Summer 2022 Transfer Window

[Bad Wolf]

1 hour ago, notnowcato said:

No offence but bollocks.  As a fan I get absolutely zero enjoyment out the club striking a great deal on our best player.  As fans all we can do is suck it up, buttercup.  It's shit but that's commercial football for you.

We do it to other clubs. Football is a business. Has been for a VERY long time and no it's not just since the PL came into being. Fans are customers, players are employees. People need to realise that players, managers etc aren't going to have the same sentimental love for a club that fans do. If JWP feels that he can better himself elsewhere and someone makes a reasonable offer then good luck to him.

People that moan about players and managers having "no loyalty these days" are, in my experience, the same people that turn on players and managers as soon as things go slightly wrong for them or they make a mistake.

[SNSUN]

2 hours ago, Ivan Katalinic's 'tache said:

Cameron Carter-Vickers?
Cameron Carter-Vickers 'wanted' by Southampton and Fulham as Celtic face battle to sign in-demand defender - Mirror Online

I’d be a yes. Had a good season at Celtic, is a good age and is tall. I’d be surprised if he didn’t join Celtic full time but we’ve been known for pilfering their players so why not pilfer one that doesn’t belong to them instead! 

 

Apparently their young winger has been getting rave reviews this season. Abada. Only 20. Eye for goal.

 

We may not be the most attractive club to play for but we can offer Premier League...

[Chez]

2 hours ago, notnowcato said:

No offence but bollocks.  As a fan I get absolutely zero enjoyment out the club striking a great deal on our best player.  As fans all we can do is suck it up, buttercup.  It's shit but that's commercial football for you.

I meant, as fans, we want our management to say stuff like, "our best players are not for sale". Its the least we expect to hear. All we can ask is that our board try to play hard ball. Not sure we can expect them to turn down £100m offers for JWP though, can we? 

The reality of course is that these words (even if they said them) its just bluster and we will sell if the price is right. However, just by saying stuff like, "don't bother asking", we are at least trying to make it look like we want to keep them, progress as a team and aren't just here to sell players.

[Bad Wolf]

5 minutes ago, Chez said:

I meant, as fans, we want our management to say stuff like, "our best players are not for sale". Its the least we expect to hear. All we can ask is that our board try to play hard ball. Not sure we can expect them to turn down £100m offers for JWP though, can we? 

The reality of course is that these words (even if they said them) its just bluster and we will sell if the price is right. However, just by saying stuff like, "don't bother asking", we are at least trying to make it look like we want to keep them, progress as a team and aren't just here to sell players.

Ings for example, if we'd turned down that money from Villa, considering his contract and injury situations, we'd have been utterly crazy.

[Yozzman]

22 minutes ago, SNSUN said:

I’d be a yes. Had a good season at Celtic, is a good age and is tall. I’d be surprised if he didn’t join Celtic full time but we’ve been known for pilfering their players so why not pilfer one that doesn’t belong to them instead! 

Not sure about CCV, only 6ft 1 and don't think he was great at Bournemouth last year.

[SNSUN]

6 minutes ago, Yozzman said:

Not sure about CCV, only 6ft 1 and don't think he was great at Bournemouth last year.

Ah I thought he was 6'4'' for some reason. I must be thinking of someone else! Not that 6'1'' is teeny. The trouble is to sign a complete CB would cost us £30 million plus. We're shopping in the £10 to £20 million bracket which probably gets us a 'prospect' that 'can be improved upon'. (i.e Salisu) 

 

Unless our scouting is bang on and we find a gem...

[Toussaint]

3 hours ago, Bad Wolf said:

I don't, for one minute believe he's on that.

I stand to be corrected, but I thought he deal was halving his Everton salary of £150 k. It’s irrelevant really, whatever he is in is an exorbitant amount relative to his contribution.  

[SNSUN]

2 minutes ago, SNSUN said:

Ah I thought he was 6'4'' for some reason. I must be thinking of someone else! Not that 6'1'' is teeny. The trouble is to sign a complete CB would cost us £30 million plus. We're shopping in the £10 to £20 million bracket which probably gets us a 'prospect' that 'can be improved upon'. (i.e Salisu) 

 

Unless our scouting is bang on and we find a gem...

Just seen an article that Spurs want £6 million for him. The last defender we got from them was decent. 😜

[notnowcato]

2 hours ago, Bad Wolf said:

We do it to other clubs. Football is a business. Has been for a VERY long time and no it's not just since the PL came into being. Fans are customers, players are employees. People need to realise that players, managers etc aren't going to have the same sentimental love for a club that fans do. If JWP feels that he can better himself elsewhere and someone makes a reasonable offer then good luck to him.

People that moan about players and managers having "no loyalty these days" are, in my experience, the same people that turn on players and managers as soon as things go slightly wrong for them or they make a mistake.

Hahahaha VERY funny.  Somehow your posting style defines you as a CONDESCENDING prick.

I know what commercial football is and it's shit.  I was responding to Chez's point about as a fan that's the best we can expect.  I disagree, that's ok.  I'd rather we competed at a level we'd have a chance of success every now and again; be that Championship, League 1 or wherever.  Bored of making up the numbers and being seen as a vehicle / stepping stone for players.  

[Chez]

On 25/04/2022 at 21:42, Baird of the land said:

Wouldn’t be at all surprised if wan bissaka followed the zaha path back to palace. 

linked with a loan back to Palace today in The Athletic

[Chez]

if we are thinking of signing another right back, Calvin Ramsay at Aberdeen looks like he can pay. Leeds currently in talks with him.

 

 

[VectisSaint]

7 hours ago, Chez said:

Didn't Stephens get an `unannounced' new contract, like McCarthy, back in 2020? 

https://theathletic.com/news/exclusive-jack-stephens-agrees-new-long-term-southampton-contract/bo8LfBeiblPj/

That was the rumour, but McCarthy's contract was "outed" by the official FA information, whereas there was no evidence of Stephens' new contract. The fact that he hasn't even made the last couple of matchday squads would suggest to me that he is not in the picture for next season. Will please many on here (maybe he is going to ManU as an upgrade to Maguire).

[manji]

30 minutes ago, Chez said:

if we are thinking of signing another right back, Calvin Ramsay at Aberdeen looks like he can pay. Leeds currently in talks with him.

 

 

Watched him against Rangers. We had scouts there. Thought he was a bit lightweight and was subbed.

[Chez]

1 hour ago, manji said:

Watched him against Rangers. We had scouts there. Thought he was a bit lightweight and was subbed.

He's only 18, so possibly will strengthen, or do you think he's lightweight full stop?

 

[Saintandy666]

Don't see why we should take any less than £100m for JWP. That's how much he's worth to us, as we'd be relegation candidates without him.

[FarehamSaintJames]

Every summer we get the bed setters on here panicking that JWP is leaving imminently.

He will not be leaving. Anyone that thinks he is needs to have a serious word with themselves. Who on here actually thinks he will leave?

He will be at Southampton for life. He is one of a few that will stay with the same club their entire career.

He is smart enough and sensible enough to see that he is loved here, he is a leader here and can go down as a club legend here - as opposed to money obsessed who want to make a quick buck sitting on the bench at so-called bigger clubs.

JWP will not be leaving. Next. 👍🏻

[FarehamSaintJames]

16 hours ago, Rebel said:

Reading between the lines it sounds like Bednarek is off this summer - but his time to go has probably come anyway.

But I get the feeling Salisu is interested in moving to a bigger club with more money (after the Newcastle interest in January) - his recent performances suggest he is trying to give the club the message to cash in on him now. Hopefully we will keep him for another year.

And Stephens is supposedly out of contract - so we could need  a complete restock at centre back. So we will need least 1  if not 2 new centrebacks.  Levi Colwill as cover and a long term left footed replacement for Salisu would be nice. But we will probably need a first choice right sided centre back whatever else happens.

Simeu probably replaces Stephens as back up (but would Salisu / Colwill and Lyanco / Simeu be enough?)

Will Valery stay as cover for right back & centre back and will Kayne Ramsey return to do the same.  I think we will sell one of them at least and keep the other.

I can see a big club coming in for KWP as well - and with Tino injured for the longer term we would need at least one if not 2 right backs as well.  

And if we get a £40M or thereabouts offer from a big club - Liverpool for example - I can see us selling JWP.   Whether we do sell JWP or not we need to strengthen central midfield and add 1 if not 2 DM to provide cover for and eventually replace Romeu.  But I can see us going for relatively low cost options - for example Matt Grimes from Swansea would give us a left footed CM and hopefully a leader on the pitch (as he's Captain at Swansea) and Marko Gruijc (on loan at Porto from Liverpool) would give us cover for Romeu at CDM/DM.  

And that doesn't even cover the need to replace Long and Broja  upfront or Djeneppo / Redmond / Elyounoussi  in the No. 10 role (with a year left on his contract and £75K wage Walcott is going nowhere).  Tino Anjorin would be a start for the No.10 role.   

Bringing in Etienne Green or someone similar to compete with McCarthy sounds like a good idea - but I'd keep Forster as well.

I think its going to be a buys summer.

This isn’t Football Manager. The turnover of playing staff I really don’t see being that high.

Salisu will be here at least another year.

JWP won’t be leaving.

KWP won’t be leaving, Tino also injured probably cements this, unless a club came in offering stupid money, which they frankly won’t.

Djenepo will likely be loaned out since he’s crap.

Walcott will still be here next season taking the money and doing little else.

Redmond will still be here until the end of his contract too, can’t see anyone coming in for him.

Bednarek, personally I’d cash in if a decent offer came our way.

A few will leave, a few will come in.

[egg]

4 hours ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Every summer we get the bed setters on here panicking that JWP is leaving imminently.

He will not be leaving. Anyone that thinks he is needs to have a serious word with themselves. Who on here actually thinks he will leave?

He will be at Southampton for life. He is one of a few that will stay with the same club their entire career.

He is smart enough and sensible enough to see that he is loved here, he is a leader here and can go down as a club legend here - as opposed to money obsessed who want to make a quick buck sitting on the bench at so-called bigger clubs.

JWP will not be leaving. Next. 👍🏻

Me. He'll go this summer if we get a big offer. It'll give him 4 years or so at a big club and a chance for honours and to become an England regular.

No "bed wetting" from me, until this season I've never been his biggest fan, but he's improved massively, and will be a big loss.

He's settled in Otterbourne so my money would be on a London club, perhaps Chelsea as Cobham isn't far. 

[CB Fry]

1 hour ago, egg said:

Me. He'll go this summer if we get a big offer. It'll give him 4 years or so at a big club and a chance for honours and to become an England regular.

No "bed wetting" from me, until this season I've never been his biggest fan, but he's improved massively, and will be a big loss.

He's settled in Otterbourne so my money would be on a London club, perhaps Chelsea as Cobham isn't far. 

This.

Because he is tied down to along contract it is going to take a big offer but I get the feeling someone will offer it.

He might not want to move house but I think Man United is a possibility- as a club they have a gigantic, collective attitude problem and he's got the right attitude in spades. JWP is like the antithesis of Pogba.

Edited 30 April, 2022 by CB Fry

[John B]

17 hours ago, notnowcato said:

Hahahaha VERY funny.  Somehow your posting style defines you as a CONDESCENDING prick.

I know what commercial football is and it's shit.  I was responding to Chez's point about as a fan that's the best we can expect.  I disagree, that's ok.  I'd rather we competed at a level we'd have a chance of success every now and again; be that Championship, League 1 or wherever.  Bored of making up the numbers and being seen as a vehicle / stepping stone for players.  

Sorry to say that you are wrong we have been making up the numbers since 1966 but have been in the top flight for most of that time.

 

If think it is very unlikely that the strategy of the club is going to change and instead of whingeing support the club in its quest to stay in the PL

[CB Fry]

17 hours ago, notnowcato said:

Hahahaha VERY funny.  Somehow your posting style defines you as a CONDESCENDING prick.

I know what commercial football is and it's shit.  I was responding to Chez's point about as a fan that's the best we can expect.  I disagree, that's ok.  I'd rather we competed at a level we'd have a chance of success every now and again; be that Championship, League 1 or wherever.  Bored of making up the numbers and being seen as a vehicle / stepping stone for players.  

Absolutely guaranteed that if we were a yo yo club between Championship and the Prem ("a chance of success now and again") you'd moan like fuck.

If we were hovering around mid table Championship with occasional top six finishes (another "chance of success now and again") you'd moan like fuck.

If we were League One (Papa Johns Trophy now and again?) you'd moan like fuck.

We've finished top 8 recently and cup finals, cup semis and Europe. Is that not a chance of success now and again? 

Or do you genuinely look at Sheffield Wednesday or Sheffield United or Ipswich or Blackburn or Stoke City and you wish that was us? You'd genuinely rather be that club? 

 

 

[saint1977]

5 hours ago, CB Fry said:

This.

Because he is tied down to along contract it is going to take a big offer but I get the feeling someone will offer it.

He might not want to move house but I think Man United is a possibility- as a club they have a gigantic, collective attitude problem and he's got the right attitude in spades. JWP is like the antithesis of Pogba.

I hope he doesn’t leave but realistically if City, Utd, Chelsea or Liverpool offer £70m say then he’s off and wouldn’t begrudge him either. If it’s Newcastle and if they offer £10m more than the pack above and £200k p/w in ages it’ll also possibly happen although I think at 27 JWP would prefer a club that can compete immediately. Spurs haven’t got the funds and Gunners would have to sell to buy at the level plus some way off truly competing but a bit more geographically feasible for the player. 

[manji]

10 hours ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Every summer we get the bed setters on here panicking that JWP is leaving imminently.

He will not be leaving. Anyone that thinks he is needs to have a serious word with themselves. Who on here actually thinks he will leave?

He will be at Southampton for life. He is one of a few that will stay with the same club their entire career.

He is smart enough and sensible enough to see that he is loved here, he is a leader here and can go down as a club legend here - as opposed to money obsessed who want to make a quick buck sitting on the bench at so-called bigger clubs.

JWP will not be leaving. Next. 👍🏻

Just a random thought but he’s raised his assertiveness the last couple of seasons. A future manager here ?

[notnowcato]

13 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

Absolutely guaranteed that if we were a yo yo club between Championship and the Prem ("a chance of success now and again") you'd moan like fuck.

If we were hovering around mid table Championship with occasional top six finishes (another "chance of success now and again") you'd moan like fuck.

If we were League One (Papa Johns Trophy now and again?) you'd moan like fuck.

We've finished top 8 recently and cup finals, cup semis and Europe. Is that not a chance of success now and again? 

Or do you genuinely look at Sheffield Wednesday or Sheffield United or Ipswich or Blackburn or Stoke City and you wish that was us? You'd genuinely rather be that club? 

 

 

What a load of pony.

I’m pleased our commercial success and our mediocrity works for you. Woot! Come on you financially viable legends!

We’re not a badly run club, if that was to continue in the Championship there is no reason to believe we wouldn’t be challenging all the time. Unlike the financially fucked clubs you site as your examples of what we would be. 

[notnowcato]

37 minutes ago, John B said:

Sorry to say that you are wrong we have been making up the numbers since 1966 but have been in the top flight for most of that time.

 

If think it is very unlikely that the strategy of the club is going to change and instead of whingeing support the club in its quest to stay in the PL

I’ll support the club how I feel. I’ve been on this journey since 1980. 
Apologies for voicing my boredom of commercial football. 

[Matthew Le God]

6 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

Apologies for voicing my boredom of commercial football. 

What exactly are you bored off? Saints like every team bar about four or five in world football is a selling club.

[HarvSFC]

Norwich fans are delighted at winning the league every other season.

[CB Fry]

47 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

What a load of pony.

I’m pleased our commercial success and our mediocrity works for you. Woot! Come on you financially viable legends!

We’re not a badly run club, if that was to continue in the Championship there is no reason to believe we wouldn’t be challenging all the time. Unlike the financially fucked clubs you site as your examples of what we would be. 

I thought you wanted us to "be in with a chance of success now and again" in the Championship or League One? That's literally what those named clubs are.

Funny how you take it as an absolute given that us being an exciting non-boring non-commercial club lower down has absolutely no financial downsides at all. We just carry on being profitable and financially stable in the second tier because, you know, because.

"Challenging all the time" in the Championship is basically Norwich or Fulham then. You're bored of being Southampton and you'd rather be Norwich. That's who you're jealous of and that's your antidote to "boring commercial mediocrity".

What a load of pony indeed.

[Midfield_General]

20 hours ago, SNSUN said:

Abada. 

Married to R&B star Erykah Badu.

Fred Flintstone speaks very highly of him. 

[CB Fry]

51 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

Norwich fans are delighted at winning the league every other season.

They fucking love being a non commercial non mediocrity team. Challenging in the Championship every season they are. Love it they do. I wish that was us I wish that was us I wish that was us.

Edited 30 April, 2022 by CB Fry

[ErwinK1961]

1 hour ago, HarvSFC said:

Norwich fans are delighted at winning the league every other season.

Aren’t they pissed off because he is climbing Everest in December and the club have given him time off to do it? He made a comment that if him being 90% committed to the club wasn’t good enough then he’d quit, but the club agreed to let him do it.

[HarvSFC]

On 29/04/2022 at 18:35, notnowcato said:

Hahahaha VERY funny.  Somehow your posting style defines you as a CONDESCENDING prick.

I know what commercial football is and it's shit.  I was responding to Chez's point about as a fan that's the best we can expect.  I disagree, that's ok.  I'd rather we competed at a level we'd have a chance of success every now and again; be that Championship, League 1 or wherever.  Bored of making up the numbers and being seen as a vehicle / stepping stone for players.  

We were still a stepping stone club when we were in the Championship, but we were losing players to mid-tier clubs. I remember Kenywne Jones going on strike so that he could go to Sunderland, Surman going to Wolves, Baird going to Fulham, Davies to Stoke, Dyer to Swansea, Puncheon had loans to Millwall, Blackpool and QPR, who were all the league above us at the time of him joining them.

At least now, we're in a place in the hierarchy where we generally lose our top players to the top six clubs in the country and generally get good money for them. We go down, we lose players like JWP and KWP far easier to the likes of West Ham, Palace, Brighton, Leicester, Wolves, Newcastle and for a lot less and then we also have no chance of potentially signing an upcoming star like Mane, Van Dijk, Wanyama and Lovren as they don't join Championship clubs.

[verlaine1979]

Unless the owners come in with a £50m-ish kitty, I feel like £70/80m is worth more to the future of the club than JWP. If we're not confident of being able to more than replace his defensive and goal contributions with 2x£25/30m players and one £20m player, our scouting and recruitment departments might as well give up.

[Dusic]

What a big miss Guehi was. And I say miss but we were massive fans of him but just couldnt afford it. Him and Salisu would be a great pairing and future proofed for sales.

For me the priority is obvious for summer:

No 1: no 10 - need more goals & assists than Redmond and Elyounoussi offer

No 2: Striker - either Broja or someone else

No 3: Centre Back - to come straight into the starting XI...Tarkowski on a free anyone?

No 4: Goalkeeper - bin off Forster and MacCarthy and get a new no1 and no2 with Caballero as no3.

No 5:  Right back - Valery is unselectable there so need a short term KWP backup

Would be astonished if anyone disagreed...its so obvious.

[Roboze]

Pukki, anyone think he’s worth a punt?

 

[Ivan Katalinic's 'tache]

And so it begins....

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/james-ward-prowse-transfer-exclusive-26840401

[woodsaint1]

After all the talk after the takeover that we can now move for our targets earlier and dont need to rely on a sale first, cant wait for us to be in late July with very little business done. For once I'd like to see us move early in the window and show some intent

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, Roboze said:

Pukki, anyone think he’s worth a punt?

 

He has plenty of experience in being an isolated striker, feeding off scraps. So settling in wouldn't be a problem. 🙂Otherwise, no. He's a bit more AA than a Broja type replacement, for me.

20 minutes ago, woodsaint1 said:

After all the talk after the takeover that we can now move for our targets earlier and dont need to rely on a sale first, cant wait for us to be in late July with very little business done. For once I'd like to see us move early in the window and show some intent

If waiting means we can get more in the door, I'd take that. Although it would be bumpier.

[SNSUN]

8 hours ago, verlaine1979 said:

Unless the owners come in with a £50m-ish kitty, I feel like £70/80m is worth more to the future of the club than JWP. If we're not confident of being able to more than replace his defensive and goal contributions with 2x£25/30m players and one £20m player, our scouting and recruitment departments might as well give up.

My thoughts exactly. I would love us to keep JWP for the rest of his career and he's dug us out of a lot of crap this season with his goal/assist contributions, but if we could get £80 odd million for him, I think the club have to sell him to rebuild a poor first XI. Yes we'd need another CM but it would enable us to sign 4 x £20 million players (or say 3 if we include wages) and that would transform the first team. We were recently told the owners aren't rich and not much would change, so I'd be surprised if they put much in the transfer kitty - hence why we need to sell a jewel. Life after JWP is a horrible thought but it may better us as a team.

8 hours ago, Dusic said:

What a big miss Guehi was. And I say miss but we were massive fans of him but just couldnt afford it. Him and Salisu would be a great pairing and future proofed for sales.

For me the priority is obvious for summer:

No 1: no 10 - need more goals & assists than Redmond and Elyounoussi offer

No 2: Striker - either Broja or someone else

No 3: Centre Back - to come straight into the starting XI...Tarkowski on a free anyone?

No 4: Goalkeeper - bin off Forster and MacCarthy and get a new no1 and no2 with Caballero as no3.

No 5:  Right back - Valery is unselectable there so need a short term KWP backup

Would be astonished if anyone disagreed...its so obvious.

1st choice (not back up) IMO - we need a GK, CB, AM x 2 and Str (without sales) and then a goalkeeper and striker back up (or renewal of Broja loan). Valery can be back up to KWP while Tino recovers so I don't think we need a RB, but KWP on the right means we either need more faith in Thierry Small next season as back up to Perraud or we need to be looking at another FB.

 

IMO our squad should look something like (excluding sales and any youngsters):

 

GK: New 1st choice GK/McCarthy/3rd choice back up

RB: KWP/Tino/Valery

LB: Perraud/Small (possibly loanee back up if Small not favoured)

CB: New CB/Salisu/Bednarek/Lyanco/Stephens

CM: JWP, Romeu, Diallo, Smallbone

AM: New 1st choice/New 1st choice/Armstrong/Redmond/Djenepo/Elyounoussi

STR: New 1st choice/Adams/New back up (or loanee..Broja?)/Armstrong/Walcott.

 

 

7 hours ago, Roboze said:

Pukki, anyone think he’s worth a punt?

 

As a Long replacement back up for one season sure, but he'd probably want first team football. He's 32 so he hasn't got much life left. Had Burnley gone down (can't see it now, I'd have taken a punt on Weghorst. Ok, 29 and not started brilliantly but his stats speak for themselves at previous clubs and he works hard and is tall. Leads the line well Pelle-style.

[AlexLaw76]

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/james-ward-prowse-transfer-exclusive-26840401

[Saint_Tony]

it's no surprise clubs are after JWP. He's good enough to fit in at Utd or City, and would get plenty of game time at both. Let's not continue with the 'he won't leave, he loves the club' nonsense. If someone comes in with a bid over £60 million then I fully expect him to leave. 

[Midfield_General]

£60m would be criminal. He’s £100m+ in this market, to those clubs, and with his contract status. 

[Badger]

22 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

£60m would be criminal. He’s £100m+ in this market, to those clubs, and with his contract status. 

Difficulty is none of us know what, if any, clause may be in his contract. If the club have agreed to accept and notify him of any bids of say, £60m, then the player will be in the driving seat as to where he wants to go. A bidding war is unlikely and like Hojberg he will decide.

Hope he goes to City, or even Liverpool where he might win something (providing they pay up). Man Utd will be in a season or so of change so that will be pointless.

The prospect of spurs is too galling to think about. Suppose the positive is that at least it won’t be Everton.

 

Edited 1 May, 2022 by Badger

[FarehamSaintJames]

He won’t leave.

JWP will still be here at the end of the window.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

11 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

He won’t leave.

JWP will still be here at the end of the window.

What's the rationale for that thinking? I think it's now or never for him to be honest. 

[Appy]

I wonder whether JWP has a release clause for a top six club, you couldn’t begrudge him a move to one of them. Rather than be left with the current bunch of losers around him. 

[S-Clarke]

13 minutes ago, Appy said:

I wonder whether JWP has a release clause for a top six club, you couldn’t begrudge him a move to one of them. Rather than be left with the current bunch of losers around him. 

This is something which wouldn't surprise me, as a 'development club' you'd imagine release clauses feature quite heavily in a lot of our contracts.

£60m would be on the cheap side for me though, given he'd still have 4 years left, prime of his career. He's at his peak value right now, so I think we could easily get VVD numbers for him. I hope the club haven't short changed us by agreeing to a low clause.

Edited 1 May, 2022 by S-Clarke

[CB Fry]

56 minutes ago, Appy said:

I wonder whether JWP has a release clause for a top six club, you couldn’t begrudge him a move to one of them. Rather than be left with the current bunch of losers around him. 

I think quite likely in the same way similarly local-hero Grealish had one when he signed his extension a couple of years ago.

Agree with above that £60m would be on the cheap side. Contract too long and lucrative and he is the dictionary definition of a "proven" Premier League player.

So not Grealish money but maybe £70m odd.

Edited 1 May, 2022 by CB Fry

[HarvSFC]

The Kane drama was happening last summer too when JWP signed his new contract, so his agent would have been stupid not to negotiate a release clause were certain clubs to come in for him. Kane will be 29 at the start of the new season, City have turned their attention to Haaland and it now looks like Kane could potentially see multiple seasons without Champions League football, let alone the 0 team trophies won for his career.

[Lighthouse]

56 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

I think quite likely in the same way similarly local-hero Grealish had one when he signed his extension a couple of years ago.

Agree with above that £60m would be on the cheap side. Contract too long and lucrative and he is the dictionary definition of a "proven" Premier League player.

So not Grealish money but maybe £70m odd.

I think if he went to Man United for around £70m it'd be a decent bit of business for all three parties. United would get someone with a much better attitude and fitness record than Pogba and we'd have some money we can spread around on some badly needed quality in the squad.