80

I'm inclined to agree with you, but I think it depends on individual circumstances, somewhat. I'd take into account things like how much of a gamble a club took in signing the player originally, how much they've added to their career, how important them receiving a fee is to the well-being of the club etc. The football ecosystem is based on clubs getting a piece of transfers, so it's a bit of a hostile act to strongly aim your career towards one if, for example, your old club was making reasonable contract offers and not blocking an earlier transfer away.

Hope he comes out on fire for the new season. Fairly optimistic he will. As others have said, I don't think there's a guarantee him, Bruno and Joelinton is the perfect setup right from the start. Hopefully they've worked out whatever was wrong last time around. Re: the investigation, judging by his betting history he didn't know about it until basically everyone did. In terms of it not affecting his performances last season.

The scary thing about Targett's fitness is the sheer variety of injuries he picks up. It seems like his body's been in full system meltdown for the past two years. Unlike Willock, I haven't got any optimism about him recovering, as much as I like him as a player.

All bad ideas except self-pass. I've never really known why it isn't allowed. If you were dribbling before you were fouled, how is it a free kick if you're not free to carry on dribbling? Same goes for 'taking it too soon' - again, if it's free, I'd rather do it before the guilty party have time to make their defence better than it was before they fouled. Open to being told it's somehow better for the game as it is, but I don't currently see how.

A substantial foreskin.

Not even sure we'd get £20m this summer. Like you say, outside of the worst case scenario, the only way is up.

This is ridiculous...

You're not wrong. We'd certainly lose something with him going. It's basically a risk-reward judgement.

£15m? Ding ding ding. All things considered, it can't be sniffed at. With no European football, him or Livramento would be privately upset at the lack of game time next season.

City definitely would. As you indicate, it would've changed the behaviours of the established clubs too so you can't say what would've happened with too much certainty. It's very likely it would've helped force bad owners out of football more quickly who were otherwise benefiting from doing nothing, including Ashley. I'm sure the overall situation would've been much healthier.

Go on NDM. It makes you wonder what football would've been like over the past 10-15 years if FFP had never existed. Maybe it would've been a golden age for Leicester, Everton and Wolves. Of course, it would've meant the likes of the Glazers would've had to have pulled their finger out too.

The big development his game needs, assuming he can come back to being his old self, is consistent goals. The third at Old Trafford in the League Cup was a classic, as was his winner against Chelsea the season prior. From the positions he gets in, he's got a 15 goal season in him. He's like Longstaff with technique. In my head, I'd pretty much written him off for this season as soon as I saw him go down like he'd been shot against Brighton. He'd pretty much run his legs off for us to help secure Champions' League and it looked like it would be a nightmare to recover from. The false starts this season were very unfortunate/disgustingly handled by our backroom staff (delete as appropriate). It was right to cleanly withdraw him until next season. Let's see how it goes.

I think people underestimate that. He's box office.

Given what's gone on it was probably Ashworth scribbling Man United on the contract after it had been signed...

Quite possibly... Which would be pretty fiery evidence if we ever are serious about bringing a court case over anticompetitive practice.

Ok then This whole FFP situation is a farce... I think our club would support the proposal, incidentally. We'll anticipate benefiting from it in the near future + anything to intensify the friction around the ludicrous regulations.

Need the article text, people... Isn't this just the thing about increasing the allowance in line with inflation? And it applies to all clubs? Certainly a pisser that it didn't apply last season, mind... This January would've been very different.

Re: your two bold bits: 1. I see that as a positive altogether, in the sense of being willing to get stuck in. And hopefully, as you say, working with the motivation to ultimately head a new organisation shaped largely by himself. 2. Yeah, same. I don't have strong opinions about this situation, but he fits the more classical idea of a well travelled pro bringing international insights into our operation. Hopefully brings some new ingredients for us to cook with.

Yeah, as I say, it hopefully is all fine. I think the bit in bold is key. The media reports have tended to make it sound more hands-off than that, but there's a good chance they don't have a clue.

I think we can all agree the famous 'all for one and one for all' team spirit at Chelsea will help pull him through any teething trouble and make his first big job a roaring success.

Not at all. But I guess we can't hold it against him too much, it's a hint but it's not a guarantee there's a problem with him. And it's possible he's picked up a huge amount of experience, knowledge and personal credibility through being involved in so many clubs in so many leagues of the world.

I was shocked how the article kept going on and on!

He did - I think one came in pretty much his first match - but it was the bread and butter that was the complaint. He's definitely got spectacular bursts in his locker.

It was a message designed to appeal to thick cunts mate.