This is what I was about to say really. We can't afford to get that level and they wouldn't play at this level. So we either get someone (or a couple of people) for just a few million and they could turn out to be a great bargain or get someone who will likely be overrated for 10 million or thereabouts. These 10 million gambles haven't paid off so far, hopefully if we go for that again it will finally be a gamble that pays off.
I don't understand why everyone wants us to sign Gayle over Gray. People seem to forget about the wages he'll be on at Palace so really the deal is no cheaper. Gayle's a bit like Ince in that he's not the best in the PL
I think the key is to play to a strikers strengths so many managers just buy a striker and then expect the team to get on with it.
Well I think when you're being replaced by Connor Wickham that pretty much tells you how good you are.
We sign strikers who've done well in the German or Italian 2nd divisions, or the SPL. We hardly ever sign a proven striker for the level we're at. We did that with Jelavic and Long and we reaped the rewards for the 6 months they were here together. Gray falls into that proven category, he'd be an amazing signing for us.
What about other areas of the team that need strengthening? We currently have Jelavic, Hernandez, Aluko, Akpom and Luer. That's 5 strikers, 6 if Gray comes in. None look like they're on the way out. Compare that to Central midfield where we have Huddlestone, Meyler and a completely unproven Hayden. No creative attack minded midfielder. The left flank where we have Robertson and Clucas and that's it. Or the goalkeeper where we have two catastrophes and an unproven if highly rated youngster. £9m is a **** load of money at this level it could buy a very good player for each of those positions with some left over for another striker if it was felt we really needed 6 strikers on the books. In my opinion this deal is ridiculous.
No we couldn't, Gray and Gayle are almost the same price (there was only £1m between the rumoured offers for each). And it doesn't look like we've bid as much as was rumoured anyway.
This is from ten days ago... Transfer Centre Live@TransferCentreL Hull City are interested in signing Bolton Wanderers midfielder Josh Vela.
I know next to little about vela but wiki says he's a midfielder or right back, ffs we don't need another defensive minded midfielder
Is that the same Wickham whose scoring record is worse than Gayle's in the past couple of seasons? You know the Sunderland fans are laughing at Palace for spending £9m on him, right?