I think he could do well in Europe Smug. Haven't Bologna been linked with Lennon Miller? I'd be up for a deal with Bologna, where they get Dan plus cash and we get Lucumi. We can then hijack their move for Miller, who's upside is probably much greater than Dan's.
they started reporting about it being a matter of time he joins yesterday and that there was expectation we would agree to the asking price soon, then the news broke of us doing so
The fact that he hasn't committed to the contract and has seemed a bit flat in his performances in pre-season, just makes me wonder if he backs himself against our new signings. Certainly Xhaka and to a lesser degree Diarra are both huge steps up from what we currently have at the club (not including Riggy, who's still developing and could be every bit as good).
I think, especially around afcon, Dan Neil would get his chance personally I hope he stays and fights for game time, he seems like a cracking lad, Sunderland through and through, and I hope he gets a chance here. He’s obviously not at the standard of t.,he bought lads but none of us truly know his ceiling.
Think he may have snookered himself a bit as well if the amount of money he is after is true because he won't get that in the championship or many clubs abroad and not many teams in the Premiership who would probably buy/play him
I think it was inevitable mind. We don't even know if Dan will be here at the start of the season, maybe no one does. And I doubt he would be that troubled by a seasoned international coming in and taking on that responsibility.
Sounds about there or thereabouts. He might have an extra year tacked on if he's still here in three years time. if he is, we have stayed up I'd think, and he'd have earned it.
Maybe he's happy giving up the captaincy so he can focus just on his game in a higher league. Maybe he's thinking longer term and knows he'll learn a thing or two from Xhaka as captain. Maybe he'll go to vice captain, Xhaka captain and O'Nien club captain.
But Dan has to be here to be captain. And if he's here and not signed up, being captain isn't really on. I wouldn't put too much on it myself, home club or not.
There's absolutely no way we'd have Dan Neil Captain over Granit Xhaka mind, I loved DN in the championship but when quality and leadership like Xhaka comes you've just got to accept it and move to the side.
I dont see Dan Neil staying past this window if there is no new deal signed regardless of who we sign or regardless of captaincy. Club wont lose out on the fee he could bring in.
I'd agree about the captaincy going to Xhaka. Stand out for the job. Neil is fine by me and I hope he stays, though on the languages, I do think, as Wenger did at Arsenal, that we should as soon as possible, insist on English during training and at matches etc. I think most of the lads speak English anyway, and it stops cliques forming, which Wenger said was the main aim.