Potential Free Transfers this Summer

Easy to filter on Transfermarkt, but these are players that will be out of contract this year that we might want to have a look at...

GKs
Joe Gauci
Tom McGill
Lucas Bergstrom

LBs
Jack Sparkes
Owen Dodgson
Lino Sousa

RBs
Zack Swanson
Lewis Payne
Ryan Cooney

CBs
Luke Mbete
Amadou Salif Mbengue
Ricardo Santos

CMs
Scott High
Lewis Warrington
Josh Onomah

LWs
Lewis Koumas
Sam Bell
Andre Green

RWs
Ryan Hedges
Kaide Gordon
Kwame Poku

CFs
Josh Coburn
Dale Taylor
Kusini Yengi
Jayden Danns

 

Dodgson contracted until 2027

 

Not according to Transfermarkt at 2pm this afternoon. Not saying it’s factually correct though.

 

It's a little confusing as they have his loan expiry date (31/05/2025) as well as his contract expiry date (30/06/2027).

 

I searched by contract expiry date and then filtered by positions. It was just food for thought.

 

Think you might be reading it wrong. Gauci for instance is contracted til 2028. Both from transfermkt. Both players go back to their parent club end of Jun 25.

 

I think he could still be worth a look as he's left footed and can play in a few positions.

 

It must be the way it filters it then and includes loans as though they are contracts. There’s probably a few on there that won’t be available then.
Stupid transfermarkt.

 

See's some of the defending and goals conceeded this season flashing through the mind, then see's the name Riccardo Santos.
**** me let the nightmares continue.

 

Don't worry about it. You seem to have the level of competence required for our recruitment team.

 

Harsh, but fair.

 

Barring that Poku, who'll be going to a Champ side, there's nobody on that list who'll get me banging the door down to buy a ST. I don't care how or who funds it, but we must spend some money to assemble a squad that can at the very least, compete next season with a view to getting autos to the year after. That's how far Infront they have to start planning.

Since they've come, all the owners have done is stick plasters on and we've gone backwards.

I know people will say that it's risking the Clubs' future to do this etc etc. But where is the Club going currently? What prospects do we have going by the current model? My argument would be that we're going to League 2 if we carry on. And we'll be doing it with 5000 fans in Oakwell to boot.

They need a solid number 1, we need at least one quality CB to partner Shepherd (who I think will be brilliant for us next year). We need at least one CM with the pace and ability to get box to box. We need, at the very least two proven strikers at this level.

Anything less than that and we're going to struggle again. We all know it. And I haven't even looked at the wider positions. Do we extend Humphreys' contract? Jury is out on him. Is Jalo going to be fit? Is Phillips leaving? Connell? God forbid, DKD?

If this summer goes wrong, we're up sh*t creek without a paddle whether they go the frugal route, or the spending route. Either way, it has got to work this time, otherwise there might not be a Club left.

 

I think there is plenty available in the free transfer market, those above were just some that I knew of or looked at their stats/history and thought they would do a job. I don't think we need to spend loads this summer to come up with a competitive squad, at least on transfer fees.

 

Koumas and especially Coburn would be brilliant additions mate. Not a chance we'd get the latter though

 

I agree. But we've all, as modern day football fans, become far too focused on the here and now. Sure, we could probably assemble a decent squad of cheap or free players for next season. But what about the season after when all those cheap and frees get poached and we're back to square one again?

We have to think longer term than that. We need to build a squad that we can keep for 2 or 3 seasons. No, we might not go up next year, but as long as there's clear signs that we're onto something good then I can cope with that.

Young mixed with experience, quality players that can grow together as a squad. Not just in the Summer for the 25/26 season. But a squad that can continually improve and stay together (barring one or two comings and goings) for the 25/26, 26/27 and 27/28 seasons - hopefully culminating in the 27/28 season seeing us sat comfortably 13th/14th in the Championship. Then I woke up

 

Nathan Baxter gk

Matt Clarke cb

Matty Pearson cb

Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan cf

 

You can say that again.

 

All just guesses at this stage. I just hope we’re going to act quick and get some signings in before preseason starts.
Might be a good idea to extend the early bird too to allow a couple of signings that might signal a bit of intent?