duke313

A good assessment. The Dembele's of this world will fill the gap we need for the rest of this season. But going forward we need to be shopping in a tier above what we currently are.

I can see this happening quite quickly now that Ings has officially gone, if the player is interested that is. Which I can't imagine he wouldn't be, even if he has other PL offers, we are still the best option.

Totally. He'll fill the gap for now. Which means we can take the pressure off Duran and give him more time to develop/adapt to the league, with him eventually replacing Dembele or Watkins.

If the £3m fee is correct, then it's a no brainer signing him now rather than in the summer.

Probably has, but a lot of them are in the Championship and SPL. Was looking more at his output since he joined Lyon, got off to a decent start in first two seasons, then faltered a bit and flopped at Atletico, had a really impressive season last season and now has stumbled a bit. Not amazing, but not terrible.

We just need someone else in that position. Watkins is inconsistent in front of goal, and there is no way Bailey will not pick up an injury between now and the end of the season. Dembele gives us another option.

Lyon fans have a reputation of being a bit crazy do they not? or is that Marseille? The other player was Aouar, who i'd not say no to either.

Fair point. I'm not opposed to signing him, just think we've left ourselves short selling Ings. Don't think he'll massively improve us, but we need someone until summer.

Not yet. But seems to have the strongest links due to his contract situation and Lyon looking rid of him.

If Watkins gets injured, then what? Selling your back up striker with no replacement is not a good transfer policy. Get someone like Dembele in now, who doesn't really improve us but offers another alternative, and then go back in the summer to replace Watkins.

I'm not sure he's that good of a goal scorer. His record last season is looking like a bit of an anomaly. Season Age Squad Comp MP Starts Min Gls Ast 2013-2014 17 Fulham Premier League 2 1 88 0 0 2014-2015 18 Fulham Championship 11 2 335 0 1 2015-2016 19 Fulham Championship 43 37 3354 15 6 2016-2017 20 Celtic Premiership 29 20 1918 17 5 2017-2018 21 Celtic Premiership 25 17 1442 9 7 2018-2019 22 Celtic Premiership 1 1 90 0 0 2018-2019 22 Lyon Ligue 1 33 21 2016 15 4 2019-2020 23 Lyon Ligue 1 27 24 2188 16 2 2020-2021 24 Atlético Madrid La Liga 5 0 100 0 0 2020-2021 24 Lyon Ligue 1 16 6 677 1 0 2021-2022 25 Lyon Ligue 1 30 25 2207 21 4 2022-2023 26 Lyon Ligue 1 14 6 604 2 0

A fee now in January or nothing in the summer. Tough choice.

We won't get anyone better than Dembele in January, it's a sellers' market and quality strikers are not plentiful.

We've left ourselves short now selling Ings with no replacement. So, it's either someone like Dembele who's contract is running out or recall Keinan Davis or Wesley.

Lucas Digne fr FRA DF 29 £ 160,000 (€ 181,166, $192,482) £ 8,320,000 (€ 9,420,655, $10,009,038) It's £160k and $192k which is verified on fbref. Aston Villa Wage Details, All Competitions | FBref.com

He's younger, better in the air and probably faster. Emery is a fan apparently. So will probably be better suited to the style of play.

Digne is on £160k and Kamara is on £150k. Dembele will want what Ings was on at least.

I don’t even think they bought this many players when Abramovich took over in his first season.

They have scored the same amount of league goals combined as Ings has under Emery, which isn’t great considering they start every game and Ings on the bench.

Get Dembele in now. And then go big in the summer and replace Watkins.

I don’t think it was Emery who instigated the move, sound like Ings wanted to go once he knew WH were interested. Watkins/Ings/Duran and Bailey would have seen us through until the summer. But now we could be in trouble if no replacement is signed.

We’ll find out in the coming weeks if we don’t sign a replacement, and If Watkins and Bailey continue their inconsistent form in front of goal.

He plays for West Ham now

I never once said we should sell Ings though, did I?

Gonna be fun if we’re 1-0 down at half time, since we sold our plan B.