Eberechi Eze

[FolkestoneSpur]

I don't see Kulu doing much good work starting inside. I see most of his good work being done cutting inside from the right. I can see Kulu playing as a support striker in a 4-4-2 type formation or even a 4-1-3-1 type formation where the central player has is free to roam across the pitch in the attacking areas and has no defensive responsibility but not really somebody that can play as one of the midfield 3 in a 4-3-3.

As I've repeatedly said I would've signed Enzo Millot as our Maddison cover/competition. He is ready now but also has a huge upside. A slightly leftfield suggestion for an alternative could be Pacqueta from West Ham, has lots of quality and has shown he has what it takes for the PL. McAtee from Emirates Marketing Project would be a good long term option. El Khannouss, who we've been linked with from Leicester, is also a decent option. None of those players would break the bank.

Hincapie would be a sensible signing right now in the fact that he can play left back in a 4 at the back system or left sided centre back in either a 3 or a 4 at the back system. Though I think we only sign another centre back if Romero leaves (which seems to be getting less and less likely).

Some murmurs on X that we're trying to hijack the Millot to Atleti transfer

 

[DaveT316]

Some murmurs on X that we're trying to hijack the Millot to Atleti transfer

*awaits @Finney Is Back chiming in*

 

[Legohamster]

So the clause expired last night and no one wanted to pay it, not even Chelsea.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

So the clause expired last night and no one wanted to pay it, not even Chelsea.

Let’s see what happens
I don’t see them selling him for anything less than that fee regardless
I wonder now if the timing of Sonny’s departure aligns with us going for him

 

[Legohamster]

Let’s see what happens
I don’t see them selling him for anything less than that fee regardless
I wonder now if the timing of Sonny’s departure aligns with us going for him

We would have known for a while he was leaving

It would have made sense to get him in before it was announced.

I'm still of the view the idea of Eze is better than actually having him.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

We would have known for a while he was leaving

It would have made sense to get him in before it was announced.

I'm still of the view the idea of Eze is better than actually having him.

I rate eze and thing he is a great player

 

[Yiddo]

Still not linked.

 

[DubaiSpur]

I rate eze and thing he is a great player

With Sonny leaving, it finally made sense to me why we've been pursuing an attacking midfielder of the Gibbs-White mould despite the squad having more gaps elsewhere.

If you assume we stay in the rough 4-2-3-1 shape Frank used against the Goons, then you need a winger on the left capable of cutting inside when Udogie bombs up, or staying wide if Porro bombs up on the other end and Udogie tucks inside. However, that isn't to say the left-winger is a 'touchline' winger like Ange used - it's more that he's a creative outlet from the left, and will have his moments to drive infield.

There are a surplus of attacking midfielders on the market atm who can do that - not so many 'pure' left wingers aside from ones that we won't pay for, like Mitoma, Leao et al.

Plus, a mature attacking midfielder out wide coming inside also makes sense from a squad management perspective, because you have to plan for a) Moore's future role - Moore does his best work on the left, and b) the fact that Tel seems to want to play as a striker long-term, despite being better our wide. So you have to have a player who can start on the left in the short-term, but then transition into a different role in the longer-term - and the most open spot is being the eventual replacement for Maddison, who will be 30 next year and was never the fittest.

All this, to me, indicates that Eze ticks every one of those boxes - and although he seems set on the Goons, we could perhaps offer him more than they could in terms of a nailed on starting-spot (off the left) and marquee wages (given he'd be replacing Son). It's better than being their equivalent of Trossard, anyway.

The barrier has always been that we won't pay for him - and unless that changes, it means the Goons get him eventually, because they're just a far better run and more ambitious club than we will ever be under ENIC. But the 'fit', squad-wise, is so perfect with us it hurts.