Summer 2014 Transfer rumour thread - Part II

I'd imagine one of the Milan teams would be less keen if this were to come to pass - http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/ac-milan-contact-southampton-boss-pochettino-4018708?utm_source=taxonomy_landing_page#.U1fW8V6Qaag

 

Oh don't be so blinkered PTF - his head would be turned by 100k p/w and we'd be crazy to keep him were he to want to leave and we're offered £30m for him. Let's be realistic here. What are we going to do, leave him to rot in the reserves when he refuses to play?

 

Why do you think he'd refuse to play? That wouldn't really be in his interest would it?

 

Not saying he would, but once these sagas start to have legs they invariably cause issues.

 

You don't have to think very hard for a counter-example: it was pretty well-known that Moyes wanted Baines last summer, and Baines wanted to go, but Everton wouldn't sell him and he accepted it.

 

Fair enough, perhaps I'm being too cynical, but an ambitious 18 year old offered 100k per week in one of the top 3 biggest clubs in the world under a (likely) high-profile manager. Plus leaving a club still entrenched in no little uncertainty.

Well I'm no betting man......but......

 

Well quite. Were we to be offered that much, I wouldn't be exactly surprised if we accepted, and were we to accept, I certainly wouldn't be surprised if he took the money. But him being in a position to take the money is a way down the road yet, and I would certainly expect him to honour his contract if we don't accept an offer for him. After all it's unlikely United would be as interested in the future if he was that unprofessional (which he's shown no signs of being yet).

 

£30m for Luke and keep the rest of the squad, Mauricio and put funds into the kitty + pay off the debts?

Makes sense to me.

Luke's head will surely be turned by such a prestigious club and big wages in a period of revitalisation at Old Trafford.

 

Yep. Exactly what I'm saying too.

 

So will the people advising him...

 

Well I still think that's irrelevant. He can agitate for a move as much as he likes, if we don't accept an offer for him he'll have to suck it up. I'm not saying we won't, but you're all talking like Shaw is the only one with a decision to make here.

 

This isn't the Cortese era anymore. Krueger's public speaking and books have focused around team-spirit and the value of it.

Poch didn't seem to oppose Ossie being shipped away when he didn't comply and/or have the right attitude.

If Luke tells Krueger he wants to go, my bet is he will then pursue the best deal because he knows the value of team spirit.

 

You might not, however I'm not sure the majority of people would take it that way.

 

There's a big, big difference between asking for a move and what Osvaldo did. There's also no reason to presume that Shaw would disrupt team harmony if he doesn't get his way.

 

I know, that's not really what I meant.

I just mean if someone shows signs they're not 100% committed or willing to fall in line, then there's a chance they find themselves on their way.

I'd like to think, especially with MP around, that Luke wouldn't be disruptive.

 

I think players are generally realists, if there is an opportunity to further their career they will generally take it, but for the most part they are pretty happy with their lot (and so they should be). They hear a lot of rumours and obviously their agents will always be working to either move them on or get them a better contract, and sometimes they might become disgruntled if they feel they're not as valued as they should be. On the other hand though, unless they have had promises broken or something, they're generally going to just get on with things. Unless Shaw has been explicitly told he will be sold, he can't be too upset if he is asked to honour his contract. He's not a genius but he must have realised what it meant when he signed it.

 

Don't think Shaw's going to be too disappointed if he gets refused a move. Chamberlain, on the other hand, openly came out and said he wanted to move and it's no surprise that, as good as Chamberlain was, we played better as a team during his injury spell.

Someone should dig up the thread where people were saying that De Ridder was a good replacement for Chamberlain, and possibly a step up!

 

If anything I'd say there's more media stuff for this one. Maybe just because he's a PL player instead of L1. I do think it will happen, not because of any single brilliant news scoop but the general flow of information is in that direction. If we get the deal we want then it's the right thing to do, and we can progress with it. Really not sure who we can get to replace him though. If he does stay then great.


PS Yes, Man U's new manager could kill it all and sign someone else. Van Gaal-Willems? Probably too tenuous. Maybe Baines will go there. But with no CL they can't just get whoever they want ATM.

 

The really amazing thing is that we cleaned up the Championship in one season, with absolutely no replacement for Chamberlain. We had a good group but Nige worked a bit of a miracle that year.

 

Davis
Richardson Fonte Hooiveld Fox
Cork Schneiderlin Hammond
Lallana Lambert Guly

Looking back at it, that's a damn good team, even without Ox.