S-Clarke

I think the deal has been hanging on the completion of the Ings sale, we possibly tried to get it done before but we couldn't make it close to watch Blackburn wanted without a sale. As soon as we sold Ings this was pretty much done and dusted, there was never a risk of him going elsewhere as I think he was set on coming here. I can't say that I've ever seen him live, but just watching some of the videos you'd be mistaken for thinking it's Ings. Similar sort of height, similar movement, similar pest-type attributes of the front press. He seems absolutely perfect for us in that sense. He's obviously not going to be an Ings replacement from the off, but Ralph develops players and I wouldn't be surprised to see him reach those levels at some stage in his career.

This thread has been ruined by the usual sniping. Back on topic, I think this is a clever signing. We have clearly needed some physicality up top - we haven't had that since Pele left, that's not promoting a constant 'get it in the box approach' but having someone to build around and someone who can hold the ball up to bring others into play is sorely missed in this side. Adams can kinda do it...but that's not really his forte. It also gives you the option to throw on a massive striker at the end of games if you're chasing it and actually have a chance to make an impact, rather than bringing on N'Lundulu. A huge upgrade on L'Nlundulu, who in essence he is replacing.

£5m for Obafemi would be crazy, and that's an extra £5m in the pot to go towards a goalie....

I'm fairly sure it's done to be honest, don't see any reason to worry. I think he's held out for us in light of the other interest, which has put others off.

He was a machine last year. You'd turn on soccer Saturday and it would always be 'Blackburn have scored, Armstrong has the opener' - it was like the Lambert days when he scored for us every week. I think he's a cracking player from what I've seen, the most Ings-like replacement we could probably get.

If i'm honest, I think Villa were used in this situation. He was speaking to Arsenal about a new contract and in comes a bid from Villa, which would have definitely included a pay rise for the player based on what he was currently on at Arsenal. So I imagine that pushed his agents to get Arsenal to lift their offer a little more, and low and behold the Villa bid goes no where and he signs the new contract at Arsenal on better wages than they originally offered. That's the murky world of agents for you.

I think as a fan base we have been massively patient with Redmond. He has been the cause of enormous frustration from the Puel days up until today, he's been here along time and has waivered from absolute crap, to decent, to crap, to decent, to absolute crap. He hasn't' developed or evolved as a player, he was on the fringes of the England team when he joined but he's never been as far away as he is today - hence why he was looking at Jamaica. He's a very limited football player and that's why his career has stagnated, not because of what fans are saying about him on a football forum.

My hunch is that Armstrong is setting the pace here, I think he wants to join us. Fairly sure the other interest would have ramped up before now otherwise.

I'd give them Long as well, maybe shave 250k off the price. Seriously though, I think Armstrong looks such a similar player to Ings when you watch him. An absolute pest. Good age as well, and for less than £15m up front I say we've got exactly the deal we wanted. Blackburn were pushing for upwards of £20m as they are entitled to do, but I'm glad we stood our ground here and only paid what we felt was fair going rate. If Obafemi is included then it does explain why we're looking at that Chelsea kid as well. I think other clubs have been discouraged as he seems set on coming here, that's what I feel anyway.

This is why I've never been totally sure why so many bullets have been sent Ashley's way at Newcastle ''He doesn't spend'' ''He just wants bargain basement''. I get that they are desperate for a change and they don't like the way he runs it, but it's not fair to say he doesn't back them. If they get this guy for 25m, that'll add onto the £42m they spent on Joeleton. The £25m on Wilson, 25m on Almiron etc. They spend money, big money at that. They don't really get huge fees for players either.

Which if you read my post, is exactly what I said at the end. You go round the houses to prove points that are of no benefit what so ever. We're on here to debate football.

Sounds like this is the one we may have in for the weekend: Chelsea in talks over Premier League loan for Armando Broja after agreeing Romelu Lukaku deal - football.london

Saw that myself, can't help but feel that's a pie in the sky rumour to be honest. Liverpool will need him this year, they're a midfielder down with Gigi Wijnaldum gone.

I think the views are quite balanced really. In general terms he is a very average centre back, capable of having some decent games, backs against the wall etc. But then there are games where he simply forgets how to defend, they were quite common in the 2nd half of last season. I don't think we'll replace him, he's certainly first choice. I'm hopeful that having some pace alongside him (Salisu) will help him a bit and stop leaving him so exposed. If we had aspirations of top 6 then yeah, for sure...needs to be replaced, but for mid-table, looking towards top 10...he's fine.

I clarified my point above, I didn't put it over clearly enough before. I'm not saying we haven't identified players, I wasn't' saying we haven't planned. We can only actually move once the money is in the bank though - and sadly, that's the bit that takes the time. I'm not sure why you have such a downer - we are clearly going to add players, our recruitment has gone up a notch in the last two years without Wilson's toxic shit around the place, so let's see what they can do.

Hope this one happens. We have the replacement already here in Salisu, so it gives us a bit of leeway and we can use his fee to strengthen midfield, squad CB and see if we can stretch to GK if we get enough. We had a shocking defence last year, he was part of that, so let's get as much as we can and let him go.

We have no one at the club who is on loan, fyi.

Not quite the point I was trying to make, probably put it across badly. I'm not denying that they've been planning, they will have all sorts of options. It seems that some people expected us to be in advanced negotiations with replacements before we'd sold the players etc, that's what we can't really do. We'll have targets, we'll know what we want and who is the best fit, but we can only properly make a move once the money is in the bank. I'm sure we know what club x want for player y etc, and now we have the money it's about us getting the best possible deal on the table which works for us and them. We have to make this £20 odd mill stretch so I wouldn't want us to cave into the demands of Blackburn overnight, as that would be the budget gone.

Just out of interest, how can you seriously forward plan when you have to rely on the sale of a player in order to bring in the new player?

There were a lot of noises around Delaney, supposedly available for as little as £9m. But I don't really think he'll cover CB.

15-20m would probably do it. Fully expect him to go, which will then allow us the funds to bring in that number 6/centre back cover which Ralph has been alluding to needing.

Is the 'top club' limited to England? Wondering if we may take advantage of the dire Inter situation to snap up one of their young players. Eddie Salcedo? I swear I saw us linked with him in the past.

Do it! I'd be interested in the flash back to the days when we actually did have money!

It's a glorified friendly, always has been.

Good point. That window was certainly an exciting window for rumours, but what an absolute mess Les and Wilson made of it. They didn't help in the next summer window either when we started blowing £16m on Elyonoussi, 13 on Gunn, 22m on Vestergaard. And there was the end of the VVD 'fortune'.