Transfer IN
-- We add a youngster to our U18 program in DL
Dennis Richter, a 0.5/1.5 prospect who was recently released by Karlsruher SC in Germany. He won’t play for the senior team but I always like trying to win the U18 league so Richter will help there.
Contract Extension
-- And just like that, we come to an agreement with stellar DC
Rayane Hamon on a two year extension that will see him get a slight raise to £68,000 per week (up from £59,000). His new deal expires in 2027, at which time he’ll be 29 years old.
Transfer IN
-- We make our first big splash of the offseason, bringing in 21 year old left midfielder Mads Pedersen from Chelsea in a £10.25 million transfer.
Pedersen has been with Chelsea since 2020-21 and had loan spells at Crystal Palace that year (17apps 2g 3a), Hull in 2021-22 (34apps 2g 4a), FC Kobenhavn in his native Denmark in 2022-23 (46apps 5g 8a) and last year spent the season at Newcastle, scoring 6 goals and adding 10 assists in 42 appearances. He’s a Danish international (3 goals in only 8 international appearances) and is currently rated 3.0/3.5. He’s got incredible flair and is solid across the board and will step in immediately as a key backup to
Arsene Bamba and will likely start pushing him for increased playing time in the near future. I remember Pedersen playing very well against us last year during our Newcastle games so I’m delighted to get him!
Transfer OUT
-- We bid adieu to third string goalkeeper
Mathis Imbert, who comes to terms with Valencia after negotiating with eight clubs in a deal worth £2.5 million plus potential clauses. We picked Imbert up on a free from Olympique Lyonnais last offseason but he obviously had no chance to unseat
Manuel Perez or incumbent
Ingo Wilke but still got into two games for our club, allowing one goal. This was an easy move for us and it’s nice to make some money on a guy we picked up for nothing only last year.
Transfer IN
-- Signings are coming fast and furious now, as we welcome a highly rated prospect to our U18 club in
Eneko Remirez, a 16 year old right fullback who joins us in a £2 million transfer deal with Athletic Club Bilbao.
Remirez is super young but has 3.5 star potential (current rating between 0.5 and 1 star according to my coaches), good speed and great determination. It wasn’t an expensive move and one of those gambles you hope pays off in the end, whether it’s here or somewhere else after a transfer. He’ll spend the next two years with our U18s and maybe get a cup game with our senior team at some point.
Potential MAJOR TRANSFER
-- I’ve had my eyes on this young German central midfielder for about a year or so but obviously, it isn’t a position of need right now with
Neil Cairney,
Jose,
Andrea Rocca, etc all hanging around. This guy never was interested in coming here anyway but a recent news item indicated his discontent at Schalke and I had my scouts start sniffing around. Well, they came back saying he’d be interested in coming here so I started transfer talks - Schalke was open to a major deal that would see a lot of money come their way PLUS they wanted striker
Giorgos Gesios thrown in. Gesios has spent two consecutive years away on loan and he’s not needed here so I had no issues including him in the offer. Gesios has come to me asking for £16,750/week in compensation for the next twelve months, as he will have to take a pay cut in Germany. I agree to pay the compensation and now, we wait on a player that will give us the greatest of problems - too many talented midfielders! We’ll keep our fingers crossed - this guy looks to be ridiculous!