Dembele situation

[jelmo]

Just wondering what people's thoughts are on what is going to happen to Dembele (the original one...)

He hasnt signed a new contract and we have not heard any reports that this is even close to happening. The window closes in 11 days and if he is still a fulham player by that time would we be likely to get him to sign an extension during the period of the close of the window and January?

If not then we would be a bit screwed. Eg - have to sell him very very cheaply in January (in which case we only have him for half a season and get pittance for him) or have him for the whole season but lose him for free at the end of it.

Even if he did sign a contract but left next summer we could at least get a massive transfer fee for him due to the extra years on his contract.

So I suppose we could offer him a contract above our wage ceiling to keep him here and flog him for an extortionate amount and therefore retirieve what we paid in the higher wages for that season.

Whatever we do it needs to be sort out in the next 11 days because if no contract is signed and he isnt sold, we are screwed. Surprised there hasnt been more media talk about this because its a much bigger issue that Dempsey I personally think.

Any other thoughts on this?

[AlFayedsChequebook]

I dont think we will have to sell him cheaply in Jan, in fact it would probably be worth keeping him and letting him go on a free in the summer.

I also dont think we are screwed if he does not sign a new deal in the next 11 days. I wonder if he is waiting to see if a good bid comes in for him and if not will sign a new contract after Sep 1st.

Or Martin and Alistair are confident that they can get him to sign between now and Jan.

Either way, I am sure the club have a plan, as with Dempsey.

[MJG]

Strangely im more relaxed on Dembele. Its clear we are a steppingstone for him but I do believe he likes playing for Jol.
Not sure if that's enough for him to sign an extension, but I think he may stay to the summer and them waltz off. Depends if the club want or can cash in.
The club could let one of the Dems leave on a free but not both. That's why one has to go before the window ends.

[Matt Inglis]

I've always wondered about this. Could we offer him a contract but promise to let him go if a club comes along offering him a better deal? It would certainly settle both the interests of the club and the player. I do suppose the player might not be too happy with the fact that the club could lie and then not sell them. I don't know, but it's a good point.

[jelmo]

I dont think we will have to sell him cheaply in Jan, in fact it would probably be worth keeping him and letting him go on a free in the summer.

Not sure that for a club our size we should be letting players like Dembele go for free though. Not sure Al Fayed would be too happy with this as it is a lot of potential revenue lost.

Also, would Dembele play to the best of his ability from January onwards if he knew he was going to leave in a few months? Eg - a club like Man United would definitely sing him if they didnt have to pay a transfer fee so why try hard to impress?

[alexbishop]

I think with all that is happening with Clint right now Jol or the board doesn't want the added problem of Dembele's name being hounded around by the press and Dembele being distracted by speculation from playing football. So they've probs asked him if he's happy at the club, he's said yes, and they've said they will start talks with him with the safety of the transfer window being shut and the Clint situation sorted.

Hopefully with Clint dealt with we can put a very generous contract on the table with a good loyalty bonus and fee for his agent plus a minimum fee release of 20m or something so that he'll sign knowing a future with a big club is still possible.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

I dont think we will have to sell him cheaply in Jan, in fact it would probably be worth keeping him and letting him go on a free in the summer.

Not sure that for a club our size we should be letting players like Dembele go for free though. Not sure Al Fayed would be too happy with this as it is a lot of potential revenue lost.

Also, would Dembele play to the best of his ability from January onwards if he knew he was going to leave in a few months? Eg - a club like Man United would definitely sing him if they didnt have to pay a transfer fee so why try hard to impress?

He would absolutely play to the best of his ability for two reasons - 1) He has always been professional and his comments reflect a level headed guy 2) The better he does, the more clubs after him and the better the pay packet at his next place.

My comment about not selling him cheap is this - If we sell him for £4m in Jan would we make that back if we kept him and finished a few places higher up the table? Very possibly.

[TonyGilroy]

We've just signed Petric and Rodellega on Bosmans. That's the system now. We're bound, sometimes, to lose players in the same way.

[SKSW6]

We've just signed Petric and Rodellega on Bosmans. That's the system now. We're bound, sometimes, to lose players in the same way.

With players like AJ, fair enough, but it'd be crazy to let a player of Moussa's quality go for free.

[BlaWhiArmyyyyyy]

I think if a bid doesnt come for him before the window closes he will prob sign a new deal but will have a release clause in or something. He seems to get on well with Jol and is enjoying playing for the club. If he doesnt sign then he will prob walk for free as i cant see us getting £5mil we paid for him in Jan. Rather lose him on a free anyway! Still shows commitment to the team so id have no issue with him playing knowing hes going to leave!

[jelmo]

We've just signed Petric and Rodellega on Bosmans. That's the system now. We're bound, sometimes, to lose players in the same way.

With players like AJ, fair enough, but it'd be crazy to let a player of Moussa's quality go for free.

I agree, Petric was 31 when we got him on a free and Hugo was either out of favour or did not fit into the team. Its different letting arguably your best player just leave on a free though. Especially when a good transfer fee can be achieved. Thats why Arsenal were so desperate to cash in on RVP that they sold him to a premier league rival like Man U rather than let him go for nothing.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

We've just signed Petric and Rodellega on Bosmans. That's the system now. We're bound, sometimes, to lose players in the same way.

With players like AJ, fair enough, but it'd be crazy to let a player of Moussa's quality go for free.

I agree, Petric was 31 when we got him on a free and Hugo was either out of favour or did not fit into the team. Its different letting arguably your best player just leave on a free though. Especially when a good transfer fee can be achieved. Thats why Arsenal were so desperate to cash in on RVP that they sold him to a premier league rival like Man U rather than let him go for nothing.

Realistically though, what can we get. If he refuses to sign a new contract, then clubs will only pay so much, knowing he is available for free in a years time, with another year of experience. We could sell him tomorrow for £5m but that would leave a big whole in the team and little money to replace him.

Fulham's bread and butter is the money from the premier league, not from player transfers. Therefore, it would seem sensible to prioritise that income stream than to sell players and put our place in the premier league at risk.

[MasterHaynes]

Dembele's reaction after the goals and his interaction with the other players tell you he is committed to the team and will give his all while he has a Fulham shirt on. Keeping him for the whole season will definitely put us 3-5 places higher than without him. It also affirms the confidence within the midfield trio of Ruiz, Diarra and himself which will also lift the team. Five places higher this year is worth over £8m, disregarding any extra money we get from full houses because of our performances thats a good amount of money not forgetting the benefits from reaffirming FFC status as a top 10 side.

If we keep him and he leaves for free then we have in effect got £8m for him. On the upside if we do a Newcastle(longshot I know) this season he may well re-sign for another 2 years as he clearly enoys it here, so whats to lose, lets enjoy watching him and stop thinking about the cash. We are a well run company and we have youngsters coming through and if we finish ninth or above we will continue to attract other good players on frees like this summer.

[Jack Fulham]

I'd rather watch Dembele play for us this season than leave on a free although it may not make economic sense. He's just great to watch!

[kempkong]

How come we don't tie people down to big contracts and then sell them like Newcastle did with Carroll...5 year deal and then flogged him


Wil

[ffc73]

I am in the zone that players do not have to be sold before a perceived sell buy date and my thoughts are very similar to many have already posted: -

* enjoy watching him play for FFC in 12/13
* let our scouting network source a replacement
* wish him all the very best when he leaves on a Bosman next summer


Re big contracts Kempkong.  They are a double edged sword.  What if Dembele had been given a 5-year contract and he turned out to be hopeless?  We would then be trying to offload him at loss.  We have given long contracts and extensions to players in the past and then we have difficulty moving them on.  I think that the Simon Davies extension was the one where the business heads at FFC said "enough is enough". 

[jelmo]

Latest reports from the Tuesday news round-up suggest that Manchester United are going to lodge a final day of transfer window bid in order to get him on the cheap. This seems like it might be a similar situation to Victor Moses. Eg - Having to play the team that is courting you during the window.

I can see why Jol and other managers do not like the window being open for 2 weeks after the start of the season...

[fulhamben]

doesnt look like he is going to sign on so we have to sell him. will be gutted if he walks on a free. real slipped up at the weeekend so hopefully jose will come knocking with a stupid bid

[ffc73]

FFC do not have to sell either of Dembele or Dempsey.  Both have one year left on their contracts and their 'book value' will be written down to zero over the term of their contract. 

Get full performance value from them over the agreed contract terms, part amicably, and both parties start anew.

There is no "have to sell" about it

[fulhamben]

FFC do not have to sell either of Dembele or Dempsey.  Both have one year left on their contracts and their 'book value' will be written down to zero over the term of their contract. 

Get full performance value from them over the agreed contract terms, part amicably, and both parties start anew.

There is no "have to sell" about it

so where does that leave us next year. could petentially lose petric diarra dembele dempsey baird hangeland hughes davies and duff all on frees. do you really think mo will cough up 50 million odd to replace them? dont be silly we will sell as it is in the clubs long term intrest to do so. yes we could force them to see out contracts but at what cost. one great season or sustain a decent level in top flight till riverside has been completed and then push on from there