Unbelievable

Good piece of business but what this transfer represents is sad in many ways. As a club we are unwilling to pay for the finished product and unable to develop our own.

It's a vicious cycle under Ashley. We refuse to spend proper money, so end up buying average players on long contracts, which end up holding us back as nobody will take them off our hands. That in turn prevents us from signing the quality of player we need. Heck, even when someone like Gouffran is eventually out of contract we offer them a new one to save a few pennies. Our approach to transfers will never get us anywhere.

This seems to be what's causing the frustration/hold-up.

Their match "highlights". Manone looks ready for the new season https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/2017/july/st-johnstone/highlights-st-johnstone-v-sunderland

http://i.imgur.com/f74lxJI.jpg Di Canio is back!

It will be more difficult than usual for him to fuck this up, but I have full confidence he will manage it.

How can we be in talks with him if we aren't even close to meeting his club's valuation? Surely they wouldn't allow him to talk to us as that would weaken their hand substantially? There is nothing in those two tweets that suggests we are in talks with the player. NUFC are in talks with Norwich; Murphy and his agents are also in talks with Norwich. Ah right. First tweet is open to interpretation, but you may be right reading it again.

How can we be in talks with him if we aren't even close to meeting his club's valuation? Surely they wouldn't allow him to talk to us as that would weaken their hand substantially?

Bloody hell

So we first have to shift the deadwood before we can get tomorrow's dead wood? This is what you get when you refuse to spend the extra million for the likes of Aubameyang or Lacazette and revert to the likes of Mitrovic and Riviere instead.

Coincidentally and sadly, we've had a similar story going on in Holland, with a boy (Tijn Kolsteren) suffering from terminal brain cancer raising money for charity: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/24/terminally-ill-dutch-child-raises-2m-with-nail-painting-challenge Tijn has died aged 6 last night. Such a horrible, horrible disease.

Game of puns must end. Ok if you incest

Is he aware Sunderland have been relegated?

I see some people saying we spent 80m last summer, but looking at the fees involved it looks like it's more like 60m, and that's been entirely recpuped by the Sissoko and Wijnaldum sales. What am I missing?

Defoe has issued a statement confirming he's leaving for Bournemouth. What a day for them. What's next? Carver announced as new manager?

The Germans, having looked at the club's financial position in detail probably wanted Short to pay to take the club of his hands, rather than the other way around. Can't blame them, they're hamouraging money and it will only get worse.

I doubt Rafa caree much about how much players cost, just that he can strengthen the squad within the budget he's been given (and was reportedly happy with). It does seem though that he's having to fight others in positions of power over player valuations and ability. we don't know though do we? Rafa was proved wrong over Townsend, the board said no and got it right, plenty of time in truth and the price tag doesn't always mean success , no panic as yet from me , either way i'm looking forward being back in the big time It's not about being right or wrong about individual players though, it's about being given a responsibilty and a budget to do the best job possible and being given the freedom and trust to do the job without being second guessed or having to explain/defend your decisions and having them cancelled above your head. How do Charnley and co plan to evaluate Rafa's performance (in the wider remit of also being responsible for player recruitment) if they keep meddling in it? Will Rafa be allowed the players he thinks he needs, or has nothing changed at all in practice?

MA isn't working with him though is he? it's that f***ing tool Charnley, the non football man tasked with getting them over the line, good god. Maybe not directly (much), but undoubtedly he's getting fed back what's happening through Charnley and that new lawyer with his unknown remit (and previously Carr). He went from pushing around Pardew and McClaren to being told what's what by Rafa (by proxy or not). Can Ashley handle a strong character challenging him oublicly as the club's most visible figure? Not even adecade ago, when he was himself still ambitious and enthousiastic about owning us he most definitely couldn't.

I doubt Rafa cares much about how much players cost, just that he can strengthen the squad within the budget he's been given (and was reportedly happy with). It does seem though that he's having to fight others in positions of power over player valuations and ability.

I wonder what Ashley makes of working with Rafa. He's used to being surrounded by submissive nobody's kissing his bottom in appreciation of the fact they got a job they're completely unqualified for, and that he can push around at will. Rafa obviously doesn't fit that profile and presents a treath to the way he likes to operate. Wouldn't surprise me at all if he privately thought is more hassle than he's worth, especially now it's job done and we're back on the gravy train. Guess we'll find out this summer if anything has changed or not, because I doubt Rafa will put up with going into the season with a squad destined for relegation.

, especially the bit in bold.