The Summer 2018 Transfer Window Rumours and Deals

[buster. 4,808]

12 minutes ago, craig said:

 Having an experienced spine did Souness no harm and, IMO, is where we have been weakest - we need to be stronger down the middle of the team - Skrtel would help in that regard, no doubt about it for me.

We need some 'kick arse' leadership down that spine, a centre-half and central midfielder who set the tone would be good places to allocate resources.

[Rousseau 9,462]

Nicky Law's been released. 

[buster. 4,808]

18 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

Nicky Law's been released. 

Where ......The Serengeti ?

 

He'd better be careful

 

[DMAA 3,603]

1 hour ago, craig said:

Celtic are leading the way ?  You do realise that they recently had Kolo Toure and have brought in the likes of Musonda and PR7 on significant loan payments ?  I don't think that is leading the way at all.  Sure, they have some good, sellable assets - but they also have a plethora of busts that they let go or left for "undisclosed sums"

Yes I listed Rodgers' signings yesterday and as we discussed he's made some blunders. But in general yes they've been leading the way with their recruitment for about 6-7 years and that's been widely recognised among our fans. It's made them a fortune and will continue to do so.

 

You take away the £6.3m for Ki (bought for £2.1m aged 20),  the £13m for Wanyama (bought for £0.9m aged 20), the £11.25m for Forster (bought for £2.25m aged 24), the £14.1m for Van Dijk (bought for £2.7m aged 21) and we'd be facing a different Celtic today.

 

1 hour ago, craig said:

We also have Jack, Rossiter, McCrorie, Tavernier, Morelos - all of whom are young and have talent and most certainly are sellable assets

I didn't say we have no assets on the books, I'm just discussing how we should be spending our millions this summer to set us up to be genuinely challenging Celtic for the title in the coming years.

 

1 hour ago, craig said:

You are talking about 2021 as if that is the only season we can stop 10IAR.  It isn't.  There are 3 opportunities to do so.

I'm being realistic. I'm not saying it's the only opportunity obviously, but worst case scenario (and most likely) that will be our last and best chance to stop them.

 

1 hour ago, craig said:

Plus, how can you say Skrtel will be no use to us in 2021

I didn't mean he'd be no use as a player, I meant no use realistically for stopping 10IAR. Ok he might age fine, but at 36 it's unlikely he'll be better than what Celtic have.

 

1 hour ago, craig said:

Not every signing needs to be a youngster with talent

I've said that a number of times on this forum. I'm not speaking exclusively but generally. But as I've said it's the millions of pounds transfer fee that is the real issue with Skrtel. As Celtic have shown, £2m can get you huge talent in undervalued markets.

 

1 hour ago, craig said:

Having an experienced spine did Souness no harm and, IMO, is where we have been weakest - we need to be stronger down the middle of the team - Skrtel would help in that regard, no doubt about it for me.

That's fine but a team of players in their prime is better yet and countless sides have shown that over the years. In any case we have Alves in there. Look I like Skrtel as a player, I just don't think spending such large sums of money on him is going to get us where we need to be in the coming years.

[craig 5,199]

3 hours ago, Darthter said:

Experienced, does not have to mean old....plenty of younger players, with loads of experience under their belts.

So we should re-sign Danny Wilson

 

Of course, I agree with you - however, signing someone with tons of experience but still in with their best days ahead of them is a very, very difficult thing to do - even moreso in our financial position.  Those types of players don't often go for Bosman's or for low fees.

[JFK-1 1,675]

There is no way we're going to be capturing any young top quality with loads of experience.  That type of player will cost tens of millions and be in the EPL. Right now we may be looking to get "friends of Gerrard" who have made their money and may be willing to accept a new challenge to help out their friend at the beginning of his managerial career.

[craig 5,199]

1 hour ago, DMAA said:

Yes I listed Rodgers' signings yesterday and as we discussed he's made some blunders. But in general yes they've been leading the way with their recruitment for about 6-7 years and that's been widely recognised among our fans. It's made them a fortune and will continue to do so.

 

You take away the £6.3m for Ki (bought for £2.1m aged 20),  the £13m for Wanyama (bought for £0.9m aged 20), the £11.25m for Forster (bought for £2.25m aged 24), the £14.1m for Van Dijk (bought for £2.7m aged 21) and we'd be facing a different Celtic today.

 

I didn't say we have no assets on the books, I'm just discussing how we should be spending our millions this summer to set us up to be genuinely challenging Celtic for the title in the coming years.

 

I'm being realistic. I'm not saying it's the only opportunity obviously, but worst case scenario (and most likely) that will be our last and best chance to stop them.

 

I didn't mean he'd be no use as a player, I meant no use realistically for stopping 10IAR. Ok he might age fine, but at 36 it's unlikely he'll be better than what Celtic have.

 

I've said that a number of times on this forum. I'm not speaking exclusively but generally. But as I've said it's the millions of pounds transfer fee that is the real issue with Skrtel. As Celtic have shown, £2m can get you huge talent in undervalued markets.

 

That's fine but a team of players in their prime is better yet and countless sides have shown that over the years. In any case we have Alves in there. Look I like Skrtel as a player, I just don't think spending such large sums of money on him is going to get us where we need to be in the coming years.

You are cherry picking all the "wins" they have had.  How many others have they spent money on that have been busts ?  I am also not convinced by the transfer fees you mention - not convinced at all.  11 million for Forster ?  No way - however, I will take your word for it.  You say they are leading the way as if we can do the exact same thing.  Their financial position is such that they can afford to take a punt on a youngster and it wont hurt them as much as us.  We simply don't have that luxury all the time.  We have a fraction of their financial position - plus, should we be looking at certain players, their will undoubtedly be leaks... and if Celtic see talent in said player they will make a move for him just to prevent us getting them - Scott Allan case in point.

 

Whilst I agree that 2021 might be our best chance, would you not argue that signing players of the caliber of Skrtel would be showing significant intent on trying to wrest the title away prior to that ?  I personally think that we have to be pragmatic.  Bringing in talented youngsters is great, but no team ever won the league with a team full of youngsters - not even "Fergie's babes" - because they had solid, experienced pros round about them.  Besides, we haven't a clue what any financial deal for Skrtel would be - but I would argue that if we want to be winning the league then that is the standard of player we should be looking at.

 

I think we have to come to the realization that, no time soon, will we be outspending them (unless we prevent them winning the league and they have to downsize) - which means they can spend more on players than us - so when you say "he'll unlikely be better than what Celtic have" - that is just our reality.  However, what do you want instead ?  To take a punt on an unknown 21 yr old with talent who may, or may not, work out ?  There is a risk with every signing as I said - but Skrtel has been there and done it, and bought the t-shirt - he would present low risk and potentially high reward.

 

Yes, Celtic have proven that you can get huge talent in undervalued markets for 2 million.  They have also proven that you can get massive busts, with absolutely ZERO future benefit.  Stop looking at just the positives of what they have done - because they have made some howlers in the market too - if we try to do the same, our financial position makes it less likely for us to recover from it if we make a mistake.

 

All that aside, I am pretty sure that Gerrard would take young, raw, hungry talent as well - I suspect, though, that he and Gary Mac have said "the middle of that tea is WEAK" so lets get some experience, tough as nails in there so we will no longer be a walkover.  Skrtel brings that.  And... it allows someone like young McCrorie to learn from him (though he could do the same with Bruno) - but I suspect Bruno will move on or, if not, will see out this season and leave at expiration of contract - which still then leaves you with just one experienced head at the back.

 

The rumoured transfer fee is just that - a rumour.  Look at Jamie Murphy - some were suggesting that the fee was 2 million, and now today the fee is rumoured to be 1 million.  We don't know what the fee would be.

 

I think you and I will need to agree to disagree

[craig 5,199]

9 minutes ago, JFK-1 said:

There is no way we're going to be capturing any young top quality with loads of experience.  That type of player will cost tens of millions and be in the EPL. Right now we may be looking to get "friends of Gerrard" who have made their money and may be willing to accept a new challenge to help out their friend at the beginning of his managerial career.

Exactly this JFK.

 

That "young but tons of experience" will NOT come cheap.  Or...  it will come with baggage ala Pena - how did that work out again ??

[buster. 4,808]

A look at the last 3 seasons recruitment of players on both sides that reached at least their 30th birthday during first season.

 

Dorrans, 30
Candeias, 29
Alves, 35
Martin, 32
Kranjcar, 31
Senderos, 31
Hill, 37
Barton, 33
Gilks, 34

 

Hayes, 29
Compper, 32
Toure, 35
De Vries, 35
Cole, 35

 

14 players, of which I'd say only the 2 in bold letters gave value for money.

Edited May 18, 2018 by buster.

[der Berliner 3,272]

Snippets from FF ...

 

Heart & Hand and 4Lads on twitter seem to agree that the deal is agreed for 2.7 million, Skrtel.