southernmag

Agree, the issue wouldn't be having the money to strengthen, it'd be having the ability/nous to use it, and soon.

A sale of Isak with incomings of top ST, backup ST (Wissa), and quality CM, CB, GK, is a net gain imo. Things can still work out for us.

This'd still be a good signing. Heck, it's A signing. I can see us signing Wissa and a bunch of others with the Isak inheritance, forming a new identity, and having a great season proving a point to all who doubted/shafted us.

Borderline...

Don't be dangling carrots before the starving Keith. You naughty man.

Fair point, goodness knows. All I know is things on the outside aren't right, pointing to internal dysfunction, of some form and for some reason.

Chances of NO crashing?

I reckon the way the club handles Isak here will really clarify what the people running this club (whoever they are) are made of. Sit back and enjoy the ride folks.

To be honest it's hard to tell who's at fault - probably indicating more than one party is. I'm loathe to blame Eddie for much though because of how much good he's done.

I've got other words for it.

He's human though. If the club is incompetent for long enough he'll be off.

Welcome, sweet prince.

Shouldn't we have a leadership structure in place that prevents the manager - important as he is - or any one person, having disproportionate influence? I think Eddie does so much, in part, because he sees the lack of support above him and feels the need to compensate for the good of the club. But that's not healthy or sustainable.

I suspect the Saudis' penchant for morally questionable 'business ventures', among other things, also affects their ability/willingness to be sufficiently attentive to all of them too. They have so much money to throw around that they probably feel (just my theory) the investment on its own will do most of the work for them. But to own a football club and take it to success, you have to be very involved and very astute. Especially in the PSR world where being rich alone is of very limited value.

Andy Howe (frantically googling players): "This striker will do, we just need someone in! Can someone get the all clear from the CEO?" PA: " We... don't have a CEO..." AH: "Get me the Saudis then!" PA: "Their phone's going straight to voicemail, has been since May.."

The meltdowns it triggers are funny though.

I'm starting to think homicidal, corrupt regimes might not make for astute runners of football clubs. Who'd have thought?

I don't know much about the guy but this doesn't scream 'elite transfer business' to me. Feels like one of those half-hearted, left-field punts from the Ashley days. What other top clubs did we beat to sign him?

As unpleasant as this is, we shouldn't be surprised. Isak, like most footballers, is self-focused and has limited loyalty to any one club. This was always a possibility. If we could get 130m + from a non PL club, then theoretically, we could reinvest it for the greater good. Trouble is, with our lack of direction and impetus behind the scenes, I'm not confident we could pivot efficiently to put that money to good use. This season's going to be interesting - for better or worse.

It's him or Joe White at this rate. Take your pick.

Grealish on loan with an option to buy. City paying a chunk of his wages.

Can people stop making signing suggestions please. Trafford's the only one worth signing and that's final.

It is too much. We'll go for him next summer when he's worth 100m.

Eddie's a wonderful asset to the club in various ways but he's just one guy. Anyone half sane knows he needs a structure around and above him for him - and the club - to succeed.