I've named Remy, you have highlighted money, but I still think he'd be achievable. Carlos Vela maybe? Had a good season last year for Sociedad. I leave the scouting job to the scouting department, and with this signing they've not done very well IMO. Happy to be proved wrong...
Ignore all the Ings stuff and it comes down to a simple view: we're spending up to £12m to on someone who has proven over many years to be mediocre. That's reason in itself to be unhappy.
I'm talking only about perceptions of reality, but I struggle to believe Burnley could hold on too strongly to a player in the last year of his contract who would like to leave.
Welcome to a market that is hyper-inflated by huge TV packages and top clubs spunking whatever it takes to land a target. £6m for Assombalonga. £10m for Deeney. £12m for Long. And so it goes on and on and on...
I said the fee is way too much, I agree. The hard part is that if options A,b and C aren't available, how long (forgive the pun) do we wait and would we go into the season with a striker less? I am not excited by signing Long at all.
I'd much rather not sign a new striker and trust Pelle (yes I did just really say that) than do something stupid like this.
I'm not a huge fan of loan signings, but if things are that desperate and there literally ain't a good striker in the world available for 12m and 50k p/w wages, take someone like Joel Campbell or Patrick Bamford on loan.
We'll not be near Europe for a wee while I'd suggest. I don't think Ralphy necessarily puts timescales on ambition.
Apart from the fee (which we don't know yet) it's not really stupid. We've signed a Premier league player. If its 6-7m plus add ons, then that's more than I'd pay, but not stupid. I hope we have to pay every single add on in the deal We could not, not sign a striker.
Not a bad suggestion. I thought that about Campbell earlier when I read he maybe able to leave Arsenal.
But FLT: all throughout the summer, you've been arguing that there's plenty of time to get a deal done, that there's no panic. How have we instantly transferred from that to "we simply had to sign a striker, even if it meant overpaying for Shane Long"?
We need some premier league experience. I'm sure there is some sexier signings available abroad but they may take time to find their feet in England. The Long plan is a lot better than the Mayuka/Isgrove plan
