Mateus Ferdnandes

[Yiddo.1882]

May have missed someone but I make these our senior non-HGs, Vic, Radu, Xavi, Richy, Tel ( he is 21 so may still count as non senior) , Udogie,Romero, Kudus, Deki, Porro, Odobert, Sarr, Bents , Kinsky, VDV, Takai, Solomon, Robertson, Senesi, Dubravka and Veliz.
All others like Souza are either under 21 or homegrowns like Maddison, you can have as many U21's as you like in a PL squad regardless of nationality.

I make it 22 senior non HG, we know some like Solomon are definitely going but there will need to be others to make way for any non-HGs coming in

There is also no point registering Xavi until January, probably Odobert also as he is not due back until late this year, so that gives a little bit more wriggle room until the January window with outgoings.

 

[Bishop]

I wonder if its him and Tonali or just one of them, signing both would be some statement of intent. I'd prefer one of these 2 plus Wharton personally then we'd have a passer and an all rounder.

Fernandes is a passer. Maybe not to the same extreme as Wharton, but he is a passer.

 

[SirPercyHotspur]

There is also no point registering Xavi until January, probably Odobert also as he is not due back until late this year, so that gives a little bit more wriggle room until the January window with outgoings.

Yes , good point also will Deki ever return and I knew I would miss someone and that is Van Hecke so 23 non HG seniors.

 

[P.D.]

You may prefer Wharton but suspect RDZ may not agree with you. From what I have seen, and I may be worng, I do not think that RDZ's system works with a deep lying metronome playmaker like Wharton.

In order for quick transitions you need people comfortable in possession who can receive, turn and lay off the ball quickly as well.

I also think it's important that RDZ show a bit of flexibility in his system to accommodate different players whilst keeping the aim the same. We saw how it went with Amorin for example, it's all fine to buy players to suit a way of playing but there's plenty of players used to a different style so he's going to have to find a way to blend the two as we'll need a few transfer windows to get things right.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Oh Gutter!...Looked like an ankle injury ?

The ankle roll was the first/obvious thing, but it's being reported as his knee as well: https://www.ruik.cz/video-hororove-zraneni-tomase-soucka-jak-dlouho-muze-byt-mimo/

 

[Lost Mango]

No, no, no @P.D. - the whole point with class managers is that they are entitled to have the players they need for their system and if they don't it is the boards fault not theirs. We saw this with Jose and Conte. The lack of flexibility towards players was never their fault, they were never supported properly.

Why would a class manager be able, let alone be expected to be flexible ...............

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

I think we now have 42 over 21s on our books, so there's going to need to be a huge sell-off over the next two months

May have missed someone but I make these our senior non-HGs, Vic, Radu, Xavi, Richy, Tel ( he is 21 so may still count as non senior) , Udogie,Romero, Kudus, Deki, Porro, Odobert, Sarr, Bents , Kinsky, VDV, Takai, Solomon, Robertson, Senesi, Dubravka and Veliz.
All others like Souza are either under 21 or homegrowns like Maddison, you can have as many U21's as you like in a PL squad regardless of nationality.

I make it 22 senior non HG, we know some like Solomon are definitely going but there will need to be others to make way for any non-HGs coming in

Don't waste time fact checking anything he posts it's all in his head.

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

No, no, no @P.D. - the whole point with class managers is that they are entitled to have the players they need for their system and if they don't it is the boards fault not theirs. We saw this with Jose and Conte. The lack of flexibility towards players was never their fault, they were never supported properly.

Why would a class manager be able, let alone be expected to be flexible ...............

It's never Mourinho's fault.

 

[Ace Face]

when are the outgoings going to start ?

After the 25/26 PSR season ends on June 30th I would imagine.

Since we don’t have any PSR issues to deal with, we can take advantage of those clubs that do (Saudi Sportswashing Machine and WHam etc) by nicking players we covet, and then go about selling our castoffs later.

Not much of a seller’s market till July 1st.

 

[Gutter Boy]

May have missed someone but I make these our senior non-HGs, Vic, Radu, Xavi, Richy, Tel ( he is 21 so may still count as non senior) , Udogie,Romero, Kudus, Deki, Porro, Odobert, Sarr, Bents , Kinsky, VDV, Takai, Solomon, Robertson, Senesi, Dubravka and Veliz.
All others like Souza are either under 21 or homegrowns like Maddison, you can have as many U21's as you like in a PL squad regardless of nationality.

I make it 22 senior non HG, we know some like Solomon are definitely going but there will need to be others to make way for any non-HGs coming in

But 42 if you add in the HG ones. That number is still important, as most coaches don't like working with a group of more than 25, maybe 27, players. We have 10 CBs now for starters, which is a bit of an issue. Players like Philips, Dorrington and Takai still need moving on somewhere before September, as well as Romero and Dragusin

 

[robp135]

May have missed someone but I make these our senior non-HGs, Vic, Radu, Xavi, Richy, Tel ( he is 21 so may still count as non senior) , Udogie,Romero, Kudus, Deki, Porro, Odobert, Sarr, Bents , Kinsky, VDV, Takai, Solomon, Robertson, Senesi, Dubravka and Veliz.
All others like Souza are either under 21 or homegrowns like Maddison, you can have as many U21's as you like in a PL squad regardless of nationality.

I make it 22 senior non HG, we know some like Solomon are definitely going but there will need to be others to make way for any non-HGs coming in

Odobert is HG under the Prem rules.

 

[robp135]

This would be within the limit assuming we add 2 attacking foreign players.

17 Internationals - Kinsky, Dubravka, Porro, Udogie, Robertson, VDV, JPVH, Senesi, Bentancur, Tonali, Fernandes, Kudus, New LW, Kulusevski, Odobert, Xavi, New CF
7 Homegrown - Austin, Spence, Davies, Danso, Gallagher, Maddison, Solanke
4 Under 21 - Byfield, Gray, W.Barnett, Tel

Goalkeepers
1st XI - Kinsky
Backup/Youth - Dubravka, Austin

Full Backs
1st XI - Porro, Spence, Udogie, Robertson
Backup/Youth - Davies

Centre Backs
1st XI - van de Ven, Danso, van Hecke, Senesi
Backup/Youth - Byfield

Centre Midfielders
1st XI - Bentancur, Gallager, Tonali, Fernandes
Backup/Youth - Gray

Attacking Midfielders/Wingers
1st XI - Kudus, Maddison, Other (Gakpo, Rashford, Savinho)
Backup/Youth - W.Barnett
Injured - Kulusevski, Odobert, Xavi

Fowards
1st XI - Solanke, Other (No Major Links)
Backup/Youth - Tel

 

[SirPercyHotspur]

Odobert is HG under the Prem rules.

How does he qualify as HG he hasn't completed three entire seasons with an English or Welsh club before his 21st birthday , he didn't join Burnley until August 23 and he was 21 in November 2025.
He still might not be classed as a senior player for the max 17 senior players as like Tel he is 21 so might still be classed as U21, not sure what the rules are on that.

 

[robp135]

How does he qualify as HG he hasn't completed three entire seasons with an English or Welsh club before his 21st birthday , he didn't join Burnley until August 23 and he was 21 in November 2025.
He still might not be classed as a senior player for the max 17 senior players as like Tel he is 21 so might still be classed as U21, not sure what the rules are on that.

You are right actually. With UEFA the period as a 21 year old still counts. So confusing.

 

[SirPercyHotspur]

You are right actually. With UEFA the period as a 21 year old still counts. So confusing.

It is very confusing but according to one explanation I just read to be HG if you complete three full seasons before your 21st birthday or the end of the season in which a player turns 21 they will count as homegrown. So he had one season with Burnley and two with us as it includes the season he turned 21 so it looks like he is HG , he can come off the list, he won't be fully fit until 2027 so won't matter for the start of the season.

 

[robp135]

It is very confusing but according to one explanation I just read to be HG if you complete three full seasons before your 21st birthday or the end of the season in which a player turns 21 they will count as homegrown. So he had one season with Burnley and two with us as it includes the season he turned 21 so it looks like he is HG , he can come off the list, he won't be fully fit until 2027 so won't matter for the start of the season.

So with UEFA it includes the season where you turn 21 but not with the Prem.

 

[Mabspurs]

In order for quick transitions you need people comfortable in possession who can receive, turn and lay off the ball quickly as well.

I also think it's important that RDZ show a bit of flexibility in his system to accommodate different players whilst keeping the aim the same. We saw how it went with Amorin for example, it's all fine to buy players to suit a way of playing but there's plenty of players used to a different style so he's going to have to find a way to blend the two as we'll need a few transfer windows to get things right.

Why? Just to accomodate your fave player?

I think the flexibility needs to come from the fans and accept that we have an elite manager and we need to allow him to do his thing

 

[SirPercyHotspur]

So with UEFA it includes the season where you turn 21 but not with the Prem.

With the PL it seems the season you turn 21 is included in the three season minimum required to count as HG, haven't looked at UEFA rules as it doesn't effect us for the coming season.

 

[SirPercyHotspur]

May have missed someone but I make these our senior non-HGs, Vic, Radu, Xavi, Richy, Tel ( he is 21 so may still count as non senior) , Udogie,Romero, Kudus, Deki, Porro, Odobert, Sarr, Bents , Kinsky, VDV, Takai, Solomon, Robertson, Senesi, Dubravka and Veliz.
All others like Souza are either under 21 or homegrowns like Maddison, you can have as many U21's as you like in a PL squad regardless of nationality.

I make it 22 senior non HG, we know some like Solomon are definitely going but there will need to be others to make way for any non-HGs coming in

PS Missed out Van Hecke, knew I would miss one but it appears Odobert will qualify now as HG so the number is still 22 , more than five to shift if we are going to sign more non-HGs in the market.