Rory Wilson

[Smithy]

Good prospect, but I'm 100% behind the club sticking to its academy wage structure.  By all means give him a contract that includes a nice bump in wages when he's had a dozen first-team appearances, but £20k+ a week while still in the academy? I don't think so.

According to the Athletic, other clubs are prepared to pay that. Fair enough if we're sticking to a set structure but if there are others prepared to pay substantially more, you also can't blame the player for considering his options. It's not like he's had many first team opportunities, apparently he's rarely trained with the first team squad so Emery obviouslsy thinks he has a long way to go.

If teams are genuinely willing to pay £20k a week to an 18-year-old without a single first-team appearance to his name - at any level - then I don't think that's a game we want to be playing?  Especially in the world of FFP.  Unless of course his wages aren't part of FFP as it counts as "youth investment"?

With the amount of money in the game, it makes sense that some of those riches will start flowing down earlier and earlier in a player's career if the clubs think it can save them £10m in transfer fees.  But these aren't pennies.  Let's say we pay him £20k a week, that's a million a year, if he signs a four or five year contract, then unless he becomes a regular first-team player you'd have to be selling him for multiple millions in order for it to make commercial sense.

[Demitri_C]

20k ?? Is he insane

[Dave]

20k ?? Is he insane

If there are other clubs willing to pay him that then...no?

[Monty]

I imagine Jhon wasn't too dissimilarly paid on his first contract with us?

[Steve67]

20k?  if he's valued at the club, give him the money and a five year contract. If he's willing to sign for 5 years that is.

[cdbearsfan]

The 20K figure was made up here as speculation. We only know we've offered "five figures".

[Mellin]

Never seen him play, he's achieved nothing as of yet and I couldn't pick him out a police line up. Non-story.

[paul_e]

I think the difference between our offer and what he's getting from others is clearly that we still see him as part of the academy and have offered a contract which reflects that whereas other teams are willing to gamble on him in their senior squad and therefore offer better wages.

If he thinks he can get first team football and more money somewhere else then I guess fair play, it's a shame though as I'd have liked to see him get some time around Emery's coaching.

[Villa Lew]

Has just turned 19, will he still be with us, when he celebrates his 20th birthday?

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

I imagine Jhon wasn't too dissimilarly paid on his first contract with us?

Which is what you’d expect having played a lot or at least more first team football.

[cdbearsfan]

Has just turned 19, will he still be with us, when he celebrates his 20th birthday?

Absolutely no chance, sadly.