Winter '25/26 Transfer Rumours Thread

[stubbo-admin]

Well seems like with all these international breaks, and us languishing, the rumours of ins and outs are rife.

Chuck anything 'worthy' of discussion on this thread...

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Incomings:

Pablo Felipe - €21m + €3m (Gil Vicente) | Forward
Valentin 'Taty' Castellanos - €26m + €4m (Lazio) | Forward
Adama Traore - £2m + £1m if stay up (Fulham) | Forward
Axel Disasi - Loan (Chelsea) | Centre Back
Keiber Lamadrid - £150k + £1m option | Attacking Mid

Outgoings:

Nicolas Füllkrug - 6 months loan (AC Milan)
Luis Guilherme - £17m + Sell On % (Sporting Lisbon)
George Earthy - 6 months loan (Bristol City)
Callum Marshall - 6 months loan (Bochum)
Andy Irving - 1.5m (Sparta Prague)
Guido Rodriguez - Undisclosed (Valencia)
Igor Julio - Loan Cancelled (Brighton)
James Ward Prowse - 6 months loan (Burnley)
Lucas Paqueta - £36.5m + Buy Back Clause (Flamengo)

[Russ of the BML]

Paqueta is our only maverick, and whilst frustrating has also been the architect of a lot of things we have done well too.

As last night shows, we lack any kind of playmaker or creative influence when he's out of the side.  If you look at all the numbers, he's either a very creative central midfielder, or a very hard working attacking midfielder.

He's not perfect or even close, but he's the player that gives us a bit of mystery or unpredictability. And he is the second highest rated player across our season so far.

To let him go wihtout a suitable replacement lined up in our current position would be unthinkable.  He's the player in the squad that can make the progressive passes we need to set out attacking players away...he looks to assist the assist if you like.

If yo ucould say to me, Paqueta is off and Hayden Hackney will be through the door...then maybe.  Or Rolando Schmid.  But without someone lined up we'd be mental to let one of our best players leave right now unless we've given up and are just looking to cash in while we can.

"But he's the player that gives us a bit of mystery or unpredictability"

No he isn't. He is as predictable as my week day alarm. 

Doesn't put in maximum effort. And any bit of skill he tries to be unpredictable, predictably goes wrong and he gives it away or ends our attack. The bloke switch off ages ago. Massive cսnt in my eyes. 

Saying someone is unpredictable when they are predictable because they used to be unpredictable is very predictable. 

[El Scorchio]

We're going to love a lot of money on all of them barring Todibo. We may break even or make a modest profit on him but no chance on the others. Big losses. Terrible buys all three of them. Mav by far the least poor just because he wasn't THAT expensive although still overpriced and at least his attitude is in check even if his ability isn't up to scratch. 

 

He's been better this season, but we'd not get anywhere near our money back on him, unless he was prepared to go to Saudi. Other clubs do their homework, and he still can't head the ball, we'd be lucky to get £15mil for him.

You may be right- we'd make the smallest relative loss to fee in on him most likely. 

[twoleftfeet]

Paqueta ungrateful sod…

Club paid his full wages despite FA inquiry…

He owes us his best efforts in Relegation fight…

 

 

He has shown fuck all effort so far, bin him whilst he still has some value.

[stubbo-admin]

Paqueta is our only maverick, and whilst frustrating has also been the architect of a lot of things we have done well too.

As last night shows, we lack any kind of playmaker or creative influence when he's out of the side.  If you look at all the numbers, he's either a very creative central midfielder, or a very hard working attacking midfielder.

He's not perfect or even close, but he's the player that gives us a bit of mystery or unpredictability. And he is the second highest rated player across our season so far.

To let him go wihtout a suitable replacement lined up in our current position would be unthinkable.  He's the player in the squad that can make the progressive passes we need to set out attacking players away...he looks to assist the assist if you like.

If yo ucould say to me, Paqueta is off and Hayden Hackney will be through the door...then maybe.  Or Rolando Schmid.  But without someone lined up we'd be mental to let one of our best players leave right now unless we've given up and are just looking to cash in while we can.

[Massive Attack]

Btw, I have a feeling we've spent the money already.

Did wonder where we got £50m from for the two strikers.

 

 

Said the same at the time these 2 new Strikers rocked up for big money that we likely already spent pending Paqueta money. Flamingo we're always a highly likely destination with it being his former Club and just winning Cups. Money should be there and now just a matter of how much we can squeeze out of them now. 

[Texas Iron]

Paqueta ungrateful sod…

Club paid his full wages despite FA inquiry…

He owes us his best efforts in Relegation fight…

[Eerie Decent]

Guardian reporting Flamengo can pay 35 million for Paqueta. Doubt it but if it is true then would definitely sell him.

 

I'd carry him on my back all the way there for that dough.

[Eerie Decent]

We're going to love a lot of money on all of them barring Todibo. We may break even or make a modest profit on him but no chance on the others. Big losses. Terrible buys all three of them. Mav by far the least poor just because he wasn't THAT expensive although still overpriced and at least his attitude is in check even if his ability isn't up to scratch. 

 

 

He's been better this season, but we'd not get anywhere near our money back on him, unless he was prepared to go to Saudi. Other clubs do their homework, and he still can't head the ball, we'd be lucky to get £15mil for him.

[RBshorty]

Well.At least he ain’t going to N17. There’s that.!

[El Scorchio]

Btw, I have a feeling we've spent the money already.

Did wonder where we got £50m from for the two strikers.

You’re probably right. Or at least that’s what will be said. So two rats jumping ship this window. And only two in to replace them. We’re still way undermanned and outgunned but we just have a slightly different inadequate squad. 

[Mad Ferret]

Pleased to see the back of Useless Paqueta.

[southbankbornnbred]

Btw, I have a feeling we've spent the money already.

Did wonder where we got £50m from for the two strikers.

[southbankbornnbred]

Irrespective of how highly (or not) people rate him, the most galling and unforgivable thing about Paquea is that he's the rat deserting the sinking ship.

If he had one ounce of integrity, he'd fight and stay until the summer.

If he goes then, genuinely, I hope he breaks his leg, misses the World Cup, places a few cheeky in-games on Brazil to lose, gets caught this time, gets a long ban, ends up driving a three-wheel taxi through the favelas to make ends meet, and then loses his house to a mudslide.

Not that I'm bitter. At all.

[RBshorty]

The waffler is saying £40 million. Once he was cleared. He was gone. It’s good money. And a no brainier.

[El Scorchio]

Guardian reporting Flamengo can pay 35 million for Paqueta. Doubt it but if it is true then would definitely sell him.

 

That’s a decent price. For me him going isn’t the issue. It’s replacing him. Happy for him to go IF a suitable replacement (or two) is brought in with the funds we recieve from him. However. I have basically zero faith in him being replaced so it turns into a separate issue in that we just weaken ourselves further still by letting him go and not replacing him. 

[dealcanvey]

Guardian reporting Flamengo can pay 35 million for Paqueta. Doubt it but if it is true then would definitely sell him.
 

[El Scorchio]

We're going to love a lot of money on all of them barring Todibo. We may break even or make a modest profit on him but no chance on the others. Big losses. Terrible buys all three of them. Mav by far the least poor just because he wasn't THAT expensive although still overpriced and at least his attitude is in check even if his ability isn't up to scratch. 

[Tomshardware]

Aguerd - £35mil
Mavropanos - £20mil
Kilman - £40mil
Todibo - £35mil

= £130mil

Best part of £250k - £300, per week in wages you'd imagine

I'm not sure there has ever been a worse collective amount spent over a couple of years on one position in the history of football. You could combine all the good individual games they have had for the club, and it'd probably equate to the same amount as Christian Dailly.

 

Honestly think the average fan would have done better with spending that money.

[El Scorchio]

Failure to get a CB is effectively Sullivan raismg the white flag whether intentionally or not. 

 

 

Yup, I don't understand after the haste with which the two forward came in that there's been zero movement at CB. Cresswell would be mad to come here this window unless he's OK with the prospect of a season in the championship. However if we did snag him no doubt we'd make a profit on him.

But the likes of Pinnock would be a savvy move for 18 months or so in the situation we are in. Will be immediately helpful this season, and also next regardless of what division we are in offer qualities in which we are lacking and will not cost too much. Only issue is that when we apply sticking plaster players like this to fix an already bleeding wound, we HAVE to pair it with bringing in a young player at the same time to take over that position in the team in 12-18 months and create a long term solution to avoid this constantly happening, like those clubs we get sick of repeating always are able to. 

God knows how long Mav will be out for now and whether it's actually serious or not, but it's patently obvious we need helps there and has been for months. It's feeling like centre mid in the summer all over again. Sullivan needs to act right away because we aren't keeping any teams at bay with Mav and/or Kilman starting games. Todibo needs a bruiser and a leader next to him. The whole team needs an injection of that attitude

[Eerie Decent]

That was meant for the Kilman thread

[Eerie Decent]

Aguerd - £35mil
Mavropanos - £20mil
Kilman - £40mil
Todibo - £35mil

= £130mil

Best part of £250k - £300, per week in wages you'd imagine

I'm not sure there has ever been a worse collective amount spent over a couple of years on one position in the history of football. You could combine all the good individual games they have had for the club, and it'd probably equate to the same amount as Christian Dailly.
 

[Sir Alf]

Failure to get a CB is effectively Sullivan raismg the white flag whether intentionally or not. 

[Tomshardware]

Agreed,  I could take whatever baggage that came with the genius of Di Canio, he was that good.

[wils]

When you think about it there does tend to be some trade-off when taking on a Maverick type of player which we want to see at West Ham but comes at a price. It rarely works out well in the end, take Paqueta, Payet, even Di Canio it ended somewhat acrimoniously. It wouldn't put me off in future, just more of an acceptance that this kind of thing is likely when they throw their toys out the pram when they don't get their way. Seems to come with the off the cuff selfish mentality in their play just as much as it comes off it as well. 

I don't think the modern game gives much space for maverick players to operate in. I was watching the Maradona documentary a few years ago and as I was watching the clips I realised that no manager would tolerate a player playing in that way now. It's probably a consequence of the amount of money flooding into the game making it more risk averse. 

[Massive Attack]

When you think about it there does tend to be some trade-off when taking on a Maverick type of player which we want to see at West Ham but at a price. It rarely works out well in the end, take Paqueta, Payet, even Di Canio it ended somewhat acrimoniously. It wouldn't put me off in future, just more of an acceptance that this kind of thing is likely when they throw their toys out the pram when they don't get their way. Seems to come with the off the cuff selfish mentality in their play just as much as it comes off it as well. 

Paqueta doesn't come close to Di Canio or Payet. 

Of course he doesn't. He is still regarded as a Maverick type player just not a particularly good one on their level.