goodymatt

No live updates according to Alfie:

Do we really need another CB?

Gillingham, Valciennes and Espanyol behind closed doors. Then Brighton at St Mary’s.

He’s not really being tested but Quarshie looks absolutely huge.

We look better this half, Robinson has impressed which is great to see. He might be a real option this season on that left hand side.

Medical emergency stops play, all too often these days.

Suggests their offer will be close to our £25m valuation and that in principle he has confirmed he would be willing to move to the north east.

This is a good analysis of why Jack isn’t what we need at PL level. By all accounts he did very well at Bournemouth on loan , whilst our alternatives failed us. I maintain he’s good enough to play for us at Championship level and if this new contract is on lower terms it might financially just make sense to extend by 2 years rather than 1. Valid question if we needed to extend at all, but by doing so his wages might be lower for our finances this year. When/if we get promoted, we need to be starting a much better quality of player to give us any hope.

Hope the surgery went well and your recovery is quick!

That’s lovely.

Think we are playing Eastleigh, Valenciennes, Gillingham, Espanyol and Brighton. Middle three all BCD.

Could be a loan, as Dragan suggested we are looking at options to allow him to come back if we go up.

Reading through the replies with translation and pretty much all are unhappy to see him go and wishing him well. Usually a good sign when the fans of their former team hold them in high regard.

I’ve said it before and I’ll repeat, I highly doubt we have added 2 further years onto his contract, paying him the same wage we were doing up to 34 years old. This is most likely going to be a deal that gives him security and lowers our wage bill. Provided that is the case, then that could be justification for it being a 2 year extension to his existing contract, rather than 1 year. If the salary is sensible (reflecting his expected position over the next few years in the squad), this will keep a perfectly acceptable squad player in and around the team, that cares more than most. I can’t get too upset about that. Jack will play a fair bit this season I’d imagine, the championship is relentless and he’s good enough for this level when not being asked to be a FB come CM floater. If I’m wrong and it’s a 2 year extension of the same terms for a player that we know isn’t good enough to be a starter in the PL (where we aim to be during the next 3 years), then it is a Forster x McCarthy type nonsensical extension. In that case the general frustration about this announcement would be more logical.

You’re not wrong, we need a balance of speculating on young players that have less financial risk and getting what the team needs to be competitive now. Brighton have done an excellent job of this is recent times. Sole reliance on young potential resulted in our relegation from an established position. Transfer strategy has raised some funds to help paper over the cracks since but we will need investment in proven premier league players to get back to where we were.

Surprised he’s not got PL interest.

Is it a pay rise though? We are in the championship and he’s 31-34 for this deal. I expect a pay reduction but extended duration, finances of which could actually suit all parties.