17 Apr 2026 01:12:57
A top team needs an elite level centre back and preferably a pair of them. None of those mentioned are that level. Look at the difference Van Djick made to Liverpool when he signed.
17 Apr 2026 11:53:52
Good thing Harry Maguire signed that one-year extension!
17 Apr 2026 13:29:25
Agreed, but we have three problems, which prevent us levelling up in this position:
1.) Two of our three experienced centre backs have availability issues, so we would struggle to shift them for a reasonable fee and bring in the elite centre-backs that you mention.
2.) The club invested a lot of money in Yoro, who is never going to be the finished article, but I think the club thought he would have developed quickly in a similar vein to Saliba at Arsenal.
At the moment he looks way off it, and it's only really his price tag and the sunk cost fallacy which is keeping him in the team over Ayden Heaven, who has performed admirably this season.
3.) We potentially need 3 first-team midfielders, which will probably take up 70/80% of our budget this summer. I don't think we have the resources to also strengthen centre-back, left-back and left wing.
17 Apr 2026 14:02:10
Yoro is an interesting one. If we were offered a decent fee, should we accept it?
17 Apr 2026 17:34:48
He's young and clearly talented, he needs coaching and development, there's a very good player in there.
17 Apr 2026 18:05:10
Saliba spent 2 1/2 seasons on loan in France after joining Arsenal, and at one point they were willing to sell him. That's not exactly a rapid progression; he's been at Arsenal since 2019, with a steady manager.
So let's not totally write off Yoro just yet; he's already had multiple managers and several different defensive formations and partners.
I think there may well be a good player there.
17 Apr 2026 18:33:35
How many 20yo cb's excel in the epl? Not too many. Imo a crazy fee was paid for sick a young player in that position. Most don't really mature there till mid 20s. So his initial contract was due to expire before he reached his prime years as a cb.
It didn't make sense to me at the time and still doesn't.
I do think he has good attributes and i'm sure he will have a really good career at the highest level.
Unless we can sell him for what we paid which is unlikely then I think he should be kept to see if he continues to improve amd show that he is capable of maturing into the player we hoped.
Cb imo maybe the most difficult position to play until you have physically matured and gained plenty of match experience.