STM

25m I could see, 30m in an inflated market perhaps, for them to want 60 is laughable. I'm also fairly sure that it's absolute nonsense. I doubt we are even interested, we certainly won't be interested for more than we paid for Tonali.

I don't think there is any panic going on over form, what I thinks happening is a scramble to release FFP wriggle room for Howe to get one player in this window. Once the window closes everything will calm down. In the summer, there was always a likelihood that players like Miggy, Wilson and others may go. Its just a natural cycle. Incomings in the summer is going to be interesting. I reckon we could see 200m spent on 4 first teamers, which will be fine if we can shift on one or two.

This Vermont thing?.... Season of the dicks?

It looks very much like the writing is on the wall.

Although it does feel more of a summer move than now. Who knows..

I reckon it would take at least the 45m we paid for Gordon. If we pay upfront like we did with Gordon, they might be tempted.

They paid 25m + add-ons, so it's hard to know exactly where they value him now.

Ahem

I think 20m is about right.

Another one for the complete made up shite pile.

Certainly pleased he's staying, even if I saw the merit in a sale. Part of me wants him to end his career here and possibly end up moving into coaching.

Actually didn't realise it was 25m plus add-ons for Gibbs-White. If those add-ons haven't yet been achieved, it could well be a goer. Let's say for example Forest have paid 35m for him so far, a 45m bid from us might look tempting given how it would look from an FFP perspective at their end. He might play as a 10 but a transition into an attacking 8, a inverted RW or even an option up front are hardly a million miles away, considering his ability. He's a player I really rate. Proper carried Forest at times. Won't please the Eddie Howe Brexit mags brigade though.

Be shocked if we don't have a couple lined up.

Jeez, straight into the patronising stuff. What I'm saying is that Howe being in the lower divisions and with a restricted budget is going to have influenced where he signed players from... Mate.

We don't know if he does or doesn't, what I do know is that we can't use Bournemouth as any sort of evidence, it's like apples and oranges compared to NUFC. I wonder if Klopp had a preference for German players when manager of Mainz? If I were to take a guess, I'd say Howe likes the idea of KNOWING what he's getting from an incoming player, rather than taking a punt but then I'd wager most managers are the same. Of course being domestic base gives that extra security in that regard.

Making stuff up again. That first paragraph is nothing but guesswork. In fact, guesswork is doing it some favours. I can only assume you have an agenda, its the only reason why someone would make something up to suit a certain narrative.

I don't even think that's true though. The Eddie Howe I know is well aware of alot European talent. Might help that his Nephew is a scout mind.

The key is a mix. We've been down the "French day" route, ultimately you end up with a soulless team of players who don't understand the culture of the club and have far less investment in how things pan out for the team, largely because if things go tits up they can just call their agent and do a body swerve back home. On the other hand, we don't want a Steve Bruce or Kevin Nolan style "lads" culture, where by as long as you are a "good honest pro" or whatever you will get a game. Do your research, are they a good player? are they a good character? are the committed for the medium term, at least? Try and find value in the foreign market but also don't be afraid to splash on good young English players. You can't go far wrong.

The way I see it, its win-win. Scenario 1: Trippier leaves, we probably get something like 12-16m for him, plus a tonne of wages off our books for a 33 (34 soon) year old and that gives a fair amount of FFP wriggle room. Scenario 2: He stays, probably doesn't leave us at all in the summer (for Bayern it will be now or never IMO) and we've still got a great player with loads of experience in the squad.

I'm presuming this is satire?

And that's a perfectly fair point. No issue with anyone saying perhaps we could have let's say gone for a RW rather than Barnes who plays mainly on the LW but I'd mitigate that by saying Howe and Co had no idea that Murphy would miss 3 months or that Barnes himself would have such an outrageous injury. Same with Tonali, perhaps there's an argument to say an orthodox DM would have been a better shout. My point was more aimed towards the "Howe wants British cloggers" brigade. Which there's absolutely no substance to other than supposition, conjecture and the odd article which talks about him wanting PL experience. We've signed 12 players, 7 of which have come from domestic clubs. Added to that Howe couldn't believe his luck when he was told he could get Tonali (that's words from his mouth). Some are talking absolute shite on this topic and it's tedious.

I know the clubs strategy.... its to sign quality players. Pope Isak Bruno Botman Livramento Trippier Tonali Gordon Barnes (I'm sure will come good in time) Burn (value for money at the very least)... Hall (hard to tell how it will work out but I could see what they were trying) Wood (A bit of a plank but it was clearly a short term fix) It begs belief that there is any doubt in our transfer strategy, after the years of shite we've been served up. Could we have tried to do something different around the Lewis Hall deal? Perhaps but even if it goes wrong, that's a decent strike rate on signings. We've had a tough season with injuries. That's it. That's what this is all about. Give us half the injuries and none of us having this discussion. (Not aimed at you Pablo).

We have a very good right back ready to go. From a personality point of view, how long do we want to keep him to be around the place as a good egg? I'm not saying you don't have a valid point but if we are targeting players of Tonali calibre (or potential), the personalities and mentalities come with it. Bruno, Botman, Isak and hopefully Tonali are all players we should be able to trust in big games. Sentimentality can cost. I'm not saying I WANT him to go, but I can see the merit in the arguement. I won't be disappointed either way.

Making stuff up.

It's mindless agenda driven nonsense. Aside for Lewis Hall (who could still yet be a good player for us) our identifying talent and getting them has been exemplary.