As we only have a handful of games left of the main season, what do you think the squad is going to look like next year?
Returning loans: Taylor, Humphreys, Kodua, Bradley, Simons
Out of Contract: Low, Vokes, McCleary
Unsure on contract status: Scowen, Leahy, Pattenden, Rav, Skura, Reach, Fred, Lubala
Has a contract here for 25/26: Norris, Grimmer, 2 Danes, Berry, Lowry, Harvie, Back, Bakinson, Udoh
Likely to be sold: Kone
A lot will depend on which division we are in.
If we go up, I would expect Kone will stay, and hopefully we can buy Bradley from Derby.
But if we are in the Championship, we will need to spend some serious Ā£Ā£Ā£ to build a squad of sufficient quality to be competitive in that division, assuming that ML is prepared to fund perhaps Ā£20m+ in the summer transfer window.
Bradley is out of contract at Derby so he might join us on a free. However League 1 might be his level as Derby wanted him out because he wasnāt good enough for themā¦
Bradley would still be excellent as a squad player in the Championship. Just because Derby didnt want him is irrelevant, after all Bolton didnāt want Morley at one time!
IF we go up, and obviously thatās a big ifā¦
With Ipswich likely to down and us joining them, I wonder if there is appetite from Humphreys, Ipswich and Wycombe to do some business. It might be a firm no, but would love to see Cam in the quarters next year.
Kone will likely stay a Wanderer.
Sign Sonny on a free.
I believe, and I could be totally wrong, but Iām sure the Simons loan it was mentioned there was an option to buy. I think Simons needs some work, but heās still young and can see him flourishing.
We have to accept Low and Taylor leaving.
GMAC, Vokes and Fred to be released. Hopefully with some sort of option to be part of the coaching / academy setup.
Will be interesting to see the transfers for who we go for.
If we stay in League 1, plenty of pocket money from selling Kone.
We have so many coaches canāt see there be any options unless Dodds pushes for a number 2 and that could be vokes they seem to get on. Can see quite a few leaving regardless of which league we are in. Kone has been off form so be interesting to see what transpires on him and what sort of offers we receive. The new signings you would be hoping will be the starting 11 next season.
I reluctantly believe that weāll see one of our all time great players leave the club this summer - Josh Scowen.
This is based on no inside knowledge, but to me he doesnāt look as happy as he did and personally I think this has been reflected in his recent performances where, whilst he has been giving everything as always, donāt appear to be as dominant as they used to be.
There have been some games recently where he hasnāt received any MOTM nominations - which seems rare for a player who has been so consistently at the top for us for so long.
I agree with you on that one. I think there is bound to be 2 or 3 players who are in camp Bloomfield and blame the owners for him leaving and it wouldnāt surprise me if Scowen is one of them.
Josh is absolutely unrivalled for winning possession, breaking up attacks and turning loose balls over to our possession. The way weāre playing means those skills are less necessary than they were in previous seasons.
Oddly, if we go up I think we may be more likely to keep him given weād expect to concede more possession.
no way are we releasing Fred , pretty sure he is still in contract
I think Scowen might end up back with Gareth at Gillingham, bearing in mind heās 32 now. It seems the Gills have a bit of money now and it could be that Scowen would fancy leading their āprojectā.
I think even if we keep Simons (and I think we will, no matter what division we find ourselves in) we will need a second player whoās a natural in that quarterback role. I donāt think Dodds thinks Scowen or Bakinson are (I agree with him on both) and can see both leaving. Scowen to Gillingham is a good shout. Maybe - just maybe - Westergaard could be coached into becoming that back-up quarterback.
Garath McCleary and Sam Vokes going seems inevitable ā both would make excellent development coaches in Sam Graceās set-up though. Thereās no shame in starting at that level, look at Ashley Cole for example.
I suspect Sadlier, Patterson and Skura will be released, with Fin Back becoming our first choice right back and probable contender for player of the season.
I wouldnāt be surprised if Scowen made the trip over to Luton for a season and joined MB there?
Unlikely surely that Bloomfield will be at Luton next season if they go down. If they just escape would need a very strong first dozen games.
Iām pretty sure Scowen is under contract for next year. Any suggestion of us doing anything other than keeping him is madness.
Bradley has been superb since coming in and if weāre in League One next year we should sign him up imediately.
Two sets of fans who have sung his praises in League One also say he doesnāt cut it in the Championship though. Iāve no idea if theyāre right or the clubs heās been at havenāt been the right fit at that level.
What I do know is that he was a Bloomfield signing and doesnāt exactly fit the mold of Data Danās recruitment policy thus far.
Really like Sonny Bradley, think heās been great but there have been a couple of occasions where his lack of pace has been found out (George Lloyd and Chem Campbell are two that come to mind) and I do wonder if his signing blocks Andersā pathway (if Anders gets up to the level that is!). However, important to also note that we still technically have Taff who has a similar skill set to Sonny and is the same age and feel like weād be moving for younger and potentially more mobile targets for next year.
Kone is absolutely gone no matter what division we are in. I know we all think Wycombe is the most wonderful club that ever existed (and we are right), but the reality is a bigger, more glamorous club will come in and offer him more money either way. See Forino: Chris.
If we go up that will be a Prem move for Ā£20 million plus then.
Think most of this discussion is irrelevant until we know what division we are in. Nevertheless it could well be a very different look entirely to the side next season.