Stickied Transfer Rumours & Confirmed Deals Thread 2023/24

[Abertawe]

Unfortunately we are hugely reliant on it, incoming transfer fees have made up something like 60-70% of our turnover in recent years.

Don't worry mate - I remember when we were in a similar position you find yourselves in now and we had to contend with the "how dare you not just sell us star players on the cheap" crap too. Derby fans in particular - I will never forget their pursuit of Ferrie Bodde. Literally tried to bully us into giving them the best cm in the division.

You carry on - invest wisely and there's no reason you can't keep on achieving.

 

[blademan89]

£10m according to Sky. Happy with that I assume, given he wasn't even getting into your first 11 most weeks?

Couldn't really care less in all honesty mate. Makes no odds to me at all. I'm just waiting for us to sell fleck and joc too.

 

[Liam_SWFC]

Don't see the sense in us signing Hugill, we have loads of strikers already and it's not a problem area, we could even afford to lose Rhodes and Winnall and still be sound for numbers.

 

[MagpieBee]

But nobody has met Brentford's valuation, therefore it is perhaps unrealistic? I'm guessing we're talking about Mepham or their youth team goalkeeper here for the record.

You've been saying the prices we've been turning down are unrealistic. If the bids are being made in the first place, then it's hardly unrealistic?

It's also negotiation 101 that you never accept the first bid.

 

[markwwfc1992]

You've been saying the prices we've been turning down are unrealistic. If the bids are being made in the first place, then it's hardly unrealistic?

It's also negotiation 101 that you never accept the first bid.

For what it's worth I think it's also insanity that Bournemouth are bidding above 12m for the guy in the first place. The point I'm trying to make is that we as a country (I know you say he's Welsh but the point is the same) seem to vastly overprice young British players. I have no doubt at all that if Bournemouth shopped around abroad they could find someone of Mepham's quality for a fraction of the price of £12m. Maybe it's the young British tag that Eddie Howe wants specifically and that's why they're bidding such a fee.

I'd like to see more young British talent play in our top division for the purpose of the England team progressing, but I can also see that due to overpricing that clubs are forced to shop abroad.

 

[MagpieBee]

For what it's worth I think it's also insanity that Bournemouth are bidding above 12m for the guy in the first place. The point I'm trying to make is that we as a country (I know you say he's Welsh but the point is the same) seem to vastly overprice young British players. I have no doubt at all that if Bournemouth shopped around abroad they could find someone of Mepham's quality for a fraction of the price of £12m. Maybe it's the young British tag that Eddie Howe wants specifically and that's why they're bidding such a fee.

I'd like to see more young British talent play in our top division for the purpose of the England team progressing, but I can also see that due to overpricing that clubs are forced to shop abroad.

Not really, on multiple occasions you’ve said “especially Brentford”, it’s not really especially Brentford it we’re getting the bids in the first place?

On the rest, I agree, though we are increasingly reliant on those inflated prices to survive in this division.

 

[Gerry Gow]

From everything I've read I expect him to replace Reid, we need someone to replace his defensive effort and work rate off the ball, Diedhiou if he stays fit should score 20 so then whatever Weimann can contribute will help on top.

If Diedhiou and Weimann are our strikeforce, we are in serious trouble. I’d like to think we’ll get a classy forward in! We have extra cash to spend.

Diedhiou is also banned for the first 6 games of the season.

 

[Gerry Gow]

I think Weimann will fit in centrally behind the strikers. But you just know Johnson will play him left back..

 

[SF_]

Sky sports rumour linking us to Charlie Wyke, along with Bolton and Wigan, stinks of his agent.

Wouldn't be raving about him to be honest, looks quite slow and not a huge threat in the air. Would rather go in for Stockley at Exeter.

 

[SMH]

We’ve got three senior strikers (two of them signed in January) and we can only play one in Cook’s system. Definitely Wyke’s agent trying to scare Bolton into coughing up.

 

[TractorBoys]

But nobody has met Brentford's valuation, therefore it is perhaps unrealistic? I'm guessing we're talking about Mepham or their youth team goalkeeper here for the record.

The window is yet young, dear friend. (But yeah, should nobody meet it, fair do's). Although, if they don't need to sell, and don't want to, I doubt they'll lose too much sleep over keeping hold of them due to nobody paying enough in their opinion. Not a bad situation to be in.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Someone take Wyke off our hands please, we apparently want to move away from using a target man next season, so we need to sell asap to get new pacey players in. He's got the turning circle of an freight ship, but is very good on the ball tbf and has a good scoring record for a target man.

 

[LeylandWhite]

For what it's worth I think it's also insanity that Bournemouth are bidding above 12m for the guy in the first place. The point I'm trying to make is that we as a country (I know you say he's Welsh but the point is the same) seem to vastly overprice young British players. I have no doubt at all that if Bournemouth shopped around abroad they could find someone of Mepham's quality for a fraction of the price of £12m. Maybe it's the young British tag that Eddie Howe wants specifically and that's why they're bidding such a fee.

I'd like to see more young British talent play in our top division for the purpose of the England team progressing, but I can also see that due to overpricing that clubs are forced to shop abroad.

Clearly Eddie Howe, who's a very good manager sees a lot of potential in a young English player. English players carry a premium so if he goes to Bournemouth and plays well within 12months his price tag will have probably trebled.

Your obsession with Brentford getting a shed load of money in transfer fees is weird.

 

[markwwfc1992]

Clearly Eddie Howe, who's a very good manager sees a lot of potential in a young English player. English players carry a premium so if he goes to Bournemouth and plays well within 12months his price tag will have probably trebled.

Your obsession with Brentford getting a shed load of money in transfer fees is weird.

Maybe if you read my other posts on the topic I have repeatedly mentioned it's not specific to Brentford, I am using them purely as an example. If you don't think British players are overpriced then you're either deluded or an idiot. My guess is that you are both.

 

[LeylandWhite]

Maybe if you read my other posts on the topic I have repeatedly mentioned it's not specific to Brentford, I am using them purely as an example. If you don't think British players are overpriced then you're either deluded or an idiot. My guess is that you are both.

You say they're not specific to Brentford, yet every post has a subtle dig at them.

Of course they're overpriced, every fucking player is. If you can't see that Bournemouth investing money in a young English player makes good business sense then I'd question who is the idiot/deluded.

 

[markwwfc1992]

You say they're not specific to Brentford, yet every post has a subtle dig at them.

Of course they're overpriced, every fucking player is. If you can't see that Bournemouth investing money in a young English player makes good business sense then I'd question who is the idiot/deluded.

I'm mentioning Brentford because they're in the news at the minute regarding the bid from Bournemouth for one of their defenders. It's not a subtle dig at them. Must be the 5 or 6th I've mentioned it today but the point I'm raising is British players being overpriced. Change the teams if you want and it's the same story.

LeylandWhite I suggest carefully reading the bold underlined words.

 

[CharlieAdamno1Fan]

As I said for a long time Brentford do great business

People say Peterborough do, but Brentford smash it transfer wise & get the fees

They play good football, get great young talent in & great transfer business

My first game was against Brentford as well

 

[LeylandWhite]

I'm mentioning Brentford because they're in the news at the minute regarding the bid from Bournemouth for one of their defenders. It's not a subtle dig at them. Must be the 5 or 6th I've mentioned it today but the point I'm raising is British players being overpriced. Change the teams if you want and it's the same story.

LeylandWhite I suggest carefully reading the bold underlined words.

You've mentioned it with the young keeper and a couple of others, if I could be assed/ sad enough I'd go back through your posts and quote them. The British players being overpriced line has only come out since people have pulled you up on it.

I'll change the clubs for you. Barnsley sold John Stones to Everton for £3m who then went on to sell him for £50m, a £47m profit.

Like I said every player is overpriced in particular British ones, hence a selling club looking to get a premium on a young British player. Buying clubs with the money will look at buying young British players knowing that the potential profit margins are massive should they progress as well as they feel they can.

Now do I need to be a smart arse and put all that in bold for you to understand or is that ok?

 

[Moomin]

Sky sports rumour linking us to Charlie Wyke, along with Bolton and Wigan, stinks of his agent.

Wouldn't be raving about him to be honest, looks quite slow and not a huge threat in the air. Would rather go in for Stockley at Exeter.

Not convinced Stockley is Championship standard as he is also very slow and that will hold him back. He is superb in the air though and a good finisher but think L1 is maybe more his level.

 

[SF_]

Not convinced Stockley is Championship standard as he is also very slow and that will hold him back. He is superb in the air though and a good finisher but think L1 is maybe more his level.

Fair one, mobile targetmen are a rare breed, no wonder Hugill was in such high demand.

 

[TomPNE94]

Sky sports rumour linking us to Charlie Wyke, along with Bolton and Wigan, stinks of his agent.

Wouldn't be raving about him to be honest, looks quite slow and not a huge threat in the air. Would rather go in for Stockley at Exeter.

Would much rather go for Garner than either at £500k.

 

[markwwfc1992]

You've mentioned it with the young keeper and a couple of others, if I could be assed/ sad enough I'd go back through your posts and quote them. The British players being overpriced line has only come out since people have pulled you up on it.

I'll change the clubs for you. Barnsley sold John Stones to Everton for £3m who then went on to sell him for £50m, a £47m profit.

Like I said every player is overpriced in particular British ones, hence a selling club looking to get a premium on a young British player. Buying clubs with the money will look at buying young British players knowing that the potential profit margins are massive should they progress as well as they feel they can.

Now do I need to be a smart arse and put all that in bold for you to understand or is that ok?

The John Stones argument doesn't really work. For every John Stones you have a Matt Grimes story for example. A player who excels at a lower league club, signed for a record fee and then turns out to be garbage. For the record Everton and Barnsley did very well from the Stones transfer financially but he perfectly sums up how massively overpriced British players are. When you have spending powers like Man City after your players you can name your price.

Going back to the initial point (I think it is a decent point for what it's worth) why do clubs go for specifically young British players for extraordinary transfer fees when you can get much better value for money abroad? I think this is a big reason to why England haven't been able to compete with the best in the world in recent years, and a reason why it is very rare to see English based players play abroad.

 

[LeylandWhite]

The John Stones argument doesn't really work. For every John Stones you have a Matt Grimes story for example. A player who excels at a lower league club, signed for a record fee and then turns out to be garbage. For the record Everton and Barnsley did very well from the Stones transfer financially but he perfectly sums up how massively overpriced British players are. When you have spending powers like Man City after your players you can name your price.

Going back to the initial point (I think it is a decent point for what it's worth) why do clubs go for specifically young British players for extraordinary transfer fees when you can get much better value for money abroad? I think this is a big reason to why England haven't been able to compete with the best in the world in recent years, and a reason why it is very rare to see English based players play abroad.

Every transfer is a risk. Had Matt Grimes worked out for Swansea they'd have probably made a profit 10 times what they paid for him.

Of course Barnsley and Everton did well financially out of the John Stones deal, and that's the whole point of a business, to make profit.

I can see why a club would opt for young English talent over foreign as the profits to be made are massive.

 

[markwwfc1992]

I can see why a club would opt for young English talent over foreign as the profits to be made are massive.

It's a fair point. Smaller clubs (meaning no disrespect) can live off the hugely inflated transfer fees for years. Brentford have made a fortune this way.

I'd argue some clubs don't care as much about the profits though and just want cheap good players without thinking of what they could potentially sell them for a few years down the line. This is where shopping abroad is currently the best option. Watford are a good example of how it works.

 

[LancashireTrotters]

Apparently close to buying Teixeira from Porto (Ex-Liverpool and Brighton winger). Good player at this level, be happy with that.

 

[MagpieBee]

It's a fair point. Smaller clubs (meaning no disrespect) can live off the hugely inflated transfer fees for years. Brentford have made a fortune this way.

I'd argue some clubs don't care as much about the profits though and just want cheap good players without thinking of what they could potentially sell them for a few years down the line. This is where shopping abroad is currently the best option. Watford are a good example of how it works.

Wouldn’t call it years mate. We need about one £12m sale every year just to stop us losing money. And even then our budget is still in the bottom 5 of this league.

Buying cheap players from abroad is a fine tactic too, we use both, and have made good profit on a few (like Jota) but there’s always more risk with a player from another league that they won’t perform in England. English players are usually a safer bet, even if they cost more.

Think we’d love to be in a position to not care what profit we might be able to sell a player for, but it’s just not feasible for 80%+ of teams in England.

 

[SF_]

Would much rather go for Garner than either at £500k.

For that price, yeah, we don't need someone to play week in, week out, just an option to put himself about when 'plan A' isn't working.

I'd be surprised if we're in for him though.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

It's a fair point. Smaller clubs (meaning no disrespect) can live off the hugely inflated transfer fees for years. Brentford have made a fortune this way.

I'd argue some clubs don't care as much about the profits though and just want cheap good players without thinking of what they could potentially sell them for a few years down the line. This is where shopping abroad is currently the best option. Watford are a good example of how it works.

I'm sure you realise that Watford and yourselves aren't relevant examples for most clubs though. You both have a particular ownership structure and modus operandi that allows both easier access to potential players in Europe than most clubs, with the agents and clubs already on speed dial. So when your manager draws up a list and says he wants a full back, a winger and a midfielder, the targets Wolves and Watford are going to run that list against will be rather different to Bournemouth.

Be it moving players between the Pozzo stable of clubs, be it a hotline to Mendes clients. it's an advantage and a model that works for those clubs, but it's not something most clubs are comparable to.

A better comparison for us (and most) are Huddersfield and Brighton. Both have spent plenty of money, but as clubs recently on the smaller side they've been able to come up, blending together home grown signings, together with a few nice imported finds from elsewhere.

There's no doubt we could do better at scouting abroad and settling imports into the club. Most non-Brits who are successful with us are already anglicised. But we're just never going to go down the route of Watford and Wolves and neither are most. What we're doing seems to work for us, finishing 9th and 12th and banking profits.

I guess It'd be boring if every club approached things the same way!

 

[SoutheySWFC]

I'm sure you realise that Watford and yourselves aren't relevant examples for most clubs though. You both have a particular ownership structure and modus operandi that allows both easier access to potential players in Europe than most clubs, with the agents and clubs already on speed dial. So when your manager draws up a list and says he wants a full back, a winger and a midfielder, the targets Wolves and Watford are going to run that list against will be rather different to Bournemouth.

Be it moving players between the Pozzo stable of clubs, be it a hotline to Mendes clients. it's an advantage and a model that works for those clubs, but it's not something most clubs are comparable to.

A better comparison for us (and most) are Huddersfield and Brighton. Both have spent plenty of money, but as clubs recently on the smaller side they've been able to come up, blending together home grown signings, together with a few nice imported finds from elsewhere.

There's no doubt we could do better at scouting abroad and settling imports into the club. Most non-Brits who are successful with us are already anglicised. But we're just never going to go down the route of Watford and Wolves and neither are most. What we're doing seems to work for us, finishing 9th and 12th and banking profits.

I guess It'd be boring if every club approached things the same way!

Have the profits gone back to the those who lost out in your multiple stints in admin?

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Have the profits gone back to the those who lost out in your multiple stints in admin?

The area's local economy (whose small businesses were the biggest losers in 2008) has benefited by an estimated £50-60 million per year directly as a result of the town's club getting to the Premier League.

So indirectly, yes, yes we have. Many times over.
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