But probably reduced if we went down? Guess Hughes wasn't confident we would stay up and feels Palace will be ok (which they might well be) Or they were the only option for him!
Kean Bryan is without a club still. I wouldn't be surprised if he turns up here tomorrow, if our rumoured interest was true.
If we got relegated the club would have let him leave for £2m and his wage cut wouldn't be immediately activated. Sounds like we did everything to keep him but he just wanted out.
I would take that tbf! Left-footed, decent on the ball, young, probably an upgrade on Cathcart and Kabasele and more than likely happy to sit on the bench
Here are some interesting defensive free agents that maybe could do a job for us: - Serge Aurier (28) RB very recently released by Spurs, could he be lined up for us going by our recent recruitment of Rose & Sissoko? David Luiz (34) A very experienced CB, but I have no idea of his current fitness levels etc. However, if he is only half the player he has been in the past he would still be an upgrade on what we currently have, if only for the short term. Jerome Boateng (32) Again a very experienced CB, and ditto David Luiz. Kean Bryan (24) A CB mooted by some on our forum, I don't know much about him, but if our forum colleagues are correct in their assessments of him, he might well be worth a shout. I'm fairly sure there are quite a few more possibilities out there that we may well have our eyes on, therefore although the window is closed, we hopefully have not finished with our recruiting just yet.
Don't think he is any worse than Kiko defensively to be totally honest and offers more going forwards. Can't see him coming here and we will be stuck with Crapcart at RB so it is pretty meaningless discussion anyway.
I think Boateng has already signed for Lyon. Reading David Luiz's interview recently I am certain he would rather go to a team challenging for the title in a smaller league than battle relegation in a bigger league. Don't think he is any good outside a back 3 either.
Jerome Boateng is a pipe dream. Luiz a complete waste of wages and unlikely to be interested. No idea whether Bryan will be good enough. I suspect we won't bring anyone else in.
You do realise we'll end up with Masina playing centrally or if push comes to shove Kucka. Not sure on Cathcarts injury but currently we have three fit and only one who seems any good.
It’s been a long summer full of stories. For anyone who may be interested, I kept a list of all the players we were linked to (in proper media, not just tweets or whatever): Glen Kamara, Randel Kolo Muani, Kean Bryan, Karl Darlow, Jacob Murphy, Ashley Young, Joe Pigott, Kwadwo Baah, Ike Ugbo, Fernando Llorente, Jens Stryger Larsen, Rafael Borre, Ilyas Chair, Mbaye Diagne, Yakou Meite, Lewis Ferguson, Jens Petter Hauge, Josh Doig, Ashley Fletcher, Mattie Pollock, Jon Moncayola, Danilo, Imran Louza, Robbie Brady, Pablo Ortiz, Sam Johnstone, Harvey Elliott, Danny Rose, Filip Djuricic, Eddie Nketiah, Maxwell Cornet, Seko Fofana, Jovane Cabral, Aliou Dieng, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Dapo Mebude, Emmanual Dennis, Paul Onuachu, Daryl Dike, Kelechi Nwakali, Amadou Onana, Oghenekaro Peter Etebo, Aaron Boupendza, Joshua King, Morten Thorsby, Adam Armstrong, Okay Yokuslu, Matt Grimes, Jamie McGrath, Brandon Soppy, Juraj Kucka, Marvellous Nakamba, Ozan Tufan, Lyanco Vojnovic, Levi Garcia, Keita Balde, Mathias Normann, Isaac Hayden, Frank Fabra, Moussa Sissoko & Nahiten Nandez.
Of that list the only ones I really believed we'd sign (but didn't) were Young, Doig and Yokuslu. Surprised Doig didn't end up leaving at all. Perhaps one to revisit in January.
The weirdest one is that Yokuslu has not only not moved to us, but hasn't seemed to have gone anywhere at all.
I recall you also mentioned that Transfermrkt stated that we pick them all up for about £12.8m but you had concerns about Elliot's heat map.
I doubt it, £4m is the kind of figures we tend to be spending on our first teamers (apart from Louza, for...reasons), would we spend that on a player who'd probably either be sitting on the bench or on loan to the Championship? Yokuslu is maybe one we'll revisit, but surely he'll have other suitors
Aurier has told Sky he wants to stay in England. I know he turned us down deadline day but pretty sure we'll be one of the most appealing offers being able to stay in London and play with two of his good mates.
Palace probably need a RB. Zaha international teammate. Arsenal? Can't see it, they have 4 right backs! West Ham have Coufal, one of the best around. I think there's a chance y'know. We've already shown an interest and it is always good to feel wanted. Wouldn't have to move and London is the obvious choice for going back and forward to France. Sissoko and Sarr also French speakers on that right hand side. Make it happen.
In all seriousness, I'd feel terribly sorry for Ngakia if we do make a bid for him, yeah we could do with depth at RB, yeah there are question marks over both our current options, but Ngakia needs games, not to be pushed down to 3rd choice! I'd rather we signed a CB on a free anyway