January 2022 Transfer Window

[Roby]

You have to judge Moyes after the window shuts.

Seems he is happy enough to keep saving up his transfer kitty over each window until he can get a really top striker but that’s a bit risky as by next summer if we finish 7th we aren’t an attractive enough proposition anyway.

I can see it being Phillips at centre back and a new striker from abroad, most likely France.

Also Phil Jones as a late arrival wouldn’t be a shock either.

[SammyLeeWasOffside]

Have to chuckle at Man Utd. Below us in the league but won't sell us a player they don't use because it will improve us. Well play him and improve yourselves then you muppets.

[El brooko79]

People keep arguing for 'waiting until summer' to spend and 'Moyes looking at the long term picture' but that long term picture will look completely different if we go the rest of this season with only Antonio and one of Dawson and Diop playing every game! Add to that Masuaku and Yarmolenko as our main options off the bench then waiting until summer is surely not right.

Signing no one in this window will as some have said 'be fine' if 7th or 8th is what we want. After being 4th for much of the season it will be a massive opportunity missed and will possibly lead to losing Rice or Bowen in the summer. With Antonio in his current (lack of) form and Diop and Dawson together for more games we'll surely fall away.

I think 99% of us will be raging if we make no signings at all.
It's a bit like "your money is no use to you when you are dead"
But I think most that are not losing hope yet is only on the expectation that business will be done last couple of days.

I really expect a couple of decent loans. I'm fine with that.
We are prime spot for loans from a player perspective. Obviously still have the worry of Newcastle offering double loan fees but a player can push for us.
Any decent player that is not needed and not sold by the window is potentially available.

[S-H]

Have to chuckle at Man Utd. Below us in the league but won't sell us a player they don't use because it will improve us. Well play him and improve yourselves then you muppets.

Quite.

[Macca1973]

If we can't find and attract a top striker and a decent centre back now while we're 4th, playing well, still in European football and with extra funding now in place, you'd have to wonder whether we ever will?

[yakandyeti]

I fully get not filling the squad with rubbish that means we have no money for long term high-quality players when they are availible, but if we'd got Robinson (£2m I think) when he went to Fulham and King in the summer on a free they would not have cost us so much in wages that we couldn't have bought anyone else who was way better?

Over the last couple of seasons, they would have won us a few more points when Creswell and Antonio were out.

Yes don't buy a 28-year-old on a 5-year contract for £100k but neither of these would have been near there.

Screw this up and the chances are we lose Rice and it will take one hell of a scouting department to find another one of him early enough to get him ahead of the big 3.

I'm happy to hold judgement on this window until 1st Feb, but I really hope we don't at least improve our back up up front and at left back for the rest of the season, even if we can't improve on the starting player yet.

[madhammer]

For all Moyes pragmatism and caution in the transfer market. Based on his time at Everton and their largely underwhelming European campaigns, surely he'll recognise that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to make a deep European cup run. After all despite our excellent, current league position there's certainly no guarantee we even qualify for Europe again next year.

Even if it's only for his own professional pride and his sense of legacy I'm sure he's keener than many of us realise to add to the squad this month and achieve something in his career he hasn't yet.

[S-H]

If we can't find and attract a top striker and a decent centre back now while we're 4th, playing well, still in European football and with extra funding now in place, you'd have to wonder whether we ever will?

I don't think attracting players is the issue.

It appears that clubs are reluctant to sell.

[Georgee Paris]

Surely every club has players they would sell and rather not sell.

[TommyHammer]

Nat Philips and Brereton Diaz would be underwhelming for me. The latter has burst onto the scene but that's my concern, he's had one top season playing in the championship. Have a feeling he'll end up like Adam Armstrong at Saints.

[S-H]

Surely every club has players they would sell and rather not sell.

Yeah, but most clubs don't want to sell their best players do they?

Especially halfway through a season.

[Georgee Paris]

Yeah, but most clubs don't want to sell their best players do they?

Especially halfway through a season.

I don’t know I haven’t asked them.

[S-H]

Just common sense, innit.

[WestcliffHammer]

If we actually recruited better in the summer then we wouldn't be in this position £30m for Vlasic is disgraceful to be fair. The loan fee and wages for players like Alex Kral and Areola have just been wasted. It really wouldn't surprise me if we don't strengthen for the push at the end of the season the ludicrous statement by Moyes that Antonio is dead on his feet thats Moyes fault for not addressing this issue.

[jastons]

Mctominay is awful lol

That may well be true but so far this season he has played 17 times in the league more than Kral. I dare say Mctominay would have given our midfield more balance and our defence more protection than Lanzini did last weekend.

[Aceface]

McTominay and Fred have been fine this season. Still that club's weakest area but their individual performances have improved since last year.

[princepolley]

Moyes has always been very calm about buying players.

At the moment for me personally the jury is still out for Vlasic , we payed a lot for him and he's not bad but not yet the topperformer ( 30 million fee)
So i understand why he is hesitating.

Probably going to gamble further this season ( a loan probably left or right).
And then in the summer replace Yarmolenko with Lingard , Masuaku for a decent leftback ( witch Arthur is not) and find the striker we need.

[paulhs1]

If we actually recruited better in the summer then we wouldn't be in this position £30m for Vlasic is disgraceful to be fair. The loan fee and wages for players like Alex Kral and Areola have just been wasted. It really wouldn't surprise me if we don't strengthen for the push at the end of the season the ludicrous statement by Moyes that Antonio is dead on his feet thats Moyes fault for not addressing this issue.

Zouma was the best bit of business so far and Vlasic has the potential to be a great player.
Areola hasnt put a foot wrong when his played.
Kral on the other hand was the one that Moyes can hold his hand up too.

But that's one in four that hasn't worked out which isn't that bad really.

[El brooko79]

That may well be true but so far this season he has played 17 times in the league more than Kral. I dare say Mctominay would have given our midfield more balance and our defence more protection than Lanzini did last weekend.

I think McTom is decent, not near Rice's level which I think draws comparisons. Think he would thrive in a disciplined Moyes team.
Too expensive as a back up and the only way it sounds like working would be as part of a Rice deal which would be horrendous.

[Macca1973]

I was fuming in the summer when we hadn't signed an outfield player by about 28th August. Not gonna get stressed this window even though we have the same needs throughout the squad. I would have taken a decent run in Europe and 7th in the league as a follow up to last season but it'll just be a shame to waste another opportunity like we have so many times before.