Taylor Swift

get in1

Well done, Williamson and Colo.

HAHAHAHAHA

Fuck off.

Nolan is shite.

We're being dominated like we should be because we're playing with a 4-5-1.

Agreed, parky. There aren't any easy fixtures for us now that we're in the Premiership so we've gotta be winning our home games to stand a chance of survival.

Your avatar

Who's starting for barca tonight?

Ruthless Chelsea.

Chamakh, 6-0.

Ref takes out Wilshere

Chamakh misses an absolute sitter.

Hat-trick, Walcott.

What a hit by Bale for his second. Superb technique.

I wouldn't want us to sign him permanently now if it meant him eating up a significant portion of our budget. Let's be honest, he would eat up our whole budget. The point of signing him on loan is as a trial, and the fact that he's already said he won't stay at Marseilles means that we clearly have the advantage in this transfer. There's no reason to sign him on a buy now pay later thing because if the other option available for us is clearly better. Like I said, we won't be big spenders in the next couple of years so to commit a what-I'm-sure is significant portion of next year's budget to a player this year isn't the brightest thing to do.

The difference between those deals and the one Marseilles is asking from us is that those deals had the fee agreed but the purchase was optional (hence Distin not signing, Viana coming back etc.). Marseilles are asking us to commit to signing him today.

No, with you

A deal with a minimum games is a good deal. That's the type of deal that would be good for us. A deal without a minimum games is not a good deal because we could be forced to sign him even if he doesn't actually play because I reckon our chances of survival are still decent. I haven't read this thread to find out what kind of deal we're negotiation with Marseilles but I assume they've asked fo the one without the minimum games. If I'm mistaken, then apologies

Yes! What the fuck? It happens all the time. Rossi was sent to Villareal with the fee agreed, Viana sent to Sporting Lisbon, Distin to us, a whole load of deals have happened this way.

"Held to ransom" They want to sell a player like normal clubs do, not on a try before you buy basis. If anything we (and the player) are holding them to ransom. Imagine how you'd feel if this was Enrique and he was saying he never wanted to play for us again, but the only club he wanted to go to only wanted to get him on loan for the season & send him back if they weren't happy with him or if they broke him. That's what happens all the time, man. We loaned Viana out a couple of times with a fee agreed and Sporting Lisbon weren't happy so they sent him back. Why shouldn't we be doing the same thing to a player who's situation is actually quite comparable to Viana's (highly rated youngster, hasn't settled, would like to move)?

No, when we make a signing we tie our hands because we can afford to. I'm pretty sure everyone knows we won't be big spenders in the next couple of years so to tie our hands like this is just not prudent. We're desperate for new signings and this kid's quality, sure, but come on, no one has ever signed this type of contract before so why should we succumb to Marseilles' wish when it looks to me as if no one else out there wants to buy this kid outright for cash.

You're talking about loaning him for the season and having to sign him for £5m IF he plays 25 games and IF we survive yes? How on earth can you describe that as a lose lose situation? We're fucking shit, man. R Taylor will probably play 25 games this season and I would offload him for £1m if there was a taker. The fact is we cannot tie our hands like this. We're desperate but we don't have to be setting precedents in football by signing a contract like this. No other has had to, no matter their situation.

I really think we've left this to deadline day and OM will try and offload him for straight cash till then, if that doesn't happen we'll get him on the original terms. That is where I honestly think MA is with this. Agreed. We're playing hardball. It's risky and I'm not sure we're in a position to risk it when given the chance to sign a quality player like Ben Arfa but I sure as hell would not sign up to the buyout clause as well so I can see why Ashley and Llambias are playing hardball. Imagine if we did sign that clause that the guy is turbo shit for the whole season, comes on as a sub for 20-25 games but we still survive. To be forced to buy him would be reduce our transfer budget for next season and it would be an outlay which would not improve the team at all. If we're going to agree to a buyout clause, we have to stick in some other clauses like x amount of starts or x amount of games as well because otherwise we have no leverage come next season. Tbf to Ashley and Llambias, this buyout clause thing is the first time I've ever seen mentioned. I would understand a fee agree and first refusal because that's something that's quite common but for Marseilles to demand this shows that they're not really seriously entertaining our offer (yet). If he was total shit we wouldn't play him for 25 games. I really don't understand why anyone would have a problem with such a clause. Most would be ecstatic if we signed him right now for £5m. Yet wouldn't like to sign him now for the season with the proviso that we must sign him for £5m next year if he plays 25 games and we stay up, its fucking crazy IMO. It doesn't matter whether he's shit or not, do you get it? We have to sign him if we survive, even if he's a horrible ball-hog who doesn't track back and ends up playing only a portion of our home matches and none of our away matches. Let's face it, this is a possibility. For us to tie our hands like that is insane. No contract has been signed like this in football because no club has been desperate/mental enough to sign it. The fact that Marseilles have asked us to commit to it is probably a sign that our bid is way too low and they're taking the piss, or it's just them playing hardball and we're calling their bluff (which I think will work, imo).

Like I said, the buyout clause is a lose-lose situation for us so I'm in agreement with the hierarchy that we shouldn't be held to ransom like that. I know this might not be popular to say, but there are other fish in the sea and I'm sure Hughton's working on them right now with the understanding that the Ben Arfa thing will be decided on deadline day.