Douglas Luiz - Confirmed confirmed

[OCD]

End of the day, the better we do, the more our players will be coveted. So the focus has to turn to recruitment and having a robust enough system that we can replace players effectively. We've not really had that before so it's not surprising that we panic when we see history potentially repeating itself. We can see the infrastructure of the club developing so let's hope that we're developed enough in that area to not take a backward step when our players do move on.

[Sexual Ealing]

Good point. Uncharted territory for us in my lifetime though!

[Risso]

I hope that somehow he stays, but worst case scenario is that we get £30m to spend on a replacement.  I'd rather he stayed, but that's still a lot of money these days.

[Sexual Ealing]

And to add,it probably won't come as a surprise to the recruitment team if he does go so they'll be able to get a good look at potential incomings.

[Risso]

And to add,it probably won't come as a surprise to the recruitment team if he does go so they'll be able to get a good look at potential incomings.

Yes indeed, you would hope that they are planning for his replacement already.  If he does stay, then that's a bonus.

[Billy Walker]

Quick Poll:  In January, would you pay £20m to remove the clause if it meant we could not sign anyone else? 
Your answer must begin with YES to NO.

I’m a YES.

I'm a yes and would even go so far as offering them up to forty million in the summer.  That would mean we will have paid a total of 52-ish million for a young, Brazilian international (full of potential) who is fully integrated into our squad and a valued member of the first team.  Yes, it's a lot of money but I think it would be great business for all parties.

[mrfuse]

Quick Poll:  In January, would you pay £20m to remove the clause if it meant we could not sign anyone else? 
Your answer must begin with YES to NO.

I’m a YES.

I'm a yes and would even go so far as offering them up to forty million in the summer.  That would mean we will have paid a total of 52-ish million for a young, Brazilian international (full of potential) who is fully integrated into our squad and a valued member of the first team.  Yes, it's a lot of money but I think it would be great business for all parties.

Yes

Absolutely I absolutely love Luiz.

We knew his creativity was good but now he's adapted to the pace of the English game his positioning and defensive work is getting better all the time.
Possibly down to to the fact his English has improved and he knows the term Man on!

[Brazilian Villain]

Pep signing a new contract according to Daily Heil Twitter. Not good news if true.

Might work in our favour. If Pep stays and decides he wants Messi at Citeh there'll be one less midfield slot available (different position I know) and they'll need money coming in (for FFP) rather than splashing out on another midfielder.

[Dave]

Pep signing a new contract according to Daily Heil Twitter. Not good news if true.

Might work in our favour. If Pep stays and decides he wants Messi at Citeh there'll be one less midfield slot available (different position I know) and they'll need money coming in (for FFP) rather than splashing out on another midfielder.

I imagine that the transfer fee that they would have budgeted for him will be comfortably covered by the fact that they'd be signing him on a free transfer.

The £50m in wages that his three year contract would cost is what they spent on each of their two reserve full-backs.

[kippaxvilla2]

Indeed.  The trappings of being owned by a country and getting off on FFP.

[algy]

Well, we'll know one way or another this summer as that'll be the 2 years up, but I'd see it as either ...

a) He stays put.  The buy out clause expires.  Happy days.
b) They buy him back for £30m ish. We've had a good player on loan for 2 seasons, and even taking in to account his wages have made a modest profit

I don't know, the whole thing seems a lot less one-sided than a loan move. It's a good bit of business whatever happens.

[Risso]

Well, we'll know one way or another this summer as that'll be the 2 years up, but I'd see it as either ...

a) He stays put.  The buy out clause expires.  Happy days.
b) They buy him back for £30m ish. We've had a good player on loan for 2 seasons, and even taking in to account his wages have made a modest profit

I don't know, the whole thing seems a lot less one-sided than a loan move. It's a good bit of business whatever happens.

They are very unlikely to just let the buyout clause expire. Unless he's very badly injured, he's most likely going to be worth more than the buyout amount, so at the very least we'll have to pay an amount to cover his uplift in value.  Otherwise, even if they don't really need him, they just buy him back for £30m, and then sell him to somebody who wants him for more than that.

[Drummond]

I'm guessing a deal will be done in January /February with regards to the buyout.

[DrGonzo]

How would it work?  A secondary transfer fee?  I'd happily see us bung them another £10m to remove Damocle's sword.

[Steve67]

Do any of you actually know what the buy back terms and conditions are?