CSA96

Tony Mowbray mentioned third week of September in his press conference a few weeks back, I think. No idea if the timeline has changed since but he suggested he’d be available for selection before the end of September.

Probably not. More likely Wolves are in a bind with FFP (given their chairman's public comments) and have said 'what if he signs an extension until 2025 with you so you don't lose him on a free next year, and if we stay up, we'll give you the asking price. If we go down, you can still sell him elsewhere' This theory also works on the basis that Ché has basically told us he's not interested in hanging about and playing any more games in the Championship.

Ties in with Garrett's info on the French core causing issues and equally, basically all wanting to leave.

1yr extension before he goes and a compulsory purchase based on Wolves staying up? If he doesn’t then we cash in on him next summer instead? It’s the only way I can make a loan make some sense.

https://x.com/jpercytelegraph/status/1697268018504405170?s=46&t=f0hgNyKSvvOD5qjGLJhsXQ

In which case, try and get a chain going so that everyone gets a player they want. Tell Everton they can have Sulemana if they let Cannon go to Sunderland and then Stewart can come to us...

Wonder if this is a way of us getting Everton to bridge to our valuation on Sulemana?

Medicals are always slightly different too. Some will focus more on different areas of interest than others. I think too many people view them as a literal test where you pass or you fail. The reality is that the doctors assess and score them across a bunch of criteria, write extensive notes and then categorise the player onto a scale based on different risk factors. Then those reports are sent onwards to the club executives etc to review and make the final decision on whether they are prepared to proceed or not, whether they wish to renegotiate elements of the deal etc. It's not that a doctor turns round and says 'he failed the medical' as such. I think we'll take the chance on Stewart too and based on what Sunderland fans and neutrals say about his ability to get over 20 goals if he's largely fit, it sounds worth a go. Especially on the basis that Ings arrived with two blown out knees and was brilliant for us. Stewart had a bad hamstring injury (not at all uncommon for footballers) and then a major achilles issue (which is what warrants a closer look at, given it's a tendon injury).

One of them will miss a couple of targets, panic and offer us £15m-£18m for him in the next day. Perhaps leaning to Wolves...

Bournemouth Echo reporter...

Or Wolves? Just about to get about 60m for Nunes...

He'd scored 3 goals in 27 PL games the season they went down. They also put him on a £100k+ pw contract. Solanke had also only scored 3 goals in 32 PL games. Grealish was a Villa fan and had barely started 20 PL games, scoring just 1 goal.

Russ confirms there's a small group who are being made to train away from the main group until they decide they want to commit to the team and contribute to what we're trying to achieve. He says he's not interested in compromising the group to accommodate those players, but they will still be treated professionally and fairly.

RM pointing out in the presser that 'it's still quite a quiet group, but they're finding their voices' - talks about importance of adding grit and people who have experience under their belt. Thinks likes of Fraser and Holgate will help with this too.

Guessing the press conference has been moved a day earlier as Friday will be a travel day, as well as being deadline day. So their final full training sessions will presumably be on Thursday.

Kamaldeen asks out, Saints refusing to accept less than £30m release clause. https://x.com/j_tanswell/status/1696851136404238662?s=46&t=f0hgNyKSvvOD5qjGLJhsXQ

Fulham are in for Iwobi now and Gray is potentially off to Saudi, so maybe they can get there...

With all due respect, what else can we do? If he’s been our manager’s ‘top target’ all summer (as reported) are we going to turn round and just tell the manager he’s not getting the striker he wants and needs to make his system work? There’ll be a risk assessment, an evaluation and a medical process before anyone is signed. The board will have also had to weigh this up and get comfortable with it before sanctioning any bids. I think Martin has earned the trust with this one - especially in such a crucial role - and if it fails, then it’ll be him who loses his job anyway. I’d sooner back him and him have no excuses than to not back the manager properly or give him a player he doesn’t actually want and then end up having to listen to how RM wasn’t backed by the board and that’s why we failed.

If this is who Martin wants, then go and get him. The medical staff would have been getting references and doing their own checks anyway before the board signed any eventual deal off. Tony Mowbray said he'd be back for selection from third week of September, in which case he'll miss the Leicester and (probably) Ipswich games and then be in the mix for Boro away on Sept 22.

Daily Record report opening offer of north of £5m for Ross Stewart rejected by Sunderland - anticipating second bid in £8m range to follow quickly. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/ross-stewart-sunderland-transfer-resolve-30819890