Pez1974

Reports (in the TImes I think) that Fulham's triker target ain't coming, so they are back in for Bent (not ITK).

In any case, will someone make a bid and let us all move on!

I understand why people think PL has devalued Bent, but I think any effect will be minimal. Bent is 29(I think) and is paid a huge amount. Any team buying him would factor this in, as Bent has 2 years left on his contract. David Villa went for a low fee because of wages. Another example of player power - the higher the wage, the lower the fee.

Probably the same with Benteke and Spuds; we have a high value because of wages: they would have to pay the higher wage so valued him lower.

Cardiff have had a bid of around £9m rejected for Capoue. These 'smaller' teams are really swinging heavy this season. Both financially and in regards to the type of players we will see next season. Some of Europe's top young talent.

I'm fully behind Lambert but it does make me sad to see this stuff

I'm not too worried. Transfer window isn't over yet and these signings aren't necessarily going to be a success (just look at QPR last season).

 

I also think a lot of our future summer shopping depends on being able to get certain players off the wage bill. I don't know this for sure but my guess would be that Bent, Ireland, N'Zogbia and Given alone rake in around 200k per week between them - that's probably more than what our starting 11 last season were on.

I think you're a bit light there - £230k to £250k per week is probably closer to the mark.

Add Hutton (30 - 40k per week); Bannan and Fonz (both reported at 20k pw) there is some £15m + a year on that lot!

I'm trying to think why don't we try him in the other wing "Weimann's place" if we stuck with him ?! Could offer us something else ?

Not sure moving him to a different piece of grass will help him delivery well timed passes, stop running down blind alleys, and become less lazy (amongst other things).

Am I too old for this thread?

WTF is poke?

And how did this move on to Snog, Marry, Avoid - which seems to be a 'thing' but I don't know what.

Good luck to him.

He hasn't improved over the past couple of seasons, so he needs to move on for his career, and for sanity of VTers.

Rumours of £750k to £1m. Result!

If PL wants Capuano - I want Capuano.

A couple of points though:

1. Just because we have sufficient players in a position, if a great prospect becomes available for the right fee, surely we must sign them? If, for example, Clark become surplus as a result the squad and team will be better for it.
2. His English is bloody good for a 21 year old Italian. There's a few on VT who could learn better English 'n stuff like from him!

Achilles tendon apparently, doing some kind of exercise regime on holiday. A bit dubious if you ask me.

That may be a bit harsh. On a holiday in May/June there was a pro footballer in the same hotel as us and he did a 1 - 2 hour run everyday to stay in shape, and you never saw him scoffing the bacon etc at breakfast or putting away the lager at night despite it being all inclusive. Apparently Charlie-boy hurt himself on a run, so maybe he was being a good pro and was unlucky.

Still want rid of the overpaid eejit though.

Starting to think the best we can hope for is some sort of Richard Dunne type injury, ruling him out for the season saving us money on the insurance.

Not that I normally wish an injury on a player - but I can think of some exceptions!

Yeah, this is huge and with 1 or 2 more changes (pluswith a couple of higher earners leaving) we really could be looking at a major step up next season.

Hairyhands has just achieved immortality!

Paul Lambert is the messiah, but HH is GOD!

This was just posted on twitter... Agent in the background...

 

Chris Houten ‏@mrhouts 14m

@CurtisUTV @j30rne just meet Benteke in Sutton pic.twitter.com/g9i5a1OtLK

View photo

 

And, is that a box of tissues in his hand?

Is he expecting to be spending a lot of time on his own!

This was just posted on twitter... Agent in the background...

 

Chris Houten ‏@mrhouts 14m

@CurtisUTV @j30rne just meet Benteke in Sutton pic.twitter.com/g9i5a1OtLK

View photo

 

Why is he wearing a vest. It's **** boiling out there!

I think that Man Ure going in for Bale will be great news for Lambert,Faulkner and co in dealing with Benteke.

It will put doubt in CB's mind about Spuds ambition (assuming to isn't just the cash); it will make Spuds more desperate to buy replacements as without Bale they are not CL contenders and make their waiting ploy very dangerous; it will mean we know they will have cash if they sell; and this all means we can make Levy's job a lot more difficult.

Would rather have Chadli than Castaignos. 

I'm getting old and out of touch. These 2 sound like wines. I want to sign someone called Boddington

 

 

 Who ever taught you Biology at school should be ashamed, Benteke was nearly 21 and had by then fully developed

 

Massive footnote to the thread, but I grew 2 1/2 inches between the ages of 22 and 25, and my brother, now 21 has grown an inch in the last year

 

So I'd go back to the biology books skip

 

I'm a biology student:

 

My 2 cents: on average people tend to stop growing by the age of 20.

 

However there is no exact cut off point for growing. Some bones continue to grow throughout your life.

 

I would imagine though Benteke is fully developed now! God help us if he isn't.

 

 

 Who ever taught you Biology at school should be ashamed, Benteke was nearly 21 and had by then fully developed

 

Massive footnote to the thread, but I grew 2 1/2 inches between the ages of 22 and 25, and my brother, now 21 has grown an inch in the last year

 

So I'd go back to the biology books skip

 

I was 6'3" when I was 12. Now, pushing 40, I'm 6'3" ~(plus maybe a little bit). 

People are different.

Anyway, signings......

Thanks Gareth, this really cheered me up.

When in doubt, act like a 5 year old!

The race is on - who's out first!

Agreed that Bent has to go. Earns way too much for the role he has to fill, and with the current financial climate for 99% of clubs meaning that the higher earners mean less transfer fee, £6m will be good business for me.

BBC reporting that Pardew has confirmed that Newcastle looking for a couple of forwards, and that Bent and Remy top their list.

Shift them both, and reinvest in another 3 starters, and we are away.

I think we are in a really strong position here.

He has 3 years on his contract at 20k per week. We paid that to Ireland last year! PL is a tough cookie and I think Lerner and Faulkner will back him to the hilt (as they will be scared of him leaving). £20m sounds very low to me, although I am only guessing. I don't know what players who leave without a transfer request get, maybe 10% or 15%, but that is 2m or 3m on 20m, so quite a chunk.

The only downside of playing hardball is not getting the replacement in. Of course, if we get a replacement in early, that might weaken our position, but for £1m a year in wages, **** him!

Why are people giving abuse?

 

Because if not for us, he'd still be in Belgium as a nobody. He's showing the fans that loved him that he isn't anything special and is just another mercenary. Never mind the fans though, PL must be sick to the stomach. Really don't want to face him in the PL.

I wouldn't want to face him. Perhaps Vlaar, Okore or Baker fancy 90 minutes though!

Quick question, why does him handing in TR mean villa will get a better price

It doesn't, but players get a slice of the transfer fee if they don't hand in a request.

I just hope this doesn't mean clubs will now make silly offers becaue they know he's handed in a transfer request :-(

He is still under contract for 3 years. We can tell em to **** off if e offer isn't high enough. The request might drop the price a bit, but a few clubs will want him, which helps, plus he gets nothing.

So, he's gone.

He will forgo a tidy sum by handing in a transfer request, which suggests he is seriously pissed off or has been tapped up and has already agreed a contract elsewhere. We need to state our price and get it sorted quickly. It looks like Bony is done for Swansea, and I expect PL has his alternatives ready, so we must act fast.

Onwards and upwards.