a1ex2001

Class is priceless all the best victor

that's the question though are they really that minted? Will the owner really be able to stand those sorts of losses and will financial fair play allow it?

but will they be prepared to pay players the same as Wesley or risk loosing them because they are ****ed off that the club thinks some past it big name is worth more than them?

exactly we've been doing it for years or did you deliberately miss my point! We have signed loads of decent youngsters from other clubs in recent years like we always do!

it's hardly new it's something we have been doing for years and years Blackstock and the like being prime examples.

Because then when we inevitably sold players everyone would be screaming about how he lied when he said we weren't selling, d'oh! We don't want or have to sell anyone but we don't keep players who don't want to be here and we don't let them run contracts down and leave for free seems like sensible business to me!

If we take 25m then we definitely know something is up but I can't see it happening we have always been pretty tough in our negotiations so if they want him I expect them to be looking north of 30m 45 is probably a little optimistic given the lack of English player inflation in Mane's case

and when your other star players find out just how much more he's on than them they won't go knocking on the managers door asking for there share of the new Wonga?

I think we've sold a couple of players who were worth 100K a week (Schniderlin, Clyne) but it doesn't seem to be in our model to pay that and for more it is a potential snowball effect as once one player gets it others will start asking.

Can they easily afford it though if Kante and Mahrez and half a dozen others ask for it to be matched, can they afford it with no Champions league in future seasons? I remember Leeds gambling on continued Champions League qualification and loosing rather badly! Paying one player a massive salary has knock on effects!

and I'm betting they have upped his salary way beyond anything we will pay (probably north of 100K a week) which may seem great right now but will seem much harder to justify should they have a bad season and Vardy go off the boil!

Would love to know the details, they must have gone beyond 100K a week you'd think to keep him which might not look so sensible if they and he have a couple of rubbish seasons.

Totally agree with this the Berahino example is terrible, he was playing brilliantly and worth a fortune they forced him to stay he was rubbish for a season in a grump and now they will loose him for less having gained nothing but a smug grin.

Lallana's finishing and pace are the two things that separate him from those at the very top of the game, he has looked really good so far this tournament but has been let down by his horrific form in front of goal! In this tournmanet at least he seems to be a slow version of Ronaldo who also doesn't seem able to find the goal!

I would assume Sammy and the other coaching staff are capable of running the start of pre-season without any issues and I would imagine Sammy is a non-negotiable for any incoming manager ie he stays as he is popular and gives continuity something the club is keen on hence the last couple of managers only bringing in a minimum number of there own people each time and not a whole new backroom.

No but it's freeking obvious that in this day and age we would not hold onto one of easily the best players of his generation, the money on offer for a player like that would be mind boggling both for the club and the individual it would be like bale deciding to stay!

total nonsense it just shows him that some decisions will quite rightly not be his to make, any manager coming here expecting total control over signings is living a fantasy and best avoided!

Different era, if MLT played today he would not remain at Saints and anyone who thinks he would is mad, similarly he would be much much fitter and probably an even better player as a result.

Length of contract minus 1 if they are outstanding and/or a mercenary longer if they are only good and/or not a mercenary. It really is pretty simple in this day and age. The list of players with 300 games consists of 8 players who stayed for most of their careers at a very top club and were outstanding players the others are all in the next tier ie good players who liked the club they played for.

Shame to see him go he has proven himself to be a good player at this level, replacing him will as always be a gamble but fingers crossed we have some strength already in the squad in his role so even if the addition doesn't work out it won't be an end of the world scenario. Wonder what the sell on clauses with Celtic will cost us?

The simple answer is we won't and/or can't afford to pay the wages that bigger clubs will. Until we are prepared to pay player 100k a week plus we will continue to loose the very best it is as simple as that.

He works for the same company as me and I have no idea how he can possibly afford that travel on what he earns (don't know his actual salary but the ball park is low) so he is probably running up massive debts to follow the inspiring Pompey example!

twice and probably do little else all season but as a free signing will seem like amazing value.

You might be over thinking it slightly! There will be a very long line of candidates eager for the opportunity this sort of job only come up every two years!

First one I took an interest in was hoddle replacing Dave Jones and I remember thinking it was a pretty shoddy way to treat him!