Doesn’t bode well for us getting him in the summer though as obviously there is interest from Liverpool at least
Absolutely bonkers way to talk about a player that literally signed for another club within the last hour but just not in time for the deadline. “Obviously there’s interest” indeed Really a case of an unnecessary amount of pessimism and not the “realism” that you often try to claim it as Really weird choice of words when “he will obviously join Liverpool in the summer since only the clock stopped it this time”’ would have done. Why phrase things to make it sound like this falling through meant we could be back in with a chance just to immediately dash that? Bizarre
Thank you for your critique. I will absolutely bear it in mind the next time I phrase anything on this forum.
Whatever. It’s a character you play. I get it now. I don’t see the point personally but you seem to enjoy it (somehow)
I don't get this with the carvalho deal.... Six months remaining on his contract can't he sign a pre contract agreement all now to join Liverpool for free in the summer & continue playing with Fulham until then???
The Bosman ruling concerned player movement between countries within the EU; because clubs within a given nation might be bound by a separate covenant (the PL/FL rules, say), you could still restrict movement within a country, but associations in different countries would not be so bound, so it was an unfair restraint on the free movement of workers within the EU. I actually have no idea how it applies now that the UK is no longer in the EU, but as far as I'm aware Carvalho can sign a pre-contract agreement with a European club at this time, but not an English one. Of course, he can have a handshake agreement to join Liverpool (or anyone else), but I don't believe that he can have a firm agreement in place while he remains under contract.
So at the end of 58 pages this is the sole sum if our transfer activity?! To be honest, l was not expecting any, other than maybe offloading some players with no long-term future; either permanent or loan.
Exactly. The difference in the quality and depth of the squad compared with a year ago is vast, thanks to a successful summer window. I’m a bit surprised that there is little mention of the fact that currently we have 2 points less than we did following the win against Liverpool last season. The reason there is considerably less panic amongst the fans is mostly down to that squad depth. Unlike last season, we know that an injury or suspension to a key player won’t be disastrous, because there is cover in all positions, except possibly for CM. There is an argument that we should have gone for another keeper, and it would be good to know the club’s thinking on that one, but hey ho. We just didn’t need to buy anyone else.
Good point. Of course those who may not have long term future certainly have a short term future given the need for a strongish bench. I think part of the attraction for new signings is that the club will honour their contract even if they have to fight for their place as a squad player. We no longer have players with attitude - just a few decent players who are kept out of the starting 11 by signings that have genuinely raised the bar.
Athletic podcast is an interesting listen regarding Newcastle and the transfer window The main reporter seems to be bending over backwards to try and make it out to be a very very good window and offering loads of excuses. The most laughable of which is that apparently they have done so little transfer activity in recent years that they didn’t have the team in place to deal with it. That seems ludicrous and is also not true as in that time they have made a signing that was in excess of our largest ever one And even if it was true the reporter seems to be incredibly forgiving of the fact that they apparently failed to employ anyone in these areas in the 3 months between the takeover and the window. Also doesn’t seem bothered that they didn’t seem to have anyone lined up at all Apparently them having 40+ person lists in certain positions wasn’t a sign of an absolute shambles? Or if he did think that he didn’t seem to emphasise it. More the “oh given that it was amazing they got anyone” Complaints about not getting the Sevilla player. I have posted before that he apparently has a value of 40m and they wanted 50m. When you have the backing of a petro state and more money than all the other clubs combined then you just suck up the 25% uplift as the price of business. Especially in January where prices are already inflated They also somehow tried to put a positive spin on how the original plan changed from spending about 40m to spending nearly 100m. Apparently partly because Howe was brought in ? Really odd stuff Or perhaps I am being too cynical and uncharitable in how I interpreted it
The Joelinton signing was an outlier under Ashley - Michael Owen was still their record signing up until to that point. They spent generously in the summer though, on Wilson and Willock.
