More Talk Of Outs... No Sign of Ins

Joe Willock’s agent has reportedly offered him to Turkish club Besiktas with the player also said to be keen on a move to the Istanbul giants.

Many fans may not be overly concerned about the rumour but the fact still remains that we are shedding more players than we are signing with no big rumours of incomings.

32 days & Counting

The 'one out, one in' and 'quick signings for pre-season training' mantra that was supposed to be the clubs policy for this transfer window isn't going to plan.

With just 32 days to go to KO against Liverpool the first team squad is looking bare with only three youngsters signed to date.

Plus, with pre-season training and friendlies underway Eddie Howe is faced yet again with getting players in too late to fully acclimatise them to his tactical systems.

What is going on?

The only persistent signing rumour is GK James Trafford but this saga is running nearly as long as The Archers.

If he signs, at just 23 years old, he could be our keeper for the next 10 years - so where would that leave 20 year old Jouen?

I get that we need two quality keepers but would it not be sensible to target an older keeper while young Jouen develops?

Nick Pope was 30 when he joined the club for just £10M and what a tremendous buy he turned out to be. It is only last season that age and possibly his dislocation have caught up on him.

Regular readers will know I've banged on about the benefits of signing older experienced players, especially with PL experience, and there is no doubt that three of our best signings during Eddie's time have been Pope, Trippier and Burn.

Those three 'old troupers' cost less than £40M in total and all played a huge part in our rise up the PL, CL qualification, and Carabou Cup win.

Our transfer dealings so far this window have been 'experienced players out, young uns in' and whilst that is exciting in some ways it is equally worrying in others.

How far back have we gone?

It isn't just losing Isak, Tonali, and Gordon, albeit that they are the hardest to replace... we've also lost key and solid first team squad players like Trippier, Krafth and Targett who have all played their part... plus Pope, Schar, Burn and Murphy are close to or past their best.

Add in that last season's signings haven't come anywhere near as a group to taking the club forward makes the question 'how far back have we gone' a telling one to ask.

I've mentioned before that I am normally in the positive 'happy clapper' brigade but as each day goes by without more signings, and even then signings that I think will have an immediate effect on the first 11... the more my membership of that brigade weakens.

If Bruno were to leave the headline question becomes chillingly too easy to answer.

Far.

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