Theregulars

There's one main reason it will never happen, we will never loan a player to nurture him for another club especially a rival one. Just like we didn't offer to take Carroll on loan from Liverpool? That was different, because there was going to be a future fee we would pay at the end of the loan to take him permanently. And surely it's therefore not beyond the realm of possibility that such a situation would be replicated with Lukaku? There's one main reason it will never happen, we will never loan a player to nurture him for another club especially a rival one. Just like we didn't offer to take Carroll on loan from Liverpool? That was different, because there was going to be a future fee we would pay at the end of the loan to take him permanently. Different regime but just like... Giuseppe Rossi. Aye, but it would never happen now. It's just not an Ashley MO. I don't think you could ever say something 'is just not Ashley' unless it's spending an absolute wedge on a 30-year-old or something. Anything which is cheap, anything which represents a potential bargain, and any potential situation we can exploit - be it a release clause, be it an unhappy player etc - totally reeks of Ashley. However, to repeat, I'm totally speculating. As timeEd32 suggests, it could be West Brom. It could be any team. I don't know, it just struck me as opportunistic and thus something appealing to those who run the club.

There's one main reason it will never happen, we will never loan a player to nurture him for another club especially a rival one. Just like we didn't offer to take Carroll on loan from Liverpool?

That's actually a really decent point I hadn't considered, it would make a lot of sense (especially top players who may want to see us assured of European football).

I imagined it would be QPR or Fulham at first, but it says definitely not Fulham, not sure QPR can logically pay for anybody else. Perhaps a newly promoted club not too far away like Reading or Southampton? As I said, pure speculation, but he would certainly 'fit the bill' of our policy being young, cheap (on loan, although I suppose Chelsea would have to pick up a lot of his wages) and potential to improve (I would imagine any deal would include a clause to buy permanently if he impressed). I don't necessarily agree they wouldn't loan him to a side who finished above them, I think they want rid of him. Remember him saying he wanted out as well - although the reason was lack of first team football, which he wouldn't get in abundance here.

Did anyone else read in the Times 'Decent bets' thing that Lukaku was being loaned to another PL club? Loan = cheaper + he's young = may be us. Pure speculation on my part.

Pipe down with your positive, analytical thinking. There's needless panic to be had.

Can't argue with such elementary mathematics.

Partner in my firm (we represent LFC) thinks we will get him for 10-12m, current position is just posturing by yanks. Deal will be 'undisclosed' as a result. Not sure how much use this is but he leads a team who do a lot of work for the club at corporate level.

Cisse's in one of them so it can't be that bad.

When have I said KFC is good? It's f***ing Godlike. Like or dislike the man but don't cast aspersions on KFC.

Ba, Cisse, Carroll, Shola - that's a pretty handy squad striking quartet in my book.

I'd do it if he's Best's replacement because he's a better player, but not to start.

I'd pay the crap out of that for him.

His physical pace is totally undermined by his mental slowness. That's basically it for me.

I'm hard-pushed to not see him as the worst signing ever. He contributed next to nothing of any positive value during his stay at the club. That, and he's a prick.

We all know how this works: if they offer a big enough fee, we'll sell. That's the downside of the good way in which we're run.

Bale and Modric to follow

Wine guzzling. MY CHILDREN NEED WINE!

Bias perhaps but Perch has had a better season as a holding midfield player then Henderson.

That's the third blatant one he's missed.

Wellbeck loves the stepovers

Johnson: braindead footballer.

He's not at all, Woy's got his tactics spot on - Mexes is a total ballwatcher, the way around him is just to make clever runs and seek them out with through balls. He and Rami won't have any issue with Carroll.

They'll need at least one transitional year under him to suss out which players can adapt to his style and which areas he needs to improve - if the board/their fans are prepared to give him that, could be good move over the next few years. Just don't see either party giving him that long. Swansea suddenly got massive favourites for a dodgy second season in my mind.

'Premiere League' The Fairs Cup doesn't appear to count either. FTM Nicknames: Magpies, 'The Toons'.