The Kraken

Ings has his bumper £120k a week contract weighing down any move elsewhere. West Ham might offset some of it but you can’t think they’d go 50/50 and loan him to a rival, and at 60k a week that’s out of championship club range. And I’m sure Ings won’t be taking a drop in pay to move elsewhere. Hard to see anyone wanting him who can afford him.

10 goals in 12 games (it’s actually 13) is unproven? Sunderland fans rave about him, I’m listening to them.

I can see how people could be worried about Stewart’s injury problems but being underwhelmed as a whole is pretty bizarre. Take the injury out and it’s a brilliant signing for this level. Most Sunderland fans (a side who finished in the Championship playoffs last season) are gutted to see him go and plenty saying they think he’s the best striker in the division.

If Mara is indeed off I think we absolutely need a replacement. Hopefully it’s in hand.

Because we’ve agreed he can leave to go there for the fee the club wants, it’s just a deferred payment as Wolves are stuffed for FFP. It’s why their old manager Loptegui left in acrimonious circumstances before the season started, Wolves need to get money in and only spend a little this window. Hence, they get Adams for “free” this summer and can put the £15M in next summer’s FFP bundle. it’s a shit deal tbf. But it is what it is, Adams clearly wanted to go and was at times shoved on the bench and/or training away from the first team. If anything I’m not sure why we’d give someone like that the flipping armband.

So far it’s 13 senior first team players: Caballero, Theo, Elmo end of contract; DCC, Perraud, Lyanco loaned out; Tino, Orsic, Salisu, JWP, Lavia, Diallo, Tella sold. The rest are the likes of Dan Nlundulu and Kegs Chauke. Of those gone I’m only sorry to say goodbye to 4 or 5 of them, it’s been a good reset and was entirely predictable.

Touchdown.

The fuck is going on, off for another flyby.

😆

Well he’s had a lovely tour of England’s major cities. Strange flight plan but makes for a nice view.

Yeah sounds like it I suppose, end of September at a push but won’t want to rush it.

Sunderland forums were suggesting he’s been in light training and they were trying to organise a behind closed doors friendly in the international break for him.

Loganair flight leaves Newcastle at 1755, lands Southampton 1910.

Need to make sure the fax machine is plugged in and working.

Sunderland were trying to get hold of him on loan earlier in the summer, perhaps still are as a replacement for Stewart.

Looks like he’s gone to Salford so obviously didn’t make it at Watford.

Our manager. Great presser. It also has the written press Q&A which get delayed until much later on.

Very surprised that nobody has had a nibble at THB for £15M.

It’s of course up to you what you would or wouldn’t be shocked with. I watched the press conference where Russ said that, and he was absolutely unequivocal about the fact that it would be “madness” if Che left and he wasn’t replaced. That is pretty much exactly what Martin said in his press conference last week as well. So, when Saturday comes we’ll have a definitive picture of how the club have done with this, and also of the Tella replacement which they said is a high priority. We at least know for sure what the communicated objective is.

Thursday rest day, Friday travel day.

I think it’s as simple as said….Rusty previously said that Che has been offered a new contract that involves being vice captain. So if he’s still here on Saturday he’s staying and takes the armband by default. If he doesn’t stay,I can see one of the new boys taking it, likely Manning. It’ll be someone who is likely to play every game and I’m not sure if Bednarek is that even with Stephens out for a while. Could be Adarma, I suppose.

Really good presser from Rusty. A summary: There will be lots going on for duration of the window. It’s dependent on getting players out as to ascertaining who will come in. Replacing Tella is high on the priority list, got a few options lined up, let’s see which one lands. Nathan Wood, likes him a lot but he’s a Swansea player, let’s see. Che Adams, three options: 1 we keep Che; 2 we sell Che and replace him; 3 we keep Che and sign someone else as well. Any other option not being looked at, selling him and not replacing him would be mad. Also, Russ still sounded pissed off that has been leaks from the club about Adams training separately. Jack Stephens injury not anywhere near as bad as anticipated. Hurt his calf, will miss 7-8 games which sounds a lot but they feared the worst so treating it as a positive. Downes, Holgate and Fraser all have a good chance of starting Saturday. Overall, looking forward to the window closing and getting with the job. Juan Larios back training and an option on the left, natural LB and pushing Ryan Manning well. Romain Perraud didn’t really suit the way we played. New captain……..you’ll find out on Saturday. Ross Stewart, really like him, tried to sign him before. We’re going to be linked with some, lots reported are miles off the mark, we’ll see.

We’ll see one way or another by the end of Friday.

Club says Fraser is not the Tella replacement and we’re after one more. So, if that does happen, it’s Sulemana and Tella out, Fraser and AN Other in.

On the flip side, he was the record transfer just last January for a mid size PL club and he can argue that the previous managers barely gave him a chance to settle in. £30M fee seems very high to me considering he’s barely done fuck all save for a good game against a Liverpool side who had pretty much downed tools. But he was scouted by us for a reason, and he’s got a tiny bit of pedigree to show in the PL. Not surprised he’s looking for a way out tbf to him. Not surprised to see there’s lot of interest from Ligue 1 for him. Def think he’ll be gone but reckon a loan as the transfer fee will be too high for who is in for him.