Graeme Rayner, Feature Writer
Twitter: @B1g_Daddy_G

We all know that, what with January being the Cowleys’ first window in charge at Town, we expect it may be a busy time, but who is likely to go? In this article, I’ll be predicting who will leave (which may be quite easy) and suggesting who we might opt for to come in (which will be much harder, and I probably won’t get right)

They’re on their way

When it comes to who may leave, this is the easy part. I will say one who I don’t think will go, unless it’s for silly money, and that’s King Karlan. I think we would only let him go for £20m plus, and am 80/20 confident that he’ll be with us til the end of the year. .

First up for the exit, it’s an obvious one:

Florent Hadergjonaj

No prizes for this one. I’m sure he’s a nice guy and all that but he’s never really won over the Town faithful. When he first broke through his potential going forward was potentially exciting – he had the pace that Tommy Smith lacked, but defensively he’s made of paper and actually going forward he’s lacking an end product. Danny Cowley has repeatedly said he seems him more as a winger, which is a polite way of saying he’s not a defender. Let’s face it, since we replaced him with a defender who looks like he’s enjoyed a meal recently, he’s never going to be a first choice.

As he is an international and is versatile he should be relatively easy to ship out, but more likely to a league at the level of Turkey or Holland than the Serie A or Bundesliga as he seemed to think he was worth when he was pimping himself out in the summer. Fee: Anything around the £2.5m - 3m would be good business.

Nice guy, but not really a Cowley type of player

Terence Kongolo

This lad has all the attributes to be a top, top defender. Suggestions are he wants away, which is a shame but understandable for someone on the fringes of the Dutch national side. If it’s true, it does sadden me as we took a gamble on him. I love the way he plays and my long term hope would be to see him, Schindler and Stankovic fight it out for the 2 centre half spots. If he does want to go, I doubt he’d be hard to sell given his ability, but really he ought to be playing and giving 100% to put himself in the shop window. Fee: I genuinely think we should aim to break even, but anything around £15m is fine – any less and we should keep him. Rumour has it Galatasaray are looking at him.

Potentially the Town player with the most potential, but does he want to be here?

Steve Mounie

Was he ever likely to live up to his amazing debut? Unlikely. I for one rate him, but he is a square peg trying desperately to fit into a round hole. He’s not lazy (a criticism often levelled at him) but is clearly a confidence player who isn’t going to get the minutes he needs. His record in France should see us cut our losses and flog him back over there. Fee: £5m or thereabouts.

My penultimate choice is, somehow, a folk hero but you’ll never convince me he’s a natural footballer, and he risks becoming a forgotten man if he sticks around.

Collin Quaner

Simply put, I love his attitude, but that’s about it. Never been a fan, and I don’t see any place for him in a Cowley set up. Time to let the big man loose elsewhere. Fee: £1m should see someone come in for him – he did ok in a poor Ipswich side on loan and could see him go to some other team here or head back to Germany.

Let’s be fair, he looks better on a boat than on a football pitch…

Finally, an enigma wrapped in a mystery tied in the bow of an awesome name

Herbert Bockhorn

Most Town fans wouldn’t know him if he pinched their place in the queue at Marstons chicken. Most Town fans also couldn’t say why he was brought to the club, what his best position is or why his name makes him sound like the star of some NSFW adult films… No disrespect meant to the lad but he has no business being here and we should probably let him go to anyone who wants him. Fee: a 3 piece meal and a bag of chips.

Incoming!!!!

Now, if my predictions about the outgoings are correct, we should be in a position to bring in a few signings. Phil has suggested we may raid the loan market, and I suspect we may also sniff around for a few bargains too. I will look at the obvious positions we need to strengthen and suggest a few names. Note: This is very much guess work, as the Cowleys have not really been too open (and rightly so)

Centre half

With Elphick out and Kongolo probably on his way, who might we sign here?

What we lack is pace, although Stankovic and Schindler looked quite assured during the home games against Birmingham and Swansea,.

Kortney Hause is at Villa, having been signed permanently by them in the summer after a loan spell. Yet to play in the EPL, a loan may suit him and he has pedigree at this level, playing 11 games for Villa after signing on loan last January. Can also play at left-back. Fee: Loan so cover his wages.

James Chester is coming back from injury and will most likely struggle to break into the Villa side. He’s experienced and very capable. A loan could be do-able.

Kortney Hause would be an ambitious signing.

Left back

If Kongolo goes, that leaves us just with Jaden Brown. Here are a few options:

Philip Heise – Norwich – signed for them in January from Dresden, hasn’t played for them yet and will be surely desperate for football. Was a cheap signing for them (around £250k) and is unlikely to get a game. May be worth a punt. Fee: £500k

Kortney Hause – see above – could be a two-fer. Fee: Loan so cover his wages.

Some lazy “journalism” here, but Harry Toffolo may be an option – was signed by the Cowleys in league two and played every game in their promotion season, and has played 24 times already this season, all of their 17 league games. He’s only 24. Fee: Transfermarkt suggests a value of around £300k but I suspect it’d take closer to £1m to prise him away. Players with food related names have always been fans’ favourites at Town (see Harry Bunn and Joe Lolley) and I love a Toffo, so this works for me.

Harry Toffo-lo could help us out of a sticky situation…

Right back

With Flo on his way out, this would leave us with only Danny Simpson as a recognised first team choice. Demeaco Duhaney is a prospect but we may want to bring in another option, and he is out on loan at present.

Ezequiel Schelotto may be an option – has never quite adjusted to life in the EPL with Brighton but has pedigree – has been at Inter and Sporting – could do a job, cheap loan option, can also play as a winger.

Another loan possibility may be Timothy Fosu-Mensah from Man Utd. Showing no signs of breaking through to the first team, has been regularly loaned out, albeit to EPL sides. He’s versatile too – can play right back, centre half and defensive midfielder. This may be me reaching for the stars, but would surely be an asset. Fee: loan - cover wages

This might be my least realistic suggestion, but hey, let’s aim high

Right wing

I’m not convinced by Kachunga this season. I’d hoped he might return to the amazing form he showed when we won promotion, but one goal is not enough, and he has missed some sitters. Plus, he hasn’t weighed in with assists. I love him, but we need another viable option. Diakhaby has proven too inconsistent, so why not another Harry from Lincoln? Harry Anderson is a favourite of the Cowleys having been on loan at Braintree and twice at Lincoln before signing permanently two summers ago. He’s out of contract in the summer so would be a cheap option. Fee: £250k - £500k

Could he be the new Pilks? The sleeve tat says “maybe”

Striker

We do need someone to chip in with more goals, taking the pressure off of Karlan Grant.

Isaac Success at Watford may only be 6’ tall but has real pedigree and is only 23 – he is getting not time at Watford but may be useful, can also play wide in a 3 – a loan is realistic.

Ivan Toney is banging them in down in league 1 for Peterborough. Would cost more than we paid for Karlan Grant. Has 12 goals and 3 assists in 17 games, so may be worth a gamble. Likely fee: £5m.

Finally for my choices, we’ve been linked with a move for non-league striker Jamie Reid, who has been banging them in at Torquay this year after a excellent season at Exeter City last season. At first glance, it may seem churlish but I’d point to the Cowleys’ knowledge of the non-league market and also players like Jamie Vardy, who can show that sometimes talent may come to the fore later in some players and players can quickly adjust. One thing is for sure, he knows where the goal is.

Would be nice to take one of Posh’s best assets, wouldn’t it?

But, and it’s a big but, the Cowleys like a big man up top. They’ve made no secret of this lately. So here are a few options:

Rudy Gestede is an option at Boro – played a handful of games for them, is a big unit (6’4”), and was prolific at Blackburn a few years back. Might fit the mould.

Tom Elliott, at Millwall, is a big, athletic striker (another at 6’4”). Not very prolific (scores about 1 in 4 over his career) but good in the air, a grafter. He’s not played for them this season, may be a Cowley kind of player.

Sam Cosgrove at Aberdeen is 6’2”, the top scorer outside of the Old Firm, and is only 22. Wouldn’t cost a fortune and would be worth a look.

Sam Cosgrvoe has 18 goals in 22 appearances for Aberdeen this season, including 6 in 6 in the Europa League.

Wildcard:

We’ve reportedly been watching our former player Kyle Dempsey, now at Fleetwood, presumably as a rival for Alex Pritchard. Never really got going for us but has matured and could be an asset, but I don’t see this happening, to be honest.

Could Kyle Dempsey be coming back to Town?

Summary

It looks set to be a busy window, and should tell us a lot. While I have predicted 5 to leave, in reality it could be more - Danny Cowley suggests he likes a squad of around 22 players and we’re number heavy, so more could leave - plenty of wheeling and dealing to be done. But One thing is for sure, some dead wood will be shifted, even if that means cutting our losses on a few pricey mistakes - some fans would gladly see Diakhaby and Mbenza on my list too, I know.

In terms of players coming in, I anticipate some ambitious loan signings, maybe a surprise or two in terms of experience and a few lower league bargains that we fans may see as a gamble but the Cowley Brothers will see as a sound investment. One thing we have learned in their still relatively short time at the helm is that Danny and Nicky Cowley do their homework, and keenly. They will already have a list for each position, and I predict a very different looking town side will face Fulham on the 1st of February 2020.

The January Transfer Window - 5 in, 5 out?