Summer Silly Season Transfer Thread 2024

[jayffc]

Gremio do get one back now 2-1 with 10mins left potentially heading to extra time

[General]

Fluminense currently 2-0 up inside 38 minutes in their Copa Libertadores match vs Gremio... On aggregate that puts them up 3-2, and they're playing at home.. still a lot of the match to play, but whilst good for them, doesn't necessarily help us with our potential pursuit of Andre.

I suppose it prob doesn't overly matter. Trey probably wanted to keep him to get through this tie. If they win they will earn more but guessing it is a drop in the ocean compared to their debts of over £100m. They'll still need to sell him before the window closes. Whether it is to us is another matter of course.

Does the South American/Brazilian transfer window mirror Europes/the PL's?

I know the rumours of Fluminense being broke are all over the place, but do we know for a fact that it's as bad as we're seeing on socials? How do we know they actually have to sell Andre. They're getting good games out of him still, they're winning matches and he's helping them get out of the relegation places etc... but my concern is we've fallen for them being in deep financial trouble, when we've as a fan base perhaps misread the situation and they don't actually need to?

They will be selling to Europe as Europe will be the only ones with the money so key is our deadlines. I've read a fair bit on it. Posted an article on it but a bit late to try and find it. Over £100m in debt by all accounts (which over there is of course massive) and struggling to pay players wages by all accounts. Seems to accepted by all that I've read over there that they have to sell him to basically keep running. They sold one of their other better players for around £12 million I believe the other day.

What's the knock on effect for them of having sold their player for £12m already?

Nothing as far as I am aware. They are over £100m in debt. They need to sell multiple assets and it still won't get them anywhere near back in the black. They only have one or two that are worth much as far as I am aware.

I suppose it depends on how the debt is structured? It's not abnormal for Football clubs to carry significant debts on a regular basis is it and you often see clubs toeing lines between solvency and insolvency.. what makes this cross the line into it being unhealthy? I appreciate £100m in debt is a lot, but it depends on how they run their business - they made £15m in profit last year?, so if that debt is staggered then it could not be as big a thing?

I did see comments from their president Mario Bettencourt saying he wanted to sort the club out after years of it being mismanaged, which came with them also winning their Copa Libertadores title.. but it seemed like they were making some good progress with that.

I'm just asking questions and putting forward hypotheticals - I don't know the answer..

[sarnian]

Gremio do get one back now 2-1 with 10mins left potentially heading to extra time

Why are you watching someone we have no interest in? Baffling.

[Drewry66]

Gremio pull one back but ruled offside.

Gotta be honest, after watching another full game now of brazillian football... probably on around 4full games of fluminese now and The quality of footy is very poor generally.

I can understand our hesitancy to blast massive money over whats been offered already for Andre.

I've only watched the second half but watched the full game the other day which was even worse. It's an absolutely shocking standard. Honestly I think it's 1st/2nd division levels.

Andre would really worry me defensively the more I have seen him live. Just seems to get bypassed without putting a challenge in some of the time. Other times he can be a bit snappy winning it but too many times he's a yard or two off the challenge. Has barely touched the ball second half. Last game he did look excellent on the ball but if he's not looking great defensively at this level how would he fare in the prem? I've wanted him all summer but like you the more I have watched him in detail the more I can see why the interest isn't there. No chance anyone's dropping £30 million on him. If we got him he would definitely be a big work in progress rather than a world beater from day one I think.

[jayffc]

Esr 34m
Andersen 30m
Berge 25m
Cuenca 7m
Sess free

*fixed it for you

These arent the figures weve paid so you havent fixed it at all.

They are the max we could* pay

In the case of ESR its the fee well pay ONLY if we win silverware and qualify for Europe according to the beeb, in which case theyll be worth every penny . For all you know this could well be the case for all the others too.

Let's hope we do end up paying those maximum numbers because we will all be enjoying an incredible journey!

Exactly, the point of add ons is generally that they are only triggered on the assumption that the transfer has been a success because the player has hit specific individual achievements, or the team as a whole have. In which case, youre probably happy to pay it.

Is it logically possible for you two to argue with me whilst agreeing with what I've said? I feel like that's what happening here 

As I said up the thread, you end up paying the add-ons unless the player is a crock or a flop. It's like buying a car for £10k and having to pay £1k more after you've driven 500 miles. Newsflash, the car cost £11k.

You can't simultaneously claim a transfer is a success or anticipated success and then reference a fee that will only be payable if it's a dog.

But of course, don't let the veracity or logic of the foregoing stop you interpreting it as a conspiracy, malicious "narrative" or "negative take"   

The point was stating what weve paid this window. Thats it.

Its possible some of these players are great for us and step us up a level whilst simultaneously not seeing us both reach europe AND win a cup while they are here. Making fulham a regular top 10 club for instance... Say ESR was huge for us, so good that we end up 7th/8th just missing out in europe and reaching a cup final but not winning... Followed by a massive club deciding to buy him for 65m+ in 2 years... Then hes done great for us despite never costing us 34m....so why would I refer to this windows expenditure with what may or may not happen when there are many variables involved.

Theres a reason people take these things the way they do, it doesn't come from nowhere

[jayffc]

Gremio do get one back now 2-1 with 10mins left potentially heading to extra time

Why are you watching someone we have no interest in? Baffling.

Why does it matter enough to post such a message or confuse you?

1. I like football and watch other clubs too in other leagues

2.We clearly have had real interest in andre and hes been a hot topic of discussion here all summer... and its not 100% clear yet that another move is being ruled out. Alot of talk that this game could be key in fluminese financial situations. When we hear that's our business done at DM I doubt ill watch more Brazilian football (unless we're linked again to wesley)  till then, im enjoying watching some football

[Somerset Fulham]

Time for bed lads.

Honestly.

[jayffc]

The point was stating what weve paid up front this window. Thats was the point.

I mean, as I understand it for ESR, even payment of the guaranteed cash element is partially deffered, and from an accounting/FFP perspective we only book one year's amortisation of the fee this season, so in any case the amount paid this window won't be £27m. But over the term of his contract, the amount paid and accounted for will be £34m or very close thereto. The BBC article absolutely doesn't say the add-ons are only payable if we get into Europe (albeit I accept a small element may have that condition).

"sources say the add-ons are based on Cup and European success for the Cottagers."


That's what it says in the bbc article directly. It doesnt say addons are part based on this, it doesn't mention any other addons, it explicitly says "*THE addons" are based on those things.

So unless cup success means reaching a quarter or semi and by european success it doesnt just mean qualify but  also advance or win it, it seems most likely it means win a cup and qualify for Europe clearly.

Now... They Might wellbbe wrong, absolutely, thats totally possible... but it mentions no other addons and this was parotted by others online at the time so it's the only info on this Ive seen and from a decent source in the beeb.

As for the paying less up front and amortisation then sure, true enough... by up front I obviously meant the commited fee here in what was a simple post, but fine if we want to nit pick it 😂 still one didnt decide to go the amortisation route when "fixing" the original post.

Anyway have a good night folks

Penalties in Brazil (no extra time)
And fluminese go through, wether that has any bearing on us who knows but knockout pens always fun.

[jayffc]

https://twitter.com/CottageTactico/status/1826003630534832130?t=BQ7NWfIxInqO-I45-jQWPw&s=19

Ending the eve on a positive note

[jayffc]

https://twitter.com/planetadoflu/status/1826051148375269645?t=O6y3UKsSnAGvDUo4yN_6nQ&s=19


https://twitter.com/PerfilDaCentral/status/1826053281153691904?t=4jH8xO4b6iRKzJnPqr886w&s=19


https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826051270932836636?t=_FTtdkReI0n9xivIWSjm9w&s=19




Ya never know... 😅

[Deeping_white]

https://twitter.com/planetadoflu/status/1826051148375269645?t=O6y3UKsSnAGvDUo4yN_6nQ&s=19


https://twitter.com/PerfilDaCentral/status/1826053281153691904?t=4jH8xO4b6iRKzJnPqr886w&s=19


https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826051270932836636?t=_FTtdkReI0n9xivIWSjm9w&s=19




Ya never know... 😅

Excellent Twitter sleuthing to dig all of these up! Certainly very odd behaviour isn't it...

[jayffc]

https://twitter.com/planetadoflu/status/1826051148375269645?t=O6y3UKsSnAGvDUo4yN_6nQ&s=19


https://twitter.com/PerfilDaCentral/status/1826053281153691904?t=4jH8xO4b6iRKzJnPqr886w&s=19


https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826051270932836636?t=_FTtdkReI0n9xivIWSjm9w&s=19




Ya never know... 😅

Excellent Twitter sleuthing to dig all of these up! Certainly very odd behaviour isn't it...

😂 Searched andre fluminese after the game and up they popped. It certainly seems a poignant way to behave.

Maybe hes just relieved after pens... But no smoke without fire is the old saying ay.

Might also have nothing to do with us and could be he's heads to another team of course. But hey..
Why not enjoy another episode of the Andre drama  potentially one last time... Its what the threads all about😅🙈

[General]

https://twitter.com/planetadoflu/status/1826051148375269645?t=O6y3UKsSnAGvDUo4yN_6nQ&s=19


https://twitter.com/PerfilDaCentral/status/1826053281153691904?t=4jH8xO4b6iRKzJnPqr886w&s=19


https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826051270932836636?t=_FTtdkReI0n9xivIWSjm9w&s=19




Ya never know... 😅

Excellent Twitter sleuthing to dig all of these up! Certainly very odd behaviour isn't it...

Agreed, definitely doesn't seem like a normal reaction to winning a game.. all very routine to win and go off with other players instead of stay back and soak everything up.

Especially as they have just got to the QFs in the Cup and they beat a brazilian team that are in the same league as them and just a few places above them.

Watch this space..

[Deeping_white]

https://twitter.com/planetadoflu/status/1826051148375269645?t=O6y3UKsSnAGvDUo4yN_6nQ&s=19


https://twitter.com/PerfilDaCentral/status/1826053281153691904?t=4jH8xO4b6iRKzJnPqr886w&s=19


https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826051270932836636?t=_FTtdkReI0n9xivIWSjm9w&s=19




Ya never know... 😅

Excellent Twitter sleuthing to dig all of these up! Certainly very odd behaviour isn't it...

Agreed, definitely doesn't seem like a normal reaction to winning a game.. all very routine to win and go off with other players instead of stay back and soak everything up.

Watch this space..

https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826053131467100647

Also this one - I mean maybe Jay and I are going into overdrive with this but his body language seems odd for a man who's just won a big game, seems very much like a man who's taking it in for the last time but who knows, silly season in full swing so why not have a "here we go" moment 3 days running, Shad is in town after all!

[General]

https://twitter.com/planetadoflu/status/1826051148375269645?t=O6y3UKsSnAGvDUo4yN_6nQ&s=19


https://twitter.com/PerfilDaCentral/status/1826053281153691904?t=4jH8xO4b6iRKzJnPqr886w&s=19


https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826051270932836636?t=_FTtdkReI0n9xivIWSjm9w&s=19




Ya never know... 😅

Excellent Twitter sleuthing to dig all of these up! Certainly very odd behaviour isn't it...

Agreed, definitely doesn't seem like a normal reaction to winning a game.. all very routine to win and go off with other players instead of stay back and soak everything up.

Watch this space..

https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826053131467100647

Also this one - I mean maybe Jay and I are going into overdrive with this but his body language seems odd for a man who's just won a big game, seems very much like a man who's taking it in for the last time but who knows, silly season in full swing so why not have a "here we go" moment 3 days running, Shad is in town after all!

What's the shad in town bit? Have seen it mentioned a couple of times but not sure what it's referring to as haven't seen any pics on Fulham official channels.

The andré saga has been going on a long time, apparently as he was walking back to the changing room the fans were chanting that he was the best midfielder in Brazil which is why he acknowledged it.

His body language definitely looked deeply reflective and when someone came over to help him up, it also came across as if he was being kinda dragged away and led away without really wanting to go off the pitch at that time..

Have to admit, when your home games are often played at the maracana, an 80k stadium, coming to the PL and cottage may seem like quite an odd shift..

He's clearly loved by Fluminense fans and had a seemingly close bond with the club, I hope he comes to us on his own terms and wants to and with enthusiasm.. worry that if its a move that goes against what he's feeling he may not be the man for us.. which is weird to say as I always felt he was a player who wanted to come and their board was just playing difficult.

If he does come to Fulham, I hope he's welcomed warmly into the fulham family and finds a place he can thrive and call a second home.. with Muniz, Pereira, Jimenez, Cuenca and Traore all giving him a platform to settle in and feel part of things quickly alongside Marco and his team.

Always mixed feelings seeing videos like that.. but hopefully it'll all work out for the best.

That all being said, sometimes deep reflection and doing so in such a final way can be really healthy.. he could be coming to here ready for the challenge and accepting that one chapter has closed and a new exciting one is starting.. could just be a deeply appreciative moment from him.

Interestingly, for me at least, it seemed as if there was an air of everyone involved acknowledging it could be his last game, with our window coming to a close, perhaps this was part of an agreement we had with Fluminense a while back, where we'd let him stay and play until now and then he'd come over to sweeten the deal for all involved.. he's definitely come back into their team and helped see an uptick in their form.

[jayffc]

https://twitter.com/planetadoflu/status/1826051148375269645?t=O6y3UKsSnAGvDUo4yN_6nQ&s=19


https://twitter.com/PerfilDaCentral/status/1826053281153691904?t=4jH8xO4b6iRKzJnPqr886w&s=19


https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826051270932836636?t=_FTtdkReI0n9xivIWSjm9w&s=19




Ya never know... 😅

Excellent Twitter sleuthing to dig all of these up! Certainly very odd behaviour isn't it...

Agreed, definitely doesn't seem like a normal reaction to winning a game.. all very routine to win and go off with other players instead of stay back and soak everything up.

Watch this space..

https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826053131467100647

Also this one - I mean maybe Jay and I are going into overdrive with this but his body language seems odd for a man who's just won a big game, seems very much like a man who's taking it in for the last time but who knows, silly season in full swing so why not have a "here we go" moment 3 days running, Shad is in town after all!

Yeh that screams last game at your boyhood club energy.

Wether its to us or elsewhere well have to see. The Andre-Koumas saga continues for another day 😂

[Drewry66]

https://twitter.com/planetadoflu/status/1826051148375269645?t=O6y3UKsSnAGvDUo4yN_6nQ&s=19


https://twitter.com/PerfilDaCentral/status/1826053281153691904?t=4jH8xO4b6iRKzJnPqr886w&s=19


https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826051270932836636?t=_FTtdkReI0n9xivIWSjm9w&s=19




Ya never know... 😅

Excellent Twitter sleuthing to dig all of these up! Certainly very odd behaviour isn't it...

Agreed, definitely doesn't seem like a normal reaction to winning a game.. all very routine to win and go off with other players instead of stay back and soak everything up.

Watch this space..

https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826053131467100647

Also this one - I mean maybe Jay and I are going into overdrive with this but his body language seems odd for a man who's just won a big game, seems very much like a man who's taking it in for the last time but who knows, silly season in full swing so why not have a "here we go" moment 3 days running, Shad is in town after all!

Wow. If that's not a farewell don't know what is. Not heard of any other clubs interested. Could it actually be?!

  

[jayffc]

https://twitter.com/planetadoflu/status/1826051148375269645?t=O6y3UKsSnAGvDUo4yN_6nQ&s=19


https://twitter.com/PerfilDaCentral/status/1826053281153691904?t=4jH8xO4b6iRKzJnPqr886w&s=19


https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826051270932836636?t=_FTtdkReI0n9xivIWSjm9w&s=19




Ya never know... 😅

Excellent Twitter sleuthing to dig all of these up! Certainly very odd behaviour isn't it...

Agreed, definitely doesn't seem like a normal reaction to winning a game.. all very routine to win and go off with other players instead of stay back and soak everything up.

Watch this space..

https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826053131467100647

Also this one - I mean maybe Jay and I are going into overdrive with this but his body language seems odd for a man who's just won a big game, seems very much like a man who's taking it in for the last time but who knows, silly season in full swing so why not have a "here we go" moment 3 days running, Shad is in town after all!

What's the shad in town bit? Have seen it mentioned a couple of times but not sure what it's referring to as haven't seen any pics on Fulham official channels.

The andré saga has been going on a long time, apparently as he was walking back to the changing room the fans were chanting that he was the best midfielder in Brazil which is why he acknowledged it.

Have to admit, his body language definitely looked deeply reflective and when someone came over to help him up, it also came across as if he was being kinda dragged away and led away without really wanting to go off the pitch at that time..

Have to admit, when your home games are often played at the maracana, an 80k stadium, coming to the PL and cottage may seem like quite an odd shift..

He's clearly loved by Fluminense fans and had a seemingly close bond with the club, I hope he comes to us on his own terms and wants to and with enthusiasm.. worry that if its a move that goes against what he's feeling he may not be the man for us.. which is weird to say as I always felt he was a player who wanted to come and their board was just playing difficult.

If he does come to Fulham, I hope he's welcomed warmly into the fulham family and finds a place he can thrive and call a second home.. with Muniz, Pereira, Jimenez, Cuenca and Traore all giving him a platform to settle in and feel part of things quickly alongside Marco and his team.

Always mixed feelings seeing videos like that.. but hopefully it'll all work out for the best.

It might not be us hes going to so hold the horses and talk of settling in for now! 😂

Id love it as an addition to Berge if possible, but airing on the side of assuming we wouldn't spend that much... Surely, Would we? not alot out there of any deal for him since our bid was rejected so who knows

Confirmed payments of
20m on Berge
27 esr
25 andersen
6m cuenca

25m on andre...would be minimum commited 103m in confirmed transfer fees before addons

AND an attacker... Could take us to around £125m mark (although grabbin a free or loan like Jota could help get that lower)

Not out the question if we sold Reed vinicius and Mbabu too for around 15-20m I suppose

agree it certainly feels like a farewell regardless though wherever hes heading 🙈

[General]

https://twitter.com/planetadoflu/status/1826051148375269645?t=O6y3UKsSnAGvDUo4yN_6nQ&s=19


https://twitter.com/PerfilDaCentral/status/1826053281153691904?t=4jH8xO4b6iRKzJnPqr886w&s=19


https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826051270932836636?t=_FTtdkReI0n9xivIWSjm9w&s=19




Ya never know... 😅

Excellent Twitter sleuthing to dig all of these up! Certainly very odd behaviour isn't it...

Agreed, definitely doesn't seem like a normal reaction to winning a game.. all very routine to win and go off with other players instead of stay back and soak everything up.

Watch this space..

https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826053131467100647

Also this one - I mean maybe Jay and I are going into overdrive with this but his body language seems odd for a man who's just won a big game, seems very much like a man who's taking it in for the last time but who knows, silly season in full swing so why not have a "here we go" moment 3 days running, Shad is in town after all!

What's the shad in town bit? Have seen it mentioned a couple of times but not sure what it's referring to as haven't seen any pics on Fulham official channels.

The andré saga has been going on a long time, apparently as he was walking back to the changing room the fans were chanting that he was the best midfielder in Brazil which is why he acknowledged it.

Have to admit, his body language definitely looked deeply reflective and when someone came over to help him up, it also came across as if he was being kinda dragged away and led away without really wanting to go off the pitch at that time..

Have to admit, when your home games are often played at the maracana, an 80k stadium, coming to the PL and cottage may seem like quite an odd shift..

He's clearly loved by Fluminense fans and had a seemingly close bond with the club, I hope he comes to us on his own terms and wants to and with enthusiasm.. worry that if its a move that goes against what he's feeling he may not be the man for us.. which is weird to say as I always felt he was a player who wanted to come and their board was just playing difficult.

If he does come to Fulham, I hope he's welcomed warmly into the fulham family and finds a place he can thrive and call a second home.. with Muniz, Pereira, Jimenez, Cuenca and Traore all giving him a platform to settle in and feel part of things quickly alongside Marco and his team.

Always mixed feelings seeing videos like that.. but hopefully it'll all work out for the best.

It might not be us hes going to so hold the horses and talk of settling in for now! 😂

Id love it as an addition to Berge if possible, but airing on the side of assuming we wouldn't spend that much... Surely, Would we? not alot out there of any deal for him since our bid waa rejected ao who knows

agree it certainly feels like a farewell regardless though wherever hes heading

So, rumours were we had £100m prior to selling Palhinha, give or take, to spend this summer.. some I saw suggested we had £120m.. add in Palhinha.. and maybe a bit of residue from the Mitro fee and you could be looking at anything to spend between £100m £150m+ to spend this summer.

£27m esr
£7m Cuenca
Free sess

= £34m, to rise to £41m? If all add ons are met.

So depending on how you structure it, you'd have £66m to £116m left to spend give or take..

Berge £20m (£25m with add ons)
Andersen £25m (£30m add ons)
André £20m/£25m/£30m Inc add ons..?

That'd take us to maxing out our bottom level on the £100m and going just over

Berge £25m
Andersen £30m
André £30m

Total: £85m max

Or

Berge £20m
Andersen £25m
André £25m

Total: £70 max.

Bringing running total to

34+ 70m - £104m

Or

Max

£41 + £85m - £126m

Both sums aligned with figures going around of potential estimates we have to spend and neatly fitting inside or close to those levels.

That'd fill the number 6 role if we got andré in, which Marco said he wanted and gave impression in his man utd interviews that he knew we would be getting in a DM. I'd suggest Berge isn't that out and out DM and André is.. marcos confidence and seeing André this evening do tie up.. but is obviously conjecture without really knowing.

That'd leave us to get one extra front line player.. which if we're working from the bottom sums, so £104m as a base, not including palhinha money, could give us £20m-£50m to play with for another front line option, or if we work on the max assumptions including addons then potentially up to £24m for an extra front line player (if we were to buy permanently and not get in on loan).

Weren't we linked with Wesley for circa 20m?

It's all trying to fit each signing into a budget I'm not 100% sure about.. but the rudimentary maths based on what others are suggesting does add up to a degree.

Who knows, I don't really, but just basing everything of info available..

If we got andré in and a LW on top of Andersen and Berge then this could possibly be the best window we've ever had at the club in my time supporting it (if they players we get in do actually do well for us like we hope they will).

[General]

https://twitter.com/planetadoflu/status/1826051148375269645?t=O6y3UKsSnAGvDUo4yN_6nQ&s=19


https://twitter.com/PerfilDaCentral/status/1826053281153691904?t=4jH8xO4b6iRKzJnPqr886w&s=19


https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826051270932836636?t=_FTtdkReI0n9xivIWSjm9w&s=19




Ya never know... 😅

Excellent Twitter sleuthing to dig all of these up! Certainly very odd behaviour isn't it...

Agreed, definitely doesn't seem like a normal reaction to winning a game.. all very routine to win and go off with other players instead of stay back and soak everything up.

Watch this space..

https://twitter.com/barbaramendoncc/status/1826053131467100647

Also this one - I mean maybe Jay and I are going into overdrive with this but his body language seems odd for a man who's just won a big game, seems very much like a man who's taking it in for the last time but who knows, silly season in full swing so why not have a "here we go" moment 3 days running, Shad is in town after all!

What's the shad in town bit? Have seen it mentioned a couple of times but not sure what it's referring to as haven't seen any pics on Fulham official channels.

The andré saga has been going on a long time, apparently as he was walking back to the changing room the fans were chanting that he was the best midfielder in Brazil which is why he acknowledged it.

Have to admit, his body language definitely looked deeply reflective and when someone came over to help him up, it also came across as if he was being kinda dragged away and led away without really wanting to go off the pitch at that time..

Have to admit, when your home games are often played at the maracana, an 80k stadium, coming to the PL and cottage may seem like quite an odd shift..

He's clearly loved by Fluminense fans and had a seemingly close bond with the club, I hope he comes to us on his own terms and wants to and with enthusiasm.. worry that if its a move that goes against what he's feeling he may not be the man for us.. which is weird to say as I always felt he was a player who wanted to come and their board was just playing difficult.

If he does come to Fulham, I hope he's welcomed warmly into the fulham family and finds a place he can thrive and call a second home.. with Muniz, Pereira, Jimenez, Cuenca and Traore all giving him a platform to settle in and feel part of things quickly alongside Marco and his team.

Always mixed feelings seeing videos like that.. but hopefully it'll all work out for the best.

It might not be us hes going to so hold the horses and talk of settling in for now! 😂

Id love it as an addition to Berge if possible, but airing on the side of assuming we wouldn't spend that much... Surely, Would we? not alot out there of any deal for him since our bid was rejected so who knows

Confirmed payments of
20m on Berge
27 esr
25 andersen
6m cuenca

25m on andre...would be minimum commited 103m in confirmed transfer fees before addons

AND an attacker... Could take us to around £125m mark (although grabbin a free or loan like Jota could help get that lower)

Not out the question if we sold Reed vinicius and Mbabu too for around 15-20m I suppose

agree it certainly feels like a farewell regardless though wherever hes heading 🙈

Don't think at £125m all in we'd need to sell anyone necessarily, but it would be a case of offloading the likes of Mbabu and Vinicius as you say.

Then I suppose its a question of who are the two players per position and who misses out.

For me the squad would be like this

Gk
Leno
Benda

Rb
Castagne
Tete

Rcb
Andersen
Diop

Lcb
Cuenca
Bassey

LB
Sessegnon
Robinson

Dm
Reed
Andre

CM
Berge
Lukic
Cairney

Am
Esr
Pereira

Lw
Iwobi
???

Rw
Traore
Wilson

Fwd
Jimenez
Muniz

In fact, aside from Mbabu and Vinicius, who aren't part of plans, that makes up almost the entire squad of two players in each position, which would be the perfect squad number. Actually still have lukic, cairney and berge as CM options.

Add in stansfield and a few other academy players, then I think you've got your squad.

Maybe when Marco said he wanted a RCB, CM and front line option he said he wanted those in the knowledge that we may have already signed a replacement 6 in andré? Speculative on my part, but starts to add up in terms of fees, squad filling out etc..