Hope he settles quickly and does well, but not so well to create another Toby situation. Good having an exclusive option to buy but not good if the player says no and promptly moves to Spurs/Liverpool etc
Seems like the middle ground. It's a loan without an obligation, but we have first option on him prior to the expiration of the loan. So similar to Toby, but hopefully written such that we can't screw it up. I'm guessing the option isn't cheap. While Augsburg were appalling defensively last year, he seems to be pretty highly-regarded, someone on an Augsburg forum suggested it was 18m (Euros, I presume), which wouldn't be at all unreasonable. Suggestion also seems to be that he needs some work as a CB, but that he's a lovely individual with a strong work ethic, and they wish him well as they assumed he'd end up in the PL sooner or later.
The Toby situation was always unusual....right from the first announcement it sounded as if our option to buy was not certain....people just chose to ignore it and changed it to a done deal in their brains. Pay careful attention to the wording, but most options to buy are set out clearer.
I think we could have got Toby but we tried to play clever with Atletico to try and save a few million. Let's hope, if this is confirmed as a loan, that it works out.
Transfermarkt list him about £10m, so 18m Euros isn't too bad. I think the difference between Danso and Alderweireld is that the latter was already fairly well-known and played at Atleti, Danso is much less experienced and would have to have an outstanding season in an average defence to catch the eye of the bigger clubs. I've heard of option to buy and obligation to buy, but never 'exclusive option'.
Please can we all make a forum vow to stop mentioning the Toby situation? It still upsets me a great deal guys.
This transfer window has been a huge disappointment to me. I used to really enjoy seeing the reporter waiting for something to happen, standing outside a dark and deserted SMS with some spotty kids waving inflatable dolls and making rude gestures behind him.
We had to get money off the pay roll.........Austin mucking us about with his transfer caused a lot of problems..........I think he did it purposely hoping someone else came in for him also knowing probably that we couldn't sign anyone else until someone left.
I hope that there is a severe financial penalty for not completing the transfer at the agreed price. The problem with the TA situation was that £1.5 M was payable to us if they ratted- which was peanuts. Money talks.
