Transfer Analysis for each team in the PL: Part 1
The end of the season is approaching fast, and the transfer window will open in June. Let’s take a detailed look into the each club’s needs for the transfer window.
Manchester City
Need to Buy: Erling Haaland (or another striker)
Need to Sell/Loan out: Ake, Laporte
Must Keep: Riyad Mahrez
The Sky Blues have been almost flawless this season, and also have a really, really strong squad, with them having almost 3 options per position, except for striker. I feel that either Nathan Ake or Laporte have to be moved out of the club due to their lack of playing time, before inevitable transfer talk starts to circle the players. The need for a striker to challenge Jesus’s place in the team has never been more eminent, with Sergio Aguero leaving, and Ferran Torres (amongst others) being used as a makeshift striker. So, for the only player the Mancs should buy, it has to be Haaland. The Norwegian has been on electrifying form since signing for the Black and Yellows, and frankly, he would be a perfect fit for the Mancs. He will fundamentally replace Aguero as the clinical finisher of the team, but if they fail to sign him, Frankfurt’s Andre Silva, or Atleti’s Joao Felix would also be decent signings. The Polish striker Milik would also be a suitable cheaper alternative.
Manchester United
Need to Buy: Declan Rice, Nikola Milenkovic, Max Aarons and Andre Silva or Erling Haaland
Need to Sell/Loan out: Nemanja Matic, Phil Jones, Jesse Lingard, Lee Grant, Romero, Eric Baily and Diogo Dalot
Must Keep: Axel Tuanzebe, Edinson Cavani, Paul Pogba AND Van De Beek
As you can see, I feel there will be quite a lot of movement at Old Trafford this summer, especially since their transfer dealings will be handled by John Murtough. The club have a fair amount of debt, and are in dire need for better options at positions like CDM, CB,RB and Striker. The Red Devils have over-performed this year, and OGS will want to have a strong window in order to go one step further and win the Mancs’ first title since Sir Ferguson’s departure in 2013.To do this, Man Utd should first get rid of the 7 players I have listed below. The players are simply not Manchester United standard, and should be booted out of the club to accommodate more talented (and much younger) players. These players include the likes of Rice, Milenkovic, Aarons and Silva. While other players have been linked to the Red Devils, these targets are more realistic given the financially different nature of the transfer market. Finally, I feel they should start giving Tuanzebe and VDB more playing time, and sign Pogba up for a new 2 or 3 year contract. Cavani is also someone the Mancs need to keep, especially after his recent electrifying form
Leicester City
Need to Buy: Odsonne Eduoard and Florian Thauvin
Need to Sell: Wes Morgan, Dennis Praet, Hamza Chaoudary and Cengiz Under
Need to Keep: James Maddison, Wilifred Ndidi and James Justin
The Foxes have also over-performed under Brendan Rodgers, and look set to have Champions League football next year. Frankly, their squad is pretty much covered, with their academy players proving to be adequate back-ups, and most positions being covered. Now, they only need to get rid of some of the aging or under-performing players, in order to bring in top class signings like Thauvin or Eduoard to provide the team with more firepower up front. Vardy shows no signs of decline despite being 34, but will soon need to be replaced by a younger striker, so why not buy someone Rodgers is familiar with from his time at Celtic, Odsonne Eduoard? Thauvin will also provide much-needed quality down that right wing, but signing these players will only be useful if they keep the vital cogs of their team, Maddison, Ndidi and Justin. The trio have been the stand out performers this season despite facing injury issues, and will need to stay at the club in order to keep their elite form intact.
West Ham United
Need to Buy: Jesse Lingard, Hwang Hee-Chan, Danny Ings or Ivan Toney
Need to Sell: Yarmolenko
Need to Keep: Declan Rice, Jesse Lingard, Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen
The Hammers have been exceptional this season, and that’s why Moyes’ men do not need much upgrading this summer. They just need to permanently sign the GOAT Lingard, as well as sign a striker, with a variety of options to choose from. Hee-Chan from Leipzig could work, but the Irons will be wary of big money strikers from the Bundesliga. Their other options are Danny Ings, who will be out of contract this season, and Ivan Toney, who is the Championship’s top scorer. To fund this, they should sell Yarmolenko, who has been quite underwhelming the past few seasons. They also should keep their fantastic 4 Rice, Lingard, Soucek and Bowen. The four of them have been sensational this season, and they really need to be tied down to new contracts if possible in order for West Ham to maintain their quality of this season.
That’s all for this article, do look out for my next analysis which will be out by next week!
