Gilbey to Lincoln?
Alex Gilbey has a few suitors as he decides, or more likely Ben Garner decides if the midfielder’s future is away from The Valley.
I suspect it will be demand of the owner that Garner moves one on from his first team squad to make room for a replacement, likely to be a left-sided centre-half I’m led to believe.
Lincoln City, Shrewsbury Town and Leyton Orient are all said to have enquired after the 27-year old, with the Imps at the front of the queue. That deal is being reported up on the east coast as an initial loan. Earlier this week Portsmouth manager Danny Crowley rubbished reports linking them to Gilbey.
Whether losing Gilbey means Jake Forster Caskey remains is unknown, but although we are well stocked in midfield we are limited in numbers overall.
Garner has been pretty covert in his chats about the transfer window, and has sent some confusing smoke signals. Hopefully behind the scenes some good work is going on to strike while the iron, or early season form at least, is hot.
I find it strange the way that ins and outs are conducted. I don’t see anything wrong with Gilbey and certainly not with Jake Forster-Caskey, who was so recently our player of the year. Obviously TS is maintaining tight purse-strings, and probably pulling almost all others too, but surely Garner can’t be having to off-load a decent player before filling some obvious gaps – like a decent and fit forward?
(I quietly wonder whether forthright players might be those deemed surplus to requirements…)
I don’t think its just the club purse strings but also the EFL wage cap which means players have to leave before recruitment can take place.
There is also a limit on the number of over 21y.o. players permitted in the squad
CA – left sided centre half? Really? We’re clearly not overloaded with experienced CH’s but curiously loaned out Deji Elerewe. We are desperately short of full backs and on the left in particular.
CA, I presume when you say “behind the scenes” you really mean TS, MS and RS……..??
And their pet dog 🐕 Sandy