You have to think the end of this season will be a time of reckoning for Nathan Ferguson. For all the occasional positive PR speak, the fact is that he's been out of the game for two years now and he's entering the last year of his contract this summer. If he'd played and proven himself now is the time we'd be offering him a new deal. If he'd played well and increased his value, this is the summer we'd be thinking about selling him on or fighting to keep him. What's clear with Ward and Clyne ageing and Ferguson now no more than a marginal prospect for the long-term, we desperately need to bring in a right-back. That should be a priority this summer.

My guess is that we hold on to Ferguson and hope he starts next season fit because we have nothing to lose. He's unsellable now. But two years out of the game and multiple injuries, you can't be confident about his future. Optimistic, maybe, but not confident. If the first half of next season doesn't see him in the number 2 shirt every (or most) weeks, my guess is he'll be off in the January window or at the end of next season when he's out of contract at the latest.

As for the others on your list, I have minimal interest in Nketiah. Maybe he'll make it, but I wouldn't throw an enormous contract at someone with so much to prove. Thus far, there's been a lot more hype than delivery. On a reasonable contract, worth a chance but I wouldn't get into a bidding war or make him a top priority.

Lingard, on the other hand, I wouldn't mind. Gallagher's departure will leave a hole and ditto McArthur is ageing. Lingard is at least the sort of productive, forward-driving, and experienced proven player who could contribute something. He might not be everyone's first choice, but we could do a lot worse.

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.

I suspect a large number of supporters would be in agreement.

Moving on to central defence, I do believe that we need to find a young player to step in should Guaita or Andersen get injured.
I have been impressed with Levi Colwill who is on loan to Huddersfield from Chelsea.He is left-footed and has played predominently on the left of a back three at Huddersfield.He is a modern-day central defender who is calm and composed on the ball.

We have keeper cover with Guaita and Butland.
My concern is with the cover in central defence.

Levi Colwill is a great shout at centre back if Chelsea were willing to let him go.
Think we need a right back, really like the look of Djed Spence loaned to Nottingham Forest from Middlesborough- a lot of big clubs are after him but you never know, we may be an attractive option due to our recent track record of bringing championship talent through.

The other area I think we need is another winger. I am not convinced ayew will get a renewal and he only really provides a defensive option from the bench. We’ve been linked with Brennan Johnson who looks a great prospect.

I think the other area we are looking at according to reports is centre midfield, with the Mexican chap from Ajax linked.

Ferguson represents a problem.

You're right that notionally he could provide cover in central defence but even if you overlook the injury record which now goes beyond the "unlucky" major injuries the lad has missed out on 2 years development. He won't have improved in the meantime and it's asking quite a lot for him to have stood still too.

Pretty sure he's best disregarded when it comes to looking at the squad. The similarly young Eze has been nursed by Vieira - as he said he would - and he only had 6 months on the sidelines and was ripping up the PL and not the Champo.

Underlying this is the philosophy that squad players need to be capable of holding their place in the side for a sustained run of games even if they do represent a drop in quality.

Whisper it but Tom Davies - who is apparently out best option for midfield cover - has just been out for over 6 months with a knee related injury.

Cheap salary though so never mind!

I thought Nketiah looked a decent player when he came on, definitely a yes for me as he is free and hopefully realistic about his wages

“That’s a joke son, I say, that’s a joke.” “Nice boy, but he’s sharp as a throw pillow.” “He’s so dumb he thinks a Mexican border pays rent” “ “Son… I say, son, some people are so narrow minded they can look through a keyhole with both eyes.”__ Forhorn Leghorn

No, they don't. Many make a full recovery, but not lots.

According to the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, around 35% of post ACL returning athletes suffer a subsequent injury. In medical terms, that's a horribly high figure and a very poor outcome. Imagine if appendix or hernia surgeries had only a 65% total success rate. We'd be up in arms.

According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, 17% of ACL injuries see the player never coming back at all, again a very high failure rate even though 83% playing subsequent to the surgery sounds good on paper. Of those 83%, a further 5.2% suffer exactly the same injury again (a tear of the grafted ligament).

Lastly, an instructive comment from the Mayo Clinic: "Because they require high-speed changes of direction, the pro sports that carry the highest risk of ACL tears – soccer, (American) football and basketball – are also the ones in which it’s most difficult to make a complete recovery. It comes down to how much strain you put on the knee joint. Anything that elicits landing, cutting and pivoting is a greater challenge.” In short, a full back is going to have a particularly hard time. Source: ” Dr Tim Hewett, Mayo Clinic, researcher and an expert on the mechanics of ACL injury

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.