Everton interested in Cenk Tosun: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42506137 Also talking about £25m fee. That's that one chalked off the list then.
Slimani, ideally on loan, seems the best bet for us. I don't fancy Ings much due to form and injuries and I think talk of loans for Giroud or Sturridge are pie in the sky to be honest with basically zero chance of them happening.
Joe Bryan and John McGinn would be decent signings. Trying to be realistic as we'll spend next to **** all. As for a striker, I don't think we'll get 1. Would Llorente be available? I'd prefer him to some of the guff we've been linked to. Is John F Kennedy still meant to be coming?
Have to say I like Joe Bryan. I was keen for us to sign him last summer when we were linked. Looks a very tidy left back. We need one and I think its a realistic option for a club like ourselves. Obviously Kenedy on loan appears another option. Slimani on loan would also make sense. No great shakes but certainly a lot better than what we have. Sturridge, Batshuayi will all be linked with loans but I'm not sure we have the pulling power. Walcott? Although being heavily linked with Southampton. I'd still like a holding midfielder and No.10 too. Liverpool have Marko Grujic and Lazar Markovic sitting around doing nothing currently. Arsenal don't appear to play Coquelin much or Elneny. Besic doesn't play much at Everton. The No.10 roles is gonna be a massive problem I would think. You look through the PL squads and there are not many flair type players sitting in reserve. I think the two from Liverpool could be worth a punt just on talent alone.
Another example of the incompetence of Charnley. Haggling over pennies, four months later he's "worth" twice what we could have paid. No idea if he'll be any good, but worse than Joselu? Unlikely. We won't be in for him now though. Tell you what - whilst I am desperate for Ashley to leave, I think the impact of Charnley fcking off will be of equal importance. Anyway, given where we are I'd be happy enough to take a punt on someone like Sturridge of Slimani. Both well above the current NUFC set up. Brilliant window for me would be something like Reina/Kiko (GK), Shaw/Bryan (LB), Carvalho (DM), Praet (AM), Sturridge (CF). Outsiders to mention include Slimani, Markovic, Zinchenko, Coquelin, Elneny.
My thoughts exactly. The guy is woefully out of his depth and its embarrassing that we have in his current position in the first place. It just shows the absolute contempt that Ashley actually has for the club. To have a guy like that at the helm is absolutely pathetic. How do you go from Chris Mort to Penfold FFS! I suspect that Charnley is the only person at the club that actually does not want the takeover to go through, because there's nowt as certain as Amanda will frog march the little dumpy **** to the top of the Milburn Stand steps and boot the ****er from the top to the bottom as soon as it does. Can you imagine what other, credible, Chairmen must think when that dumpy **** tips up for 'negotiations'.................. the only decent thing he has done is take 'tough negotiator' (yawn) Levy for a chump over Sissoko. Having said that, Penfold will be fine.............. I've heard that Burger King are hiring in the New Year.
The dozy fecker is still the lowest paid chief exec in the top flight (£150k). Think we have 8th highest revenue in the England, 16th highest in Europe this year - Lee Charnley in charge. Still, could be worse. Do you know Chelsea actually OWE Roman £1bn!! Not sure I'd want Ashley to have dipped into his own pocket - imagine the mess we'd be in if we owed him even half that?!
I find all of this 'club owes owner' money a bit silly really. They are effectively lending themselves money!! Mind you, knowing how stupid Ashley appears to be he would probably 'call in' his loans bankrupt the club. As for Charnley being 'in charge' it really, genuinely does baffle me. Why would Ashley invest all of that money in one of the finest football clubs in the world and then 'save a few quid' by promoting the tea boy?? The few million quid that he's saved in wages has been blown out of the water in relegation's and lower league finishing positions a hundred times over. Whilst Penfold is not directly responsible it's beyond argument that he is culpable due to his dithering, inexperience, quest for 'best value' and general twatish management of the club.
It's a touch confusing, because I understood Ashley only valued the club @ £300m because he was owed the money? Or does he value the club at £400m in total (including the loan), but then is "writing off the debt" as a sales tactic??
_______________________________________ This is the line and we shall not cross it this January for anything above 5 mill.
I genuinely think that Ashley will gamble AGAIN and spend the bare minimum in this window, unless PCP have guaranteed to cover the spend. How many times have we said 'he's definitely learnt his lesson this time' and 'he wont risk relegation again' for him to do just that. The guy NEVER EVER learns his lesson. In his thick heed, he will not see why Rafa can't keep us up with this team. I reckon if we get £20 million to spend we will be doing well according to Ashley. .
Being cautious about who we sign is one thing. Leaving a signing until the following window over a 2m difference in valuation, in this market, is rank foolishness. When we know player prices are growing by the week, we need to line up the players we've identified as summer targets and go get them now. We've got what it takes to stay up with 4 additions, so just go and get them and who cares if it costs 90m.
Steven Caulker been released. Might be within our price range if he doesn't want more than £200 a week