Jordan Rhodes Decision This Week

[Admin]

We don't know whether we have any interest in Rhodes, whether Danny Murphy is talking to QPR, how much we offered to Pog (and how much we want him) how much Reading are offering him (if they're even talking to him), whether he will sign for Reading or who (if anyone) we really are interested in signing and how generous we're prepared to be.

There's a lot we don't know.

I know for a fact that Murphy has been up to Blackburn, spoken with Steve Keen, seen the facilities and his prefered destination is the Championship. Player come coach roll.

[TonyGilroy]

Which would be a very sensible career move transitioning into management.

If it weren't for Venkys.

[ClarksOriginal]

How come Reading can seem to Gazup us to players, i presume they are offering more money/better terms. Do clubs get a big bag of money when they get promoted, or is it their owners funds?

We don't know if they are really 'gazumping us' on players though. The papers like to put it that way because it sounds much more exciting.

The reality is that we probably offered Pog the wage of a back up striker and he got a better offer elsewhere. We decided it was not worth upping the wage, which would say to me that we considered him expendable.

I say, let QPR and Reading fans crow over getting players from us, but lets wait to see what happens with who we bring in and then see who is laughing.

Spot on!! He who laughs last, laughs the longest. Let QPR keep mugging us off whilst buying our over the hill, over paid players and let Reading take the risk with an overpriced, unproven striker who has yet to even brace the Championship. Let them also take Pog and pay him £65k a week, 14 million over 4 years who fell surplus to requirements at Zenit and did OK-ish for us as a last minute replacement for Zamora..

When we sign 3-4 quality players by the end of the window, on reasonable wages and players that will set our squad alight, they will be laughing on the other side of their faces.

You're right AFC.

Been told that Villa, Sunderland, us and Reading were in for Pog... Fulham, Villa and Sunderland pulled out not just becuase of his wage demands, but the fact that his agent is asking for massive fee's as well as Pog asking for a big sign on fee that only Reading were willing to match.

There are deals on the table for players we won't even have considered - I think we'll have some big surprises come August.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

How come Reading can seem to Gazup us to players, i presume they are offering more money/better terms. Do clubs get a big bag of money when they get promoted, or is it their owners funds?

We don't know if they are really 'gazumping us' on players though. The papers like to put it that way because it sounds much more exciting.

The reality is that we probably offered Pog the wage of a back up striker and he got a better offer elsewhere. We decided it was not worth upping the wage, which would say to me that we considered him expendable.

I say, let QPR and Reading fans crow over getting players from us, but lets wait to see what happens with who we bring in and then see who is laughing.

Spot on!! He who laughs last, laughs the longest. Let QPR keep mugging us off whilst buying our over the hill, over paid players and let Reading take the risk with an overpriced, unproven striker who has yet to even brace the Championship. Let them also take Pog and pay him £65k a week, 14 million over 4 years who fell surplus to requirements at Zenit and did OK-ish for us as a last minute replacement for Zamora..

When we sign 3-4 quality players by the end of the window, on reasonable wages and players that will set our squad alight, they will be laughing on the other side of their faces.

You're right AFC.

Been told that Villa, Sunderland, us and Reading were in for Pog... Fulham, Villa and Sunderland pulled out not just becuase of his wage demands, but the fact that his agent is asking for massive fee's as well as Pog asking for a big sign on fee that only Reading were willing to match.

There are deals on the table for players we won't even have considered - I think we'll have some big surprises come August.

I definitely believe there are various deals on the table and negotiations ongoing. Look at what happened in Jan - we nearly got Lucas Barrios, a player previously considered to be well out of our reach. It didn't work out, but since his move to China and Dortmund's confusion as to why he didn't sign for us, we can safely say that was more down to player/agent greed than lack of ambition.

[SJH]

Pogrebnyak has gone from being the Pog to someone who "fell surplus to requirements at Zenit." Now if that had been said in January when he did sign for us it would have been 'a few years ago he was the top scorer when Zenit won the UEFA Cup, Arsenal and Chelsea were both interested in him ....'

:011:

[TonyGilroy]

As a top ten Premier League club in London, and with a wage bill matching that status, we must be an attractive propsition to some very good (if not quite top rank) players.

Certainly players at least as good as Rhodes and Pog. All will be well.

[TonyGilroy]

Pogrebnyak has gone from being the Pog to someone who "fell surplus to requirements at Zenit." Now if that had been said in January when he did sign for us it would have been 'a few years ago he was the top scorer when Zenit won the UEFA Cup, Arsenal and Chelsea were both interested in him ....'

:011:

No.

When he signed for us he was a has been crock most of us had never heard of.

Then he scored some goals.

[MasterHaynes]

I have seen only a little of Marcello Trotta, but I am not fully convinced about him, thinking he maybe lacks a bit of skill, first touch, etc.
I would make exactly the same comment on Jordan Rhodes.

Those who know both players better than I will, no doubt, be able to enlighten me as to the essential differences between the two players - other than the fact that one will cost £x million and the other is ours already.

In his third season at Lg 1 level Rhodes scored at the amazing rate of (almost) one a match, after two seasons at half that rate.
Trotta is 2 and a half years younger and scored at a one a match at Lg 1 level at the first time of asking (albeit a very small sample).

I'm not saying we don't need to bring in a striker(s). I just don't think we need Rhodes - we may have him already.

Absolutely spot on, have the very same thoughts

[MasterHaynes]

Daily star - READING have offered Huddersfield £2million and defender Sean Morrison in a bid to land goal machine Jordan Rhodes.

A long way from Huddersfields valuation of £8m and getting a player they don't want off their wage bill for nothing at the same time. It is a lot less than our supposed valuation and bid,do they know that everyone else has pulled out?
Hopefully Huddersfield will accept it and we can all move on especially if the rumours about his agent looking for 35k a week are true

[Mr Fulham]

especially if the rumours about his agent looking for 35k a week are true

haha....sounds like some Daily Star load of tosh. You shouldn't read these kind of papers mate.

[MasterHaynes]

especially if the rumours about his agent looking for 35k a week are true

haha....sounds like some Daily Star load of tosh. You shouldn't read these kind of papers mate.

The rumours about his wages came from the Express

[elgreenio]

usually reliable Reading source says us and Swansea have had bids accepted but Huddersfield would prefer to sell to Reading and thus get Sean Morrison in return. Just want a better fee from them

[MJG]

When is this week going to be?