Transfer Rumours Summer Transfer window

Phil Smith confirmed that St-Ettiene did activate the buy clause, just some technicalities going on and he had heard St-ettiene could be selling him quickly

 

Leverkusen is close to Frankfurt airport. Double signing maybe

 

Phil Smith has also said we are wanting...

a GK

Winger who can play both flanks

CB maybe 2

Midfielder

Chance of a ST

 

I’m judging Neil on 2/3 of last season. The few times Jobe dropped back he was better than Neil. So I’m judging his ability to play a level above when for the majority of the season he was bang average a level below.

 

I'd imagine if DN was to leave, we'd be looking at bringing another cm in.

 

Neil has been great for our club and he should hold his head high and always be proud of what he has achieved here. We are seeing now with the new guys in midfield that we’ve just gone up a few levels from last season and as a club we are probably starting to outgrow him, now.

I never understood the claims that he could play for Liverpool and England. He’s a decent, tidy, championship player. I still think he’ll sign for Southampton or Ipswich.

 

Well we are working on Xhaka

 

He was suffering from cramp. But lets ignore that bit...

 

But you play your best three surely and he is not in it

 

Surely he wants to stay and fight for his place if he thinks he’s good enough though mate? You can’t issue wage demands if you want to jump ship as soon as we bring in some quality to compete for your place. For what it’s worth I’ve said for a while I don’t Neil is as good as some make out, he could prove me wrong and be a great PL player and I hope he does. I’d like to think he’d not want to leave because we’re improving the squad around him, we had to and that will make him a better player.

He’s also well within his rights to demand what he thinks he’s worth though so it’s a two way street. If he thinks he’s can go and play first team football for another PL club on X weekly wages and there’s an offer there then he should be asking for that to stay. It’s a business at the end of the day and both club and player need to look after themselves.

 

What from kick off? He was poor for the whole time he was on the pitch

 

I've got a lot of time for that guy, really think he knows his stuff.

 

Do you think he is named 1st team captain if he signs his contract today?

 

I remember something similar happening when I was a kid. We went to sign someone, everything was agreed in principle only for it to collapse late on because of the agent screwing it up. If I remember right it was John Byrne a couple of years before we did sign him.

 

I think some are over-critical of Neil and as a result some are then over-defensive in understandable retaliation / defence. The answer is somewhere in the middle for me.

Neil was brilliant at times last season but also at times bypassed fairly easily. And I have reservations as to whether he's ready to fulfil an important role in a Premier League midfield. But there were times he made the role look easy.

I'd love him to stay, and step up with us. But his contract situation and seeming desire for a new experience puts pain to that.

I think he could thrive under a fresh start in a new environment where he doesn't have the pressure of being the homegrown captain or to live up to the expectations that sometimes come with being a homegrown talent. I also think his style is better suited to Italy or somewhere like that, than the Premier League.

 

I think the part of him leaving for a new challenge depends on who actually wants to sign him. cannot see many decent Premier League clubs wanting to sign him and make him first choice cm. could possibly go abroad but again don’t think many of the Big teams will be interested in him as he was only slightly above average in the English second division

 

I personally thought Jobes best games were when he dropped back into Neil's role.

 

I have to ask, should that have happened and isn’t it worrying …

… it’s not likely to be easier this season.

 

You play the best combination, not the best individuals.

 

Yeah i think he probably does, but also depends on who else comes in

Not sure we have many guaranteed starters who could be a captain, probably Hume