Deuce

Best case scenario is we come to an agreement that we’ll spend the coming season finding him a proper suitor that makes him happy but also doesn’t see us getting raked over the coals. Realistically, he’s not going to down tools for a season and we can’t afford to banish him to the reserves.

Liverpool really have our number. Rattling Gordon last summer and Isak now. £110m is a serious enough offer that they know we would never accept but that gets under Isak’s skin and throws off the start of our season.

Sure, the manner in which all of this has played out sucks (and I don’t believe the club is completely faultless here). But it doesn’t ultimately change the fact that he will be sold and we will look to maximize our earnings.

Yep. This is the huge X factor here.

I…think we agree? I know it seems counterintuitive to argue that we should sell our best players as a means of moving forward, but that’s clearly the case with Isak (and something we have to consider with all our purples). Unless something drastic changes, we’re getting one more season out of Isak at most and the calculus necessarily changes.

As long as this club continues to be owned by PIF, the wealthiest ownership in world football, virtually everyone here expects this club to become a perennial PL- and CL-title contender.

That’s a good argument! Because it’s predicated on sustained success (i.e. CL qualification every season), it’s risky though…if we were competing with only 3-4 other clubs for CL qualification, it’d be easier to take a flyer on someone like Watkins, who would give us enough to qualify each season but not bring much re-sale value. But we’re realistically competing against what, 8-9 other clubs for 4-5 CL slots? What might’ve been a CL-caliber season a decade ago won’t necessarily cut it now.

I know Gillespie and Ruddy don’t really count as legitimate players, but you have to laugh that we’re carrying six keepers into the new season.

We are not yet in a position to accomplish the former without making some hard sales. Sustainable success is the goal, and that’s 100x harder in the age of PSR. @ponsaelius has been consistently spot on when it comes to the subject.

Sorry, but it’s completely useless comparing Beardsley and Ferdinand to today’s market.

Dunno about that. They understand what business they’re in and that they’re competitors.

Watkins, like Wissa, is a Wilson replacement. Not an Isak replacement.

Not bothered if we did “encourage a bid.” Basically says, “shit or get off the pot” and shows whether their interest is genuine.

I think they’ll settle for £130m + add ons

If we sell, we won’t be getting £150m

Krafth catching strays

Update from pg. 924

Farewell, sweet prince

call him Tyler Dribbling amirite

A little too on the snout

Donnarumma’s not played as many league games at PSG as I’d have thought…he often injured or they just rest him because it’s Ligue 1 and why not?

Pretty dumb question tbf

I like him as a player, but he doesn’t really fit in our midfield (rightly or wrongly).

Surely being financially sound indicates that they’re also well-run. Reckon it’s between them and City for the most competent ownership in the league. They have a massive assist by virtue of being a cartel member, but look how ManU, Chelsea, and even Arsenal to some degree have squandered that advantage.

They signed that German kid, dunno if he’s meant to start. They could do worse than ol’ Dubs for a season or two.