Unbelievable

Absolute rubbish that bit. Feyenoord are quoting 20m because they stand to lose their best player who will be irreplaceable, especially mid season. People go on like this is some sort of massive fee because it’s above our transfer record, but it’s easily the going rate for a top forward in a minor league. Some players in the Eredivisie would cost you twice as much.

He’d be more like 60m

What is the formula for converting this into goals in the PL? 45 in 39 in Eredivisie. Went to Boro and was s****. The formula is to be Luis Suarez Said this before, but Afonso Alves was spectacularly good and supremely talented that year for Heerenveen. Obviously lost all interest in being a football player once he’d won a few Brazil caps and his big money move.

I’ll be honest, but if we’re lowballing this ai expect us to lose out unless the player forces Feyenoord’s hand. For the money we’re offering they’re probably better off seeing how he does during the World Cup considering he’s tied down for the next three and a half years anyway. They’ll be in no rush to sell their best player on the cheap you would imagine.

Some things never change

Well, she’s staying right here with us

One thing I will say is he’s quite good technically for a big man. Not the quickest obviously, but quite strong. He’s definitely better than LdJ, but that’s not really saying much.

Very good player at this level, but doesn’t seem like the type to be able to make the step up physically to me. Feyenoord are still in a precarious financial situation and not having a good season, so can definitely see this one happen.

Funny how it felt like an unwelcome loan move that would restrict us in other dealings, but after three weeks of nothing happening it suddenly feels a lot better. Feeding of scraps and being grateful for it Anyway, hope it works out. Does it come with an option to buy?

Poor Dave

But what if we're using the money from any potential sale to fund the purchase of an incoming player? Yes, we shouldn't really be in that position, but let's assume we are. Do we not sell Mitro or someone else to rival for fear of that player improving them, and therefore miss out on the player we want? In an ideal world you sell to a foreign team, but this is a Mike Ashley world..... Plus said relegation rival could instead spend their money on an actually good striker capable of firing them to safety.

The second bid is 300M with an easily avoided relegation clause (look at all the s*** teams in the league and the easily upgradable positions in our team), plus a pie in the sky 50M for CL. Had Ashley's people engaged PCP properly, you would think they could push for 25M without simply ignoring the bid. It's less than 10% extra. Ashley said he would sell to someone paying in installments, so that is not a factor. Exactly. Seems like from Ashley’s side there hasn’t been any movement to try and meet in the middle and complete a deal. It’s almost as if they aren’t interested in selling.

That's something that could be resolved surely? Far more likely for my money that he just doesn't want to sell and just doesn't even enter into negations. Reading between the lines there he's only ever told her what he disliked about her offers but never actually made a counter offer of any sort, something that her side could work with. Of course, putting a counter offer in carries the risk that the other side match it and you would then have to actually sell the asset.

Eh? The bids won't supersede one another, they're just different options. I'd imagine they're based on feedback received from Ashley's side. All in all I'd say the three are fairly comparable and mostly just differ in whoever pays the insurance policy for when things don't go to plan (HMRC case outcome and relegation) They line up with everything that was reported in the press. First Ashley was willing to accept installments for 'substantial payments', then he wanted more money, then wanted rid of the clauses. It's exactly as we've been told all along. Yup. Grim that he hasn't even had the courtesy to formally decline the final offer yet felt the need to run to Sky and spill his venom. Can't say I'm surprised, but how he keeps getting away with it for many of our fans and most of the media I will never know.

Eh? The bids won't supersede one another, they're just different options. I'd imagine they're based on feedback received from Ashley's side. All in all I'd say the three are fairly comparable and mostly just differ in whoever pays the insurance policy for when things don't go to plan (HMRC case outcome and relegation)

Didn’t the initial statement say Ashley was willing to accept payment in installments? Sure did, invited it actually

Says all the right things and remains dignified in the face of Ashley's buffoonery. I hope a deal can still be struck, but reading that it's been classic Ashley all the way. You really have to question his willingness to sell based on that. Sounds very much like we've all been played, as before.

Fuck's sake, she bid 350m in installments and it was rejected

Sicko.

My theory: PCP contacted the club about possible interest well before the mid October announcement putting the club up for sale officially. We know this to be true because Staveley had been at the Liverpool two weeks earlier, and in the statement there were references made to dilligence periods, so it's fair to assume something was brewing before Ashley showed his hand. I don't think it's therefore hard to imagine how Keith Bishop devised a plan to use the interest to Ashley's advantage regardless of him ever actually being prepared to sell. Let's face it, Ashley had absolutely nothing to lose by doing this. Either it would result in an offer too good to refuse or it would take the heat of him and allow him to get away with spending as little as possible in the January transfer window, which is exactly what seems to be happening. I.e. Amanda Staveley doesn't have to be actually "in" on it - she's probably getting played by Bishop and Ashley like we all are and have been for the past 10 years. Who's letting Ashley get away with spending as little as possible due to the potential takeover like?, who are these people? I'm not, I don't see anyone here who is apart from the occasional loon. Also if this is the aim why has he ended it with 15 days of the transfer window remaining? As a plan to allow him not to spend during this window its not only ridiculously over elaborate but incredibly pointless/ineffective. It also ignores the fact that he really just doesn't give a f***ing s*** about what we think of him. There hasn't been an anti-Ashley song of note in the past one and a half year, let alone any form of organised protest and as duo suggests above there has barely been any media scrutiny on his lack of investment recently. The club is in a status quo position as long as Rafa is here, and Ashley knows full well that he can't maintain the status quo by doing what he's always done as that will just see Rafa walk away and the club in likely freefall once more. As ever though he's trying to get away with doing the absolute bare minimum to keep things ticking over at the club. As for Ashley not giving a f***ing s*** about what we think of him; I beg to differ, a lot. He's a bully who can't handle being bullied at all.

Professional as ever. Steve McMahon from Profitable Group in 2009:

My theory: PCP contacted the club about possible interest well before the mid October announcement putting the club up for sale officially. We know this to be true because Staveley had been at the Liverpool two weeks earlier, and in the statement there were references made to dilligence periods, so it's fair to assume something was brewing before Ashley showed his hand. I don't think it's therefore hard to imagine how Keith Bishop devised a plan to use the interest to Ashley's advantage regardless of him ever actually being prepared to sell. Let's face it, Ashley had absolutely nothing to lose by doing this. Either it would result in an offer too good to refuse or it would take the heat of him and allow him to get away with spending as little as possible in the January transfer window, which is exactly what seems to be happening. I.e. Amanda Staveley doesn't have to be actually "in" on it - she's probably getting played by Bishop and Ashley like we all are and have been for the past 10 years.

We'd have to pay actual money for that to happen. I know, and it would be a large amount, but I don’t think it would be as large as it would be if we got someone else. Have you considered signing nobody? Looking at the calibre of players we are supposedly targeting, it might not be the worst option. Definitely seems to be the one Charnley has been authorised to pursue. He'd improve us I think, certainly better than our current options. Fits the 'young with resale value' profile too. It's doubtful we'd pay anywhere near what Celtic will ask for him though unless we got rid of Gayle and Mitro for a combined £20m and chucked it at them. Errrmmm