16 Aug 2025 12:29:55
With Baleba probably not happening (wouldn't surprise me if we tried with an official bid in a week or so if we shift the bomb squad quickly), it will be incredibly interesting to see the plan.

Personally, I see absolutely no point in buying a non-elite option to fill the gap. Why spend £50m on a player who in an ideal world wouldn't be in our starting XI in 12 months time if we got Baleba in 2026?

Bruno, Ugarte, Mainoo and Casemiro as options for the two midfield slots really isn't ideal, but I don't see the point in bringing in someone who isn't going to raise that floor SIGNIFICANTLY, as Baleba would have done.

Options:

Hjulmund - I promise you all that he is no better than Ugarte and would be a monumental waste of money.

Ederson - decent, but not elite. The kind of ideal third choice CM in a champions league side.

Hackney - never ever going to be a starter. So why waste £20m+ on him? I'd genuinely rather keep Collyer long-term as the sort of 5th choice, which is what Hackney would become.

Wharton - by far the best option on this list, but a completely different profile to Baleba, so I would suggest that he won't be of interest to Amorim. Wharton isn't the 'cover every blade of grass' midfielder that we clearly need - he's more the orchestrator, which is what Amorim wants Bruno to be in that deeper role.

I think we'll stick with what we've got and that will be it for incomings now.

1.) 16 Aug 2025
16 Aug 2025 14:30:03
Downsie, 3rd choice in a champions league side is better than first choice in a side that finished 15th and didn’t turn up to a europa league final to a sh*t spurs side.

Ederson is a decent option.

2.) 16 Aug 2025
16 Aug 2025 17:27:34
What about a Wharton/ Baleba combination Downsie for next season.

3.) 16 Aug 2025
16 Aug 2025 18:02:17
We should be looking to sign at least one midfielder this summer, and I reckon we will struggle to finish top 6 if we don't. Ederson would be a good option, though not proven in the Premier League, and Boubacar Kamara would be a great option, and while expensive, there is clearly money available if we were looking at Baleba.

Whoever we might sign, they will surely be an improvement on our current options, and even if they aren't first choice next season because we sign Baleba next summer, they would then provide great strength in depth in a position where we currently lack both strength and depth. Which, if we manage to improve enough to secure European football for next, will be very important.

As far as I'm concerned, as much as we all want Baleba, we need a midfielder now, and we probably need 3 or 4 midfielders over the next 2 or 3 years, since Casemiro is far past his best, Ugarte and Collyer aren't good enough, and Bruno is not getting any younger. Only Mainoo and possibly Kone have any long term future at the club.

4.) 16 Aug 2025
16 Aug 2025 18:05:01
Funnily enough downsie, ill take the opinion of qualified coaching staff and scouts over your promises as to whether Hjulmand is adept at playing the required role in midfield.

5.) 16 Aug 2025
16 Aug 2025 18:48:27
Logically, you'd wait a year then try next summer, or even winter.
Trouble is, this midfield is going to cost points, with sides already targeting it - Amorim may well not be around to see it come to fruition. If there's an obtainable more cost-effective player who dramatically improves the midfield in the meantime, it would surely be worth the risk, then still move for Baleba down the road.

6.) 16 Aug 2025
16 Aug 2025 22:12:00
Maybe if we sort the keeper, our new goals for might counter the goals against up until Xmas.
If they want Baleba and it is a firm no now, why force a player that isn't wanted on the squad, we've been down that path.

7.) 17 Aug 2025
17 Aug 2025 03:32:21
Completely different opinion on this.
1. We need an elite starting CM now. Maybe Baleba comes next season, maybe he doesn't. Maybe this CM is better than Baleba, maybe he isn't. What is clear is that there is a need now, and it will only add to squad strength a year down the line assuming more CMs are added.

2. Definitely taking your opinions on Hjulmand Ederson etc with a pinch of salt. They are generally well regarded by folks who do this for a living, so unless you share some additional information to back up your assertions, kinda hard to take them very seriously.

Also, for all we know all this is posturing by both Brighton and ourselves. Think Caicedo to Chelsea was quite similar as well. Brighton said we will not sell, player wanted to move, manager said all is good, Chelsea said we are walking away (this one is a bit hazy in my head and can't be bothered to check), and then deal happened. so let's just wait and see. for once the club seem to be more in control than the media about what we are doing :)