The Summer 2025 Transfer Window Thread

[Lycan]

The more I think about it, the less I expect us to sign a midfielder despite Traore going.

I think Munetsi and Bellegarde will be seen as the (inadequate) back ups to Gomes and Andre.

Munetsi yes, Bellegarde only if Fosun let us down. As well as he played in a few games, Vítor was pretty clear that JRB wasn't the type of player he wants in midfield.

 

[From Distant Shores]

There's the possibility of a late flurry of Mendes clients too.

That's something to worry about. I read somewhere that Athletico Madrid have too many foreign players and that Connor Gallagher is the one who will be left out of the squad. It wouldn't be a surprise if they asked Mendes to find him a home.

Good player, high price, high wages. For us, it would probably be transfer budget gone, wages maxed out.

 

[From Distant Shores]

The limit in La Liga is on non-EU citizens, not foreigners. I think teams are only allowed to register 3 non-EU citizens.

 

[1986]

In terms of a back up midfielder to Andre and Gomes - what top midfielder , who might cost 25-20 million will come to us and realise that they are just back up to the other two lads , and will therefore spend most of the season warming the bench ?
If Bellegarde is the back up and Munetsi - then it is that calibre of player that we can only hope to sign in my view , i.e. a less heralded player , possibly a young up and coming player who is happy to spend year 1 on the bench and learn his trade , in the event that Gomes leaves next Summer and then step into the shoes .
Signing an oven ready player in the positions that Andre and Gomes presently occupy is not going to happen , and perhaps does not need to happen , when we clearly have a far greater need for replacements ( oven ready ) for RAN and Semedo .

 

[big mean bunny]

It's not really a backup player for that spot though, its the rotation option as the CMs are frequently subbed or changed, so there is at least that. Plus the pathway they are excelling so much the spot could be someone else's eventually.

 

[NicholasG1973]

Munetsi yes, Bellegarde only if Fosun let us down. As well as he played in a few games, Vítor was pretty clear that JRB wasn't the type of player he wants in midfield.

If Munetsi is back up in CM, we have serious issues - might as well have kept Doyle.

Running around like a puppy dog chasing a balloon did something for us last year, especially when Cunha was being brilliant and we could afford that type of luxury.

It’s not sustainable though.

I have a feeling that we’re not going to be able to carry such passengers this season - especially now we’re without such obvious creativity in Cunha.

 

[prawnking]

We shouldn't be doing Fosun's work for them by promoting unambitious squad expectations, or doing their time and resource management for them. We're as established a PL club as anyone out of the big boys, they've had two big(gish) sales recently, they need to sort it out; it's literally their job.

We can't just have two senior CMs we'd be happy playing for a run of games in the Premier League. Even with GON we had Lemina and Gomes and Andre on the bench. Gomes is always going to pick up cards too.

As for us having more pressing concerns, we do, but that's Fosun's problem and they have had plenty of time and money to do solve that

 

[Lycan]

If Munetsi is back up in CM, we have serious issues - might as well have kept Doyle.

Running around like a puppy dog chasing a balloon did something for us last year, especially when Cunha was being brilliant and we could afford that type of luxury.

It’s not sustainable though.

I have a feeling that we’re not going to be able to carry such passengers this season - especially now we’re without such obvious creativity in Cunha.

Munetsi is useful in certain games and situations. I'd like to see us move away from using him all game every game though.

 

[Nando]

Adopting that approach, we wouldn't have signed Andre last summer as we were content with Gomes and Lemina.

Munetsi is not an option in a midfield pairing - he'd be a liability under a press.

 

[Loki]

A bit worrying that we are not shifting our surplus/unwanted players.

 

[prawnking]

A bit worrying that we are not shifting our surplus/unwanted players.

Kind of puts a pin in the theory I read on here yesterday that our transfer policy is actually OK and no worse than anyone else's.

Guess it's just bad luck that we've accumulated so much (literally) useless crap over the past few years

 

[Loki]

Kind of puts a pin in the theory I read on here yesterday that our transfer policy is actually OK and no worse than anyone else's.

Guess it's just bad luck that we've accumulated so much (literally) useless crap over the past few years

Hard to disagree with this.

 

[1986]

Adopting that approach, we wouldn't have signed Andre last summer as we were content with Gomes and Lemina.

Munetsi is not an option in a midfield pairing - he'd be a liability under a press.

Andre and Gomes are quite young , and are both highly rated . Lemina was not a young player then and his career suggested that he was no near the same level of rating that they other two have , and his temperament was questioned in the past - we needed serious back up for him .
Listen ,I'm not saying that we don't need a midfielder . I'm saying that replacing RAN and Semedo are far more important first .
Loaning out Traore might suggest that they are confident of lining up another player .

 

[Dire Wolf]

Andre and Gomes are quite young , and are both highly rated . Lemina was not a young player then and his career suggested that he was no near the same level of rating that they other two have , and his temperament was questioned in the past - we needed serious back up for him .
Listen ,I'm not saying that we don't need a midfielder . I'm saying that replacing RAN and Semedo are far more important first .
Loaning out Traore might suggest that they are confident of lining up another player .

It might suggest that, but past evidence shows that they are happy to get rid of players and not have an adequate plan to replace them.

 

[Kenny]

Loaning out Traore might suggest that they are confident of lining up another player .

I know we have a different team in place for signings but on the above...we did this when letting Sasa and Fabio go out on loan.

Hate to bring this up as it really ruins @Elephant Pyjamas day to be reminded we fucked up a Wembley trip after making this move...

 

[C.L.D]

Bellegarde's ceiling at CM is POTM in the EPL, just don't expect him to be that consistent but not a bad option even if they should be looking for someone else.

Spending about the same as we did for Lemina would be around the market for a 3rd choice CM you need to know can start.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

A bit worrying that we are not shifting our surplus/unwanted players.

Probably because most clubs are not in need of five or six signings so there is less pressure to bring a player in and they can wait until later in the window. Not many, if any, clubs are in our position of wanting to bring in a few but also wanting to shift on players like Hwang and Guedes that are on very high wages in relation to their likely buyers.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Bellegarde's ceiling at CM is POTM in the EPL, just don't expect him to be that consistent but not a bad option even if they should be looking for someone else.

Spending about the same as we did for Lemina would be around the market for a 3rd choice CM you need to know can start.

I just dont see it happening, Munetsi and Bellegarde to be backup, hope I'm wrong.

Can imagine Munetsi being a decent destroyer if played next to Gomes, but if partened with Andre it just wouldn't work? Also Munetsi is poor on the ball.

Perhaps we'll get an idea in the friendlies.

 

[Lycan]

I just dont see it happening, Munetsi and Bellegarde to be backup, hope I'm wrong.

Can imagine Munetsi being a decent destroyer if played next to Gomes, but if partened with Andre it just wouldn't work? Also Munetsi is poor on the ball.

Perhaps we'll get an idea in the friendlies.

Wherever you play him Munetsi just won't be involved on the ball between the 2 boxes. Technically he's the worst PL Wolves player since George Elokobi.

In a double pivot you'll get hard work, tactical discipline, a physical advantage and when the ball does enter either box he might not have much quality but you can at least guarantee that he'll be there.

As a number 10 you'll get pretty much exactly the same with the added benefit that he can lead a press.

Either way he's an unconventional player who you'd rather be bringing on to chase a game or defend a lead than start.

 

[Lupo]

Jhon Arias confirmed by Wolves

https://twitter.com/x/status/1948322278078394851