ponsaelius

Agreed. It's why I'm more in favour of a salary cap (that you can't just get out of via loaning players out) than I am the FFP we've currently got. FFP is encouraging player hoarding and speculative recruitment on an enormous scale, and clubs with the resources to do so are able to reinforce the established hierarchy by effectively controlling the supply and demand of talent in the transfer market.

We probably should have sold Trippier in January as well to be honest. However given his output last year (and throughout most of his time here) I'd say we should be taking any actual fee for Almiron and finding a replacement. Our recruitment has generally been very good since the takeover, but I think our overall squad management and selling isn't as anywhere near as calculated as it should be.

Yes. Just like we have/will with others once they hit 30. Our inability to be ruthless and move players on is one of the things most clearly holding us back.

We'll end up selling him for less.

The budget is there to replace him, we're just not doing it because we can't shift him and we can't carry three right wingers. Any fee we get would effectively allow us to sign a younger replacement. If we don't sell him now he's another 30 year old we will allow to leave for nowt (along with Wilson and Trippier probably). We just can't keep doing this, we have to renew the squad.

We don't need to make big money. Anything we get is profit at this point because he's been here so long. We have to stop letting players run down their value to nothing. Take the fee and buy a long overdue replacement.

Barnet slander reeks of jealousy I'm afraid. Superb hairline for a 59 year old fella.

Get it to 10 and take it if it means we can get a replacement. It's the last chance you're going to get any kind of fee for him.

Ticking along FFS.

If selling him gets us a young upgrade then the total amount of fee isn't that big of a deal. Without him moving on we aren't signing a player in his position.

He did although I'm sure Gibbs White plated ahead of him.

If that's the offer it's more than enough. Move on it it doesn't get the job done.

It is.

Good post. We can't just recruit like Brighton do. Their ambition level and financials mean they effectively take lots of punts on unfinished articles. It's a great model for them and their recruitment is exceptional but it's not a model that will get you CL football or build a top club. It was the same argument a few years ago when Liverpool kept signing Southampton players - IE why not just sign their scouts lolol! Top clubs are at a level where it is worth paying pay a premium for players who are a sure thing, proven in the league, and are at 23/24 rather than 18/19. Beneath that you can still have youth level recruitment (particularly for PSR purposes now) - but this is not necessarily for the first team benefit. We're stuck in a difficult position I think of being somewhere in between the two models. We need to recruit smarty and cleverly and make stars and navigate PSR, but we also need to be showing a level of ambition befitting the stated goals of the club, add guaranteed quality, and to keep the key players committed. It's been a disappointing window no doubt for me. However it could still be a success with 1-2 top quality signings before the end.

Not counting calories or having no knowledge of what they're eating is a major reason many people are overweight. Presenting the information can only be a good thing.

Surely not

No way they would sell both of them I don't think.

This is the the thing. I don't think we sign a right winger unless we can shift somebody, as we can't afford to carry three in that position.

I'd honestly rather have Madueke than Neto for us. Latter is a better player but we couldn't afford to sign somebody to play 50% of fixtures. Chelsea can probably get away with it.

Yeah I like the lad and think he's generally been underrated previously but it's crazy money. It probably doesn't help us in our bargaining for Guehi tbh.

I think we'll walk away at the price they're asking for. Can see an alternative CB target emerge and then a right winger signed as well.

Wouldn't be surprised it Raphinha is going somewhere. They'll need money to offset the Olmo signing.

Certainly not imminent based on that.

Nawty

I wuz there. Beverley played with 10 for 80 mins, Whitley 0-3 up and nearly fucked it up.