Do we need any striker obviously but left back as back up? Babas fit don't think we should panick save the money for 3 top players in the summer
I'd have Baba back in rather than splash out in January where the market is limited. A temp striker is possible but i dont know who would be available...possibly a Conte contact rather than a known legend.
If baba came back, I think he'd be behind kenedy.
For me, there's no point in signing many in January, as the standard of player we want probably won't be available, so wait to sign 2-3 top players in the summer that can have a big effect on the starting 11, aswell as recalling ruben and Tammy.
We desperately need another decent striker in January imo. Batshuayi clearly isnt trusted by conte so basically going with morata isn't enough. Aubemeyang was available all summer for about 50m, he's the one I would go for.
We should be monitoring the Sanchez situation closely, even though he looks likely to go to city. If he does we should then see if aguero is available, even though he's a cnut.
The best 2 signings we could make right now are new contracts for hazard and courtois.
Hope we don't go back in for Barkley.
Psg need to sell by all accounts, they've got some decent attackers sat on the bench that could add to the squad at a decent price, which i think could appeal to the club - possibly Lucas moura?
All about opinions but I fail to see what many CFC fans see in RLC and Tammy...atm.
Some good points though
Just to beef up the squad for next season really, as I don't see us doing a man city or man utd and just going out and spending 200m+ and it looks like we'll have all 4 competitions to go for again next season. Tammy for eg I would only be looking at as a 3rd striker next season, not as a replacement for batshuayi as the no2 striker.
I'm not one for just playing the youth, but I think if we can integrate a few in to the squad (just as back up) similar to how Barcelona do things, then we can stop spending 25m+ on average back up players like batshuayi/zappacosta/baba etc over and over again and spend more on top players that can have a serious impact on the first 11.
You never know what these young lads might produce in a carling cup appearance or something like that. For all the money United have spent, their best player this season looks like lingard! 
I think a few boardrooms at the top are alarmed by the form of City and the huge gap they have created. This may see City spend less and the ambitious splash out. I reckon Chelsea will be very concerned and will have a right go at the market this summer. I honestly don't see Tammy or RLC returning any time soon mate. City have possibly damaged our youth being eased in if anything. I think the bolster card was used this season in truth but it wasn't good/strong enough to see off City. Now we play catch up again.
Personally, I don't think City are the footballing gods the experts and the media portray them to be. CFC yet again failed to build on success and have fallen short of last seasons exploits. ..see also Spurs. United, Arsenal and Liverpool are pretty much on a par with last season. City are the only club that have actually improved imo. I think the rest are happy just to improve and secure top 4....Roman is the one who truly wants and needs all that glitters...with that in mind I forecast 2 or 3 very big signings this summer as we look to close the gap and jump ahead. That will cost us the exit of many young players. It's easier to say who is safe from the exit door and I'm left with one...Ampadu - the only one I think Conte has plans for. The rest will be loaned or sold. Even Ampadu could be loaned but I think he has a real chance under Conte.
![[^]](../images/smilies/approve.gif)
Christensen as well
![[conte2]](../images/smilies/conte2.gif)
Valid points also utc. I can see both sides to it.
But for e.g. I see no point in blowing 20m+ on Barkley just to loan out RLC again.
That’s when the club’s plan has flaws, when they end up spending money on players who are no better than what we’ve got here.
I must admit, I don’t think either Barkley or RLC are good enough for us at the moment... ![[hide]](../images/smilies/hide.gif)
A fit Barkley or a fit RLC?
Barkley every day of the week for me.
I’d say Barkley’s further along than RLC is at the moment, although it’s hard to know where he is at the moment following the injury.
Sometimes it’s about momentum and RLC seems to have got some of that at the moment. Having said that, I feel like he must always only play well when I’m not watching cos every time I’ve seen Palace play this season, he’s been mostly anonymous, yet he seems to get rave reviews ![[eh]](../images/smilies/confused.gif)
One thing that’s easy to forget is that it’s down to the players as well; people often say we should have kept RLC and Abraham in the squad, but they surely want and need to play games regularly and they won’t be able to do that here, so better for them to be first choice elsewhere than third choice here.
From what I hear, the club rated Solanke more than they do Tammy, however they took a calculated risk to keep the latter because he’d be happier to go on loan for a year or two and then maybe come back as a back-up striker, whereas Solanke felt he could go somewhere permanently and play more often with a better chance of being the main man.
Chalobah was one I thought might become a squad player in the way you’re referring to, but again from what I can gather, he didn’t want that and wanted to play every week elsewhere.
We're a serious challenger for the title season in season out now. There's a toe to toe battle going on between City and Chelsea so that makes it very difficult for youngsters to get in for any length of time. Man City have the highly talented Phil Foden but he will have to look at a loan to progress. City and Chelsea are 100% committed to winning honours, it's unlike the rest imo. Liverpool, Arsenal and United accept second best these days and Spurs are always happy in their deluded bubble whatever position they are.
In a League where teams are going unbeaten for over half the season and indeed winning a high percentage of those, you’re not going to be able to give the RLCs of this world any more than 5-10 minutes at the end of the odd game like Stoke at home when we’re comfortable, unless you’re happy to settle for not being a serious title challenger like those teams you’ve mentioned.