I suspect Bent and his agent are playing the waiting game for one of the big clubs to panic when they don't pick up sufficient players, and offer him big bucks. But he'll probably be a last minute signing for some lower club and won't get the wages he wants. He's been given squad number 39 at Villa so that says something. Osvaldo has fallen out big time with the Roma fans who have called him a coward, and their Ultras made threats to him at friendly matches recently. He sounds a moody player, and has moved from a few clubs after fallouts.
The sad thing is Cookie, is that there are teams willing to pay Bent that sort of money. We have a wage cap in place here that can only be exceeded by 'marquee' signings (Berbatov) or players who are performing to a top four standard (Dempsey) and that is great for us, but obviously means we will be priced out of the market for players such as Bent whose other suitors can, not necessarily afford more than we can, but would have no complaints with paying that much. This stops us being another QPR where your average players such as SWP/Bosingwa can earn more than 50K a week. I think a lot of PL sides are now starting to break the bank for players, just look at the likes of Swansea (Bony) Southampton (Wanyama) and Norwich (Van Wolfswinkel, Fer) Five years ago these sides didn't have a penny to their name, but are now spending more than the majority of the other teams in the league. The PL is getting stronger and these signings on astronomical wages are needed to progress. We have done a grand job so far of establishing PL status without breaking the bank but there will come a time where that will have to change sadly.
With Norwich also in for Hooper its now or never for him! I'm hoping that our perceived lack of interest (from newspaper reports anyway) shows that we have someone else lined up? Osvaldo? He would be a cracking signing!
That he would conzo and as a taster here's a video clip of his 5 best goals in 2013: [video=youtube;IQm8lebGP8g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQm8lebGP8g&feature=player_embedded[/video]
Wikipedia tells me we've already bought him for £18m. I think somebody is being a tad ambitious? Does anyone know why Roma are letting him leave? I was under the impression he was their first choice striker?
£18m seems a bit much. The fees I've seen are £6m-£8m. And Roma want rid of him because he criticised their coach or something to that effect.
All the press reports are talking more like 10m euro. Which is (give or take) what Roma are allegedly paying Arsenal for Gervinho and may be (at least in part) why they are prepared to let him go.
The Osvaldo rumours are picking up rapidly. Great signing if it happens, but I'll rest easy once we get that magical centre mid.
Malanda is apparently "on the brink" of signing for us, lots of sources... Exciting times! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...er-omitted-Zultes-Champions-League-squad.html http://www.eatsleepsport.com/fulham/starlet-set-to-seal-fulham-move-1610081.html http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/fulham-close-deal-belgian-teenager-malanda-adje-3970975 Also, there's a little note at the end of that article saying we're interested in Frimpong on a free transfer. Wouldn't be a bad signing, although I'd rather see some of our youth team being given a chance. Amongst this is plenty more Osvaldo articles, mostly saying we have or are about to make a bid.
The current stories are that our bid of 12m euro has been turned down and that Roma want 17m euro. That's what, about £14m? Good though he might be, that doesn't seem like good investment. Should we offer to give them JAR back plus the 12m euro?
Have we really bid 12 million euros??? If so we should have rivalled Swansea for Bony, I'd rather go for a top striker with lots of pace how's about the guy at Lyon think its Gomis
