Johnson to West Brom

it looks like Woy has bid £4m for AJ.
Any thoughts? Think it would be good to ship him out, he's 30!

 

£4m's a good price. I like him, but I think MH will be looking at some changes and these need to be funded.

 

4m for an injury prone 30 year old!

I would take it if I was Hughes!

 

nope- I want him until we're guarenteed the player he was supposed to be

 

Some of you know that I'm in favour of keeping AJ, irrespective of the price tag when he came.
However, for £4 million I guess Mark Hughes will let him go - "business-is-business". Let'sjust make sure we buy some at least one person with a bit of speed.

 

I too am an AJ fan. If he has to go and WBA are interested, could we get a good value exchange?

Dorrans? seems to have fallen out of favour ??

 

Best rumour I have heard this year.

 

Val, you know deep down you will be a little bit sad when and if he goes.

 

I know he's an 'orrible little man, but what about Defoe? 'Arry seems to have gone off him.

His style of play would be great with BZ, sadly another one that would need the gates widened to get his head through, and he might upset too many of the current team.

 

He's the only pacy striker we have and he's class whenever he's on the pitch. £4m is cheap; I'd keep him at that price. Hold out for £6m.

 

exactly- its pace that we need. Defoe would be great- but i doubt he'd make the move across London, but you never know. I think its more likely Hughes will pick someone up from the Championship or from abroad. Demba Ba, although not the pace forward- would be a great signing, as would someone like Hitzelsburger or however you spell it to strengthen midfield. Two good players.

 

Funnily enough, I was thinking about how Defoe would fit in earlier this week. I think he'd be great, but I doubt that we would agree wages - he can earn a lot more elsewhere than he would with us. I've got half a mind that someone like Everton might come in for him.

£4million for AJ would be good business, given his age and injury record, but after West Brom squeezed us to pay over the odds on Kamara and Greening it would be nice to push the price up on them, as DR suggests. If he does go, as others have said, we'll need to make sure we get someone in with a bit of pace.

RF, what are you going to do with yourself if AJ does leave? Apart from anything else, you'll need a new photo to pin on your dartboard - any idea who's going to take his place?

 

A £6 million pound loss on a player after 3 seasons can rarely be called good business but in this case I would take it and re-invest it in a younger quicker striker. Apparently we're looking at some Mexican kid up front. Seemed to work for United...

 

We need to look at the facts here. He's 30 and what pace he had has diminished. I am a fan of AJ, he works so hard during the game, running the channels etc but he's also injury prone. What happens if he gets injured early on next season? I reckon the thought of £4m will be too enticing for MH to be honest.
I can't see anyone else coming in for him.

 

Exactly my point Cravin,if AJ is so good how come more managers are not knocking at our door.
for his signature.

 

I thought he was excellent against birmingham, his running of the channels does create lots of space for the likes of zamora and dempsey. However, every player has his price and I think £4m would be a fair deal for both clubs. If we have this to spend, and maybe Al-Fayed is feeling relatively generous as well this summer then I see no reason why we can't find a younger pacy striker who maybe carries more of a goal threat.

 

Valjing, to be fair on AJ, we don't know who is or isn't knocking at his door yet. I heard a rumour that QPR were interested. In many ways he'd be a good siging for a newly promoted side - an experienced pro who is used to the Premier League and who can help the squad to find their feet.

Fulhamireland, I take your point about a £6million loss not being good business (or maybe that's where I've been going wrong all these years!) But, as you go on to say, if we forget about the price we paid (overpaid?) for him then £4 million for someone of his age, recent goalscoring and injury record is a good deal for us.

 

Agreed commodore. Just because we paid £10m several years ago has no bearing on his value today. Ever heard the Stanley Holloway monologue Three Ha'pence A Foot? That is a beautiful satire on the inability to bargain & haggle.

 

Captain,agreed the rumour mill will increase in the close season,
but how about this one AJ to QPR ASAP,in a straight swop with Taarabt.

 

Valjing, I'd bite their hands off for that deal, I'd even be willing to see us put in some cash as well. I like the way your mind is working on this one.

Having said that, I don't see QPR agreeing and if Taarabt moves (which he may well do), I suspect it will be to a bigger club than us. Can you imagine how Rs fans would react to hearing about that particular deal - they'd be livid. On the other hand, there's no harm in trying our luck!