Raphinha

[Rook]

Chelsea

[Irish Ian]

I have kind of got to the point as long is it isnt Barcelona that is ok with me.

Of course does Raph see himself playing at Stamford Bridge?

[Cumbriarents]

Maguire only went for that because Van Dijk went for shed loads before him. Prices are a tad bit different at the min probably because of covid

[Leeds1000]

No it doesn't, it's the vile blue scum . I think I loathe these more than Man Utd , vile club , vile supporters .

You missed the irony mate.

[Leeds1000]

The "most of the cash" up front comment could swing the deal in Chelskis favour. Its like we don't have any ready investment without sales.

[Lumiukko]

Gutted he's going to be playing against us in the PL next season, particularly for Chelsea (not much different to Manure IMO).

So now the question is, just how much of our 100 mill are we going to re-invest on quality PL ready players, and how much of it are we going to spend on kids and/or Firpos?

[weasel]

rapha has given us two great years of service - if he wants to leave, let's let him (as long as the fee is reasonable - 100 mill is too high)

if we started blocking him from moving we would end up (1) with an unhappy player on our books, probably underperforming and (2) other players would be less inclined to join us because of how he was treated

better to just take the fee and use it strengthen us better overall - but the fees are too low imo I agree on that - not massively but each by 5 or 10 mill too low

Well said. Unfortunately we need to look at where we are presently as a club and that is a club that's main appeal to a prospective signing is solely the fact we are in the premier league. They see us as a stepping stone, prove they can cut it in the premier league and then get a move to a top club. This would be the case if we signed the Belgian lad. As such if we got a reputation as a club that held players to ransom then we'd struggle to get them.

So for the present we have to sign players that we hope will come to us, do really well and then move on for a profit. Whilst they are here they hopefully help us get better as a club so we become more attractive in our own right. First step is to not be involved in relegation battles and then the next aim is to be getting towards the top 6 and being able to offer European football. As such it is about buying and then selling for a decent profit and then using the money to be replacing one decent player with 2 decent players.

[Cjay]

We are an underfunded Premier league club in need of a cash injection.

It's that's simple.

Hence why we asked for the majority of the cash upfront.

[Lumiukko]

We are an underfunded Premier league club in need of a cash injection.

It's that's simple.

Hence why we asked for the majority of the cash upfront.

We do appear cash-strapped. Until we have a properly rich benefactor, this is going to be our status-quo for the foreseeable. Admirable as it may be to not be funded by abhorrent regimes or the plaything of oligarchs, unless that changes, we will do well to ever challenge top 6, with a cup-run our most likely chance of any silverware (and we know how well we do there). Still, we may get that 5000-1 luck that Leicester had 5 years ago, or win a cup to put us into Europe, and that dream is what football is all about right?

[John in Louisiana]

Do we know that we asked for money up front? Or did Scum II offer it to sweeten the deal?

Gutted. Not because we’re losing a great player (we knew he wouldn’t be staying), but because he’ll be playing for those (expletive deleted).

[Cjay]

We do appear cash-strapped. Until we have a properly rich benefactor, this is going to be our status-quo for the foreseeable. Admirable as it may be to not be funded by abhorrent regimes or the plaything of oligarchs, unless that changes, we will do well to ever challenge top 6, with a cup-run our most likely chance of any silverware (and we know how well we do there). Still, we may get that 5000-1 luck that Leicester had 5 years ago, or win a cup to put us into Europe, and that dream is what football is all about right?

We will be a Southampton under this style of ownership as I said before.

Leicester had £300mil of ownership investment in the same time we have had a 3rd of that.

And even Leicester average 8th if you add up there Prem seasons.

The idea you can get European football consistently on this ownership model is a pipe dream.

We are where we are unfortunately.

[Cjay]

Do we know that we asked for money up front? Or did Scum II offer it to sweeten the deal?

Gutted. Not because we’re losing a great player (we knew he wouldn’t be staying), but because he’ll be playing for those (expletive deleted).

We asked for it.

We did the same with Barcelona.

I thought it was because we didnt trust them to pay up (they owe over £120mil in fees to other clubs).

But it now seems we were the ones who needed the money.

Asking for transfer fees paid largely upfront is very rare and will put many clubs off.

Only a select few can afford to do that sort of deal so not only did we limit our options for buying clubs we also will have limited what clubs would pay because once you ask for it upfront clubs know you are desperate.

Telling that the only clubs who seemingly came up with the offers were newly taken over Chelsea with multiple billionaires in a consortium, state owned Man City and PSG.

[Kennyb41]

Jeez we sound so cash strapped no wonder Bert tried to keep a hold of the reins.

He knew how to build on the cheap, the clown knows nowt and just splashes the cash we don't have.

Good luck Radz.

[Scoobychief]

We should get that deal done with Gallagher coming to us as part of the deal FFS

[lufc1304]

Hate Chelsea, but they have an excellent coach, can offer Rapha CL football (where he deserves to be) and will pay up front. Would rather he stayed, of course, but he gave his all for us and should be playing at the top level. We can't offer that, and at least it's not the scum, that would have been too bitter a pill to swallow. Whilst we see ourselves a a big club, we're not in the grander scheme of things and we will always be vulnerable to big clubs with big wallets coming after our better players. That's the way of modern football. Key thing, as already stated, is how we spend. And, despite what looks like decent business so far, that remains a worry as we have spaffed some serious dosh in our recent history.

[lufc1304]

And I agree with velo, would be happy seeing Gallagher come the other way as part of the deal

[danhirons]

I understand where tha's coming from, but, why do we always, always get shafted, Mcquire for instance is worth more than one of the most exciting talents in the PL !!! No, I ain't having that, there's no logic in us letting him go on t' cheap because he might suddenly sulk, maybe he's a train driver and will go on strike !!
We cannot, simply cannot keep letting our players go on the cheap, the replacements, as as I've already said, WILL , cost us more than their worth because the selling clubs know we have just inherited a rather nice amount of dosh, now there's logic.

i agree - we need to learn how to play hard ball much better

what's the raph fee, 55 or 65? different sources quoting different amounts...if it's 55 that's a joke, ake is going for 50

[Lufcste]

I have kind of got to the point as long is it isnt Barcelona that is ok with me.

Of course does Raph see himself playing at Stamford Bridge?

No chance, this is all Deco's doing. I hope to god we never sign another player who's agent is Deco. No chance Raph ever wanted to go there. It was Barca or nothing for him at one point...

[velo]

And I agree with velo, would be happy seeing Gallagher come the other way as part of the deal

ERM ! I didn't say that !

[lufc1304]

ERM ! I didn't say that !

Sorry, mate, quoted the wrong poster!!