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Any young player is a gamble, the point being 6 good months increased the price exponentially. As I said, player value will always have many factors but across the board two identical players one with no premier League experience and one with the pl experience will command a premium. You may want to have a read/listen to how to win the premier League, it's a great book which dives into many aspect of this.

Weren’t we on a run of ten without a win going into that game and in the middle of an unprecedented injury crisis? I remember thinking at the time they might not ever get such favourable conditions to play us again.

Hate the fact we are now challenging for silverware, challenging for European football, and our best players are all linked with moves away. Why is Saka, Saliba, Odegaard never talked about moving to City or Liverpool.

Of course he was. He was an 18 year old defender that Juve didn’t see a future in. Maybe not super obscure but he was definitely a gamble and yes, that’s paid off. You’re using this (quite niche) successful example only with the benefit of hindsight.

He was contracted to Juve and on loan at Roma. He was anything but obscure.

That's if you're looking at a direct replacement for Murphy which Im not sure we are. Much like when folk thought Tonali was a direct upgrade for Longstaff, the plan is possibly not that simple. Given the supposed links to Pedro, the report that the pitch to Delap was that he'd play plenty with Isak and not as a winger, the success of the 3/5 at the back last season, I think we may be in for much more flexibility next season.

Huijsen was a gamble on an obscure talent though.

I honestly think this is the rationale behind most posts in this thread. I feel the same most of the time.

Feels like it's endemic on here.

Don't watch a great deal of West Ham but I did enjoy Kudus ripping Arsenal a new one at The Emirates this season

I like Akliouche but I’ll never understand this take.

I agree with some of this but for the right wing slot Howe wants a 2-footed road-runner, with bags of pace, end product and work-rate. That’s exactly what Elanga is/brings. If the prices are the same (Kudus might even go for higher even after a poor season) then Elanga is the clear choice for how Howe wants to play. Also, Kudus’s best position is centrally imo.

That will put him on par with the global phenomenon Harry Maguire or probably a full back in the Chelsea B team If money matters, there's nowt we can really do if one of the red tops, Chelsea and City target out players.

Absolutely aye, was weird they dragged it up given precisely nothing has been done on this area. Meanwhile Chelsea abusing it right and left and even the whiter than white Liverpool will be spinning something up.

This was in the Athletic piece from this morning. So like everything else off-the-field, moving at a glacial pace...

It's obviously rancid but this is something which was discussed shortly after the takeover. It's in the long grass with a lot of other high level decisions.

They were absolutely rotten that day, it very much looked like a team at the top of the PL vs a team languishing in no mans land in the league below. Funny that.

It is my eternal hope that we invest heavily next season and mount somewhat of a title challenge and Isak again

Not really Newcastle fans man!

We need a stealth multi-club model. What ever happened to PIF trying to buy that Belgian club? Did they just decide to sack the whole idea off once they failed?

Feel like shit just want ando back

I second that on the bases that I too haven't seen much of him, but do like the name.

Personally I want us to sign Akliouche more. Because I've seen him play far less, so it's more exciting.

Kudus is the more talented technician. Nothing wild about it. Kudus was disappointing last season. But in his first season got 8 goals and 9 assists. Same total G/A as "high output" Elanga. Kudus also probably doesn't start in his best position often (RW) cos of Bowen. While I think his positional flexibility might be a hindrance to him. He can play CM, AM, RW, ST, LW etc. which is useful

The foreign markets are cheaper to non EPL buyers. You pay the EPL tax one way or another anyway. Foreign clubs must rub their hands with glee as soon as they see a Prem team interested. Still think there's plenty of value abroad to be fair.