Just watching the season and the play-offs, these look the business to be ready for a move to a higher level. 1. Kyle Dempsey (Gillingham) - bring him on to cover for Mowatt (or replace him if he chooses not to extend) - good, combative midfielder with positive performances across several lower league clubs and has added goals to his game this season - a major factor behind the Gills' success this season. Other Championship clubs interested. 2. Ellis Simms (Blackpool on loan from Everton) - the more I see of this guy, the better he looks. Has all the aspects of the target-man striker game and would fit our three-up-top model. Excellent in the air and good link-up play. Scores goals to add to that. Would need a cheeky million pound bid to tempt Everton to part with him, so he will probably be loaned out again next season, but you never know. 3. Tony Scully (Lincoln City) - good cover for Conor Chaplin with similar style of play. Fast, tricky, direct. Good link-up play, especially working out wide. Former West Ham youth player, so good pedigree. 4. Brandon Barker (Oxford United) - left-sided midfielder, so cover for Styles, or would allow Styles to move into centre midfield with Oduor still available to cover wide left. So impressed with this player. Great skills on the ball and good vision to unpick defences. The dribbling skills of a winger as well. Oxford's best player v Blackpool. 5. Lewis Montsma (Lincoln City) - perfect cover for Helik in central defence and has the same reputation for scoring goals as well. Good in the air and reads the game well beyond his young years. Another we could improve and could fit almost anywhere across the back three. 6. Deon Sanderson (Sunderland on loan from Wolves) - stand-out performer at the back for Sunderland and looks completely assured on the ball. Dominant in the tackle on the ground and winning the ball in the air. Would be plenty of competition from other Championship clubs, but already performing beyond his years. Will probably end up being loaned out again next season, unless Wolves decide to put him in the first team squad regularly. 7. Kyle Joseph (Wigan Athletic) - why did Wigan turn down our seemingly excellent January offer when they needed the cash and knowing that he could leave for free (or nominal if they offer him a new contract and he turns it down)? A lot of competition, but can you really see him going to Spurs, even though he came to their notice in a youth cup game? Worth another punt in the summer. I have not seen enough of him to be definite, but would trust those at Oakwell who have, so have another go for him. There will be others, but any of those would, imho strengthen and already strong squad. Either knock me down, or add to the list. Hottest property for me? Ellis Simms.
Just to add: Adam Idah (Norwich City) - presuming that they sign more strikers in the Prem and he moves down the pecking order at Carrow Road. Scored a youth team hat trick against us, so we know his strengths. A bit short of first team experience, but worth a cheeky bid, I would have thought.
It's surely going to depend on what league we're going to be in and the strategy the owners deploy. Do they give it a go at staying up if we're promoted, or do they use it as a season to get higher levels of development for young kids? Could be demoralising if it goes badly wrong though. I'll be interested to see who we offload. We've still got a huge first team squad despite Ismael using pretty much the same players for the matchday selection.
We also have all the loan players returning, Schmidt, Ritzy, Thomas, the midfielder from Liverpool, forgot his name, Aitchen and the younger ones as well, then there’s the emergence of young uns such as Jasper Moon, Aiden Marsh. If we don’t go up’ I wouldn’t be surprised if we see few permanent incomings, but perhaps more ‘short-term’ quality’ loans. We’ll see.
I pick out a list of league 1 and 2 players every summer who I'd love for us to sign. They generally sign for Brentford. They spend millions on a scouting network, when really, I'd be happy to do it for £30k a year I agree about Simms BTW, looks to be a proper footballer.
Always rated Luke O'Nein at Sunderland. He's out of contract in the summer and hasn't committed to a new deal just yet. 26 now though.
Ellis Simms looks quality but will have many suitors at Championship level. Think Everton will only loan him though at this stage of his development. Kyle Dempsey has taken the hard route so seems to have the desire to go with his ability. Could be a good shout.
Simms only has a year left on contract so could see Everton letting him go, with that kind of offer, only concern for me would be that his coaches at Blackpool talk about having to constantly on at him as has a tendency to switch off.
Only seen Montsma a couple of times but really like the look of him. It will take a bit more than a ‘cheeky bid’ to get Idah or Simms, very highly rated and going nowhere. Assuming we’re still in the championship next season I would like to have a look at Simms, like you say would suit our style. But it would only ever be a loan move which is a route we rarely go down these days.
