sushimonster85

Really think £35m with increasingly tougher to hit add-ons up to £50m is where it will land.

Think we're in the calm before the storm territory. The storm being the various shitfits that will go down once it's either confirmed as happening or confirmed as off.

They did brief that there would likely be little business (if any) done this window. Think if Wood hadn't gone it may have gone by without any signing, the idea being to save it for the Summer.

Would you have honestly said the same thing if Paqueta had pulled something like that in the Summer?

Seen some rumours that he is already in a hotel up here somewhere.

Pulling power (money) of the PL is wild. This is one of the best midfielders in a Champions League chasing side who may end up joining Bournemouth in a relegation dog fight.

Aye, was around mid-May last year when this seasons tops leaked. At least the White alternative and home anyway. Don't thing the Blue was till later in the Summer.

Think Adidas will likely be the season after next. If they're just exploring the possibility now any potential buy out of the Castore contract, then switching everything over to Adidas will be a long term thing.

Think we will know if this is the case for sure on Tuesday. Given how things turned the other night with their introduction, ASM and Isak should both be in from the start on Tuesday.

Agree with this. Some of the vendetta's against journalist are proper weird. I don't think it helps that confirmation bias is very much a thing when people look for transfer stories. It may be slowly turning, but the majority still seem to want this Gordon transfer not to happen, so will be all over any story saying it's unlikely, and look for reasons to shit on stories claiming it's close.

Aye, the whole Sky Sports News team are awful for that all window, but especially on deadline day.

I immediately disregard anything that comes from Italian media.

Apparently Alex Crook (TalkSport) has now said it's unlikely due to Evertons demands.

If a deal is as close as it seems it's in no ones interest to have him training right now, Everton included. They have likely already started to put plans in place for how they will be using the cash.

Could be a PR thing. They know it may not be the most popular signing, so if they can get it out there as much as possible that Everton were wanting 60m, and then we announce at 'undisclosed' but brief that it's 35m (then whisper with add-ons up to 50) it makes it more palatable.

They'd be daft not to. Genuinely think they could get 20,000+ if they're charged a tenner a ticket or similar.

That Jac Talbot lad on twitter claiming we have offered £35m (rising to £50m with add-ons). Says he needs to verify on Everton's response, but seems to be intimating they will accept.

Really? Only seen him linked with Leeds.

No. Doesn't change my opinion that they have a far better idea about scouting/looking at players than we do.

Howe, Ashworth, and scouting team do. And I trust they have a far better eye for this stuff than we do.

I don't like Gordon. He seems like a twat, and on top of that it doesn't seem like he offers a whole lot more to the starting 11 than what we already have. Decent depth option. That being said, people who know way more about this than I (Howe, Ashworth, the scouting team etc) seem to really rate him. And I trust them. So if he is who they want, I'm onboard.

I think the issue we have with our transfer strategy is the unknown quantity that is next season. It's looking increasingly nailed on that we will be playing some form of European football next season. At the start of the season a Europa/Conference League place would have been seen as the more natural progression. As it is, it looks like we may even end up with a CL spot. The elephant in the room for next season is Chelsea and Liverpool. There's no way either will be as bad next season, so even if we do nab a CL spot this season, I still think the the realistic goal next season is to try and consolidate our spot as a top 6 side. So thinking pragmatically, if the goal next season is likely going to be the same regardless of where we finish, do we alter spending plans drastically in order to secure a temporary spike. Because wherever we finish this year I still think the ultimate goal is consistent CL football in 2/3 years, rather than from this season onwards.

Yeah, think they're at least putting a bid together/talking to the players reps.

A stIkEr hAs tO ScOre gOaLs Or thEy'Re PoiNtLesS LolZ Chris Wood was vital last season in allowing us to play the kind of style that ultimately kept us up. Have we since moved past that? Yep. Doesn't diminish his contribution last season.

Do Chelsea have scouts of their own, or do they just use everyone else's?