Just about to quote a Chelsea fan friend of mine.

[Frankie-Peter Taylor]

"Smalling and Konchesky were good young talents and they were both sold. I reckon Dembele will get bough if he has a decent season."

"When you sold Konchesky at what? 27? He was at the peak of his career. And if Dembele has a decent season, Spurs will come back and maybe Villa will lodge a £15m pound bid, and he will leave."

"Fulham not a big enough club to say no to the top five."

What a top James Blunt.

I said we've probably only sold 4 players to 'bigger teams' Finnan to Liverpool, Saha & Van der Sar to Man Utd and Malbranque to Spurs.

He just said to me, "If Man U, Chelsea or Liverpool seriously wanted a Fulham player, they wouldn't have to pay over £16mil."

[FFCcravencottage]

He just said to me, "If Man U, Chelsea or Liverpool seriously wanted a Fulham player, they wouldn't have to pay over £16mil."

He is right on this point, Fulham would sell any player at £16 mil, who have we got that is worth more?

[BestOfBrede]

I said we've probably only sold 4 players to 'bigger teams' Finnan to Liverpool, Saha & Van der Sar to Man Utd and Malbranque to Spurs.

Unfortunately he is correct - add to your list Parker, Houghton, Gale, Davies, McDonald, Mullery, Marsh who all went to teams that at the time were seen as 'bigger' and there's probs plenty more! although I'm hopeful this trend is now changing!!

[SP3]

I'm hopeful this trend is now changing!!

It has changed. It's no longer seen as a step up for a Fulham player to go to the likes of Everton, Villa and Spurs, which it certainly was 5 years ago. But Champions League clubs will always have an attraction for our top players - and not just ours either. Fact of life.

[BestOfBrede]

I'm hopeful this trend is now changing!!

It has changed. It's no longer seen as a step up for a Fulham player to go to the likes of Everton, Villa and Spurs, which it certainly was 5 years ago. But Champions League clubs will always have an attraction for our top players - and not just ours either. Fact of life.

I agree, nice insn't it! - although unfortunately I'm not sure about Spurs and shakey.

[os5889]

I cant argue with your friend I'm afraid, all valid points (except maybe the Kons point)

Still a selling club arent we?

[MJG]

Someone tell me who is not a selling club (in the uk) outside of Man City and maybe Chelsea.

[FFCcravencottage]

Someone tell me who is not a selling club (in the uk) outside of Man City and maybe Chelsea.

I don't think Arsenal, Man U or Liverpool are selling clubs, unless they are offered a ridiculous sum of money for a player. Also depends if the player wants to leave and has only a year left on his contract, the clubs liable to sell or get nothing the following year.
Might even add Spurs to that list they arn't selling Modric unless they get a obscene offer.

[os5889]

Someone tell me who is not a selling club (in the uk) outside of Man City and maybe Chelsea.

Presactably! Beyond MUFC. MCFC, LFC, CFC its a tough old world!

[MJG]

unless they are offered a ridiculous sum of money for a player.

so they are then a selling club. Chelsea have not really been tested because I don't recall any big offers for a player they wanted to keep. Man city can let players rot. Liverpool only last season sold their no 1 striker. Man utd sold their best player in the past, arsenal will sell a player they want to keep as will spurs even if its just to raise money for arry.
Can we as a club turn offers down, of course we can, what I hope is we are now a club who will not be taken to the cleaners by the buying clubs when they come after one of ours, and I think MS last summer shows we will try hard to keep a player.
Smalling was a one off really, the ceo said at a meeting I was at that they could not believe what utd were offering and then asked for a bit more and got it.
We can't as a club with a mid range fan base and a lower than average income turn down the big offers.

[Frankie-Peter Taylor]

I cant argue with your friend I'm afraid, all valid points (except maybe the Kons point)

Still a selling club arent we?

Not really, Arsenal attempted to get Mark Schwarzer, we didn't back down as we probably would have a few years ago. Same with the Spurs bid for Mousa Dembele and all the Arsenal for Brede Hangeland rumours died after we demanded £15m.

[Frankie-Peter Taylor]

I said we've probably only sold 4 players to 'bigger teams' Finnan to Liverpool, Saha & Van der Sar to Man Utd and Malbranque to Spurs.

Unfortunately he is correct - add to your list Parker, Houghton, Gale, Davies, McDonald, Mullery, Marsh who all went to teams that at the time were seen as 'bigger' and there's probs plenty more! although I'm hopeful this trend is now changing!!

Sorry mate but I'm 16, long before these players, and I'm not sure even if he did use them it would be valid as we are talking present time. We are not a selling club, but partially to the fact that our squad is OAPish, no one wants to buy 29+ year olds for a big price.

[FFCcravencottage]

unless they are offered a ridiculous sum of money for a player.

so they are then a selling club. Chelsea have not really been tested because I don't recall any big offers for a player they wanted to keep. Man city can let players rot. Liverpool only last season sold their no 1 striker. Man utd sold their best player in the past, arsenal will sell a player they want to keep as will spurs even if its just to raise money for arry.
Can we as a club turn offers down, of course we can, what I hope is we are now a club who will not be taken to the cleaners by the buying clubs when they come after one of ours, and I think MS last summer shows we will try hard to keep a player.
Smalling was a one off really, the ceo said at a meeting I was at that they could not believe what utd were offering and then asked for a bit more and got it.
We can't as a club with a mid range fan base and a lower than average income turn down the big offers.

Exactly what Liverpool must have thought with what Chelsea offered for Torres and same for Man U with Real Madrids offer for Ronaldo. Any club will sell if given a stupid offer for a player.

[richie17]

I cant argue with your friend I'm afraid, all valid points (except maybe the Kons point)

Still a selling club arent we?

Not really, Arsenal attempted to get Mark Schwarzer, we didn't back down as we probably would have a few years ago. Same with the Spurs bid for Mousa Dembele and all the Arsenal for Brede Hangeland rumours died after we demanded £15m.

only because Arsene was an idiot over it. He wouldn't pay 4m for Schwarzer and only offered 2m. I'm sure nobody was more surprised than fulham when he wasn't sold.

Dembele wasn't a tricky question and if he fulfills his potential will leave sooner or later.

Hangeland is probably a bit different, being older, brighter and seemingly more than happy with the nice life he's made for himself with Fulham.  Also it's not clear that anyone's actually been in for him.  Word was that Wenger wasn't watching him at all, but Smalling all along, which would figure.

We're clearly a selling club, just like almost everyone.  I'm not sure how you can say how we're not. 

[Walsh]

Hangeland hasn't gone and a few big clubs wanted him... maybe things are changing??