Agreed. I don't want a situation akin to what you have at other big clubs where the highest earners are on upwards of £250k and the lowest on £30k. The margin is far too big to really encourage togetherness and a team spirit. You need things competitive, but don't push it over the border of jealousy and envy. Our current scale is appx. £120k down to £20k, which seems much more sensible.
I'm surprised we haven't seen a "Spurs turn their attention to Diop, as interest in Barkley cools" story yet. It's long been rumoured that Everton want a fortune for him, but I just can't see us signing both. Part of me wonders that, even though we're famous for late deals, even WE want to start getting on with business now and not leave it until the last minute. I honestly see Barkley going down to the wire on deadline day, and Chelsea being the ones who sign him.
I guess it would depend on the degree of Levying possible. He is definitely playing "chicken" with Everton (is the Barkley injury confirmed or another of those common midsummer ailments players are so prone to) .
Also, if there is truth to these Sessegnon rumours, you would have to really start to accept that the Danny Rose situation is pretty bad. To bid £25m would basically mean Rose is a gonner. We'd only offer that sort of money knowing another huge free from the sale of Rose is on the cards.
Imagine if the following happened. We sign Sanchez. We sign Diop. We sign Sessegnon. We sell Rose We sign Martial We sell Janssen. (And maybe sign Balde, too) And of course, we sell/loan out ****-soko. Would you be happy? Too many transfers in 1 window? Likely to happen?
The fact that he's been out since January means that we probably wouldn't even notice he'd gone. Since he's been out we put together the best end of season run I can remember so if we can get £50 m+ and replace with someone like Sessegnon, would it be so bad? The only downside would be that he'd be improving a rival but we need to think about and be confident in ourselves rather than scared of anyone else.
If Sanchez comes in then Wimmer is gone. If anything, we'll get Balde instead of Martial. Barring injuries they could all be integrated at an easy pace. I imagine we'd still come out with a negative net spend over the transfer window (about £40m to the good by my calc and a lower wage bill)
No. I want Pochettino to get the balance of signing a batch of deliver the PL goods from day 1 + "one for the future" players for every summer transfer window. Your scenario does not do it for me.
That'd be a great window. Gutting to see Rose go but after his comments, he can just get ****ed in my eyes and Davies has been great in his absence anyway. Didn't the commentator say the other day we've won 14 of 16 games when Davies started, while Rose is a top player and the better of the two, I don't feel we've massively missed him and if we could bring Sessegnon in then that's competition for Davies and the long term LB sorted for the future. Martial, Sanchez and Diop all come in to add fierce competition which we need, especially the former two, the latter may need some time.
Yeah, apparently he's a winger/forward type. Never seen him play so don't know if he's anything like Son style-wise but he sounds like he'd be able to play upfront as well as out wide. We've also been rumoured to have bid for Martial, who again is similar in where he'd play. I think we were probably hoping to sort Barkley first and see what the window shakes out in regards to the wide/forward players. Perhaps if United had managed to sign Perisic or Bale, Martial would be available but knowing what the Manchester sides are like for hoarding attaking players, it probably still wouldn't happen.
I've no idea who Diop is but even if it's Pape Bouba this would still be amazing business. I don't think the amount of transfers is too much, it's only really an issue if we end up having to play a lot of them at once before they're settled and Pochettino has taught them how we play. Given how strong our first 11 from last year(minus Walker and Rose) would still be, I don't think it would be an issue. Personally I'd sell Wimmer as well and chuck in Barkley but realistically, I can't see us getting Martial(who would be the real coup signing) and Sessegnon is apparently not for sale even for £25mill. Shaw might be better anyway as he's more experienced and proven(even if not that good), plus Pochettino has worked with him before and seeing how well reuniting him with Wanyama went, it could be a better value for us.
I can't see Martial being sold. He arrived in a blaze of glory with comparisons being made to Thierry Henry. Whilst that fanfare now seems a little ridiculous after two indifferent seasons, he's still only 21. He looked very good in the few minutes he had v West Ham. He is talented and he can improve, although it's doubtful whether he will start many games unless Mourinho changes personality and goes for all out attack with a front three of Martial, Lukaku and Rashford. He also cost £36M rising to possible £57M. What figure would it be worth selling him for? And to a rival?
Silly season goes on. Sanchez has picked picked up a "knee injury" you'd think he would have avoided by not training. The few hours his signing would take has gone on for three days now. Aurier has supposedly agreed personal terms with us, and I'm pretty sure it means nothing. We're a whirlwind of reported activity without anyone actually announcing anything.
Went down the gym instead while waiting for his move to be completed, according to the Fail. Mounds of salt for that one, then.
I have no idea. I only know we're the second club he's reportedly agreed personal terms with. So I'm not inclined to take it seriously.
(Edit) PNP and I have taken different tacks on the antecedent of gericalo's "he." Well, we've covered the bases between us.
Id love to see Martial at Spurs, ok he hasnt set the world alight at Old Trafford yet but he has that explosive raw talent that few have. I cant see United selling him yet and particulary to a rival in us. Id be shocked if we sell Rose this summer, losing two top class WB's will be criminal. In the next fortnight if we could do the following business id be delighted - Out - Wimmer, Sissoko, Loan for CCV In - Sanchez, Diop, Balde or similar. ( I cant profess to be an expert on Diop but the signing is now looking very likely and he is very highly regarded in the Spain youth set up )