Well, we'll see, but hope you're right. My gut feeling would be that'd they'd still want around a 6m fee though.
I think £4m +Cairney would probably swing it (we could lie and say we were contemplating a new contract), maybe Fryatt on loan as well. Hopefully Charlton will come in for Stewart as he seems to be doing well there too. Outs: Cairney (although I'm not against keeping him as a squad player, I just don't think he'll get in ahead of Quinn, Koren, Meyler, Huddlestone or Livermore) Stewart McLean (we have to shift him, he's just burning wages and not playing.) Proschwitz (either on loan or permanently, he just isn't good enough for this level) Wilson (on loan, not sure why this didn't happen before) Jahraldo-Martin (again, not sure why he hasn't been loaned out already) Graham (if we can terminate his loan) Ins: Rhodes - £4m+Cairney, maybe Fryatt on loan. Livermore - £3.5m - hopefully that can be sorted to free up a loan spot. Jason Lowe - Always rated him, quite versatile as well, as he can play RB and CM. Blackburn will be reluctant to let go of him. Finbogasson - £4m - Think we can get him for that, or at least that up front with structured payments in future. Zaha - Loan - Be nice, but if we had the money then Bolasie I think would be better as an out and out winger.
True, I don't think they'd feel they'd be getting a like for like replacement in Cairney and Fryatt/McLean. Dean Marney can't be having a bad season if Burnley are top...
I don't see the mad panic for a striker, any striker we got in would have a similar record to what we have now. Excepting Graham, its not like our current strikers are missing chances left right and centre or just failing to make anything from dangerous positions. They're not scoring as they're not getting the service and support. We set up to be solid and nick a goal on the break, not dominate games playing expansively and have a bag full of chances. Sagbo has engineered opportunities for himself and others, Gedo is capable of the same. If Van Persie was our main striker I couldn't see him having many goals because we just haven't been able to get the ball to the strikers feet in a position he can score from. What we need is some who can cause havoc and create chances down the right wing. Elmo is a good player but he's very one dimensional, his style doesn't always work and we need something a little different sometimes. Someone with a touch of pace and the skill to throw a defender off track cutting inside or pushing wide.
Don't expect a load of new players in January, the money box is empty, we'll just be looking to add a single striker(unless we get loads off the books on permanents).
It would be good to see is moving the likes of Prossie, McLean, Fryatt, Stewart and even Cairney on, but I can only see 2 or 3 of them leaving any time soon. Livermore + a striker on a perm and another loan signing would be decent business for January IMO. Not sure why some are touting Zaha's name. Side-by-side I genuinely thought Brady was the better player last season and he's done bugger all at Man U since his big move.
It's not empty. They were willing to spend £6m on Long on the last day of the season. I would expect them to go back in for Long and I think they will try for Livermore as well. If we can find buyers for Fryatt, Cairney and McLean we may well get another midfielder (defensive cover) as well as another striker on loan.
Yikes, can imagine Spurs upping the price as well, knowing how important he is. I'm probably in the minority but if it was between getting a new striker and signing Livermore permanently, it'd have to be a very good striker!
I think Livermore is more important to us than a striker. But having said that if Spurs are asking daft money for him, we might as well wait until Summer when the price will be less as there will be other options available.
Don't remember hearing that. I remember SB saying we'd have to throw in the Humber Bridge to get him, but as far as actual price comparisons I can't recall anything being said in the press.
He said it in a post match press conference. He also said, ahead of the game on Saturday, that it's highly unlikely that we'll sign Livermore in January.
I assume the Humber Bridge is more than £5mils worth But to be honest I wouldn't expect anything less at the moment. The things i see working in our favour is A) Livermore clearly likes it here and B) Spurs have so many world class midfielders they might want to get rid to make room for someone to replace that twat Soldado