Loaning a fully competitive and competent centerback in Connolly out to Watford and then getting an "emergency loan signing for the same position? http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-defender-semi-ajayi-joins-8918644
Fair question. Looks like playing both ends against the middle. Loan fee for Connolly and highish earner off the books for the season. No fee for the new lad and lower wages giving us a chance to have a good look at him before shelling out any real money. Ultimate replacement for Manga maybe?
in order to recall a player you need it to be in the loan contract, you also have to pay a fee and if the club they're loaned out to are paying a monthly additional fee for their services on top of the wages then there is no way you can recall the player.
What ccfc said. However, this looks like a way to consider a prospect for next season while moving Connolly out and saving a few quid. Are we that strapped for cash? Apparently Connolly hadn't asked to go but Watford is only a few miles from his home so he gets more time with his family.
I agree with BFB. This is our shopping at Poundland for a replacement for Manga. Probably lose Marshall, Fabio and Jones in the summer as well.
The point is how can it be designated an "emergency loan" when City have just loaned out a player in his position? Taking the lad on for the rest of the season is a decent move, but come on, it hardly falls into that category in the same way that would apply to having keepers injured for instance. The financial implications of farming out Connolly to Watford are obvious, but the club has effectively created the emergency by doing so. All a bit naff terminology to me - just say we've got him in a cheap backup option and be done with it.
It's the football authorities who make the whole thing a mockery by calling these emergency loans. Did Watford need an emergency loan defender? No, they just saw an opportunity to improve their squad for the run in to the end of the season.
The rules are ridiculous. Surely the borrowing club should be made to prove the need for the emergency loan. What goes on is just a fudge. Why not just call it the loan window and dump the emergency bit. At least that is honest.
It feels like a try before you buy. In fairness with Fabio playing how he has for a couple of games we don't need Connolly as a full back. The emergency bit is just terminology, it should be dropped. I'm not so sure Manga is going anywhere. He still makes plenty of mistakes, he's quality but I'm not sure PL clubs will see him as a must have addition yet. His tendency to use pace or strength to undo positional mistakes is something the PL would not let him get away with as often as he does in this league. One year of ironing out the cracks and he might well move up a division with or without us.
