I expect these deals to take a long time. So if you’re sitting around thinking these players will play versus Oxford, rethink. Lots of moving parts here. Fortunately, January and February are both manageable month schedule -wise. They need to be ramped up for March when we have 7 games, and the run in.

The good thing is we don’t have too many games in Jan. Dropping out the League Cup was a huge blessing.

ESR is coming back into the fold so he’ll have to be the attacking option off the bench against Spurs and United.

est That should be the starting price for anyone who enquires about Saka

    James Think it was well known he was coming, as long as we have the player on our side I think they'll have to negotiate with us.

    Also Chelsea's financial position isn't quite as strong as people think and then you consider that they're 10th in the league.

      the last 24 hours has seen sky/athletic/telegraph all saying we're stepping up our interest in felix. could be legit, or a strategic media brief to get shaktar to cut the malarkey

      With Mudryk repeatedly giving us 💓s on his socials, we could afford to pause our pursuit of him here for a week or more, Félix or otherwise.

      Let his people have a few pissy conversations with Chelsea, so they know they're going to have to drag him along or buy him out, and Shakhtar know they'll look like pricks in the process. We've bid £62m. It's likely not quite enough, but it's far from insulting. If we have to armwrestle with Chelsea, let's not be too enthusiastic about it. If he readily chooses them, it wasn't to be.

      So, the only fear is if he turns out like Zlatan/Mbappe - generational type talent, where we look back in regret and say we could've had that for a few more million quid.

      Other than that I'm happy to pass at this stage.

      I do think we can /should be a little bit more ruthless with our transfers though. Especially when the player has indicated ample interest in joining. Negotiate, but be ready and willing to put in some extra cash if needed to wrap things up fast. You hardly ever hear other big teams get caught up or slowed down by player pricing considerations. If they are going in, most times they are going in to seal the deal quickly and move on. We have the money so I don't get what the hold up is really.

      Nobody seems to know if it's real or not since he's unliked if it is, lol.

      Chelsea are like that dickhead bloke with a bit of cash and nice accessories that tries to muscle in on the girl you’ve been flirting with all evening.

      • CPM likes this.

      So if Chelsea get him they’ll have Sterling, Nkunku and him next season

        Wonder if this makes a difference in their pursuit for Mudryk.

        If/when Mudryk comes here, he benches Martinelli pretty quickly I think.

          Yeah. Who's CPM previously?