Next Season's Squad.

[Snowflake Royal]

There’s still space for the Academy lads but it’s round the fringes. Would still expect Rino, McIntyre, Olise, Loader and maybe Barrett to be getting some game time in, if not starting 11. Which is probably where they are at realistically right now

Taking the fees out of it, looks like José is trying to make us a big physical side. Boye, Meite, Joao and Puscas as are big lads. Blackett, Moore and Miazga are hefty and Pele and Rino is a strong midfield. The signing of Adam makes more sense to me now - he has plenty of targets to aim at

We feel a lot more competitive now certainly. Hopefully the team will click - fairly confident it will

Would hope you can add Nova to that for bench cup games and injuries.

[Stranded]

There’s still space for the Academy lads but it’s round the fringes. Would still expect Rino, McIntyre, Olise, Loader and maybe Barrett to be getting some game time in, if not starting 11. Which is probably where they are at realistically right now

Taking the fees out of it, looks like José is trying to make us a big physical side. Boye, Meite, Joao and Puscas as are big lads. Blackett, Moore and Miazga are hefty and Pele and Rino is a strong midfield. The signing of Adam makes more sense to me now - he has plenty of targets to aim at

We feel a lot more competitive now certainly. Hopefully the team will click - fairly confident it will

Would hope you can add Nova to that for bench cup games and injuries.

With just a year left on his contract and IF Puscas does sign, he'll be probably 4th choice for a forward's position. I think he'll be off to the Netherlands by the end of August for a million or two.

I think, if you can say we made a mistake with him, is he should have been integrated into the squad last year after a successful loan but now think his opportunity has passed.

[Stranded]

Think there are some big numbers being banded around, when the reality is that they won’t be anything like it. One report seems to state that Joao is an initial £800k deal plus lots and lots of add ons. Spread all that over 4 years and it is may be £1m per year plus wages.

Rafael is a Free transfer. Pele is a loan. Boye is on a loan. Money reputed to be coming in from Chelsea selling Big Hec. Suspect we will see a few more out of the door in the next couple of days including Gunter, Baldock, Nova, Popa freeing up more cash for wages. Wouldn’t surprise me to see Loader and/or Barrett now go on loan if we sign
Puscas.

Barrow also out of the door? Who knows.

But it’s going to be an interesting ride and Uncle Dai certainly seems to have good intentions. Hopefully these last a long time and aren’t Tony Xia esque

Gunter is likely to head out on loan this week I would say - we may try and get Popa back to Romania and subsidise some of wages to help the deal.

I think Nova will go and of all the "big name" players left at the club I can see us selling Barrow now as he is one who apparently wants to leave, we've had offers for and with the new signings is probably most likely to lose his spot - he didn't do anything on Saturday to suggest he would still be a first choice.

[retro royal]

I'm still worried about our width, who's going to put the balls into the box, there are some quick wide men in championship this year, will these guys track back. Still we needed something hopefully they gel quickly and the academy lads don't get pushed to the side totally

[WestYorksRoyal]

If Puscas can play the lone striker role, had Joao effectively gone from being an impact sub at Wednesday to being an impact sub here?

[Hound]

I've a feeling Popa will be off to Roselare (paying all his wage), Gunter will go, McCleary hopefully

Sad as it sounds, losing those 3 probably pays the wages for Joao and Puscas with money to spare

[URZZZZ]

Lack of width was a real issue on Saturday, with Loader and Barrett tucking in narrow, it was supposed to create the space for Yiadom and Richards. But Richards didn’t really do much offensively and neither did Yiadom apart from the handball

Not really sure where our new guys actually play (Boye, Puscas if he joins) but I’d still like to see a natural winger somewhere

[WestYorksRoyal]

Think there are some big numbers being banded around, when the reality is that they won’t be anything like it. One report seems to state that Joao is an initial £800k deal plus lots and lots of add ons. Spread all that over 4 years and it is may be £1m per year plus wages.

Rafael is a Free transfer. Pele is a loan. Boye is on a loan. Money reputed to be coming in from Chelsea selling Big Hec. Suspect we will see a few more out of the door in the next couple of days including Gunter, Baldock, Nova, Popa freeing up more cash for wages. Wouldn’t surprise me to see Loader and/or Barrett now go on loan if we sign
Puscas.

Barrow also out of the door? Who knows.

But it’s going to be an interesting ride and Uncle Dai certainly seems to have good intentions. Hopefully these last a long time and aren’t Tony Xia esque

Gunter is likely to head out on loan this week I would say - we may try and get Popa back to Romania and subsidise some of wages to help the deal.

I think Nova will go and of all the "big name" players left at the club I can see us selling Barrow now as he is one who apparently wants to leave, we've had offers for and with the new signings is probably most likely to lose his spot - he didn't do anything on Saturday to suggest he would still be a first choice.

I'd be fairly "meh" if Barrow goes. Very inconsistent, and if he's not interested in staying he could go back to being the Clement Barrow.

[Stranded]

So assuming Gomes sees the new signings as upgrades are we perhaps looking at a starting XI that looks like this when all fit:

Rafael

Yiadom
Moore
Miazga
Blackett

Rinohomota
Pele

Meite
Boye
Joao

Puscas

Almost a 4-2-3-1 formation with Joao playing a slightly withdrawn role and the 3 directly behing Puscas rotating position. You could see Swift, Barrow, Olise rotating into those 3 spots and Joao could replace Puscas.

2 of the 3 can push wide or tuck in at times to let the full backs overlap.

Feels like we would have a pretty settled back 7 (incl GK) and more options that we've had in a long time in the front 4 meaning we can rotate and keep everyone fresh.

[WestYorksRoyal]

If we can recoup most of last year's McNulty fee and get Gunter's wages off our books, surely that gives us a little more wiggle room to bring in midfielders and attacking options?

I actually back those at the top of hierarchy to pull a few good signings out; probably people we're not guessing yet. Things always shift at last minute; you never know how the cards will align.

Ejaria is a good example. I assume Brentford are looking at him as a replacement for Sawyers, which would be excellent business from their perspective. But nobody has actually come in for Sawyers yet, despite interest and rumours. If that chain reaction doesn't happen, then on deadline day Liverpool will probably settle for our loan offer with option to buy next year. Things like this are happening all over the place, and it's quite possible that loans or cheap signings become available for PL reserve players and youth products where the club will currently be holding out for better.

Good post, and good call on Sawyers, WestYorks.

I have to admit, while this post a couple of weeks ago showed optimism, I didn't imagine what we have witnessed this week!

[Hound]

So assuming Gomes sees the new signings as upgrades are we perhaps looking at a starting XI that looks like this when all fit:

Rafael

Yiadom
Moore
Miazga
Blackett

Rinohomota
Pele

Meite
Boye
Joao

Puscas

Almost a 4-2-3-1 formation with Joao playing a slightly withdrawn role and the 3 directly behing Puscas rotating position. You could see Swift, Barrow, Olise rotating into those 3 spots and Joao could replace Puscas.

2 of the 3 can push wide or tuck in at times to let the full backs overlap.

Feels like we would have a pretty settled back 7 (incl GK) and more options that we've had in a long time in the front 4 meaning we can rotate and keep everyone fresh.

Think Swift has to be in that AM position. If not him Olise. The others feel a little samey.

Otherwise yeah it looks a powerful side. If things click it could be very difficult to play against with some good depth and options

[Westwood52]

This developing situation is a bit bizarre really.
One moment we haven't got any money and now we are picking up players left
right and centre.
Did the Hector move really clear a log jam ?
If only this had happened a month or so ago,could we have picked up Baker and Oliveira ?
Last seasons closing team would not have won the league,but would comfortably been mid table.
Now what’s going to happen ?
This season looks bleak for Barret and Loader.However If we had to rely on the kids,we would probably been going down.
If this lot gel;the season could be very exciting.However if there are a couple of bad eggs,things could go from bad to worse very quickly.
At least now Gomes has the ammunition,and a damn site more than most of the rest of the division.
There are now no excuses.

[Gunny Fishcake]

Reminds of of the late Tommy Burns transfer spree when he signed about eight players in one day back at Elm Park in 1998 . We were all so excited, finished 11th that season

[Nameless]

This developing situation is a bit bizarre really.
One moment we haven't got any money and now we are picking up players left
right and centre.
Did the Hector move really clear a log jam ?
If only this had happened a month or so ago,could we have picked up Baker and Oliveira ?
Last seasons closing team would not have won the league,but would comfortably been mid table.
Now what’s going to happen ?
This season looks bleak for Barret and Loader.However If we had to rely on the kids,we would probably been going down.
If this lot gel;the season could be very exciting.However if there are a couple of bad eggs,things could go from bad to worse very quickly.
At least now Gomes has the ammunition,and a damn site more than most of the rest of the division.
There are now no excuses.

The issue was never that we had no money, the issue was staying within FFP.you have to assume that we now have a better position regarding FFP and have the confidence (and EFL approval) to spend.

[Hound]

I think you have to take a very close look at the structure of the deals. They aren't costing us that much this season (due to contract length etc), hence why we've been able to do them.

With FFP the wages have been a massive drain. Each McShane, Aluko, Ilori, Bod, Gunter, Joey etc we've shifted off the books, its freeing up between .5 and £1m. Being how many people we've let go, I'm assuming we've still cut the wage bill significantly. The Stacey and Hector deals seem to have freed up a bit of cash to make some actual signings.

In saying that, I'm still a little surprised we've signed both Puscas and Joao

[WestYorksRoyal]

Courtney Friday reporting £18k weekly wage. Not obscene at all; certainly not a Gourlay contract. McShane, Meyler, Bod, Ilori, Bacuna and Kelly were probably on more, as will be Baldock, Gunter, McCleary and Popa. This makes me feel better about the deal.

*Forgot about Edwards

[The Green Programme]

So assuming Gomes sees the new signings as upgrades are we perhaps looking at a starting XI that looks like this when all fit:

Rafael

Yiadom
Moore
Miazga
Blackett

Rinohomota
Pele

Meite
Boye
Joao

Puscas

Almost a 4-2-3-1 formation with Joao playing a slightly withdrawn role and the 3 directly behing Puscas rotating position. You could see Swift, Barrow, Olise rotating into those 3 spots and Joao could replace Puscas.

2 of the 3 can push wide or tuck in at times to let the full backs overlap.

Feels like we would have a pretty settled back 7 (incl GK) and more options that we've had in a long time in the front 4 meaning we can rotate and keep everyone fresh.

So exciting......

Moore, Pele and Puskas...

All in Reading shirts ...

Is there a Maradona or a Cruyff we can sign???

[Hendo]

Reminds of of the late Tommy Burns transfer spree when he signed about eight players in one day back at Elm Park in 1998 . We were all so excited, finished 11th that season

After the last few years, I think the vast majority of us will take 11th this year!

[Wizard]

Not impressed at all this. Whatever happened to the academy. What’s the point in having a top rated academy if you never let any of them play for the first team.

[NotARacist]

Not impressed at all this. Whatever happened to the academy. What’s the point in having a top rated academy if you never let any of them play for the first team.

Rinomhota?