05 Jul 2026 17:49:19
The Andrey Santos thing is very simple, to me. Him or Ederson = fine. Him and Ederson = the kind of midfield rebuild expected at a Palace, Forest or Everton. If we are genuinely thinking that a midfield roster of Mainoo, Santos, Ederson and Fletcher/Thwaites/Oroczo/Kone is OK for a season in which we play Champions League football, then be prepared to come closer to 15th than 3rd next season.
05 Jul 2026 18:35:14
We are going to need 2 more CMs so if we got him and Tchouameni, would you be happy with that?
05 Jul 2026 19:02:27
Angel, no. That's not good enough. Tchouameni and Scott, and that is better still. We are talking about a midfield rebuild, and looking at scrap.
05 Jul 2026 19:16:49
Angel, no, not really.
Mainoo isn't elite, as much as some on here think that he is.
Santos isn't elite.
Ederson certainly isn't elite.
Even if we did go and get Tchouameni, we'd be looking at one elite, one very good (KM), one decent (AS) and one average (E) midfielder in our first-team squad.
If the unthinkable happens and we get Scott, Santos and Ederson, then it'll be one very good (KM), two decent (ASx2!) and one average (E).
Mainoo is absolutely not the man to be our no.1 midfielder. And yet I think he's going to be come September 1st.
All of this whilst City have Rodri and Anderson, Arsenal could well have Rice and Guimaraes, Liverpool have Szoboszlai and Gravenberch, Chelsea have Enzo and Caicedo, Spurs have Fernandes and Tonali, Villa have Kamara and Tielemans...
Need I go on? I'd even take Palace's midfield of Wharton and Kamada over Mainoo and one of Scott/Santos/Ederson.
This summer needed two elite midfielders. Two of Tchouameni, Anderson, Guimaraes, Tonali or Fernandes. Mainoo should have been the rotational option, not the one to completely pin our hopes upon. Unless two midfielders at least on a par with Mainoo come in, we'll come bottom half this season, with Champions League.
05 Jul 2026 19:31:57
Sounds like you have it all sorted, Downsie. You clearly know better than the boys at United. ?
I'm very happy with the window last year, and I believe they know what they're doing. Happy to wait and see regarding the targets. They will have far superior knowledge regarding these targets than anyone on here.
05 Jul 2026 19:35:42
Downsie, your list has 1 elite player in Tchouameni. Anderson looks like he could be. Guimaraes and Tonali have ability, but if they were both elite then Newcastle would have bossed most of their games, and that has not been the case. Mateus Fernandes is mostly about potential. And Santos has at least as much potential as him.
We need balance in our midfield. We need a midfield duo that can press, can progress the ball through the lines, and screen the defence.
Ederson and Mainoo are actually a decent combination. I'm hugely surprised Santos is available. He'd work with either of those. If we get him and someone like Joao Gomes, I'd be thrilled. Players with EPL experience, that are on the way up rather than on the way down, with their best years ahead. And, mostly, players that have complementary skill sets.
05 Jul 2026 21:35:37
I rememper Ed001 rated him highly. Or maybe i am wrong
05 Jul 2026 23:13:47
Scott - decent. ??
Behave. We need to be looking at better than him. Might as well bring back McFred if we go for Scott.
06 Jul 2026 19:09:33
Stop Mr Lee, I had flashbacks there. ?
07 Jul 2026 09:32:02
Scott is an exceptional player. He would improve us massively.