S-Clarke

Surely Che can see the only options he has here? Bottom of the barrel PL clubs, looking for a cheapo squad-filler deal over the line on deadline day as they can't afford anything else, or their primary targets have fallen through. He's best advised to stay here, score loads of goals, enjoy football and play with a smile on his face - rather than slugging around in the dregs of the PL losing every week. He's been there and done that.

That is true, but putting myself on the inside for a second - if there is absolutely nothing agreed for those guys at this point, then we shut the door in my opinion and tell clubs their time is up. Shouldn't be negotiating anything tomorrow. for what it's worth all the players above were in normal full training today (bar Onuachu) if any moves were signed and agreed, pending on us getting players in, I doubt they'd be training as they were.

That Che loan rumour is a good laugh. There will be so much nonsense that gets trotted out over the next few hours. In my eyes we are beyond the point of letting any regular starter go now if there is nothing agreed.

Where the heck did this one come from??

Sounds like this is moving fairly quickly now -

They are the most jammy fucks in the world. Honestly.

Noticed this snippet on the Leicester forum, they claim it's from a John Percy article -

They love stockpiling young players, and then never playing them. So yeah, he'll end up there.

It's irrelevant really, as the chances of ABK turning out in the championship are between zero and none.

As he's out of contract next summer, there's little point in including any option tbh.

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.