I don’t think we have much choice but to try and sign either Fernandes or Lo Celso before the window shuts on the 8th. Otherwise, we could find ourselves losing Eriksen to Spain, for instance, where the window remains open until 30/8. That way we could lose Eriksen and be ****ed for a replacement. Can’t afford to take that risk, IMO. If it looks like Eriksen won’t sign a new contract
It seems pretty certain that we had people out in Lisbon yesterday trying to land Bruno Fernandes. They had better succeed or I can see the mood being very negative for Sunday's home friendly against Inter. The fact that clubs can sell for weeks after our window closes, to clubs in Europe, means that they hold all the cards as the days tick down. Leaving it this late again is ****ing stupid. Everyone knows that we're loaded and desperate. Our early closing window also means that we can lose Christian Eriksen (very likely) Toby (a bit less likely) after Thursday,with no option to replace them. Personally, I reckon Eriksen's gone. The whole thing's teetering on the edge of **** up again and DL needs to sort it out. I can't say that I'm optimistic but it's still possible... It's the hope that kills you.
FWIW, there’s no way we’d sell Eriksen after our window if Lo Celso or Fernandes haven’t already joined. I’d have a season long avatar bet with anyone over that (would have to start once my current one finishes in about a month).
This I could understand a month ago. 5 days 8 hours left, mate. Squeaky bum time. If it’s looking like that situation is getting closer, we would have to sign both. Letting an experienced PL play maker leave (who, as things stand we already need back up for), would be crazy. If we keep Eriksen we still need an alternative option to him to make us stronger. The fear of replacing him with just 1 option is risky if said player doesn’t adapt to the PL.
I’ll admit to being disappointed at leaving things late, especially after the promising signs of getting **** done early with the Tanguy and Clarke signings but I think when looking at the market, with the exception of the Madrid’s and Juve (and Villa if you count their Fulham impersonation) the market has been very slow. With many teams having to go through tough negotiations to sign just one player. It’s taken Utd months to finally agree a Maguire fee. Arsenal failed for months to get Zaha before binning him off to get Pepe and it seems like we’re in a similar situation with Lo Celso. I’m still confident that by the deadline, we’ll be pretty satisfied with how this window panned out.
Aye but we were a little bitch of a club back then. We allowed Utd to dick us over, we’re a completely different beast now. Levy knows that an Eriksen-less Spurs (without any replacements) more or less guarantees no CL spot for this coming season and there’s no way he’d allow for that to happen.
Eriksen is obviously now trying to go on a free next summer. Which by definition means at least one NEW AM must join this summer, in order to have at least one full season to get up to PL speed for when that departure happens.
You taking the bet yeah? You get my avatar for the season (once my one with Bob is up in a few weeks) if we sell Eriksen and don’t replace. I get yours - won’t even do a season, I’ll choose yours for just three months - if we either keep Eriksen or sell him and replace with GLC/ Bruno?
Problem is if we don’t have a replacement for him and a bid comes from a club in Europe that Eriksen likes, we have two choices. Either let him go for the best price we can screw out of the buyer, or refuse to sell and then have to let him go for peanuts in Jan, when he can sign a pre contract with the buyer anyway.
Last season was a clusterfuck bro. I think in hindsight, it was largely down to the even bigger clusterfuck with the new stadium delay which resulted in a lot of added costs. Now the new girl is here, we’ll start spending again... I hope
This is literally the only thing that gives me hope. - the fact it’ll kill levy to see Eriksen go for a reduced fee, or even on a free.
Why would we sell for less than his buy out clause? It is s weird situation .... seriously, why did no one buy him? We offered him £120,000...per week...which is over £5m per year...so why is he accepting less to go there? I am genuinely baffled by Toby's situation
