Transfer Clinic - with Ali Maxwell and George Elek
Swansea, Coventry, Wycombe, Argyle, Sheffield United, Portsmouth, Walsall, Birmingham, Burton and Notts County - your transfer questions answered.
Welcome to the Transfer Clinic…
You arrived with that January fever - the one that gets in where water can’t. What’s wrong? What are the symptoms? What is the cure? What happens next? Who have we got on our hands here? And why, oh why, are we selling our best player at a time like this?
You asked… and the doctors will see you now.
Chris asks:
Your take on how big of a loss Matt Grimes will be for Swansea and whether they are in as much disarray as we feel like we are? Really hoping for a neutral level-headed assessment to calm us down a little!
Ali Maxwell: I’m afraid my head is pretty hot, Chris, even as a neutral! Aside from anything else, I can’t understand this move from an ownership point of view.
Chairman Andy Coleman and co. are clearly in a ‘tough moment’, with the fanbase simmering with discontent. There was a report from Darren Witcoop last week that the search for a prospective Sporting Director had ended, resulting in the chairman Coleman ‘overseeing recruitment’. Even if that phrase is overplaying his influence, that’s a red flag.
To follow that with the surprise sale of your captain, arguably your best player and one of only a few that the fans truly connect with. Well, it’s brave. That’s the nicest word I can use.
For club decision-makers, you cannot kowtow to fans to the extent that all your decisions are based on what they may say or think. Equally, you have to help yourself sometimes - check the pulse of the fanbase and, when it reaches certain levels, react to what it’s telling you. Too much heat from the fans can undermine whatever you are trying to achieve, chipping away at the confidence of everyone at the club, on and off the field, and making it harder for you to succeed. Sometimes, it’s unavoidable. This isn’t one of those situations. Bad timing. Petrol on the fire.
I think it is likely to make the team worse in the short term. The possession-based style has Grimes as its fulcrum. Jay Fulton is no fulcrum, and there’s no one else in the building who fits the mould.
Might this be an opportunity to tweak the style? With Grimes so influential, you’re always going to play this kind of way. Maybe, now, Swans don’t have to play short to such an extent. But what’s at the top of the pitch? If you go longer, quicker, you need appropriate targets. Is the ball going to stick or will it come straight back? No attacking player in the Swansea squad screams ‘play long into me and we’ll go from there’, because the recruitment hasn’t focused on that type of player.
If Swansea play longer and quicker, I think that could only serve to expose a defence that simply isn’t very good. Swansea’s possession-based system has been more effective as a defensive tactic than an attacking one — when they have the ball, they’re not defending. When they’re defending, they often look vulnerable. In particular, transition defending has been a problem for a few seasons now. Without Grimes, a master at keeping the ball in Swansea’s possession, surely opposition counter-attacking opportunities will increase?
On the flip side, there’s no particular reason why it HAS to be a big loss in the long term. There are plenty of other players in the world. There are other ways to play. Football moves on quickly. But there will be a big hole in the team in the short term, and if Swans’ horrible form lasts another 3-5 matches, they could be fully engaged in a relegation battle.
Steve asks:
On a related note what could he [Matt Grimes] bring to Coventry, and is he the missing link?
Ali Maxwell: I probably wouldn’t use the phrase ‘the missing link’. It implies there’s nothing else that could improve the team, and I still think a strong and fast central defender would make the biggest difference to this Coventry side. Mind you, those are hard to find.
Grimes is a good addition in that you know exactly what he’ll bring, straight away, unlike a punt from outside the Championship. Jamie Allen has been starting games recently, with Ben Sheaf out injured. While Allen has done well, Grimes is likely to be a stronger performer.
In the best-case scenario, he does what he did with Swansea, good enough technically to play as a single pivot in possession and give a solid, progressive platform to the team allowing the array of middle and final third operators to shine - from Sheaf, Torp and Rudoni in box crashing roles, to van Ewijk, Mason-Clark and Haji Wright in their varying wide roles and Ellis Simms, Brandon Thomas Asante and Norman Bassette up top.
It’s mouth-watering, on paper. Swansea certainly haven’t had a group of attacking players with anywhere near this level of difference-making quality, which is why Grimes’ excellent ball progression should find more reward here. Coventry absolutely have the players to execute in the final third, and Grimes gets the ball there as well as just about anyone.
Out of possession, it’s hard to argue that Grimes is a huge positive or negative. Don’t rely on him to press or counter-press. He will tackle if someone comes near him, and hold his position to give the back line some protection. He’s neither Vini Souza nor Barry Bannan. He’s not going to stop counter attacks. He’s not going to get on a lot of second balls. But, on the ball, as a deep midfield operator, there are few better.
Alex Horn asks:
With several rumoured transfers apparently falling through, will Argyle be able to find anyone who's willing to sign for us?
George Elek: Yes! And a player who has been playing European football this season (Maksym Talovierov).
There is a wider point here where we, as fans, probably have a warped view of transfer hit rates, and how many fall through after initially showing some promise. Argyle have managed to break their transfer record twice this season on players who, from an outsider’s perspective, have no business playing League One football.
Given Argyle are heavy odds-on to be doing that next season I’d argue that they’ve done incredibly well to sell the club to players of the calibre of Michael Baidoo and Maksym Talovierov and get the deals over the line.
Mabbott asks:
An Elliot Watt replacement for Gary Bowyer's Brewers?
Ali Maxwell: This departure had me scratching my head. Watt was Burton’s captain and had started every league game for which he was available up until the 21st of January. Then he was dropped. Since then, Burton have won three in a row. And their captain has now left for St Johnstone.
“I couldn’t guarantee him minutes and I can’t guarantee anyone minutes.” said Gary Bowyer. “We made a change and it seems to have worked for us at this moment in time, so that's where we're at with it, really.”
Fair enough. After such a fantastic trio of performances, you can see why Bowyer would be focused on the three starting central midfielders from the last few games - Charlie Webster, Kegs Chauke and JJ McKiernan. But now, outside of those three players, only Ciaran Gilligan - currently injured - plays in the centre of the park. So it’s clear that one or two additions will be needed for Bowyer to keep playing this way.



With Webster (#8) and McKiernan (#24) both excelling as the #8s in a 3-5-2, it’s ultimately Chauke (#33) that Bowyer is preferring over Watt. That’s a clear sign that the requirements of the defensive midfield role have changed - out goes the passer, in comes the tackler.
In those average positions maps, we can see that Chauke’s on-ball responsibility ends behind the halfway line. Can we find a defensive midfielder who will offer protection to the back line and perhaps a little more finesse on the ball than Chauke? And how about another #8 to offer box-to-box qualities either as a goal threat (like McKiernan) or on-ball quality (Webster)?
At this stage of the season, in the situation Burton find themselves, we’re not looking for someone to develop over time. We’re not looking overseas. We’re looking for immediate contribution to the survival effort.
Shaun McWilliams hasn’t quite nailed down a role at Rotherham, and there could be a loan deal to be done. He’d do the dirty work that Bowyer wants. Could Owen Moxon be an option on loan from Portsmouth? What an addition he’d be to the #8 role. These both seem like lofty, perhaps unrealistic options. If Josh Benson of Barnsley is fit to play, and it’s been a while since that was the case, he could bring quality to this position. Similarly, Louie Watson left Luton at the end of August and is still a free agent. With the usual caveat - is he fit to play and realistically able to get up to speed? - he could be an option too.
A friend of NTT20 who scouts PL2 very closely has suggested Henry Cartwright of Leicester City, ‘an excellent ball winner that can play too.’
Sean asks:
If Jatta were to be sold before the end of the window, is there a reasonable potentially available player in the EFL you think could replace him at Notts?
Ali Maxwell: I would be surprised if Jatta were to leave at this stage of the window. What would be an unrejectable amount for Notts? Perhaps £1.5m? It doesn’t seem likely. But in case I’m wrong, here’s what I’d do if I had 24 hours to sign a replacement*.
Let’s get one thing out of the way — you’re probably going to overpay for a player if you’re signing one from within League Two. If you’re not signing from League Two, you’re likely signing a loanee from the Premier League or Championship, or a League One striker who’s out of favour and potentially needs time to get up to speed. The last option is a Jatta-esque signing from overseas. But it may be a bit late for that, unless you’ve lined it up already.
Let’s keep the search simple - I want someone to attack Jodi Jones crosses, someone with size. I’d probably try and grab Mo Faal on loan from Wrexham. He’s only played 60-odd league minutes this season, and with Sam Smith and Jay Rodriguez reportedly joining, would presumably be available on loan. I’d ask Burton the question about Danilo Orsi, as well. He’s lost his place in the side, the team have won three games in a row, and Elliott Watt has been allowed to leave in circumstances that seem similar. Orsi isn’t much of an aerial threat, but he’s a penalty box poacher that we know can score goals at this level.
*in reality, Notts will have been planning for this for a while, their succession planning from Macaulay Langstaff to Alassana Jatta was impeccable.
Matt asks:
Do you see any club as having a Sam Smith-shaped hole in their attack in this window?
Ali Maxwell: Sam Smith to Wrexham! This feels a little unholy.
Reading are in a vulnerable position, unable to turn down an offer that may help keep the lights, even if Smith is a crucial player for them.
Wrexham, with dollar spilling out of every orifice, are seemingly trying to fit two more strikers into their mouth, with Jay Rodriguez having joined on Friday. Paul Mullin hasn’t thrived this season after spinal surgery. Steven Fletcher and Jack Marriott can only play in short bursts. Ollie Palmer must have a bad back and sore head after so many minutes and ‘hard yards’. Mo Faal was signed for £500,000 and has played 62 league minutes. Time for another couple of strikers. Maybe these ones will score loads of goals. Surely it can’t be a failing of the style or tactical set up?
Sam Smith scores goals at this level. In the last three and a half seasons, only Alfie May has scored more in League One. He is good in the air, which suits the style and is just a good, solid, peak-age all-rounder. I’ve no idea what sort of League One striker Jay Rodriguez is going to be in 2025.
Jack asks:
Wycombe Wanderers have added players in a chaotic (but exciting) way. Do you think that they have what it takes to get over the line for automatics with this big spending Jan? How much will the managerial appointment matter?
George Elek: When a club has such a good start to the season, I’m not sure ‘big spending’ is ever what’s really needed. It’s hard enough to buy well to improve in January when things are going badly, let alone when you’re exceeding all expectations.
There’s no use in me commenting on Westergaard and Hagelskjær because I’ve never seen them play, but their arrival and the transfer fees paid certainly indicate that, no matter what happens between now and the end of the season, Wycombe Wanderers have changed and are no longer the plucky underdogs at this level.
With Bloomfield having moved on and little sign of a new manager coming in, I do think continuity is key and I’d be looking at the retention of Richard Kone this window alongside the return of Caleb Taylor as the key bits of business. Maybe the new recruits will hit the ground running, but I wouldn’t bet on it and I doubt that they will be the difference between automatic promotion and not.
The new manager absolutely could be though, and it’ll be hard for him. If he can keep Wycombe going he’ll likely be afforded little of the praise for the continuity, but if things turn the finger will be pointed squarely at him.
Ryan asks:
Kieran Dowell - Is he going to turn our 1-0s and 2-1s into 3-0s and 4-0s? Can you think of some experienced cover/competition at left-back for six months?
Ali Maxwell: I’m not a big fan of Dowell. Now, there is some personal bias here — as a travelling England U21s fan (I know, what a cool and normal guy), I somewhat scapegoated Dowell when he played as a defensive midfielder in our underwhelming Euro 2019 campaign out in Italy.
I’m still angry thinking about it.
At Championship level, I’ve never been convinced even though he’s regularly been talked about as a huge talent. I find him a player who flatters to deceive and produces only in fleeting moments. His best season was his first season — playing for Nottingham Forest, scoring nine goals, many of them eye-catching goals from range. That’s the only season in which he’s played more than 2,000 league minutes.
But this isn’t Championship level! I guess he’ll play in the Willumson role for Birmingham, as I don’t see him doing an Iwata or Paik-style job in a deeper midfield role. He is technically sound and, with time on the ball, can contribute a lot to Birmingham’s attack, but I’ll be surprised if he gets tons of minutes because it seems like a tough team to break into. Will he turn narrow wins into big wins? I could see him adding the gloss to the odd win off the bench, yeah.
As for a left-sided defender, how about a bit of Rhys Norrington-Davies? It doesn’t seem like Sheff Utd are going to find much use for him. Otherwise, Lukas Engel is surplus to requirements at Boro and would be solid enough.
Ryan asks:
One for Walsall — with Nathan Lowe gone, Jamille Matt injured and Albert Adomah playing up top, would you sign somebody? And if so, who?
Ali Maxwell: They’ve got Ethan Wheatley in the building, and it’s worth giving him a few run of starts — he looks a talent. I don’t think it’s a disaster to have Josh Gordon, Danny Johnson, Jamille Matt, Ethan Wheatley and Albert Adomah as your striker options, but I’d be tempted to make a signing, just in case…
I’ve always been a fan of Devante Rodney (Rochdale) and would like to see him back in the EFL. I think he’d suit playing up top in Walsall’s system. He regularly plays as a wide forward, but I’ve always wanted to see him play up top with someone like Jamille Matt, Kyle Wootton, that type of fixed target man.
I’m not sure about the fee, as he’s contracted to summer 2026, and Rochdale may feel they need him for their potential play-off campaign. Rodney has scored at a solid rate in the National League but has been unfortunate with illness and injury, but seems fit and firing at the moment.
Rodney isn’t someone that has a huge amount of buzz about him, but I’ll die on the hill that he is a player who could really explode in the right scenario and in the right role could impact games with size/speed/finishing.
Joe asks:
Do you think Blades have made the right moves in the window? It looks like a lot of money on players who would need to be immediately replaced if they go up.
Ali Maxwell: It’s a fair question.
There’s a strange situation where it feels like there is a large group of players that feels like good bets to get you promoted, but likely to be out of their depth in the Premier League. You could probably name a dozen of them off the top of your head.
That situation exists because the difference between the Premier League and the Championship is now VAST. In Sheffield United’s current situation, what can you do about that?
Criticising this approach makes it seem like another option is simply to… buy loads of Premier League-ready players while in the Championship. And I’m not sure that’s easy!
Look, I actually have similar reservations about Brereton-Diaz (whisper it quietly, because he’s an EFL cult hero, but I’m not a huge fan of him as a player), Cannon, Choudhury. And I do chuckle about Wilder’s history of buying tons of players in January.
But in this specific scenario, I think Sheff Utd very clearly needed additions in these areas, because they weren’t able to build out a full squad in the summer, focusing mainly on a starting XI that did them well over the start of the season. But by January, a thin squad was starting to creak with injuries, so these signings, however you judge them, were a must and not a nice-to-have.
The players they’ve signed are hardly bonkers targets. If anything, they seem like the OBVIOUS signings. Is that a good or a bad thing? I don’t know. It’s hard to come up with a ton of other names that would have been a) available b) realistic c) affordable d) easily good enough to step up to the Premier League. Does that exist in January?
Alex asks:
Portsmouth desperately need some depth behind Murphy, Lang and Ritchie. If one gets injured it could be the difference between survival and relegation. What players would you recommend that are ready to effect Championship starting XIs, across their positions, that might be available?
Ali Maxwell: Huge caveat here — the Adil Aouchiche deal looks less ‘on’ than it did 24 hours ago, with reports circulating about GBE/ESC issues that.
is the man in the know on that front.But if it does get done…
I’m intrigued by Adil Aouchiche. He doesn’t strike me as an obvious Mousinho-era Pompey player, as he’s more in the ‘mercurial’ category than diligent and hard-running, traits that define this Portsmouth side.
But he’s a fabulous technical player, there’s no doubt about that. If things can be built around him, he could elevate the ceiling of the attack. If he’s just a cog in the machine, I find it hard to believe he’ll make a notable impact. ‘Building around’ a late-January signing feels both hard and risky, but what could it look like? Aouchiche in a #10 role, with Potts and Hayden behind him, Murphy and Lang either side, and Bishop up top? That makes me feel something in my loins.
Honestly, I’ve scanned the horizon for Championship starting quality wingers that would be realistic signings for Portsmouth right now, and it’s not chucked up a lot. I’d expect any extra winger depth to either come from overseas (probably not worth it at this stage) or perhaps a punt on a talented Premier League youngster made available late on.
“Hello, is that Fulham FC? Could I speak to Martial Godo, please?”