Transfer News Summer 2023 Post-Transfer Window

[RgYellows]

Ladapo scored 18 in 45 in 18/19 for Plymouth, and then 14 in 31 for Rotherham the following season.
In fact he has scored at a rate of better than one in three in every season he's played at this level (for three different clubs) since 2018. Something Sam Smith still hasn't achieved.

Plus, we're working on the basis that Ladapo will be available on a low risk short term loan (if he's not, then he's not coming here).
Sam Smith would likely only be available for a fee and a long-term contract.

Fair play if those 2-3 goals across 45-46 games in a much better team make all the difference to you

Back in 2018 Wayne Rooney could still get you double digits in the premier league.

 

[Swaby39]

I think we're in danger of getting into Tyler Burey territory with Perkins where there is one suggestion or throwaway comment that he has an attitude problem, it gets repeated enough time that it becomes fact and loads of posters pile in on him. Like others have said Manning doesn't seem interested in that type of player and he knew him previously. Of course that was a few years back, he may have had people telling him how great he was since then plus brief appearances in the Premier League and Europe and changed a bit but it seems a few people are starting a run up ready to jump to that conclusion.

It takes an amount of courage to go out and face that education he’s so far been sheltered from at West Ham and more so at Leeds and Manning is dealing with it in his own way. I feel quite relaxed about it. The team is doing well but would certainly benefit from him getting going. Tomorrow presents a unique opportunity. I hope he doesn’t disappear in January having not played as there is obviously an exciting player there that just needs a little bit of mentoring and I think he’s a lot of things that Harris is not and a lot of what people are suggesting we go and find in January. I can’t see Manning giving up on him - as Ryan says if he were a major distraction, he wouldn’t be in training let alone match days. Short term pain for long term gain, hopefully.

 

[ttg17]

I wouldn’t jump to conclusions re Perkins.

If he was a problematic personality to have around the club or couldn’t be bothered to train properly then he would be sent away. The money is gone anyway as the loan can’t be terminated until January, so if he was strutting around like an arrogant so-and-so or showing absolutely no desire then he would be sent packing. There would be no need to keep him around if he was a negative influence - he’s not even in the squad as it is so there’s literally no benefit. That he is still with the club suggests his attitude can’t be terrible. He’s a teenager out on his first loan.

We beat a number of clubs at this level to get him. Chris Williams was very open about the amount of competition we faced for his signature in his first interview, and the player himself said he and the club had been talking for several weeks prior. Combine that with the fact that Manning knows him from West Ham and I think it’s pretty unlikely that he’s magically developed a personality issue.

Encouraging and sensible. My slight query would be that if there was an injury or something similar, like struggling to adapt to a first move away from home, Manning has had every opportunity to say so. He’s not done that - in fact, he’s explicitly said he’s not doing enough in training, which sounds a lot like coded public manager speak for, pull your finger out fella. I don’t think fans are being unreasonable in reaching their own conclusions as to why he has featured so little. In a team that is crying out for a second striker, he’s not even getting on the bench over a GOD who, with the best will in the world, has been almost completely ineffective since coming back from illness/injury.

There’s surely some middle ground between ‘good character’ and ‘so disruptive he needs to be sent back to his parent club’. That, I imagine, is something of a nuclear option, given how dimly it must be viewed by the parent club, especially as it’s someone they look to have earmarked for a potential breakthrough to the first team. I’ve got all the time in the world for nurturing and helping young players as they break into the (incredibly toxic) world of men’s football, but, given the opportunity we look to have for promotion this season, if he’s taking time to reach the standards expected of the day to day reality of League One football, I don’t think it’s oxford United’s job to be a daycare. If things still haven’t clicked come January he needs to be sent back and someone else brought in who can perform the role he was brought in to do.

Incidentally, by way of contrast, Stanley Mills is only about 4 months older, is also out on his first loan, and is impressing nearly every time he pulls on the shirt.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Encouraging and sensible. My slight query would be that if there was an injury or something similar, like struggling to adapt to a first move away from home, Manning has had every opportunity to say so. He’s not done that - in fact, he’s explicitly said he’s not doing enough in training, which sounds a lot like coded public manager speak for, pull your finger out fella. I don’t think fans are being unreasonable in reaching their own conclusions as to why he has featured so little. In a team that is crying out for a second striker, he’s not even getting on the bench over a GOD who, with the best will in the world, has been almost completely ineffective since coming back from illness/injury.

There’s surely some middle ground between ‘good character’ and ‘so disruptive he needs to be sent back to his parent club’. That, I imagine, is something of a nuclear option, given how dimly it must be viewed by the parent club, especially as it’s someone they look to have earmarked for a potential breakthrough to the first team. I’ve got all the time in the world for nurturing and helping young players as they break into the (incredibly toxic) world of men’s football, but, given the opportunity we look to have for promotion this season, if he’s taking time to reach the standards expected of the day to day reality of League One football, I don’t think it’s oxford United’s job to be a daycare. If things still haven’t clicked come January he needs to be sent back and someone else brought in who can perform the role he was brought in to do.

Incidentally, by way of contrast, Stanley Mills is only about 4 months older, is also out on his first loan, and is impressing nearly every time he pulls on the shirt.

I agree with virtually all of this, I simply don’t think it’s particularly helpful for people to automatically assume he must be some sort of problem child, or that him not reaching the levels that Manning is looking for is somehow reflective of an ego or a lack of giving a s**t.

Manning had him at West Ham; he pursued him and spent weeks convincing him to sign for us over numerous other clubs in the summer; he hasn’t sent him back like he did Konate only a few months ago. Manning has gone ‘nuclear’ before, so he’s clearly not worried about that. The kid must have something about him that he is still trying to unlock, and that he believes he can unlock, otherwise he wouldn’t be here. If the manager who everybody trusts hasn’t given up on him, I’m happy to back him.

The situation needs to change. I’ve got no more interest in Oxford United being a ‘daycare’ for anybody than anyone else, and we could really do with another forward player to contribute right now, so it’s annoying. If it doesn’t get sorted then he needs to go back in January and be replaced. I just don’t think it’s going to help between now and then if this narrative takes off that we’ve got some diva with a famously bad attitude strolling around the place, which is how it’s starting to evolve.

From what I am led to believe, and I’ve got no reason to doubt what I’m told on this front, it’s not the case. In fact, the exact words said to me only a few weeks ago by somebody who sees him every single day were: “He’s a really lovely kid.” And no, I’m not saying that is enough or that it makes him immune from criticism. Merely that some of the things I’ve seen said recently don’t tally with that.

 

[Gregortheox]

It’s probably got nowt to do with ego, attitude or effort. It’s likely to be system and being able to do certain things without thinking. He’s meant to be quite talented so I’m hopeful we will see what he’s about soon.

 

[Foley]

It’s probably got nowt to do with ego, attitude or effort. It’s likely to be system and being able to do certain things without thinking. He’s meant to be quite talented so I’m hopeful we will see what he’s about soon.

I would have thought that with the regard he seems to be held at, he should be avke to deal with Mannings systems.
He was very highly rated and so it us a surprise that he hasn't taken the opportunity.
I assume that he will have his chance on Tuesday ( with Woltman), so it will be interesting to see if they look the part then.

 

[WRox]

First loans are funny old things.

I always think of the Appleton days as when the club was particularly good at finding the best young players from Prem clubs, but few of that crop shone immediately out on loan. Roofe and Lunny had about ten loans between them before they rocked up here and kicked on. Jonjoe Kenny had a patchy first one with Wigan before he hit the ground running with us. I thought Tyler Roberts and Toni Martinez did well for us but wasn’t pencilling them in for 200 games at Leeds and Porto.

There are players who shine straight away - I remember Ledson had been outstanding for Cambridge before we got him. Mills this season has been excellent I think.

Perkins might be one of those that needs some time to adjust to senior football. It might click for him this year or in 5 loans time. I’m sure the club was aware of that in the summer and happy to take the risk with Harris already signed up, rather than throw a big 3 year deal at an average L1 striker like Cosgrove or whoever.

The hope is that a proven L1 striker is available in January and that our position puts us in a stronger place to get a deal done than when we were in August.

 

[Osei Yaw]

First loans are funny old things.

I always think of the Appleton days as when the club was particularly good at finding the best young players from Prem clubs, but few of that crop shone immediately out on loan. Roofe and Lunny had about ten loans between them before they rocked up here and kicked on. Jonjoe Kenny had a patchy first one with Wigan before he hit the ground running with us. I thought Tyler Roberts and Toni Martinez did well for us but wasn’t pencilling them in for 200 games at Leeds and Porto.

There are players who shine straight away - I remember Ledson had been outstanding for Cambridge before we got him. Mills this season has been excellent I think.

Perkins might be one of those that needs some time to adjust to senior football. It might click for him this year or in 5 loans time. I’m sure the club was aware of that in the summer and happy to take the risk with Harris already signed up, rather than throw a big 3 year deal at an average L1 striker like Cosgrove or whoever.

The hope is that a proven L1 striker is available in January and that our position puts us in a stronger place to get a deal done than when we were in August.

I recall Appleton had a thing about getting a player after they had already had their first loan somewhere else, I assume because he felt there was usually a big adjustment when a player first went out somewhere and it was better for another club to take that risk.

Obviously that's not to say that a first loan is doomed to failure, but with Mills and Perkins we are perhaps seeing how the strike rate varies a lot more. I know nothing of Perkins' background, but with Mills, he obviously has a dad who had a very good professional career and that would undoubtedly help. Hopefully it's just a case of Perkins being managed through an adjustment phase before contributing more a bit later on.

As others have said, if Perkins was really a rotten egg then he would surely be back out the door by now, as Manning just doesn't seem the type to carry someone for the sake of it. The other thing we know is that Manning is someone who likes control. I think he only wants to play players who he feels will give him that element of predictability during a game. Perhaps it's just a case of getting Perkins integrated into our style of play and what's expected of him during various phases.

 

[Eric Blair]

Would love to see Perkins do well. What’s the deal with Woltman? I haven’t heard him spoken about much at all. Coming from Liverpool he surely has pedigree but again he’s gone a bit awol. I know he wouldn’t be first team yet but as far as I’m aware he hasn’t featured on the bench.

 

[captainox]

Would love to see Perkins do well. What’s the deal with Woltman? I haven’t heard him spoken about much at all. Coming from Liverpool he surely has pedigree but again he’s gone a bit awol. I know he wouldn’t be first team yet but as far as I’m aware he hasn’t featured on the bench.

Woltman has played in both EFL Trophy games (and was an unused sub in the Carabao game at Bristol City)
76mins v Northampton
Full game v MK

Would imagine he'll feature on Tuesday as well, and then perhaps a loan in January.
Think the club are dealing with him in a similar way to Atkinson/McNally/Smyth when they first came in e.g. phased into our environment, with potential for a loan if needed.

 

[ECYellow]

Sam Smith on the scoresheet for Reading tonight.

 

[TailsWeWin]

It’s probably got nowt to do with ego, attitude or effort. It’s likely to be system and being able to do certain things without thinking. He’s meant to be quite talented so I’m hopeful we will see what he’s about soon.

Well, I think we saw last night.
OK It was against a team of youngsters, but I thought Perkins looked lively and interested throughout. Even without our most creative players on the pitch he managed to fashion opportunities. And, of course, he scored.
GOD meanwhile, was - well: GOD.
A world of difference in ability and talent. Give him some games and we’ll see what he’s about.
After all; there’s a new manager…….

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Interesting that Manning had Anis Mehmeti at the top of his list to loan in January. Now gets to work with him at a Bristol City straight away. Would have been a great signing. Won’t just be him leaving that affects us I feel unfortunately

 

[SteMerritt]

Interesting that Manning had Anis Mehmeti at the top of his list to loan in January. Now gets to work with him at a Bristol City straight away. Would have been a great signing. Won’t just be him leaving that affects us I feel unfortunately

Perhaps he can atone for his slitheryness a bit by sending him out on loan to us in January anyway...

 

[brassmonkey]

Interesting that Manning had Anis Mehmeti at the top of his list to loan in January. Now gets to work with him at a Bristol City straight away. Would have been a great signing. Won’t just be him leaving that affects us I feel unfortunately

I hope it was his choice and not wardens choice....

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Interesting that Manning had Anis Mehmeti at the top of his list to loan in January. Now gets to work with him at a Bristol City straight away. Would have been a great signing. Won’t just be him leaving that affects us I feel unfortunately

Makes you wonder what the plans was for January given we already have five loans and Edwards, Browne, Bodin, Rodrigues, Henry, Goodrham, Murphy and Mills for the three attacking midfield / winger slots. I’ve excluded Woltman who doesn’t seem to be a first team option at present.

Perkins going back seems nailed on and would have opened up a loan spot for Mehmeti (I know you can carry more than five loans at once but it seems unlikely we would’ve carried excess in terms of match day squads), but at least one of the above looks like they would’ve been gone. And might still be.

 

[holdsteady]

Isn’t Mehmeti also a left sided attacking midfielder/winger? He played there against us last year anyway, unless Edwards and Browne injuries are worse than we are being told or he just didn’t think Browne would ever stay fit then that would be a lot of players in for essentially one position (plus Murphy but I don’t think Manning ever really fancied him).

 

[Swaby39]

Browne was starting to shape up a bit when played on the right. He played there a few times before getting injured playing on the left! But if you considered Browne as a right sided option with Mills, that leaves Edwards and Murphy as our choices on the left… For me it’s not difficult to pick out who would’ve been sent packing but whether they have/would have found a taker for him is another thing.

I thought Perkins looked really good against Chelsea. Context is everything of course, but if it could translate to league game he showed a huge amount of what we’ve not had when Harris does his vanishing act. Interesting choice of words from Short after that game about players having not been given opportunities and no real fluff after that either. It was as though he felt some were getting pretty rough treatment from Manning.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Browne was starting to shape up a bit when played on the right. He played there a few times before getting injured playing on the left! But if you considered Browne as a right sided option with Mills, that leaves Edwards and Murphy as our choices on the left… For me it’s not difficult to pick out who would’ve been sent packing but whether they have/would have found a taker for him is another thing.

I thought Perkins looked really good against Chelsea. Context is everything of course, but if it could translate to league game he showed a huge amount of what we’ve not had when Harris does his vanishing act. Interesting choice of words from Short after that game about players having not been given opportunities and no real fluff after that either. It was as though he felt some were getting pretty rough treatment from Manning.

If we we're talking about Chelsea, Murphy looked really good. Perkins didn't look anything special to me.

 

[Swaby39]

If we we're talking about Chelsea, Murphy looked really good. Perkins didn't look anything special to me.

Murphy was good, I agree, difference being he’s looked good before and backs it up with dross next time around. Be interesting to see whether Short throws him in tomorrow after that to give him that chance to put himself in the thoughts of the next man in the dugout.

I liked Perkins. Played with his head up, some nice turns, linked the play and was in the right place to get a tap in. No lack of effort. Didn’t see anything that warranted this extensive absence.