ErwinK1961

Sorry, the main point I was trying to make was that we spend what we receive. The wider issue from there is you then have to get the incomings spot on. When I say wasted, I guess I primarily mean the VVD cash - Carillo - £19m, Lemina £17m, Hoedt £15m, Gunn £10m, Moi £16m - that's £77m, plus wages we couldn't / can't shift. If nitpicking, in my opinion I'd say of those listed only Ings, Armstrong and KWP have been outright successes (Adams nearly there, Bendarek solid for the fee paid). Salisu and Diallo jury's still out but they weren't starters when everyone was fit. JV has been ok, but for the fee paid I'd have expected more since he's been here. Djenepo has done very little, still cost £14m. It has got better the last couple of years though for sure. Either way, my point was that we spend what we make.

We 1000% need to replace JV with a first choice defender. He has arguably been our best defender since project restart and that's really not saying much considering how pants our defence has been the last 2 seasons. You were saying on another thread how we need to improve defensively, starting Bednarek and Salisu next season with a cheap or loan signing to replace JV is not the way to do that.

As has been mentioned many times, since Gao has come in we have re-invested what we have received in fee's. If you look at every season since he's been here, we have spent what we have made. He doesn't put anything in, but he doesn't take anything out. The issue has been we have wasted most of it.

Can't see it at all - imagine we let him run his contract down on the basis his goals are not worth the fee. Then he gets injured for several months, which let's be honest isn't against the realms of possibility. Would be a complete waste of money. Plus, if he is running his contract down, do you think (with his injury problems) he'll be busting a gut for the last few months of the season? Not a chance. Not a sleight on Ings, but anyone would do the same knowing they won't be here. If he's made his choice, sell him to the highest bidder and move on.

I dunno, the more I think about it the more I'd be tempted to cash in if someone offers us £50m for JWP (if Ben White can command that fee, then so can JWP). The squad needs surgery, it's far too stale and has been for a number of years. With the way Ralph wants to play (and rightly or wrongly, he isn't going anywhere), we need an injection of energy, pace, athleticism. £20m for Ings, £15m for Vestergaard, £50m for JWP - £85m to re-invest. This year more than ever, with the pandemic after effects on finances, seemingly a lot more players with 1 year left on deals, the TV deal collapsing in France, there's the potential to get some bargains or good value signings. That money could get us a GK, CB, CM, CAM, STx2 (plus maybe some loan cover). Could be a summer 2014 all over again. Of course, it means recruitment has to be spot on and could leave us up the creek if we get it wrong. But we're heading up the creek anyway, so may as well try something to change the tide.

No chance we'll get £30m. We'll be low-balled all summer and probably deal at £20m.

Would suggest this is probably the situation.

I guess the difference might be now that he has formally said he won't sign a new deal, whereas before he hadn't signed but was still on the table. At least it's early enough in the window for us to sort a replacement. Would probably explain the increased interest in Armstrong. Not a chance I can see us letting him leave on a free.

Spending that Ben White and Buendia cash monies.

Fuck me, this is the like “he’s not 28 until he’s 29’ debate. He clearly signed an agreement before July. Doesn’t matter when it starts, he signed it in May. Which is what the original poster said, before you jumped all over it trying to be the pedantic bore you always are. Im sure you’ll post something back, missing the point again. I’m going to have a beer and watch the England game. Enjoy your evening.

He may have officially become a Saints player in July, but he SIGNED a deal in May and is therefore a spring signing.

He said first SUMMER signing. Walcott was announced May 18th, which was still Spring.

Exactly. That table also doesn’t include the two keys stats that determine how good a footballer someone is; - how many bollockings does he give to teammates on average per match - how many footballs has he taken in the face during the season

This. Plan should be 4 year deal, then after year 1 if they look the business offer them an extra year with a pay rise. So protects the value of the player if they’re good, and doesn’t leave us totally marooned if they’re shite.

Leicester doing some great business, fair play to them. A great example of what you can achieve when you get your transfers right.

Yes.

Too one footed for me

Why would he go there, Kalvin Phillips is a much better player than him 😉

Can't see us having 3 or 4 shots on target with that line up.

Really needs a good loan if he's going to kick on and make it at a decent level. Hopefully it's somewhere he will play every week, as not sure he got that at Sunderland.

I cannot see in a million years us, with the financial holes we have, letting Ings leave on a free. I think he either signs a new deal as the interest he thought would materialise doesn't, or we sell for £20m. Especially if we're actually going to pay money for another striker. Personally I would keep him, as his goals are invaluable to us, but the club is run as a business as we just won't let our most valuable asset leave for nothing.

Hopefully Ralph has told one of them they won't be number 1... plus maybe Fraser wants to go and play regularly (Celtic perhaps back in), can't imagine we will charge much of a fee. Suspect you're right though SS, we'll be seeing the rotation of the two all over again.

Wouldn't be surprised if that's the party line if we shed Long/Oba/N'lundulu, but would expect then Ings to go later in the window and we say AA is his ready made replacement.

Agreed. If we're signing someone else to compete/take over as number 1 and Frasers off, then fair enough. Doubt he'll have taken a paycut though.

Would be refreshing to see if he does decide to leave and go and play somewhere, rather than take the usual loan path.