Emotic

Mackems had Didier NDong refuse to return for the season when they dropped into the Championship. From what I understand, they literally sacked him in the summer, but retained control of his contract. And he signed a contract with Guingamp that same December, after Guingamp had worked something out with Sunderland. Not sure whether this sort of option serves anyone's interest. I'd hold him to his contract, and if he didn't put in an effort, sit him on the bench and introduce him only in the last minute of every match (to cover against accusations of keeping him and not playing him). And do it for three years. No exposure.

150 and a replacement in place. And that's the minimum requirement. And no, Wilson's replacement isn't Isak's replacement.

And why not, they've literally lied about everything else. I had originally given the benefit of the doubt "nah it cannot be a coordinated effort, who has the time?". Now I am firmly in team conspiracy. In fact, it's so damn obvious that the club should have an army of private investigators and lawyers going over records, man.

The same Fab who insisted over the weekend that Liverpool will not bid "until Newcastle opens the door", out of respect for Newcastle and given the emphatic rejection of their last bid? Gee, I wonder that his idea of "Newcastle opening the door" is? I hope we literally say "Fuck Off" and release a press statement saying the exact same. Just two words.

Worst thing is that people are running with the fake news that he told Eddie he wanted to leave very early on. "Disgusting that you reneged on your gentlemen's agreement with him!" etc etc. Again if I were running the club, I'd be Nick DeMarco-ing these ghouls, pulling up all the receipts and suing them for whatever cause I can find. We're a multimillion-pound business after all, and this is resulting in a devaluation of a multimillion-pound asset.

Wish we had the wherewithal to totally Soup Nazi him and his agent - don't want to play for us? No playing for the next three years. We will pay you, but no bonuses, no media, you won't get any endorsement money, and you won't be allowed to leave until your contract is over. Have fun being a 29-year old hasn't played for three years.

So if he stays but clearly and obviously swans about casually not giving a fuck during games, what recourse is there? Apart from a training day clothesline from Joelinton?

It's literally the "Look what NATO did, leaving us with no choice but to invade Ukraine" playbook. You see it on Twitter all the time, even more so now the cunt Musk is in charge.

Like a Scouse MAGA podcaster/Alex Jones. Gish galloping a firehouse of lies and enough brain-dead cunts will tune in and validate your tiny penis. Twitter will be the downfall of Western civilization.

Don't Villa need warm, home-grown bodies for Europa? Not sure if they can spare selling him.

I love "Isakariot". Should be on a Tifo, that.

Yet scored against Liverpool, the winning goal in our first Cup victory in 70 years. The silly git. "I'll make them love me, so that the pain is more intense when I betray them."

This precedent will effectively end the transfer market as we know it. Even Liverpool aren't that desperate.

I suppose he can go to these at cut-rate if they offer to pay part of these other players' insane wages for the next four years as well

Of all the things he's done, this is by far the worst artifact.

Because they're Liverpool, the "canny business" underdog club. Great bit of business standing firm on Diaz! Great bit of business unsettling Isak to get him on the cheap! Oh and Trent is a fuckin rat for running down his contract!

Can't wait to raid the European Leagues for their players just by paying off their shitty contracts to be fair. PSR loophole!

The biggest factor is if Isak can do it to us, Isak, Salah, Gakpo, Eikitike can do it to them and Barcelona, Real Madrid etc can just indemnify the players for the lost earnings, and there won't be any transfer fees for anyone anymore.

This. He has cast a shadow over our best-ever season in living memory, disrupted our pre-season preparations, undermined our transfer business throughout the window, and sullied irreparably the adoration from this passionate fanbase (and his reputation with other fans and pundits). It's a helluva scorched-earth policy when it was literally easier to just act like a fucking professional and get the business done without antagonising anyone. This stance can only strengthen our resolve.

Well if it came down to that, the option now is to get a Saudi club to bid 150million pounds for him, with a 50% sell-on clause. We accept the bid. However it is conveyed to him, he can be told Liverpool can have him the next year for whatever price the Saudis accept. Either Liverpool match their bid this round (ok by me); or he joins the Saudis (ok by me, and ought to be for him too, since "he's adamant" he won't be playing for us); or he stays with us and suffers the humiliation of somehow having to play for us again, and us possibly still asking too much for him next season. Sounds like Saudi Plan is the way to go, benefits all parties.

Therein lies the problem. After this ultimatum, Liverpool might lower their bid rather than up it, knowing that a) there isn't any other bidder that Isak would go to; and b) Isak has stated he would never play for us again. Someone is trying to force an exit, for cheap.

Jesus Christ, you know Isak's fucked it when Gabby Agbonlahor hasn't asked Eddie Howe to pay the difference in wages out of his own pocket if Newcastle wanted to keep him.

Nine sendings-off. All from us.

I predict another "official bid" story coming in later today....and I predict it will be 120 + 10 mil. And I hope they get sent packing.

So....what's the maximum fine someone would cop for refusing to play whilst under contract? I am harbouring some sort of dream where he gets fat on Greggs while earning one-tenth his salary for the next three years. And then leaves on a free whilst his leg muscles have atrophied from lack of conditioning. We can afford 12,500 a week to have him mope around.