KaKa

Just my thoughts. Not really trying to convince anyone as people will feel differently. Can see if some people would prefer to pack it in and choose to do so.

We just have to keep going. The fee will no doubt allow us to better fill out the squad with greater depth and decent quality replacements. I think we'll still be a good team and in position to challenge for a top 4/5 place. I think for now that's just what it is. Until we start making bigger strides off the pitch on the commercial side, or until PSR gets scrapped. Then lets see what the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool actually look like once the games start. Chelsea prior to last season had spent a billion and it wasn't very convincing frankly. They barely finished ahead of us, and it was largely down to our lack of depth. I've mostly felt depth has been our biggest issue, and so it will be interesting to see how next season goes if we can address that to a greater extent.

It's been slow and its not been perfect, but it's being worked on clearly. It has taken a while to figure out what best works for the current manager, which led to some disruption, which is being resolved now. I'd still take this over what we had previously.

Man ... I've seen this happen with the likes of Fabregas, Van Persie, Coutinho, Suarez, Bale, Kane etc etc etc. If we play our cards right we can accelerate progress off the back of this. Isak's rate of progress has out paced that of the clubs unfortunately. He's done very well and we will be well compensated if and when he leaves. There are still top young strikers on the market. Both Ekitike and Pedro I liked more as support strikers rather than lead men, and so didn't necessarily see them as replacements for Isak. Delap IMO doesn't have the ceiling of the likes of Sesko and Samu, who could still be options. I understand people being upset though. I just tend to not get too caught up with individual players to the same extent, once they are ready to move on.

£35 million package would be fair I think. Nice.

Would want at least one of the strikers to have a bigger physical presence.

Yeah, has to be Wissa for the experienced Prem assurance. And then a big young prospect. Think Sesko is the move and if not possible then Samu Aghehowa.

It's unbelievable really. Guy is likely about to break the British record for a transfer and set the club up to take the next step forward. It just is what it is. It's not ideal, but just part of the process as things are currently setup. He's just hit a level that the club can't pay the going rate for yet. Having said that. Please not Liverpool. God forbid!

Um ...excuse me, we don't want him to go to Liverpool!!!

Hmmm ... interesting update. So we let Liverpool set the mark of what we wouldn't accept at £130 million. And Al-Hilal come in with a bid "In excess of £130 million" that has to then be considered fair value.

Think there's some truth to this. Provided someone meets that £150 million valuation. We've been looking at a lot of strikers since the start of the year, many of who are the best young ones out there. I think preparations were being made for this scenario. If this has all been going on in the background, it somewhat explains the slow progress in the transfer window to some degree. Probably been waiting to resolve this and see if a big fee comes in that would influence how we move in the market.

That article is pretty much the club confirming that we're ready to sell for £150 million. Lets see who steps up to the plate. It would be a massive fee and that's down to how well Isak has done. Will be immensely awful if he stays in the Premier league though, and so hopefully that can be avoided.

Ah well ... at least this is all cleared up now. It was all too confusing man. Can this man please just have the decency not to go to fucking Liverpool. This should at least now let us know who has interest, and who comes to the table. Praying for a PSG move.

It's the Hope that kills you ...

I think there's still a chance that's the case. I imagine there's a sticking point though, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's to do with a release clause. They're probably fine with the number we've offered but provided there's a release clause included, and if we're not willing to add that, then maybe it would have to be a much higher figure like the one that's been rumoured.

Why didn't they put a bid in then? They were also only £30 million short of the fee most expect Newcastle to consider. Did they really need a bunch of sales first before offering that? Something weird about this whole thing.

I keep hearing how much more room to spend Liverpool have and their interest in Isak. But when you think about it, all they did was let Newcastle know informally that they'd be willing to pay £120 million for Isak. Never followed up with an actual bid, or looked to entice Newcastle with any indication of an increased offer of any kind. They seemed to then move on to Ekitike pretty quickly, even though there was no real pressure to do so, as they could have left that hanging for a while, and dangled that over Newcastle while trying to convince them to accept a deal for Isak. The sudden noise about Saudi interest as soon as Liverpool had signed Ekitike and so looked less likely to sign Isak was also a bit suspicious too. Also if there was any real indication out there that Isak could be had this summer, would Arsenal not have enquired as well or put out some noise too regarding their interest? There's a chance we have flat out refused to sell and clubs know this, and a lot of this noise is agent driven to put on added pressure regarding an improved contract.

I really can't help but wonder if we've been so hesitant in the market because we may have been waiting to get a huge injection of money first, which would affect the choice of player we go for.

Can't be mad at Isak at all really. He's done exceptionally well, and he's reached a level that commands huge wages on the market. Even with him leaving he'll get us a nice sum of money. The only thing we have to ask of him and in fact insist upon is that he does not join any of these other clubs in the Prem. I don't think that is too big a request. And so both he and his agent need to figure that out and reach out to whichever other clubs interest them. The absolute disgrace if this man ends up at Liverpool man. No way.

Has to be the move. He cannot stay in the Premier league. He just cannot.

Will likely be a top young prospect I presume, and so would still be good to have a prem experienced option like Wissa alongside.

My God this man is unbearable.

Would he do a year in Saudi and then a move to someone outside the Prem next summer? That would be good too.

We need to have PSG on speed dial right now, as they were rumoured to have interest earlier in the summer. They're the main hope of the right fee and having him out of the league.