So, we're going to buy a new LB. My opinion is that there is no point in getting another 'back up' profile. If we want back up depth, go to Cobham. Cobham has proved to be reliable time and time again. We should only be buying players that elevate the squad. We either sign no one, or it's a Malo Gusto type signing.

For me, the answer is Patrick Dorgu. I won't go into the player as a whole now, because I have a whole report on him that I wrote in the summer that I'll post at some point, but he's perfect. He is the exact profile of signing as Gusto imo. Not an 'experienced' player, but 1.5 years (exact same as Gusto) of being relied upon in a top 5 league. Physically he is made for the Premier League and he can suit almost any role you ask him to, as he has the technical, physical and defensive side all to his game. Naturally he's more attacking, but he's played at LCB (even in a back 4) for Lecce and performed very well.

There are lots of 'project' names as well. I don't see any point in signing a 'project' player, as outlined at the top, but it seems the club don't agree. So, looking through the club's lens, these are some names: Yarek Gasiorowski, Mikayil Faye, Jorthy Mokio. (Mokio being way more of a 'project' than the other two)

Jorrel Hato is the mix between these two subsets of signings. He's not really a 'project' player, because he's an established player for Ajax, playing regularly for about 1.5 years now and even captaining the club. He fits the profile very well, especially as a LB/LCB profile, but has even moved into higher areas of the pitch under Fariolo this season and done well. He's still only 18 and is less 'ready' than Dorgu, but he's also less of a 'project' than Yarek, Faye and Mokio.

There are of course other options such as Nuno Mendes, Castello Lukeba and Piero Hincapie, but they will be too expensive. I'm a big fan of Soumaila Coulibaly, but he's currently injured. I love Nathan Zézé, but not seen him play as LB out of possession yet.