S-Clarke

Dortmund move ahead of Bayern in race for Bella-Kotchap Borussia Dortmund have moved ahead of Bayern Munich in the race to sign Southampton defender Armel Bella-Kotchap, according to Sky in Germany. Bayern’s focus on signing Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah to bolster their defensive options has given Dortmund the chance to step up their pursuit of Bella-Kotchap. Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg reports that the Bella-Kotchap deal still has a way to go, though. Dortmund’s proposal includes a £6.8m loan fee with a £17.2m obligation to buy next summer, plus at least another £4m in bonus payments. Bella-Kotchap, 21, is yet to feature for Southampton this season because of injury. A £28m deal for ABK? That's too good to turn down, surely.

I reckon it'll be like the AMN loan we did last year - they agree a new contract with him, which kicks in next summer if they decide - then send him out on loan. If it doesn't work out, as was the case with AMN, they don't activate that new contract and let him walk as originally planned.

Yep it does - good spot.

I doubt it's as cut and dry as that, I think Swansea are just playing silly buggers as they did with Martin. We probably feel it's risky to be playing games with them so late in the window, as you know they'll end up changing the goalposts at the 11th hr and leave us snookered. Harwood-Bellis is a better option anyway if it happens (IMO)

Stranger things have happened, he seems settled, but he has experience that may tempt sides across Europe to sniff at on deadline day.

I'm keeping quiet on him until the window has slammed shut! Like you, I'm surprised he's still here.

Cannot see how ABK stays if we sign another CB. ABK expects, probably rightfully, to be first choice at this level. But so will Harwood-Bellis and Holgate, who we've signed on loan - would be top heavy.

Don't want to get my hopes up on this one, but he would be one heck of a signing for us. I'd have been happy with him as a PL side, surprised he hasn't had any takers. Rolls Royce of a CB imo. Suits our style down to the ground. I hope we include an option.

I agree, he's refreshingly open. But just to say.....Ralph was absolutely adamant we'd sign a forward last transfer window, and we know how that went! I'm confident, but still somewhat nervous based on what went before.

Yep, probably. There will be some form of compromise at the 11th hour.

The thing with Sulemana is that he hasn't even proven himself to justify those personal demands. At least Gnonto had proven himself in the PL over a decent period, we've literally just got 1 game to go on with Sulemana - and prior to that, a patchy involvement at Rennes. If I was him, I'd knuckle down and make himself a key player in a side that is winning - then he can be in a position to start 'demanding' moves, but as of today he's proven nothing so I find it rather odd.

Why? What's the point? What in gods name is Chelsea's strategy here? Palmer came out bleating that he wanted to play, so the last place you go is Chelsea - surely. £££££££ speaks I guess.

I agree, we can probably lose those two without panicking too much - they're not offering anything today, so losing them for 'tomorrow' will make little difference. Like you say, the other 3 are dependant on us getting people in - first. We can't be in a situation where we sell Che on Friday lunchtime, and are then flapping around trying to complete a deal at 8pm. I like to think we're sensible now, people in charge who are a little more clued up and less prone to panic. However if there are no signs of any replacements being done by late Thursday, then we have to close the door on those 3 sales IMO.

It would be suicide to take a huge loss on a player we only bought 6 months ago and is young enough to improve and was signed with sell-on in mind, I don't think we can even contemplate a loss. A loan, with a loan fee, and an option to buy which breaks even would be passable - but anything around the £15m mark, even if that is genuinely what he's worth right now, just isn't going to float. Onuachu is another kettle of fish, he was bought with no eye on re-sale. We just panicked and Rasmus picked a player who he knew from a previous club. Totally not fit for our style last season and even less suited to it this season. I think this is one the club will have to admit defeat on and take a loss. (probably a 50% loss). Selling back to Genk makes sense because we could potentially just give him to them for free, in exchange for us not paying a future instalment.

Nothing of note happened today then with regards to outgoings. I wouldn't entertain any bids after tomorrow. The last thing we need are players leaving on deadline day. If KWP, Adams, Sulemana are here by the end of the day tomorrow then the club should say that's that.

He sounds like someone who was being touted around by both Genk (they needed money), and his agents. I don't particularly think he wants to leave Belgium, or at least join second tier football.

Yeah, I totally agree. We cannot realistically entertain any bids late Thursday into Friday. If clubs want our players, realistically they have tomorrow.

Leeds to allow Drameh departure Leeds will allow Cody Drameh to leave on loan or on a permanent deal with Spence's imminent arrival. It has been clear for some time the player would not accept a new deal and the arrival of Spence clears the path for a move away from Elland Road.

Yes, very, very good. Way too good for the NPC as said above. No chance we get him.

If he is to leave Celtic, it will be for the PL - he a quality player, similar to that of Smallbone/Downes as well. I'd have thought any additional CM we get is more of a physical presence.

Oh don't get me wrong, I'm not crying about all those players moving on! It's just a crazy level of change when you put it down in black and white like that. It has been needed though, I think most will agree. There has been a huge stagnation over at least 3/4 years, the whole club needed a reset and this is one hell of a reset. We've never really connected with this team since the Koeman days, players have come and gone without really contributing anything and a select few have continued to stink the place out - but finally, there seems to have been a bit of a sweep and we're getting to a point again where we could potentially have a team to connect with, not hounded by the baggage of years of losing games.

One of my main worries in the summer was appointing an 'inexperienced' manager, who isn't used to the level of change we were about to encounter. But like you said, he's took it head on and embraced it - he's helped navigate such a difficult time, we've played two promoted sides away from home and got 6 points - whilst our squad has been in total limbo. Like he said, we're building - the key is to make sure we still pick up points whilst we're building, and we've been doing that. It'll only get better so I think this start has so far put us in great stead. Next month is mega though - Sunderland, Leicester, Leeds, Boro, Ipswich. Hopefully we're not short on players, we're going to need our best quality available.

I thought I'd do a quick summary of where we're at, as expected this has been a major summer of change - the squad turnover has been unprecedented really. We have lost: JWP - £30m Lavia - £58m Salisu - £15m Tino - £34m Lyanco - Loan Perraud - Loan DCC - Loan Tella - £18m Orsic - £2m Elyounoussi - Free Diallo – Free? Theo - Free Willy Cabalerro - Free We have added: Flynn Downes – Loan Shea Charles - £12m Ryan Manning – Free Transfer Joe Lumley – Free Transfer Mason Holgate – Loan Ryan Fraser - Loan Futures undecided: Moussa Djenepo Kamaldeen Sulemana Joe Aribo Che Adams Kyle Walker-Peters Armel Bella-Kotchap Paul Onuachu Alex McCarthy There’s a hell of a lot that could happen between now and Friday, and a hell of a lot has already happened to this squad. I think we will add to the wide areas, CB and CM before we lose anyone. I don’t believe we’d replace Moussa or Aribo if they leave, but we’d almost certainly replace KWP and Che if they left. The only close season which has similarities with this one was Koemans first (in terms of key players we lost, and total managerial/coaching overhauls), but we replaced astutely and got stronger from it. Let’s hope we can do the same here - but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, as a lot has to happen in a very, very short space of time.

Ah, silly season well and truly on. Translated - UPDATE Paintsil: Winger has announced that he @KRCGenkofficial don't want to leave this summer. Not for Leeds and not for any other club.

I don't think we'll be signing a fullback unless KWP goes - we do have Manning, KWP, Bree, Larios, Meghoma and Holgate who can play there atm. So whoever is our full back signing will be our first choice right back - I think we see Cody as that guy.