing time of late but he's still a quality player in a position we look weak in. 

Jake Cooper (28) CB- Another defender and a model of consistency for Millwall over the years. If they don't go up he could be the perfect 'solid' addition to the backline.

Alex Pritchard (29) AM- probably not the most popular option but seems to have gotten his career back on track post the ill-fated move to Huddersfield and would be an exciting creative option to help supply whoever is leading the line for us this season.

 

 

I'd definitely be interested in Tuanzebe. Always thought he looked quite decent. But if he's another who's stalled due to injury then I think a lot of fans would be suspicious as let's face it, we've not had much luck with that sort of player!

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

Oli McBurnie (26) striker

and 

Jay DaSilva (25) or Mitchell Djiks (30) - both left backs

Would be my picks,

I think that left back is a problem position, in that neither of our left backs are good enough, and McBurnie is an under rated player and the traditional old school number 9 type which has traditionally thrived at Norwich. 

Would be handy if we could find a decent free agent DM somewhere also.

 

[sgncfc 1,253]

On 22/04/2023 at 07:47, king canary said:

Which of these 4 players are you describing as 'hasbeens?' 

All of them. They're free agents for a reason. If they're not good enough to get a new contract where they are they're not good enough for us and if they didn't sign their offer because they're wanting more money they're probably too expensive for us.

We already know Pritchard is a money grabbing **** and Ashley Barnes is hardly the future.

We should be signing hungry 19-23 year olds with promise from PL teams who can't get a game to go with our contracted older players who are going nowhere like Hanley, Gibson, Hernandez etc. We don't need any more mercenaries.

[king canary 7,654]

10 minutes ago, sgncfc said:

All of them. They're free agents for a reason. If they're not good enough to get a new contract where they are they're not good enough for us and if they didn't sign their offer because they're wanting more money they're probably too expensive for us.

We already know Pritchard is a money grabbing **** and Ashley Barnes is hardly the future.

We should be signing hungry 19-23 year olds with promise from PL teams who can't get a game to go with our contracted older players who are going nowhere like Hanley, Gibson, Hernandez etc. We don't need any more mercenaries.

That is...a take. 

Tuanzebe for example is a Man U player- so you're saying because he isn't good enough to get a contract with the team currently 4th in the Premier League he isn't good enough for us?