McCormick

think he’s class and would get better under Eddie’s tutelage. Hopefully they accept (although I’m not particularly confident).

Think he’s solid and well-rounded but screams upper-midtable to me.

Guarantee Eddie carries a laser pointer at all times. I can just see him now: “So I’ve colour-coded the various- Yassir! Eyes this way and listening ears on, please, this is important.” And finishing every slide with, “Any questions before we move on?” Love the guy.

Truly tragic news. A talented player gone far too soon. Thoughts go out to his family and loved ones. RIP.

Big fee, granted but he’s as close to a guaranteed hit (under Howe) as you’re going to get imo.

Oh my God… Liverpool’s Diogo Jota? That’s truly heartbreaking and devastating news if true

The quietness probably suggests we’re looking abroad now. Or it doesn’t. I don’t know.

They’re making a go of it, fair play. Impressed by a few of their signings so far tbh.

This is guy is actually supposed to be quite good; best player from the team that finished top in the Belgian league and young too. Hate to say it but Sunderland are making some clever Brighton/Brentford-esque moves this summer.

"Come for the project, Pedro!” They just forget to mention the project is a managerial carousel and a bloated squad where your biggest achievement is making the matchday squad twice by December. Well done on the deluxe 8 year sabbatical though, Joao. I’m not bitter at all, honest.

Can understand being upset about them being silly geese if we’ve just been thrashed at home or something. The lads are on holiday though ffs.

Oh wow, another one of those great value deals from the continent! Can understand why it’s been so quiet surrounding him now. Nvm

Has anyone been linked with Samu from Porto yet? Given his age and Howe’s penchant for physical monsters/ target men it’d make sense for us to go in for him as a more forward-thinking alternative to DCL imo.

That’s fair.

We don’t really have a CEO though, man. Or at least not one doing much beyond spell-checking his handover notes. YAR and PIF aren’t sitting around cooking up clever ways to game PSR; they’ve got sovereign wealth portfolios to manage. It’s not their job to dream up shirt-sleeve sponsorship tricks or academy asset flips. That’s what a competent executive team is for- to actually think ahead, build structures, and get the necessary sign-off. But until we have someone upstairs that does more than administrative busywork, there’s not much to judge imo.

Only ever seen him put in trainwreck performances vs PSG . Maybe I’m being unfair, but doesn’t scream composure under pressure. Highlights make him look a pacey and “modern” cb though. Tools are there and the price is okay. If Howe wants him, I’m in.

Don’t think 60m is that bad a price, personally. He’s a better player than Diaby who went for similar money.

I don’t think Akliouche would hit the ground running, personally. Great prospect but really lightweight. At the top level there isn’t a pronounced difference in transfer fees from the PL and abroad.

Not had the best season and plays in a back 3 but he’d be an amazing signing imo.

They’ll never sell him on the cheap. He’s too good and their fans love him. He’s like their Isak or Livramento where they won’t sell this window unless there’s bonkers money on the table.

To be fair to Ryder, it seemed Chelsea moved quickly once they saw we were making progress on the deal. I’m sure his agent tipped them off.

We only need 1 small sale this window (even a 10m Longstaff deal for example) to spend 170m and above based on my rough PSR calculations. I reckon that’s what we’re waiting for to spend big on a CB too. Should have around 30m worth of headroom this summer if I’m not mistaken.

Shit. Why is it reminding of the Simple Rick’s wafer ad ? Fair play though, love the little touches.

It’s not on, is it? Don’t want to sound precious but he deserves a little bit more respect for his time here. Not saying I’d be delighted if he stayed but I don’t see the need to dunk on the guy.

I'm not saying they were unwilling to spend money; I agree, they clearly want us to succeed. All I meant was that we don't really know the full extent of what they would have done. Iirc Amanda mentioned something about PIF being prepared to invest around £60m per year on transfers (which they actually exceeded). Anyway, there's no point getting caught up in the what-ifs. People come to this thread for a bit of a serotonin boost, not to see dry debates about ownership and stuff