[Suggestion] Improvement to transfers for youth/reserve squad

[autohoratio]

One thing I've noticed is that you'll occasionally see AI clubs' youth/reserve teams interested in a player (e.g. "Dortmund II" or "Porto B" will be listed under the "wanted" label), but if you're the manager of the senior team then you don't have that option.

Here are some suggestions I have to improve this area:

• Option for "Add to shortlist/Declare Interest" > U23/II/B Team/etc > For Transfer/Loan" - this can affect media stories and social feed posts about a player and the player's interest in a transfer - e.g. a 17 year old might be interested in a U23 team expressing interest but not a U19 team, or a 20 year old who isn't quite on first team level might be more interested in a II team (or rival first teams who play at the same level) than the senior team because he wants regular playing time.
• If the User is in charge of youth/reserve team transfers, you should be able to view/manage your reserve team manager's shortlist (e.g. playing as a German club I would often see that my II Team had interested in a player, or at least the media had rumoured them to be.) Removing a player from their shortlist should by default stop the youth/reserve manager having interest in the player for ~6 months, with the option of "Block interest for > 1/3 months/1/2 years/Permanent" to avoid them being re-added to the shortlist in the future.
• If the User is in charge of youth/reserve team transfers, then the youth/reserve manager should talk with the user about transfers for that team. For example "U23 Player X is close to graduating to the first team, and we don't have any good prospects in his position in the U19 team, so I think you should look into signing Player Y from Team Z". You should be able to request transfer suggestions from your youth/reserve manager for that squad. Perhaps a pre-transfer window roundup (I think one combined message for all youth/reserve managers instead of an individual message for each squad would be best) of players they want to sign for that squad would be useful - of course not every transfer window would require one.
• Option to promise in transfer/contract negotiations which squad the player will be assigned to as either an addition to or replacement for Playing Time Pathway promises. For example, the player could be more interested in a transfer if he believes he'll be playing regularly for the U23/II team with a pathway to the first team than if his status was just "Future/Breakthrough Prospect" for 2+ years, or less interested if you suggest the U23 team if he thinks he deserves to already play in the first team (e.g. Jeremy Sarmiento from Benfica). If one of their young teammates gets word that you've promised another player they'll be promoted to the senior squad next season, if they think they also deserve to be promoted then perhaps they might get upset and request the same promise (or even a transfer if they get really upset), or instead it will increase their determination/professionalism/workrate/ambition (even if it's a temporary boost) to inspire them to work harder to reach that level. If you're offering your 35 year old vice-captain a new contract, maybe you might want to suggest that they're assigned to your B team to help marshal the youngsters instead of just giving him "Fringe Player/Emergency Backup/Not Needed" squad status, while you send him on a coaching course.

[Luke Hume]

Reviewed so locked