How many players will we sign this summer?

[Snowflake Royal]

Good lord No!

[Pepe the Horseman]

Good lord No!

I mean he ticks all the boxes of the type of player we shouldn't be going for, so that's something.

[Brogue]

Andy Carroll is Available on a free. Would make a good target mad as a partner to Puscas or Joao. I know wages would be hefty but at least we could offer him playing time.

saw this today and was going to post something similar, would be great in the champ imo

[SCIAG]

In the last four years he has scored four league goals (five in all competitions).

He’d probably do better if he dropped a level but I don’t think he’d actually be good.

[Snowflake Royal]

We'd need a bigger treatment table.

[Elm Park Kid]

I appreciate how Carroll would seem like a appealing signing to some - but anyone who thinks it's a genuine possibility is completely clueless on what is going on with the club right now. It's like a guy who has just been declared bankrupt going to the local BMW garage to see if he can get credit on a second hand M4.

The situation we're in is more akin to having to get the permission of your parents to buy a bike.

[linkenholtroyal]

I appreciate how Carroll would seem like a appealing signing to some - but anyone who thinks it's a genuine possibility is completely clueless on what is going on with the club right now. It's like a guy who has just been declared bankrupt going to the local BMW garage to see if he can get credit on a second hand M4.

The situation we're in is more akin to having to get the permission of your parents to buy a bike.

If he was willing to take a 1 year contract under 10k per week it would be a no brainer but I doubt it so I should not have posted it. We need 4 more for our squad as a minimum and beggars at this point cant be choosers.

[Elm Park Kid]

I appreciate how Carroll would seem like a appealing signing to some - but anyone who thinks it's a genuine possibility is completely clueless on what is going on with the club right now. It's like a guy who has just been declared bankrupt going to the local BMW garage to see if he can get credit on a second hand M4.

The situation we're in is more akin to having to get the permission of your parents to buy a bike.

If he was willing to take a 1 year contract under 10k per week it would be a no brainer but I doubt it so I should not have posted it. We need 4 more for our squad as a minimum and beggars at this point cant be choosers.

Yeah, that scenario would be a no-brainer for the club. But it would very much be a 'brainer' for the EFL approval panel who get to decide who we sign or not.

When we say we need a 'minimum of 4' - to do what? Be title contenders? Play-off hopefuls? Top half finishers? Or not be obvious relegation candidates? Because I suspect that the EFL are only judging things on the last criteria.

[linkenholtroyal]

I appreciate how Carroll would seem like a appealing signing to some - but anyone who thinks it's a genuine possibility is completely clueless on what is going on with the club right now. It's like a guy who has just been declared bankrupt going to the local BMW garage to see if he can get credit on a second hand M4.

The situation we're in is more akin to having to get the permission of your parents to buy a bike.

If he was willing to take a 1 year contract under 10k per week it would be a no brainer but I doubt it so I should not have posted it. We need 4 more for our squad as a minimum and beggars at this point cant be choosers.

Yeah, that scenario would be a no-brainer for the club. But it would very much be a 'brainer' for the EFL approval panel who get to decide who we sign or not.

When we say we need a 'minimum of 4' - to do what? Be title contenders? Play-off hopefuls? Top half finishers? Or not be obvious relegation candidates? Because I suspect that the EFL are only judging things on the last criteria.

I maybe alone but I think we would stay up if we signed no one and played the kids. There is a lot of talent there.

[From Despair To Where?]

I think it's unfair to throw untried kids into the deep end of the Championship as first choice and expect them to hit the ground running.

[Royalwaster]

If he was willing to take a 1 year contract under 10k per week it would be a no brainer but I doubt it so I should not have posted it. We need 4 more for our squad as a minimum and beggars at this point cant be choosers.

Yeah, that scenario would be a no-brainer for the club. But it would very much be a 'brainer' for the EFL approval panel who get to decide who we sign or not.

When we say we need a 'minimum of 4' - to do what? Be title contenders? Play-off hopefuls? Top half finishers? Or not be obvious relegation candidates? Because I suspect that the EFL are only judging things on the last criteria.

I maybe alone but I think we would stay up if we signed no one and played the kids. There is a lot of talent there.

I think you're fairly on your own with that one ... if we do that, we'll be looking at relegation.

[Snowflake Royal]

I appreciate how Carroll would seem like a appealing signing to some - but anyone who thinks it's a genuine possibility is completely clueless on what is going on with the club right now. It's like a guy who has just been declared bankrupt going to the local BMW garage to see if he can get credit on a second hand M4.

The situation we're in is more akin to having to get the permission of your parents to buy a bike.

If he was willing to take a 1 year contract under 10k per week it would be a no brainer but I doubt it so I should not have posted it. We need 4 more for our squad as a minimum and beggars at this point cant be choosers.

Yeah, that scenario would be a no-brainer for the club. But it would very much be a 'brainer' for the EFL approval panel who get to decide who we sign or not.

When we say we need a 'minimum of 4' - to do what? Be title contenders? Play-off hopefuls? Top half finishers? Or not be obvious relegation candidates? Because I suspect that the EFL are only judging things on the last criteria.

I think the FL will only be looking at wage budget, money in, wage offered and squad size.

Where it will possibly make us finish is irrelevant to them. It's just got to comply with the rules.

Which require

1) Steps to reduce the loss
2) No transfer fees
3) One year deals only
4) Signings up to a squad of 23, where certain youth players won't count towards the number.
5) wage offered (I wouldn't be surprised if we're limited to Champ average or something)

These processes are objective, not subjective.

[Elm Park Kid]

If he was willing to take a 1 year contract under 10k per week it would be a no brainer but I doubt it so I should not have posted it. We need 4 more for our squad as a minimum and beggars at this point cant be choosers.

Yeah, that scenario would be a no-brainer for the club. But it would very much be a 'brainer' for the EFL approval panel who get to decide who we sign or not.

When we say we need a 'minimum of 4' - to do what? Be title contenders? Play-off hopefuls? Top half finishers? Or not be obvious relegation candidates? Because I suspect that the EFL are only judging things on the last criteria.

I think the FL will only be looking at wage budget, money in, wage offered and squad size.

Where it will possibly make us finish is irrelevant to them. It's just got to comply with the rules.

Which require

1) Steps to reduce the loss
2) No transfer fees
3) One year deals only
4) Signings up to a squad of 23, where certain youth players won't count towards the number.
5) wage offered (I wouldn't be surprised if we're limited to Champ average or something)

These processes are objective, not subjective.

I don't know what the exact rules are or what mechanisms they are using to enforce them. Has there been any official/unofficial statement?

'Steps to reduce the loss' sounds subjective to me. The EFL have to make a decision about how much we are able to increase our wage by and the justification for doing so. They may have set us a very low level for (5) based on the assumption that our existing squad (including the promotion of Youth players) is good enough to get through the season. I would be a bit surprised if they let us offer 'average championship wages' - but maybe you're right. I suppose we'll see in the coming weeks.

[Hound]

Could really do with losing Moore from the wage bill couldnt we?

And prob Swift and Rafael as well, though Swift would leave a big hole in the side

[mikey0406]

I’m not sure getting the big earners off our wage bill now will make a difference to the position we are in - therefore it may even weaken our position. With FFP averaged over three years, the chances of a £20-£30k signing of the wage bill is unlikely to dent the deficit

Wages from here will be an issue with a cap on salary issued, no loan fees and 6 month loan contracts, plus only being able to offer a year to out of contracts.

This is more and more looking like a season where academy players are key

[Snowflake Royal]

Moore is a pretty perfect example of who we need to shift. Quality in his position in Morrison, McIntyre and Holmes, with Dorsett looking promising.

And he's costing us more than £1.5m a year. That means selling him reduces our wage bill by about 4.5% and we get some transfer fees in.

I'd accept anything above about £2m for him at this point.

Swift and Cabral should be on less and are in positions where we have less quality competition and depth, so it's harder. But those two would probably knock another £2m off the wages, plus any fee.

Something drastic needs to happen because without it we'll continue to have the same issues for several more years.

We've lost £40 two seasons in a row and it's not likely to be much better, if not worse, for last season.

This will be our third year of embargos. With little hope of that being different next year even if we slash the wage budget for this year. We could be looking at another three years of this.

If we'd sold Moore when we had.the chance rather than paying him PL wages, we'd be about £13m better off.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Moore is a pretty perfect example of who we need to shift. Quality in his position in Morrison, McIntyre and Holmes, with Dorsett looking promising.

And he's costing us more than £1.5m a year. That means selling him reduces our wage bill by about 4.5% and we get some transfer fees in.

I'd accept anything above about £2m for him at this point.

Swift and Cabral should be on less and are in positions where we have less quality competition and depth, so it's harder. But those two would probably knock another £2m off the wages, plus any fee.

Something drastic needs to happen because without it we'll continue to have the same issues for several more years.

We've lost £40 two seasons in a row and it's not likely to be much better, if not worse, for last season.

This will be our third year of embargos. With little hope of that being different next year even if we slash the wage budget for this year. We could be looking at another three years of this.

If we'd sold Moore when we had.the chance rather than paying him PL wages, we'd be about £13m better off.

Brighton could be back in for him with White moving on.

[Hound]

think that ship has sailed, but WBA were keen a year or two back. Could be a possibility - just pick him up on the cheap and pay the big wages - they've still got plenty of PL money to do so

[linkenholtroyal]

I think it's unfair to throw untried kids into the deep end of the Championship as first choice and expect them to hit the ground running.

It is not ideal but you have to blood them sometime, If we did sign Lazaar and Edwards there at least would be a senior player in each position with an understudy behind them.

Rafael, Southwood
Lazaar, Bristow
Moore, McIntyre, Dorsett
Morrison, Holmes
Yiadom, Holmes or Araruna
Rinhomota, Tetek
Laurent, Araruna
Ejaria, Edwards
Swift, Ejaria
Meite, Azeez, Sackey
Joao, Puscas, Ehibhatiomhan

I think that team would still survive in the championship, ideally I still think another wide player with Meites injury (Harris, Reach, Bolassie) and a CM would be desirable (Leitner, Holtby or Besic).

I also agree with other statements on here that Moore is the natural player to sell, Swift also should be cashed in on in the last year of his contract and unlikely to sign another with the wages we could offer he would need a replacement though ( Steipermann, Meyer, ???)

I also think people on here need to be realistic, the only way we will get promoted in the next few years is if our current crop of youngsters step up and take us there. If not we have 3 years of survival till we can invest and rebuild. We have no choice this is a marathon not a sprint. 46 points is the aim again.

[Elm Park Kid]

https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news ... als-deals/

Ok, this is speculation on my part, but reading between the lines of this article it sounds like the EFL might have blocked the signings. Or at least put enough restrictions in place that they couldn't go ahead.

I hope that i'm wrong and that in the few weeks we manage to bring some reasonable signings in.