Summer Transfer Window

[sit_down_jack]

Evatt and Santos were both with Bolton for several seasons, so they should understand each other well. It could be that Evatt changed things at the start of the season which may have impacted on Santos' form. He clearly didn't have a great season last time but he still averaged 7 on Fotmob, so he can't have been that bad.

All I saw was that Santos didn’t do well at Evatt’s “tippy tappy” brand of football so I just assumed that he wasn’t a ball player, who knows though. He’s very likely not as bad as people say if he has got into the PFA team of the year 3 years running and as a fourth choice will be mostly making up the numbers.

 

[Swanjaxs]

If Darling doesn’t stay we can’t do much worse then bringing in Scott McKenna.

McKenna will be looking for a bigger wage than Darling, much bigger...

 

[Swanseaborn]

He’s a replacement for Christie who was a sticking plaster for Pederson. Wage bill cut dramatically and hopefully will not have to be relied on much as were the others

 

[ABSwan]

His League team of years were 2020/21 (League Two) and 2021/22 and 2022/23 (League One). Since then he played half of last season and lost the captains position. The fans said he's slowed down and Bolton never even offered a contract. I'm in the disappointed group with this signing, I hope he proves me wrong but a 30 year old who's never played above League One level is totally uninspiring.

He is Portuguese, so maybe he's signed to give someone Franco can talk to about home.

 

[Martyn - Derwydd]

Darlings decision is supposed to be this week. We need that sorted and out of the way one way or another. Clearly the club is working on a starter and a 3rd CB but until Darling is sorted we cant progress on those targets too much

 

[Magic_Michu]

Let’s be honest, Christie was as good as useless as a centre back.

So this guy can’t be any worse.

Seems tho he’s got experience and having been in team of the season 3 times and Bolton’s captain then he cant be all that bad.

 

[ABSwan]

From the Bolton forum

"Sorry that it didn't work out for Santos. Think he became the lightning rod for Evatt's tippy tappy. Over the years, a decent player for us."

"Santos had three good years here. Last two I think a bit questionable but three good years. And achieved a lot. He was overrated criminally by the last manager and some fans but that is not his fault. It’s a shame I think in some respects he never really had a proper manager because I do think he had the ability to get better and who knows - raw ability all there - big, quick and strong. The stuff you can’t teach he was good at. The stuff you can teach and learn sadly he never got good enough at - and I blame Evatt and his staff for that. Had a warnock or Allardyce or Pulis got hold of him - managers who know how to defend - I think he could have gone a lot further."

So he's good at old fashioned defending (in L1 and L2) but not a bring it out defender.

 

[Gors Buster]

The last 29yr old we signed from Bolton didn’t do too badly.

 

[bakajack]

His League team of years were 2020/21 (League Two) and 2021/22 and 2022/23 (League One). Since then he played half of last season and lost the captains position. The fans said he's slowed down and Bolton never even offered a contract. I'm in the disappointed group with this signing, I hope he proves me wrong but a 30 year old who's never played above League One level is totally uninspiring.

He is Portuguese, so maybe he's signed to give someone Franco can talk to about home.

He was also in the PFA league one team of the year for 23/24

https://www.thepfa.com/news/2024/8/20/pfa-league-one-team-of-the-year-2024

 

[bytholwyn]

From the Bolton forum

"Sorry that it didn't work out for Santos. Think he became the lightning rod for Evatt's tippy tappy. Over the years, a decent player for us."

"Santos had three good years here. Last two I think a bit questionable but three good years. And achieved a lot. He was overrated criminally by the last manager and some fans but that is not his fault. It’s a shame I think in some respects he never really had a proper manager because I do think he had the ability to get better and who knows - raw ability all there - big, quick and strong. The stuff you can’t teach he was good at. The stuff you can teach and learn sadly he never got good enough at - and I blame Evatt and his staff for that. Had a warnock or Allardyce or Pulis got hold of him - managers who know how to defend - I think he could have gone a lot further."

So he's good at old fashioned defending (in L1 and L2) but not a bring it out defender.

Yes, that's my impression. Although I think he's decent at long diagonals. I would hope that we're solid defensively in the side, and the early signs under Sheehan are that we're well organised defensively. Don't expect many goals or assists.

The question for me is whether he's 3rd or 4th choice. Even if Darling stays we would need to make another signing for Santos to move down to 4th choice. I suspect we may make a centre/full back utility signing even if Darling stays, who may be 4th choice as a centre half.

 

[Ringwood]

Wonder how we sold the dream to Santos.. something like..

The club has one CB, we play route one and Championship forwards have no pace..

 

[bytholwyn]

The biggest concern with Santos signing is that he has a chronic injury. He was out from the start of February to mid April with a pelvic injury. He played a few games at the end of the season, but I do wonder if the injury was there earlier, and this was the cause of his alleged slowing down. It's unlikely his pace would drop off a cliff from one season to the next just as a result of ageing.

So the medical team have their work cut out to make sure he's 100 per cent, or at the very least, his condition is manageable.

If he does sign the chances are he won't play more than about 10 games a season. The fewest games Cabango has played in the last three is 36, Darling 33. So, unless we're very unlucky Santos will be a bit part and hopefully we can manage any chronic conditions.

 

[bytholwyn]

The chances of Darling resigning have got even smaller. Norwich are supposedly interested, and Liam Manning, who managed him at MK Dons, has just joined the Canaries. I'd be surprised if he re-signs.

 

[Ringwood]

He isn't staying..

Rinse and repeat post

 

[Swansea93]

The chances of Darling resigning have got even smaller. Norwich are supposedly interested, and Liam Manning, who managed him at MK Dons, has just joined the Canaries. I'd be surprised if he re-signs.

Closer to his hometown of Cambridge as well as someone mentioned previously.