Transfers January Transfer Thread 2024

[Shadydan]

Actually, no. We have already been in a desperate situation. Full strength we were top of the league and then injuries and suspensions at CB cost us big time because we didn't prioritize the depth in the summer. Burnley and UTd are additional risks not the first risks.

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IMO that will be mitigated by the time the Utd match comes around, if we are having this convo in 7 days time then feel free to melt away.

There's a load of other clubs who need players more than we need a CB now and I haven't seen them close to any transfer completion thus far by the way, just adding perspective.

When you are serious about winning the premier league, you don't risk points instead of paying up for a third CB.

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There's 0 risk now because the next Premier League match is on the 14th.

 

[scarletjim]

Of course thats True, but you also need to factor in whether getting a player in Before the United game gives us a better chance of getting Champions league football, you also need to factor in that Ange has said he wants his players in Early.
If you take into account the above suddenly a couple of million quid seems like a risk worth taking to keep arguably our best manager in years happy and also increase our chances of generating more revenue by qualifying for the CL.
There should be no excuses that we couldn't get a deal done in time for the player to be ready to face united in our next league game, there is still time for this of course and one of the reasons why i think this deal gets done today or at the latest by Monday,

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I agree that all those items do need to be factored in, but I dont have sight of the risk / reward calculations behind them. (I work in Financial Risk & Control, so that concept is quite closely linked to my job).

No one would doubt that signing Dragusin will increase our chances of beating both Burnley and Man United. The question is how much it will increase our chances, and whether the value of that incremental chance is worth the extra money to get the player in now. Believe me, if Levy thought it was, he would be doing everything to make it happen, he like money, we do all agree on that. So one can only assume this week (as the transfer could happen next week) that Levy believes getting Dragusin in for Burnley was not worth a few million pounds extra. And I for one would agree with him.

There's no right and wrong though - we all have different perceptions of what a new player is likely to do for us in his first couple of games, it would be boring if the answers were black and white.

 

[Richard Arlison]

Again I think I probably agree with all of that. I would challenge though that those 'occasional slight overpays' should be for something either team-changing, or urgent. If Dragusin were to sign next week instead of yesterday, and that saved us (say) £2m, is one FA Cup tie against Burnley really worth spending an extra £2m on a single player? He might have a great impact, he might score the winning goal, but there are 22 players on the field, often 30 feature in total, so statistically it's unlikely that he would be the difference between winning and losing.

The problem is that many of the posters on here with less sense than your good self seem to want us to overpay for every transfer - JUST GET IT DONE YOU BALD CUNT* they say for pretty much every player who we are linked with and someone on the internet told them was good. So I agree with you that, just like in other businesses, occasionally you may overpay for something really special or really crucial, but not every player as some want, and I'd argue not Dragusin here.


* slight aside - why is it ok for people to attack Levy for being bald? I can think of plenty of other characteristics that he could have that if you put them before 'cunt' everyone would be seething - his skin colour, his age, a disability, perhaps his weight etc - why is it ok to use his baldness specifically when insulting him? I just have no idea what the 'rules' are any more... :/

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If it was about Burnley and UTD in isolation (I don't see why anyone can feel safe in their assumption we will have a 3rd CB in time to play UTD) then absolutely you are right. UTD probably more worth the 2m due to the financial windfall from the CL.

But it's not just about those 2 games, it's about the whole season and that we needed a 3rd CB in the summer, badly. It has already cost us points that any team serious about winning the premier league would never have risked those points.

 

[nicoclaesen]

We don't need to overpay though, that's kinda the point - we're not in a desperate situation at the moment, we don't need him to beat Burnley and the next Prem match against Utd is on the 14th.

It's very easy to spend other people's money isn't it.

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I don’t think it’s about overpaying because £25 million for a defender we obviously need is and in this day and age cheap. It’s about getting whoever in and if that’s Dragusin then great but it would be great to get someone in for Utd and to have trained and understand how we play.
I want this guy to sign because I don’t want Tosin who’s bang average or Kelly who nobody on here knew of and we see Bournemouth more often than Genoa. I love Italian football and Dragusin and Scalvini are the two best young defenders in Serie A so to go get Dragusin for £25 million before anyone else throws their hat in the ring makes more sense than fucking about haggling.

 

[TheGreenLily]

We don't need to overpay though, that's kinda the point - we're not in a desperate situation at the moment, we don't need him to beat Burnley and the next Prem match against Utd is on the 14th.

It's very easy to spend other people's money isn't it.

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There is a fucking massive difference between over paying 20, 30, 40 million for a player Chelsea style.

And over paying paying 1,2, 4,5 million for a hot prospect that could before double in the years to come. And probably make that small over pay back in next to no time. In a postion that we desperately need back up for.

And you never make this distinction.

And of course, no one has ever said that we need him to beat Burnely, but having someone who is good in that position can make that job a lot easier and of course have that extra time to fit in, train, and play with the guys before the next PL game is a benefit too.

 

[Richard Arlison]

IMO that will be mitigated by the time the Utd match comes around, if we are having this convo in 7 days time then feel free to melt away.

There's a load of other clubs who need players more than we need a CB now and I haven't seen them close to any transfer completion thus far by the way, just adding perspective.



There's 0 risk now because the next Premier League match is on the 14th.

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Like everyone is saying for a team that has any interest in winning the premier league, this was a summer problem, not a January problem.

 

[VonnegutBusy]

Remember on Sunday when we thought we sign a CB this week?

 

[LeParisien]

I'm not saying pay up any specific amount.

I am saying prioritize the business and get it done instead of making excuses. Of course, it's a negotiation and there are always excuses/reasons why transfers can't happen. January is difficult but this isn't a January problem, this is a summer problem.

Much like Van Dijk was a summer problem for Liverpool and they didn't make any extra excuses for it in the January window. They just found a way to get it done.

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How do you know it isn’t being prioritised? Seems like it’s the first signing we will make this window.

What excuses has the club made? Seems like they’re working hard to make this happen.

I don’t want to be rude but it seems like you’re making things up. Perhaps you’re just expressing your personal frustration? I get that because we’re all excited for this to potentially happen!

 

[Fattynomates]

If I am Genoa, I only accept a couple of million extra if I feel that’s your limit. If I feel you really like the player and are willing and able to go higher then I don’t step there. I don’t sell 30m assets every transfer window.

I see what you’re saying about the possible benefits but I don’t know how you calculate the positive impact a 21 year old might have in their first game a week after the arrive in the country. How sure can anyone really be that they will make the difference (cold hard points) in that first game?

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I have never seen him play, but i had never seen VDV play either and he came in and hit the floor running so to speak.
Obviously there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that we dont know about but for me its also a case that Ange has come out and said he wants signing in Early - I assume that to be in time for the United game so i'd like to think we will get this done for him and try to keep him happy. Its not panic stations yet though - i'm also fully confident we will get someone in before our next game.

 

[Jaynola]

There is NO PRICE for a player. This is a NEGOTJATION.

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This one gonna cost me yet another automatic X from you, but...

There IS a price for a player. There always is.

Whether you sell auto parts, land, cookies, dildos or football players, you've always got a price in mind.

Sure, as far as players are concerned, there's a negotiation between all parties, and more often than not that price you had in mind at the beginning, you'll get more...or less...depending on your bargaining skills and other factors. But a selling club never enters a discussion without a price/min amount in mind, it'd be foolish and suicidal. Same as an interested buyer will always have a clear idea how much they're willing to pay. Hence the ensuing roundtable.

But we get it: you know better, you're always right and how dare any of us uneducated mongrels have a pop at Levy & the board? What is it you posted once about yourself? That you were highly intelligent, a visionary, classy...something of that ilk. But then you'd also said you were leaving the forum and yet here you are...

Now please, I'm asking you as a favor...put me on ignore and I'll do likewise. Cause engaging with the likes of Scarlett or even the yid from up north, I ain't got no issue with that cause they're clever & gentlemanly enough, make valid points, know how to give yours credit. But you're the one person on here I really have zero time for.

Adieu

 

[Richard Arlison]

It's also not your standard purchasing process though, players don't have a handy price-tag around their necks and a barcode to scan at checkout.

Genoa don't have any interest in making a purchase nice and straight forward for us, they want what's best for them, and as much as this makes some scoff, if we had gone in on Jan 1st with a 30m offer, then they would more likely counter by asking for 35m than simply accept.

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Why wait until Jan 1st then?

The idea that negotiations need to start when the window opens is as mythical as Santa coming down the chimney.

Teams negotiation via intermediaries and verbal offers all the time during the season.

 

[TheGreenLily]

If I am Genoa, I only accept a couple of million extra if I feel that’s your limit. If I feel you really like the player and are willing and able to go higher then I don’t step there. I don’t sell 30m assets every transfer window.

I see what you’re saying about the possible benefits but I don’t know how you calculate the positive impact a 21 year old might have in their first game a week after the arrive in the country. How sure can anyone really be that they will make the difference (cold hard points) in that first game?

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But you can say that about anyone.

The thing is, I trust in Ange and if Ange has given the nod, then paying and extra 2-5 milion just to get him here asap to fill a massive hole in the depth of the squad is worth it.

The guy looks great and exactly the sort of play Ange likes.

It's a no brainer for me, just pay up, we can afford it and we will more than likely make a lot more from it in the future.

 

[nicoclaesen]

Like everyone is saying for a team that has any interest in winning the premier league, this was a summer problem, not a January problem.

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The crazy thing is we are in the hunt to actually win the league this year whether people think that’s a dream or not. That’s why it’s even more important to get player or players in for Utd. We likely won’t win the league but we are in there with a fighting chance once we get our injured players back and a couple of new signings.

 

[TheGreenLily]

I have never seen him play, but i had never seen VDV play either and he came in and hit the floor running so to speak.
Obviously there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that we dont know about but for me its also a case that Ange has come out and said he wants signing in Early - I assume that to be in time for the United game so i'd like to think we will get this done for him and try to keep him happy. Its not panic stations yet though - i'm also fully confident we will get someone in before our next game.

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Udogie, Vic too..

 

[MVP]

Similar to my response to RA, I agree with the vast majority of that, I think the only bit where we must agree to disagree is Dragusin being one of those special occasional exceptions. I won't repeat everything I've said in my reply to RA, but in summary I can't see having Dragusin in a week earlier being worth several millions pounds.
Well itt - if we want him, I think we'll get him, they can't compete with what we can offer financially, and if the player decides in his heart that he doesn't want to come, then that would be the same now or in a week's time. (Of course we shouldn't ignore the possiblity of us actually wanting someone else - that seems to be Paratici's MO...)

Nice to have this discussion between the 3 of us and end up finding lots of common ground, whilst pin-pointing the main specific on which we don't agree, and why. If only all debates on here were like that.

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Well it would have been a week wasted, when Ange said he wanted players in early. Then we have to go to the next person on the list doing the same kind of negotiations running down the clock.

 

[Fattynomates]

I agree that all those items do need to be factored in, but I dont have sight of the risk / reward calculations behind them. (I work in Financial Risk & Control, so that concept is quite closely linked to my job).

No one would doubt that signing Dragusin will increase our chances of beating both Burnley and Man United. The question is how much it will increase our chances, and whether the value of that incremental chance is worth the extra money to get the player in now. Believe me, if Levy thought it was, he would be doing everything to make it happen, he like money, we do all agree on that. So one can only assume this week (as the transfer could happen next week) that Levy believes getting Dragusin in for Burnley was not worth a few million pounds extra. And I for one would agree with him.

There's no right and wrong though - we all have different perceptions of what a new player is likely to do for us in his first couple of games, it would be boring if the answers were black and white.

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Knowing our luck we will sign him for united and he will end up giving away a penalty in the first half!

 

[Richard Arlison]

How do you know it isn’t being prioritised? Seems like it’s the first signing we will make this window.

What excuses has the club made? Seems like they’re working hard to make this happen.

I don’t want to be rude but it seems like you’re making things up. Perhaps you’re just expressing your personal frustration? I get that because we’re all excited for this to potentially happen!

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Because it didn't get done in the summer and we chose to gamble on not picking up injuries or suspensions before January.

 

[Shadydan]

Like everyone is saying for a team that has any interest in winning the premier league, this was a summer problem, not a January problem.

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I have no problem saying we messed up in the Summer but suggesting we had interest in winning the Prem back then is an absolute reach considering the state of our squad at the beginning of the Summer.

 

[Jaynola]

Of course thats True, but you also need to factor in whether getting a player in Before the United game gives us a better chance of getting Champions league football, you also need to factor in that Ange has said he wants his players in Early.
If you take into account the above suddenly a couple of million quid seems like a risk worth taking to keep arguably our best manager in years happy and also increase our chances of generating more revenue by qualifying for the CL.
There should be no excuses that we couldn't get a deal done in time for the player to be ready to face united in our next league game, there is still time for this of course and one of the reasons why i think this deal gets done today or at the latest by Monday,

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Your posts are like liquid honey poured straight onto my body, Fatty

 

[LeParisien]

I have never seen him play, but i had never seen VDV play either and he came in and hit the floor running so to speak.
Obviously there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that we dont know about but for me its also a case that Ange has come out and said he wants signing in Early - I assume that to be in time for the United game so i'd like to think we will get this done for him and try to keep him happy. Its not panic stations yet though - i'm also fully confident we will get someone in before our next game.

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Ok I respect that. You’re a very reasonable poster and I enjoy reading your points.

only thing I’ll pick up on - how many points was VdV worth in our 2-2 draw with Brentford? He looked good which was great but I don’t know how you translate that one performance into a €£ price worth paying extra for…