ponsaelius

Mad that's two years ago already like

Yeah basically, because we'd struggle to get a fee to justify the sale as he goes closer towards 30. We're going to have this decision to make with all our squad players going forward. They do reach a point (due to age, injuries) where you might as well just keep them rather than sell. Been this story with Wilson for a while. It's why we've also got to be ruthless when there is proper cash on the table. There is always a right time to sell.

As frustrating as it is I'm confident we should be able to attack the summer and be much stronger for it. I'm just a bit frustrated we can't shift a bit more deadwood ahead of time.

Sorry I absolutely hate the Bernabeu. Looks great inside because it's basically still the same, and the functionality is great in terms of the pitch system, but it's fuck ugly IMO.

FWIW Chicago have a 15% sell on clause of any profit.

He was linked to PSG and West Ham very strongly for a big fee. If it hadn't have been to Saudi, he'd have gone somewhere else. And if not him they'd have sold somebody else. People need to stop getting their knickers in a twist. Particularly in this case where it's a promising 21 year old proven in the PL who is their top scorer and they've had to flog him. It's not like it's some old carthorse that they've got an inflated fee for. If anything I'm glad they've sold him rather than Watkins. While Watkins is a better player right now, his value is only going to decrease.

They navigate it differently to us. More wheeling and dealing. Selling and buying. Is it better long term? I don't know - it's a different way of doing things. They had more sellable assets to start with and a better academy so it gives them more wiggle room to move. We have tended to sit on our hands more. Sign/keep our star players, rely on Eddie to coach the limited players to bigger heights, far less player turnover overall. But equally we have got a lot less room to move due to the squad and academy the owners inherited. We've resisted the big sale to shuffle things up. Perhaps we won't be able to do that forever. The summer will be interesting. I think we're only 2-3 players off a very strong first XI, and we can recruit younger and cheaper profiles to build out the squad that can be the Durans of the future potentially.

The one caveat I would give to the above is we have two free loan spots, and getting some bodies in as temporary cover to any outgoing moves would be a good way to mitigate for those sales until the summer. It's not something we ever seem to explore though.

We're obviously just getting a headstart in clearing the decks for the summer as much as we can. Moving players on is hard, we've seen that for years. When you get interest in long term deadwood you want to upgrade sometimes you've got to just move them on while it's there if you can - even if it leaves you short. We have no Europe and one game a week for the rest of the season - this is the one time you can gamble on a smaller squad for a bit. It's a gamble no doubt, but I do get it. If you've got breathing space you can strike early and proactively in the summer to fill the gaps you've already made. Perhaps take advantage of any PSR firesales if they happen like last summer. Conversely if we've still got players we need to shift, it could take all summer until players are back from their holidays etc, and leave us with little flexibility.

Dunno Marseille have splashed a bit of cash recently, they might do a perm.

We possibly want to replace him with a younger player as part of a squad recycle come summer. I can see the merit in moving squad players on now in January if there is interest to free up head room to then strike quickly and proactively in the summer. Otherwise you might be waiting all summer for players to move and miss out on targets. The risk is of course it leaves us thinner on the ground for the rest of the season which could cost us CL if we have a run of injuries. It's a difficult balancing act but I totally get why Mitchell might want to clear the decks a bit this Jan and get fees in when the money is on the table, and while we only have one game a week.

Atalanta very unlucky to miss out on top 8 given they've played Arsenal, Barca and Madrid.

Great format!

Footy is definitely all about the whole day out for me. To be honest it's half the reason I prefer away games and making a trip out of it to see somewhere new. That being said - once I'm in the ground I want to watch the match. It baffles me that people go and don't actually watch a huge proportion of the game that they've paid for. It's like going to the cinema and spending half of it propping up the bar. There's so much scope for drinks/food/socialising either side of the 105+ minutes in the rest of your day.

Emery has wanted Felix for ages so that makes sense. Not really a direct replacement though. Strange career Felix is having.

He's quality for a 21 year old striker and proven he can do it in the PL. They're selling the future to pay for the now, which is what PSR does unfortunately. His attitude does stink - so it could go either way with him long term admittedly. It's a good sale but I'm not sure they do it if the mechanics of PSR were not in play.

PSG are trying to sign him, and he'd probably start for them. Are they not a top European club?

He's their top scorer this season.

Obviously it's good money for him but Duran is really good with loads of room to improve and Watkins is on the way out physically. It's not far off us selling one of our blue chip players to Saudi tbh.

Played on the right and through the middle a decent amount too, TBF.

They're surely loaning him to play though. Whether that's cos they want him back firing or to get a sale. Don't see how either the club or the player would want to send him here with Isak as first choice.

Utter shithouse. Always thought it was pathetic and embarrassing how some of our fans worshipped him.

That's in line with what Douglas reported at the end of December. It sounds like the player was keen too, I suppose more of a pathway to immediate first team football.

Lol ffs

The previous format was imperfect. I even said on here I was definitely willing to give something new a go. But this has just been pish. It's bloated American style play-off system crap designed to allow big clubs to rotate their enormous squads and keep everybody happy. Trying to imagine us in this competition or one of the others next season with our current squad depth makes me (almost) want to finish 8th.