Abacus

I'd guess it's all done bar the haggling. But us stepping away means Man U have the leverage, so forget him, leave the bid on the table and make them pay more. Out of spite. This one seems done. Hopefully we've moved on anyway and I truthfully didn't want Shitshow in the first place.

He was superb under Benitez, and definitely helped us out last season but he'd still not have been no 1 next season. Good luck to him.

Good

Wasn't fussed about him to start with. All this reported stuff about him/his agent makes me think he'd be a nightmare and still has it all to prove in the PL. No, leave the offer on the table so that Man U can't underpay in their haggling and then let them take that risk. He might well work out, but right now I'd far rather have Wissa just to guarantee having a proven striker for the season.

But for who? It's more that I think Mitchell should have been replaced much faster for negotiations once it was clear he was going. Might be wrong, but it feels like we're firefighting with what we've got and that fault doesn't lie at all on those individuals.

Not big into criticising his nephew for things he wasn't originally appointed to do. Seems unfair and a bit shit.

It was reported, I'm not sure whether this is true or not, that Mitchell's departure was as much of a surprise to Howe as his appointment was. So, somebody knew he was going, but didn't tell him. What was said was that they wanted Howe to concentrate on the end of the season. Again, speculation and paper talk so treat with a dollop of salt. IF true, that fits with what Eales said on Mitchell's appointment, that they wanted Eddie to concentrate on what he's good at, on the pitch. Which seemed to cause Howe to come out spitting feathers. I don't think Howe can be blamed at all for being left high and dry by the people above him.

I've said before, will be quite happy when this falls through. I'm sure he's talented, so he might even do well in the PL, but he's not a risk I'd want to take. I just don't get why we're not in for Wissa again or indeed already have him - a massive upgrade on Wilson and capable of leading the line on his own, so it's not even like for like - would be a pure upgrade.

Haha mate, this window has frazzled almost everyone.

Yeah, but. They're still a huge draw whatever. I can imagine a player who is more concerned about their image or has huge self confidence thinking they can help turn it around. It's one reason I'm literally not fussed if that's the way it goes. I've just not been convinced of him ever since Arsenal went for Gyokres (spellcheck needed) instead assuming those reports were right so it's really not intended to be sour grapes if indeed it goes that way.

Also, and for the record, I'm all for KennyUtd having an unwarranted go at Froggy in the meantime.

I agree with Palestoon. I completely guess the reason for the delay is down to last minute Leipzig haggling with Man U to get closer to what we've offered, and Ratcliffe doing his penny pinching in the meantime.

At £30, you might be right. Need someone to put out the cones.

We're in the same boat on this, I think. Except for actually not being that gutted about Ekitke is the one difference. Unless Sesko ends up deciding to come here himself, in that unlikely event then my opinion will change a fair bit as a couple of red flags would drop away. If Man U hadn't bid, we'd bought him and he turned out good, I'd be waiting for the next pantomime.

How do you get into a bidding war by offering less? Reading between the lines probably way too much, Leipzig didn't turn down our offer like they did the first one. In which case the delay is more on the player's side. Let's not have another Michael Owen sideshow.

Agreed re the cash. Unless you came up with something ridiculous like £75m plus £75m in virtually guaranteed add-ons which trigger the next season, the next possible loophole to close. On a similar note, still don't get why these loans with an obligation to buy the next are allowed. The substance is the same.

Be keeping well away from him, personally. Think @Decky nailed it a few days ago that it would just be a circus waiting for the next transfer drama. I'm not even convinced on him as a player to start with. But I will freely admit to watching only highlights reels and the odd game, where I wasn't specifically looking out for him.

Might have to be done. Means it also might not. When the truth is, it doesn't have to be at all unless they pay a fortune and the club decide it's for the best.

Exactly. Different level of player but we hung on to Trippier when the reports were he wanted away. Happens all the time.

At this point with the delays etc, I'd guess the chances are he probably would prefer Man United, or at least a bidding war for wages etc. I'm not even that fussed about him if that's the case, to be honest. Decent chance he doesn't work out in the PL, for either club. Whilst I do trust our scouts to have an eye for talent, the same goes for Ekitike. I do think for both of them, they'd have had a better chance of making it working with Howe but hey, it's their decision. Pedro is the one I'm more annoyed about missing out on. Still, it is at least funny that it's likely Man U would need to at least match our bid, given they seem to be trying to buy everyone on the cheap (like we have as well to be fair). Again, I'd leave our bid on the table and concentrate on the rest of the squad for now.

There was one report that he'd been saying for a lot of last year that he wanted that to be his last at the club. Exploring options now seems to back that up. Yes, he has a contract but we also don't know exactly what discussions were had last year with him. Hopefully it would have been something along the lines that he could only leave if someone met the club's valuation. Which Liverpool obviously haven't, nowhere near, so that would be a fairly straightforward response to him. So I don't think it is impossible that he stays.

Really want Wissa now. Fine no sell on value etc etc, but he's a proven PL striker who would love a chance to play in a top half PL team and will get plenty of minutes over, say, 3 years plus the CL to see out his career. Just a back up to Isak or to someone else? Well actually no, he'd be playing plenty of games and quite often as no9 with Isak's injury record. And again, more if we buy an understudy to Isak that needs a year or two to settle depending on how that shambles all goes. I'd be more confident in him than Sesko day 1, put it that way.

The article is nothing and says nothing new, that's true. Saying all that, to surprise your manager with a new sporting director as seemed to be the case, who then went in with a ridiculous inflammatory media interview about recruitment in public isn't really the best start. Just for that alone, there were things to fix already. It's fine being abrasive, but keep it in house unless you want a public spat. This also happening straight after Staveley left when you'd need at least public calm and for things to settle internally was just amateur hour.

The reason for him leaving in June was something like officially that he wanted to go when Eales did. That's turned out to be bull as well. The two of them mates have made a horlicks of it off field, from an outsider's point of view. Just bring in a CEO with ambition and influence plus a sporting director that actually does what they promise and supports their manager in the right way. This whole 'football vision' thing instead being brought by an unaccountable short term suit seems laughable now.

Mitchell has left us worse than where we started before he was there. I blame the CEO that appointed him, personally. But saying all that, I know nothing of the internal politics.