"The team's lineup is too young…" Gao Bo looked at the player list in his hand. This was a team that was indeed too young. Among the several signings, the oldest, Schmeichel, was only twenty-three years old.
"Perhaps we can bring in some veterans?" Lin Sen asked. Lin Sen had also returned and had been assisting Gao Bo with transfer matters during this time.
Gao Bo did have this intention, to bring in one or two experienced veterans, especially in the defense.
"Let's see if there are any experienced defenders available these days; we still have time," Gao Bo said, not rushing the matter.
"Perhaps we can try to sign Campbell!" John said.
"Which Campbell?!" Gao Bo suddenly became interested.
"Sol Campbell! His contract with Portsmouth has expired, and he is now a free agent. We can invite him without spending a penny on a transfer fee."
Sol Campbell?
Gao Bo immediately remembered who he was. This was a former England international who had played for both Tottenham and Arsenal. Gao Bo was very impressed with this player.
There aren't many players who have played for both of these arch-rival clubs. This Sol Campbell even became the captain of Tottenham Hotspur at one point.
However, in 2001, when Sol Campbell's contract with Tottenham expired, he made a move that made Tottenham fans gnash their teeth—he resolutely went to join another club in North London, Tottenham Hotspur's arch-rival, Arsenal!
In various media selections of "Top Ten Traitors" and similar lists, Campbell and Figo are basically guaranteed to be on them.
Back then, Campbell's free transfer from Tottenham to their cross-town rivals Arsenal caused a huge uproar in English football. But it was after this transfer that Campbell grew into one of the greatest center-backs in the Premier League, winning two Premier League titles and two FA Cup titles with the Gunners, and was selected for the 2002 World Cup All-Star Team. As a defender, Campbell had excellent physical qualities, outstanding confrontation ability, and his heading was also superb.
This veteran, born in 1974, was now thirty-five years old. Gao Bo remembered that this veteran seemed to have spent a few years in the lower leagues, and finally played for Newcastle for two years before retiring.
This was a very experienced and capable center-back. The only thing to worry about was his physical condition.
Gao Bo considered for a while and finally made a decision: "Have someone contact him; we need his experience in the center-back position!!"
Campbell's physical condition was indeed a concern, after all, he was a veteran in his thirties, but Gao Bo wasn't too worried about this aspect—at worst, he would use a card to improve the veteran's stamina and physique.
An experienced and physically fit center-back would definitely be a great help to the team!
...
Sol Campbell gladly accepted Luton's invitation. For Campbell, there were not many opportunities to be had at the end of his career, and Luton had a lot of games this season, so Campbell could at least get a lot of playing time.
Luton offered a one-year veteran contract with a weekly salary of £10,000.
Sol Campbell, who came as a free agent, readily signed the contract.
"I'm very glad you can choose my team, Sol!"
While the two sides were holding up the jersey for photos, Gao Bo was in a very good mood. Being able to get an experienced center-back for free would be a great help to Luton's defense this season.
"Haha, I really didn't expect that I would have the opportunity to play in European competitions at my age," Campbell said with a grin.
Last season at Portsmouth, he played thirty-three times in the Premier League,
and three times in the FA Cup, maintaining a good condition. As a result, Portsmouth did not offer the veteran a contract extension after the season ended.
However, Campbell didn't expect that he would find a job again so soon. Although this time it was from the Premier League to the English League One, Campbell, who was already thirty-five years old, couldn't ask for more.
.....
The busy transfer operation ended quickly. When Gao Bo appeared with several new signings, he announced that Luton's summer transfer window was closed!
This summer, Luton signed Alex Sandro, Griezmann, Schmeichel, Carl Jenkinson, and veteran defender Sol Campbell.
Five players were signed, and only Charlie Austin was transferred out.
In this way, the team's basic framework for the new season still followed the framework of the previous season, with reinforcements made only in some positions.
After obtaining the Europa League qualification, Gao Bo carefully examined the team's internal personnel and then made a judgment: his team did not need to add too many personnel, and the current new signings were enough to improve the team's lineup by a notch.
All the buying plans this summer were based on this season. Five players were signed, and one main player left, which increased the depth of the team's lineup, and there would be no situation of hoarding players and wasting resources.
That is to say, Luton no longer needs to search everywhere in the transfer market, and Gao Bo's team lineup is basically determined.
In terms of goalkeepers, Gao Bo decided to use Schmeichel as the main goalkeeper this season, while Claude will be the second goalkeeper. However, as a hero of last season, Claude will not be completely sidelined—Gao Bo has talked with Claude, Schmeichel will be the main goalkeeper in the league and Europa League, while Claude will be responsible for other cup games, the EFL Trophy, League Cup, and FA Cup.
In terms of center-backs, the main center-back combination last season was Geoffrey and George Park, but this season Campbell has joined. If Campbell's physical condition is fine, Gao Bo will still trust this veteran in the center-back position. After all, the center-back is a relatively critical position, and Geoffrey and George will have to compete for a starting position.
Professional football is like this, competition is everywhere.
The left-back is naturally Alex Sandro, and Gao Bo is a bit hesitant about the right-back. He still needs to observe Carl Jenkinson, after all, Carl is only seventeen years old now, to be precise, he will not be seventeen until some time later.
The midfield is the same lineup as last season, Drinkwater and Kanté, and Kevin Keane. Adam is sometimes used as a midfielder. Moreover, Gao Bo also promoted two players from the youth training camp to the first team, namely Joseph Ander, who is 1.90 meters tall. This is a defensive midfielder, and he can also play as a center-back. He is twenty years old this year. There is also a nineteen-year-old young man who can play as a defensive midfielder and also as a central midfielder, named Nick Ross.
On the forward line, after Charlie Austin left, the main players on the forward line became Vardy and Griezmann. However, sometimes Adam can also be moved forward to play as a forward, plus Matt on the bench, the forward line is well-staffed.
On June 30, Gao Bo announced that the team would no longer take action in the transfer market, and the transfer window for Luton this season was over.
Gao Bo also roughly drafted the team's list.
Goalkeepers: Schmeichel (12), Claude Londo (1), Dean Bouzanis (25)
Defenders: Carl Jenkinson (22), Mitchell Pinnock (2), George Park (3), Geoffrey (5), Sol Campbell (21), Alex Sandro (6), Zorro Davies (24).
Midfielders: Kevin Keane (10), Danny Drinkwater (8), N'Golo Kanté (4), Lewis Emanuel (18), Hasaan Ali (23), Adam White (11), Joseph Ander (17), Nick Ross (25)
Forwards: Jamie Vardy (9), Antoine Griezmann (7), Matt Schmidt (19)
Seeing this list, Gao Bo was still very satisfied. In terms of the quality of the main players, they were fully capable of playing in the Europa League. And the number was not too redundant, and most of the players had the opportunity to play.
Gao Bo was full of confidence for the upcoming season.