Gyokeres is a good player but at 26 years old, turns 27 soon, he isn’t going to get much better. I honestly don’t think he is a top tier striker, he wouldn’t be the first player to tear shit up in Portugal and then struggle in other leagues.

He’d probably do well for us, he’d get a fuck load of chances but if we are gonna splash out on a striker to replace Havertz he needs to be special.

When we played sporting this season our CBs dealt with him comfortably, we need a player that would make our CBs uncomfortable. Isak is probably the most notable example. But reality is there is very little chance Newcastle sell to us so we need to explore all viable options.

    This kid is going to be a killer. Must be nice to have a monopoly on French talent

    • CPM replied to this.

      I don't think Havertz is being replaced. I actually think it's unlikely our striker signing plays more minutes than Havertz next season. At least in the short term, Havertz will be a better player overall than whoever we sign (barring an Isak longshot). And I also wonder whether we might benefit from more 4-4-2 if we had a proper box finisher in the squad.

      We need a plan for parked buses. We don't need to play those games with a 6 and two 8's, which is what we've been doing this year with Partey-Rice-Ødegaard. Particularly with our defensive strength and use of inverted fullbacks, a two-man midfield should be enough to control the game. Havertz can keep the tactical/movement responsibilities of a #9, and then there's room for another forward with less responsibility, who hangs around the box looking to finish chances. Old school big man-little man. I'm not in love with Gyokeres but he could be the little guy goal poacher. Nwaneri might be able to play that role too. You could start certain games in this state (away at Everton, etc.), or substitute into it around 65'.

      It's great to have the ControlBall capacity, it's made us really strong in big games, but sometimes you need to fit a poacher or a maverick into the team to make the difference. Fergie used to stack his teams with forwards who weren't the best all-around players but had a knack for scoring goals. United won a lot of leagues scoring off of scrubby rebounds.

        Claudius I really don't understand why we weren't in for him. He's the one LW who moved in the last year that I wish we had signed.

          CPM I'm not in love with Gyokeres but he could be the little guy goal poacher.

          He's 6'2"

            I don't really think we are in a position to be picky...there are risks with any player we sign.

            Was actually impressed with Gyokeres against us. I like how direct he is too. We need that. If he has a sight on goal you can be sure he's pulling the trigger not like our other 9's who will pass it off or take too many touches.

            Quick google seems to suggest he has been consistently outperforming his xg too which is always a good sign for a striker.

            Havertz is a bit of a fail safe for us so we should be going with someone younger and with a higher ceiling - Eketike, Delap, Sesko etc. Of course if we can get a sure thing (Isak) then that should be the priority but we should be avoiding guys like Gyokeres who pretty much are what they are at this point.

            But we need a top LW if we're going with a younger guy up front. Which is why I feel like Marmoush and Kvara (especially in the summer when his stock was lower) were big misses - of course they might still have chosen PSG and City but if we want to compete for the big trophies we also need to compete for the big players.

            CPM I don't think Havertz is being replaced.

            Agree. The problem we have with Havertz is that any signing at 9 that isn't both good and in form will likely end up getting rotated due to the benefits of Havertz's all-round game and athleticism.

            That's not necessarily a disaster, but we can't expect a huge delta from a player who's coming off the bench. I want a signing who could either complement or ultimately displace Havertz and allow him to be moved on.

              RocktheCasbah

              Yeah, i'll be honest, i never felt my age until the past year or so. I don't know if its catching up to me, or just the stress of work, but only really in the past 6 months have i started to feel like i am 50. Though i still have my moments. 😃

                CPM I don't think Havertz is being replaced. I actually think it's unlikely our striker signing plays more minutes than Havertz next season. At least in the short term, Havertz will be a better player overall than whoever we sign (barring an Isak longshot). And I also wonder whether we might benefit from more 4-4-2 if we had a proper box finisher in the squad.

                Once we have a better LF and hopefully Odegaard at some point will pull his finger out I think Havertz becomes a 30+ goal scorer for us imo. That is why we either need to someone better than Havertz, like Isak, or we signed the hottest prospect we can.

                Gyokeres has 42 goals this season which is bloody impressive but 17 of them are penalties, he is not imo a game changing player for us and am guessing he'd cost £60m+ which is a significant outlay for a player. Especially considering he is 27 so isn't going to get much better.

                    The thing to worry about Gyokeres is not if he can get better. It's if he can stay good for at least the next 5 years, in a different league.

                    Claudius I've spent all morning doing maths questions with my kids, don't you start as well now 😉

                      JazzG He’d probably do well for us, he’d get a fuck load of chances but if we are gonna splash out on a striker to replace Havertz he needs to be special.

                      We need a striker, we can't keep waiting around for this "special" guy. At some stage you just need to take the plunge and get the best available to you.

                      And our centre backs can keep anyone quiet. Would you turn your nose up at Haaland? Yet they pocketed him this season with ease.

                          Claudius Is that bad? We have two months left and it's not a given that you bang all your penalties either.

                              Qwiss That is how we end up like Man Utd, just buying players for the sake of it. If we don't find the right player we should not be coughing up £60m for someone who isn't right. This summer players like Sesko and Ekitike will be available, while they don't have his numbers they look like they'll come for similar money and have a far bigger upside.

                              Haaland has got the better of them a few times in the past but he is also proven beyond doubt. Havertz in the past 12 or so months while he has played as our striker has like 25+ goals, we need a clear upgrade or a great talent. If we can't find either then buy someone cheaper to make do for now.

                                  Should add we signed players like Lacazette in the past, this was a guy putting up numbers as good as anyone in the French league and completely flopped for us. Then went back to France and almost scored as many goals as Mbappe. Some players are just suited for lower quality leagues, big fish in small pond etc.

                                  I'd be okay with Gyokeres for the right fee this summer but I do think we should be looking at Sesko and Ekitike as first options behind Isak. Like @CPM said, I don't think any of Gyokeres/Sesko/Ekitike is immediately displacing Havertz and they might not displace him at all over the next 1-2 seasons. Isak would be the difference there of course but I'm not holding my breath.

                                  My squad building bias would be to take the younger player with a higher ceiling as a bench/rotation option at striker and Sesko and Ekitike clearly have that advantage over Gyokeres. Gyokeres does have the production that both of them don't have as much of but I'm dubious of the Portuguese league. He has shown glimpses of this in the Champs League (hat trick against City and looking dangerous against us) but I don't think its a done deal that he would be able to replicate that form in the EPL.

                                  That being said, if we came out of this summer with a combination of Gyokeres/Williams/Zubimendi/Nypan, I do think we are a better team next year. I would just prefer to take a chance on the younger prospect rather than the striker coming from a lesser league with production.