AyeDubbleYoo

if you look back through the history of big transfers in england the (smaller) receiving club do either one of two things; (i) spend a good proportion of the fee or (ii) pocket the money waddle, beardsley & gazza are examples of (ii) any guesses where the carroll money will fall? What do you mean by "pocket the money" though? Just not spend it on transfers? So either the clubs spend the money or they don't spend it... hardly a revelation.

I've been saying this weeks, it all comes off the bottom line.

Logic, will you be utterly despondent if we continue to sign decent players who improve our squad?

Une bon question.

I think so Any reason, or just that they need a winger? Pretty obvious reason... left-footed midfielder for left-footed midfielder. The fact him and Downing are both left footed means he's "nailed on" to sign for Aston Villa?

I think so Any reason, or just that they need a winger?

Saylor looks pretty trim compared to last season.

The away kit? We'll probably wear it often enough. The third kit wont see the light of day though. I didn't think we wore the away kit that much either TBH. Can't be more then 7 or 8 games, at a guess.

The four players we've already signed not count? If it was me I'd want every signing in before the start of the season at the very latest. Well so would everyone, but in reality it's not always possible.

The fact that they all play for Man Utd is a pretty tenuous reason to believe they'll fail, isn't it?

Nobody actually thinks buying someone on the last day is better than buying them in July, I don't understand what we're arguing about.

The four players we've already signed not count?

What has Brown's fitness record been like recently? I assumed that was why he was so far down the pecking order.

Wow.

Just looks like an orange t-shirt with an NUFC badge stuck on to me, not really like a football top. Anyway, I won't buy it and we'll hardly ever wear it, so no big deal.

I thought all signs were that Barton is staying now, the madness seems to have died down.

I don't know whether to use this for the joke or the responses, but fair play to you all:

No. Not in the slightest anymore. We should already have put aside a slice of money for this and the last window so focusing on that figure doesn't make much sense to me anyway. All I know is that it is a good chunk of money that will be invested into the club and will have given us an increased budget to invest in players, and beyond that I think its is pointless trying work out where it all goes. As for those adding caveats that, well we we hoped it would give us a chance to really push the boat out, I would agree. That would be great. With a gambler like Ashley, fingers crossed we may still be surprised, we are already on a more interesting road with the type of players we bring in and the football philosophy than the likes of Sunderland and that is important in my eyes. Were not just playing it safe. Beyond, looking at the accounts and checking that nobody is making a fast buck (and hell we're not even being bummed by the bloke with interest on his loans at the moment), I don't see the point in getting hung up on not being able to see exactly where that £35m goes, if we still see progress on and off the pitch. Just to say I agree totally with this, said before that this obsession over the Carroll money is pointless.

Exactly, the new wages aren't "coming out of the Carroll fee", it's just that we need to budget for the wage expenditure in the future. The Carroll Money™ goes into our bank account and all our costs come out. Obviously any players leaving reduces the wage bill, but if the overall objective is to bring the total bill down then it's not as simple as just comparing outgoing player wages to incoming ones.

The first year, or even two would be understandable - they are taking this self-suffiency lark a bit far... Indeed, but there's no way that's happening. What would be the point? We will just be budgeting for the future expenditure, can't believe we're attempting to pay someone's wages for the next 5 years out of a lump sum we're holding onto right now.

This is starting to get silly. These are things you will never find out. No. No we really don't. If we have a better team next season. If not. Simples! f*** me, finally. yes and no. if we were to marginally improve but have kept money back would you not ask why we didn't use it ? fwiw i don't think they'll take money out but if they are setting aside 5yrs worth of wages now for the new signings i'm not sure if that is the best use of the money. Not really, we need to use money on other things than transfer fees (and even wages), and I don't have a problem with that. I agree with your second point, but I don't see any reason that the club would be keeping a lump sum now to pay for future wages. That doesn't make any sense, they will just budget for the future expenditure.

We view on that is just that I would rather have him play for us for a season, added to the fact that we might end up good enough to keep him at the end of it. You're right though, I fully expect the club not to take that view, and understandably so.

Thought that only applied for talking to clubs in different countries. Ah you might be right there. Well open sly negotiations on the understanding that we'll nab him the summer! Now you all dissect it, it's a pretty risky idea. But potentially cheap, which is what makes it plausible in my brain.

Sits it out til Christmas, opens talks with Barca to toddle off on a freebie. I would accept that TBH. Except then we probably wouldn't sign M'Bengue as I think we'll only sign him if we get a fee for Enrique. Maybe, that would obviously be bad. We'd have to sign someone though.

Aye, both fair points, was just a thought. Might go to the end of the window either way.