Which is actually quite a positive review from our Kel

Claudius wrote:

Anzac wrote:

The only problem is that 25m saving in wages is accumulated over the season and is not available as a lump sum able to be used too make an up front payment on a transfer.  What we can do is then use that known saving to then take a loan for that amount and then pay it off through the season as those savings are made - instead of paying the players each week/fortnight/month we pay the loan - only issue is our financial policy does not allow for us to do so as it effectively increases our debt, and the only debt we are willing to accept is that related to the stadium.

IMO it is the lack of on hand Cash and poor cash flow that hampers us in being able to make such payments more than once during a transfer window.  As a club we are rich enough in terms of revenues, but we can't use them to our advantage when we need to because of our financial strategy/policy.

Exactly. Cash flow can be managed with a simple facility at the bank. But the bank is smart enough to see that you have a bunch of paperweights off your books and can give you the cash up front for the next 12 months. We still have a top 4 wage bill. After all these years of playing in Baku.

And I think we understand how/why re the above, as we are more likely to look to extend on an improved contract when we lack the cash on hand to effect any replacement via the market.

£22m release clause. A no brainer really.

According to Fabrizio. It would be a Gabriel type signing for midfield.

That's a bit of a reach.

Gabriel is the center of our defense and has massively improved us with consistency through the entire game.

Szobozlai is capable of moments of magic (great shooter) but he's not yet a CM/AM that will be on the ball all game. He would do well alongside a tempo setter or in a three man midfield. But he's not yet able to lift an entire CM by himself.

People had the same question marks over Gabriel when he was being linked. One footed, slow, lacked experience etc, who knows if Mari was fit, he may not even be playing now, but a mixture of physical attributes makes a massive difference in the PL, and Szobo seems to have that as does Gabriel, which makes him tailor made for the role.

The bell strikes again. Claims we are in prelims talk for Szobo

At 22m it doesn’t really matter if he’s world class or not. Get it done.

Szoboszlai in Jan

Aouar in the summer.

Make a decision on Pepe and Lacazette this summer. Too many good young attacking players out there to be messing about for another year.

If Pepe cost £30m i doubt anyone would have had an issue with him really. I also doubt we’d be able to get much more than that if we were to sell him. So with that in mind, it doesn’t really make sense to sell him. Folks just have to let go of the ridiculous fee we paid.

Claudius wrote:

Oh boy.
How much of Pépé’s troubles are down to him and how much are down to environment.
Has he had a run of 5 games where he mostly played in his preferred position with half decent players around him in their own positions?
Right now every player looks like a dog. I’m disappointed by Pépé but I think he is a very special case of a guy who has been here for 15 months and hasn’t found 2 months of stability to just perform.

I personally would start Pepe from now on.

I think with confidence he would smash the league.

The issue is, if the coach doesn’t trust him, then get in an attacking player that he will trust and use.

Claudius wrote:

Goon, I don’t think you should approach the selling decision like that.
We should give him enough time to prove himself. I don’t think he’s had that time. The team has been in transition and things have been topsy turvy.
Once you feel he has had enough time you should sell if you do not fancy him. Hanging onto someone because you bought them for a ton of money and they might only sell for a small amount now is you making 2 bad decisions on that player if you ultimately think they’re bad.*

*only consideration should be your overall accounting profit across all transactions.

I think you got me wrong. I’m saying I think his value is making people want to cash in on what is actually a good player who’s producing to an extent, just not to the level of a £70m player. But with our current options on the wings and and what is available out there, he’s not really worth selling.

This is definitely happening. The price is right