Summer 2025 Transfer Ratings

[Snowflake Royal]

As we enter the season proper, seems a good point to summarise our transfer dealings and keep as a place holder for a review once the window closes and then again 10 - 20 games into the season, then end of season on how they're doing and who was a good signing etc.

I'll ignore contract renewals as that would start getting out of hand with the number we've had.

GK - Stevens - solid
Reserve goalkeeper, would be underwhelming as a replacement for Pereira, and possibly a bit of a luxury if Joel stays fit all season. But pretty good as cover, allowing the likes of Rowley and Norcott the chance to develop further, without just benchsitting or being thrown in at the deep end.

LB - Jacobs (loan) - right idea
Seems exactly what we all wanted at LB, an experienced player to come in. Poor showing v Pompey, but one game doesn’t mean a lot. Looks slow though.

CB - O'Connor - good
Experienced and quality CB at this level. Hard to ask for more from a signing at this stage. Question mark over his suitability to our play style. Not quick. Not sure how well he'll pair with Burns.

CB - Burns (loan) - good
Promising young CB with experience at a higher level. Not the quickest, seems decent on the ball. Question marks over how well he'll pair with O'Connor.

DM - Liam Fraser - good
Experienced midfield cover rated well at Crawley last season. Gives depth to the strongest part of the squad.

AM - Kyerewaa - solid
Young energetic forward with a knack for goals. We do already have inexperienced forwards though and probably a litle more underwhelming with Knibbs going, hard act to follow and someone more proven would have been nice. Looks a bit small.

FW - Lane - great
Proven player with a good record at this level. Age to improve, potential for resale value. In a position that desperately needed strengthening, brings goals and creativity to the side.

ST - O'Mahoney (loan) - solid
Strong young striker. Hold up play looks good. But lack of quality attacking players in preseason games has left him with little service or chances to show his finishing. Not enough without some reinforcement.

Could do with at least [1 more winger - now signed although a second wouldn’t hurt] and striker. But they're mostly the right sort of signings... just got to see if they work out.

[Tinpot Royal]

Agree with most of this. It would have have been a good transfer window (so far) apart from 2 things:
1. Couhig bigged it up at the start as being a great window with a top 4 budget.
2. Our attack is seriously light, we need at least 1 more striker and 2 more wingers

[Royal Monkey]

Not sure you can label any of these signings good/solid (which term is better?) until we’ve seen them play a few games in the league.
So far I’m very underwhelmed.
Totally understand new owners don’t wanna go crazy with money but having players choose Stevenage and Exeter (favourites for relegation) over us is very disappointing.

[Snowflake Royal]

Not sure you can label any of these signings good/solid (which term is better?) until we’ve seen them play a few games in the league.
So far I’m very underwhelmed.
Totally understand new owners don’t wanna go crazy with money but having players choose Stevenage and Exeter (favourites for relegation) over us is very disappointing.

Of course you can. It's obviously highly provisional and subject to change.

But it's clear that signing an Aluko for £7m when we need a stiker is a bad signing. And signing a Paudie O'Connor for free when we need CBs is a good signing.

What's underwhelming? Other than the lack of attacking signings? Or one pre-season friendly. I would argue, that needing a striker doesn’t making signing CBs, when we also needed them, bad or underwhelming.

Good very definitely better than solid (adequate better?).

[Hound]

It’s tough to rate - players that looked very solid (including Jacob) against spurs looked utterly inept against Portsmouth

I think O Mahony and Kyerewaa look fairly sharp and hoping for good things

[Snowflake Royal]

My thinking on rating a signing before the season starts, is:

Are they in a position we need strengthening?

Do they have the quality to perform well in the role we've signed them for?

Was the signing good value for money based on their likely performance?

Is there the potential for decent resale value?

How have they performed in pre-season?