STM

I don't think it's particularly complicated. We were paid a sum of money by the Australian footballing authority to go and play a couple of games of football and do some media work in order for them to promote their league and football. Presumably part of the agreement was that we have a certain amount of stars play in at least one of the games. Personally, I think 3m was worth it. It was a glorified holiday and training match for our players.

My opinion is that now is the time to reshuffle the pack. While we don't have the extra burden of European football, our squad needn't be decked with any poor fringe players. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to have Richie/Dummett stay on in a playing capacity. If we have ANY opportunities to offload players who aren't considered first team/future stars, we should consider cashing in. That goes all the way from Richie to Joe Willock, depending on the offer. Pope Tino Hall Botman Schar Burn Joelinton Bruno Tonali Gordon Isak Are the players to keep, for varying reasons. Anyone else, I'd listen to offers for. Edit: Just to be clear, I'm not suggesting selling every other player. We just need to be open to the possibility of selling and more importantly, have recruits in mind if we do sell.

When she says management, she means the people who run the club, i.e Silverstone and Eales, not some mystical PIF overlord.

Nominal fee for Fraser would be great. His wages off the books would free us up some decent wage room.

Every day we were told Botman was signing for AC Milan by people who didn't want him to move here. We need to chill out. It's going to be a long summer.

This is nonsense. You have to pay the agent a hefty fee, you have to pay the player a hefty signing on fee but unless you are Kylian Mbappe, those fees are nowhere near a transfer fee. It's quite plausible that we may have to pay 5/6m for Tosin/his agent but considering a transfer would cost upwards of 20m, its peanuts.

Precisely. Also worth mentioning that him and Kaveh fucking hate Newcastle. If there's a negative slant, they are using it.

Here's how this goes: I call you a divvy You say "how am I a divvy because I have a difference of opinion" I explain why what you've said is nonsense and that's why you are a divvy We do the same next week And on, and on, and on...

One goal, the game changes entirely.

Doesn't matter, City have had more possession

Deserved that for City's pathetic style of play. Passing the ball around far too slow. I know the way they play is effective but fuck me it's boring.

What if it was 15m + 10m if achieves goals/appearances?

I've always rated DCL as a player. Was a nightmare to defend against a couple of years ago. I'd back the club to get him back to that.

Does the fact he played 38 times last year count for nothing? If Wilson was available for that amount of games we don't need a striker.

DCL played 38 games last season. Isn't that more than Isak? Edit: Isak played 40. Point still stands. DCL had a very good season, appearance wise

What would be interesting, is how Pope reacts to us signing a shiny new keeper. Whether we like it or not, Pope becomes expendable. Not because he's a bad keeper but because he still holds financial value. If a reasonable offer came in and Pope was offered number 1 elsewhere, it's hard to see how that deal wouldn't happen. We would be in a position where we needed to find a number 2.... presumably late on in the window. Not sure an overhaul of our goalkeeping department was something I expected this summer.

I think something really important to remember is that clubs can't always just sign every player at the right time. Every now and then, a club might look at a deal and say we have to do this NOW. What if in a years time we decided we wanted a new keeper and the one guy who we really liked has moved elsewhere because we didn't act. It's all well and good having an idea of what you need for the 24/25 season but you need an eye on the 3 or 4 seasons after that. There's a balance the other way too, if you don't fix the immediate needs of the team, the results will also surely suffer. A fine balancing act and not an easy job. If we think this guy could be our keeper for 10 years, Nick Pope becomes irrelevant in the discussion.

We are right to say that he's not for sale. That's a terrible way of getting good money for him. I don't believe for a second that we wouldn't accept a decent bid for him though. I like that we don't actively push players out of the door mind. We seem to care about the players wishes, which counts for something in my book.

Normally we'd have the selling club leaking bits and pieces but in this case there are only 2 parties, as opposed to 3. I'll be honest, I've got that transfer itch.

Kids and grown ups love him so...

Now, I may be being Mr Grumpypants, but are we perhaps getting a tad ahead of ourselves here? Are these sources reliable?... I mean where are they on the Casey-Ornstein scale of accuracy?

Another thread... really?

If DCL is in the last year, I wonder if a cut price deal is on the cards. In fact, it wouldn't shock me seeing Wilson go the other way.

I reckon we would take our money back on Ashby. We will probably try and find him another loan. Mind, if Trippier goes, we might keep him around the squad.