- Jan 29, 2018
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Surely IF we get CL football, we’ll have more money to spend?
Surely IF we get CL football, we’ll have more money to spend?
If we get player sales right we won't need much. CCV, Rose, Foyth, KWP, Aurier, Lamela, Sissoko and potentially Ndombele would bring in around £130-140m....and when we SURELY don't, we surely won't
We were sh*t for long periods of the season, few of our recent signings have actually paid off, and no surprise, in a competitive league it's going to impact our position...and potentially far beyond this season
- Revenues are down
- we're massively in debt
- City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Utd have better invested squads and are cash rich
We've been playing a risky game for decades by limiting player investment, and it's going to cost us...big time. I don't meant to sound defeatist but right now, I can't see how we break back into that group
The fact that (supposedly) we're scrabbling around to find money for (don't get me wrong, a solid signing, but...) Hojberg tells you everything you need to know about where we are in the pecking order right now
- City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Utd have better invested squads and are cash rich
Or don't believe Matt Law about our transfer incomings because he wasn't that reliable when I checked his transfer news since last year. With new DM and RB we still have very good team.We've been playing a risky game for decades by limiting player investment, and it's going to cost us...big time. I don't meant to sound defeatist but right now, I can't see how we break back into that group
The fact that (supposedly) we're scrabbling around to find money for (don't get me wrong, a solid signing, but...) Hojberg tells you everything you need to know about where we are in the pecking order right now
unlikely it’ll be good enough to challenge for top 4 next season imo. Jose has alreadysaid he wants to challenge for the leagueIn accounts ending 30th 2019 City had 4m cash balance more, Arsenal(167 vs 123 for us), but they can't use them as they're security for the bondholders. Chelsea and Liverpool has less cash than us.
Or don't believe Matt Law about our transfer incomings because he wasn't that reliable when I checked his transfer news since last year. With new DM and RB we still have very good team.
I'd be comfortable sacrificing all of Toby, Lamela, Sissoko, Foyth, Rose and KWP. The last five are probably the most realistic outgoings which you'd think could net us £50-60m. I think we could just about get away with selling Lamela without replacing him since we have Sessegnon, but it may depend on how Jack Clarke performs when he comes back.There's an interesting article floating around that was discussed in today's Extra Inch podcast episode which argues that we have far fewer financial resources to play with in the transfer market than the media reports over the past two years would have one believe. The basic gist of the argument is that "profit" is a relatively meaningless accounting term, and that the real metric by which to judge a club's spending power is its pre-transfer free cash flow. By that metric, primarily as a result of our huge debt obligations, we have far less spending power than any of the other top six clubs. The data the article was based on comes from our two seasons at Wembley, so I think it's safe to say that moving into the new stadium (with all its additional matchday revenue, naming rights, and the alleviation of the burdensome Wembley rent payments) was planned to give us a huge boost in that regard. Unfortunately the pandemic has scuppered those plans, as we're no longer generating any matchday revenue at all and the naming rights deal has been made more difficult and potentially less lucrative.
The article posted a few pages back suggesting that we'll be sticking to a zero net spend policy this summer certainly sounds true to me. Let's say it is, I would personally prefer that we roll the dice and sell a "big" player or two -- provided it is not Kane, Son, or Lo Celso -- to raise funds and reinvest in top prospects as opposed to relying on free transfers or swap deals involving our deadwood in exchange for middle-of-the-road players.
Personally, and I'm sure some will disagree, I'd like to see Dele and Sissoko sold in order to bolster the transfer kitty. In a theoretical world in which we have a genuine first-XI quality DM and Ndombele has settled and been integrated, neither one of them gets in our best XI in my opinion. Ndombele would be partnered with the new DM in a box-to-box role, and Lo Celso would take up the No. 10 or playmaking No. 8 position depending on whether we go with a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. Either way, both Dele and Sissoko would be on the outside looking in.
There are young and affordable attacking midfield talents we've been linked with, such as Eze or Szoboszlai, who could slot in for Dele's place in the squad. Sissoko has been taking up the DM role so would obviously be replaced with the new signing. Given the other midfielders we have in the squad already, I think a squad with a top drawer DM and a bright young AM talent such as the two we've been linked with would be better than a squad with Dele, Sissoko, and a mid-table quality DM like Hojbjerg.
Obviously finding buyers will be hugely tricky and may not be possible. If so, I'd be fine with Hojbjerg, but I'd prefer to see us take some risks this summer if we're able to.
We've been offered him but haven't expressed an interest in signing him. His price is significantly less than what it was 12 months ago.
Is there ITK on this? I knew Lazio were in some financial strife pre-COVID.
Cleared with Mods?It's what I have been told from a good source. Price is £45m.
It's what I have been told from a good source. Price is £45m.
Cleared with Mods?
I’d not seem you post itk before so wasn’t sure and there’s a lot of flippant ‘I’ve heard this’ going on here right now.I've had previous stuff cleared with mods. They know my source(s).
I’d not seem you post itk before so wasn’t sure and there’s a lot of flippant ‘I’ve heard this’ going on here right now.
It's what I have been told from a good source. Price is £45m.
If that is true, we should be breaking our back trying to get the finances in place. Not just a number 8, but can play as a DM similar to PEH
It's what I have been told from a good source. Price is £45m.
I’m sorry but there is very little chance that’s accurate. Half of Europe would be biting off Lazio’s arm at that price. PSG bid 60M and had that laughed back.