Considering Byram cannot get into our team at the moment (even with our first choice RB suspended) I don't think he is the answer to your problems. Very decent going forward from the RB position just defensively not that great.
We are interested in Demarai Gray from Brum apparently http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...r-bournemouth-transfer-target-demarai-6976825 Would be one for the future and at £3.75M might be worth a shot.
... Claudio appeared to be impressed with the lad in the pre-season friendly ... £3.75m would be available from petty cash ... so no brainer if Claudio really rates him ... suspect he'll go for closer to £5m tbf ...
Isn't £3.75M his buyout clause? surely it can't go higher, alot of clubs may match £3.75m and then its upto him to choose. It would be nice to see him in, especially as we will have trouble keeping hold of Mahrez, especially over the summer if he continues his form.
Do you expect bids for Vardy and Mahrez in January? It would be huge money and even without them you're staying in the PL.
Yes but as we don't need nor want to sell they won't be going anywhere unless the bid is ridiculously stupid and they put in a transfer request. Realistically I can see Mahrez leaving in the summer if a Champions League club comes for him but can see Vardy staying with us for at least a season longer.
He signed a new contract at the beginning of the season that removed his £30M clause - remember when Arsenal were going to take the mick and bid £30M + 1p last season? Bet they wish they did now...
Although i wouldn't want them to go until at least the summer, i wouldn't stop them leaving if they wanted to. I wouldn't think we'd let them go for anything near their "market value" in January. Vardys already been slapped with a £30m tag and Mahrez will probably demand the same plus add-ons. Would like to think they'd stay and see how we finished this season, especially if we are still around 4th in January, being part of an underdog story could be a defining feature in both their careers.
I would ... they've signed contracts and it won't suit us to sell in January. No prevarication. We don't need to sell. Post season is a different matter - particularly if, amazingly, we did finish in a Champions League or even Europa spot ... 'cashing in' at that point would enable us to find 'appropriate' replacements for the coming season - selling in January certainly won't.
It´s alway the same. A team starts to do well & build a good team & then the `big boys` starts to pick them off one by one. There are so many teams that have got to a good position (like us) & then start losing their best players & don´t recover. Swansea & Southampton to name but a few. It´s a rat race all of it´s own. I can understand the players wanting to better themselves, it´s just annoying. CR has a tough job in the Jan & summer transfer window, but that´s apart of his job.
... distinct difference in that both Saints and Swans had a business model of development and sale to survive.. we don't. .. I'd be amazed if we sold anybody other than those surplus to requirements in January. .. the summer is a different matter because the players will be targeted by 'suitors' ... but that's for then ..
Like some I cant see Vardy or Mahrez going mid season purely because they are a) on decent lengthy contracts and b) the owners don't appear to be pressing for the money. Personally I would like to see Austin come in. Okazaki has a fabulous work rate but doesn't create many chances for himself or others and Ulloa seems to have lost some of his spark. Wes is club captain and Huth has only just signed so I see them two injury apart seeing this season out but probably wont be first choice next season.
I can't see any of the squad wanting to leave during the January window seeing as they have all contributed to where we are now. But it would be great to get some real class in the middle of the back. We already have strength in midfield and up front; if we get a solid and quality central defence pairing then that will really put this team on a different level. We obviously haven't seen much of Benalouane as yet and his profile according to the club website (so bound to be fairly positive!) says he is "blessed with pace and power", which is exactly what we are looking for. And, bearing in mind the track record of the scouting team, this guy should be no mug. The difficulty for him is that he is being kept out by an improving pairing of Huth and Morgan (who looks a totally different player this season, thank goodness). However, if Huth keeps raising his hands or putting in too many iffy challenges, then Benalouane might get a chance sooner rather than later, although Wasyl might get the nod instead, being more experienced.
If we have a central paiting of Huth and Wasyl then players like Firminho at Liverpool are unlikely to venture out of their own half
... but obviously not averse to continual disposal of prime assets ... our owners, in contrast, have sold David Nugent (albeit fo a nice profit) ... ... Great atmosphere around the club since they took over ... wiped out debt ... bought back the stadium and publicly stated their ambition for European football within 5 years from promotion ... not going to acheive that by selling our best players ... Chairman also publicly stated that he will be willing to invest north of £180 m to acheive that ambition ... ... at the moment I'm relaxed about our ability to retain personnel and wouldn't be surprised if we didn't strengthen current squad with more quality in January ... being linked with Nigel de Jong currently ... our progress this season is making waves internationally and players that would not have given us the time of day previously are now open to considering us ... dream land. ...
