2023 Summer transfer window - hopes, needs, expectations and rumours.

[dave.woodhall]

The thing about earning a fortune, though, is that much wants more. If you have a million pound a year lifestyle you'll want to keep it for the rest of your life and if you only have ten years or so to earn enough to do that you'll want to earn as much as you can in that time. 

I suppose that having grown up on a council estate in Birmingham and not having had three meals a day every day,  I feel blessed to live a life that I view as unboundedly affluent and struggle to understand why anyone cares about earning an amount of money I literally cannot comprehend.

As I said, much wants more. I suppose that given how massively motivated a footballer has to be to get to the top, a similar motivation might kick in with regards to money and shiny things.

[Small Rodent]

It really is a weird human thing that once you get loads and you are in a comfortable unassailable place, many start hoarding and wanting more than they ever need as though they are the people at most risk of losing everything.

[AV84]

I don’t agree that once Diaby signs for a Saudi club his European football career and chance of being successful would be finished. He could spend 3 seasons over there and still be coming into his prime.

This is in reference to the big quote but didn’t want to quote as it was taking up masses of space.

I suppose the worry would be what happens when the player wants to come back to Europe. What kind of selling price would we be talking about? Is someone who could be looking at a top Prem side now still be wanted by that level after 3 years of playing in a league of questionable quality? Are they setting themselves back in their standing in European football? Basically pressing pause on their careers?  They're all "what ifs" and admittedly negative ones, but it's something I would be considering if I was in their position.

But again that obviously depends on what their motivation is. Maybe they kill their career but they've made more money in 3 years than they would have in 10 playing for us so does it really matter?

[mike]

The thing about earning a fortune, though, is that much wants more. If you have a million pound a year lifestyle you'll want to keep it for the rest of your life and if you only have ten years or so to earn enough to do that you'll want to earn as much as you can in that time. 

I suppose that having grown up on a council estate in Birmingham and not having had three meals a day every day,  I feel blessed to live a life that I view as unboundedly affluent and struggle to understand why anyone cares about earning an amount of money I literally cannot comprehend.

As I said, much wants more. I suppose that given how massively motivated a footballer has to be to get to the top, a similar motivation might kick in with regards to money and shiny things.

I was guided by the wisdom of my father who grew up in abject poverty and viewed the bare basics of life as all that you should aim for materially and once you achieve that your happiness will depend upon your ability to appreciate the important things in life (clearly he would have expressed it very differently). However, other people from poor backgrounds react to poverty by an obsessive need for enrichment. I don’t get how people earning millions, footballers or bankers or international drug dealers, don’t just recognise the ephemeral nature of existence and pursue unbounded hedonism, a comfortable family existence, travelling the world or whatever their thing is rather than waste their precious hours on earth accumulating more money than they can reasonably spend.

[Beard82]

Any news on a decent goalkeeper? I watched the pravda training video and was a tad concerned to see Sweden's 6 yard box hugger still very much involved

Concerningly I think hes here to stay. 

In fact, I heard the new north stand is going to be named after him. 

[Small Rodent]

The thing about earning a fortune, though, is that much wants more. If you have a million pound a year lifestyle you'll want to keep it for the rest of your life and if you only have ten years or so to earn enough to do that you'll want to earn as much as you can in that time. 

I suppose that having grown up on a council estate in Birmingham and not having had three meals a day every day,  I feel blessed to live a life that I view as unboundedly affluent and struggle to understand why anyone cares about earning an amount of money I literally cannot comprehend.

As I said, much wants more. I suppose that given how massively motivated a footballer has to be to get to the top, a similar motivation might kick in with regards to money and shiny things.

I was guided by the wisdom of my father who grew up in abject poverty and viewed the bare basics of life as all that you should aim for materially and once you achieve that your happiness will depend upon your ability to appreciate the important things in life (clearly he would have expressed it very differently). However, other people from poor backgrounds react to poverty by an obsessive need for enrichment. I don’t get how people earning millions, footballers or bankers or international drug dealers, don’t just recognise the ephemeral nature of existence and pursue unbounded hedonism, a comfortable family existence, travelling the world or whatever their thing is rather than waste their precious hours on earth accumulating more money than they can reasonably spend.

You are both saying the same thing. I agree.

[ozzjim]

I don’t agree that once Diaby signs for a Saudi club his European football career and chance of being successful would be finished. He could spend 3 seasons over there and still be coming into his prime.

This is in reference to the big quote but didn’t want to quote as it was taking up masses of space.

I suppose the worry would be what happens when the player wants to come back to Europe. What kind of selling price would we be talking about? Is someone who could be looking at a top Prem side now still be wanted by that level after 3 years of playing in a league of questionable quality? Are they setting themselves back in their standing in European football? Basically pressing pause on their careers?  They're all "what ifs" and admittedly negative ones, but it's something I would be considering if I was in their position.

But again that obviously depends on what their motivation is. Maybe they kill their career but they've made more money in 3 years than they would have in 10 playing for us so does it really matter?

Depends... If there is an accommodating champions league side to loan 2-3 players to showcase those talents with minimum risk in the prem to help said player move back into European football, the risk for some may be minimal.
Not that I think Diaby and Neves could end up on loan at Newcastle. Howe was asked this week about loaning fellow PIF players and admitted it wasn't out of the question. Rules need sorting, quickly.

[john2710]

Diaby's going nowhere until any club that wants him agrees a fee with Leverkusen. That's the hold up & they don't need to sell.

He's seemingly indicated that he's happy to come to us & no doubt we've established the basis of a contract with him. I think we'll get him by the weekend.

[algy]

There’s a couple of things with players moving to the Saudi leagues.

First, they’re not going to be on anything approaching the wages they’ve become accustomed to. Not necessarily a problem if they’re world class, but say if they’re not …. I mean, they’re putting even mid table Premier League clubs out of the picture, so unless they’re exceptional they’re going to struggle to reintegrate.

Second, the standard of competition and, I’d guess, coaching is likely to be sub-French league. Maybe they’ll improve there, but I think it’s more likely that a player will stagnate. So someone like Diaby, currently very promising, probably isn’t going to be seen as anything more than that whilst he’s there, and potentially by the time he returns it’ll make more sense for a national team to focus on an upcoming players rather than one who’s spent the past 3 years doing nothing.

 I don’t expect Diaby is seriously considering the Saudi offer outside of bumping his wages up maybe. If he is considering it, he’s an idiot.

[AV84]

Diaby's going nowhere until any club that wants him agrees a fee with Leverkusen. That's the hold up & they don't need to sell.

He's seemingly indicated that he's happy to come to us & no doubt we've established the basis of a contract with him. I think we'll get him by the weekend.

I read yesterday that Leverkusen want it wrapped up before they head off somewhere for preseason camp this weekend. But yeah, I don't think they want/need to sell him, so they can hold out for as long as they like, in theory.

[SoccerHQ]

Diaby's going nowhere until any club that wants him agrees a fee with Leverkusen. That's the hold up & they don't need to sell.

He's seemingly indicated that he's happy to come to us & no doubt we've established the basis of a contract with him. I think we'll get him by the weekend.

I read yesterday that Leverkusen want it wrapped up before they head off somewhere for preseason camp this weekend. But yeah, I don't think they want/need to sell him, so they can hold out for as long as they like, in theory.

It's not like we just sold Grealish straight away, remember all that messing about at that country club in South London when he was training away from the group for a day or two.

Arsenal also took about two weeks to sign Rice even after agreeing a fee with West Ham so ultimately the game changing signings can take time.

He's a very good player and one we really do need if we want to get into the top 6 soon.

I'm pretty relaxed by this. He's been in previous France squads so imagine Digne and Kamara are telling him how good it is here. He also didn't make the France world cup squad so I'd imagine he wants to stay in europe and Deschamps will be keeping track of our games next season so makes more sense to me than going to Saudi Land and disappearing from the radar a bit.

I think he'll sign but not sure it will be in time for the States tour.

If we gave Digne 100k + then I assume Diaby as potential 50m signing will be in 150-200k bracket so that will be a massive increase on what he's earning at Leverkusen so I think that will be enough.

[AV84]

I feel like we'll get the deal done too, and although I know we're all guilty of playing into it, if there's even a hint of a Saudi club being interested in a player, the media will blow it up because its currently very click baity material.

All the reliable sources (basically Romano on twitter) have implied he wants to come to us.

[Sexual Ealing]

The Saudi version of Islam isn't really similar to that which most Muslims practice. I doubt it's a factor.

[Matt C]

Wouldn’t rule us out of Diaby yet, seems like we’ve made a second bid and his club are thinking about it based on the reputable sources.

[CT Villan]

The thing about earning a fortune, though, is that much wants more. If you have a million pound a year lifestyle you'll want to keep it for the rest of your life and if you only have ten years or so to earn enough to do that you'll want to earn as much as you can in that time. 

I suppose that having grown up on a council estate in Birmingham and not having had three meals a day every day,  I feel blessed to live a life that I view as unboundedly affluent and struggle to understand why anyone cares about earning an amount of money I literally cannot comprehend.

As I said, much wants more. I suppose that given how massively motivated a footballer has to be to get to the top, a similar motivation might kick in with regards to money and shiny things.

I was guided by the wisdom of my father who grew up in abject poverty and viewed the bare basics of life as all that you should aim for materially and once you achieve that your happiness will depend upon your ability to appreciate the important things in life (clearly he would have expressed it very differently). However, other people from poor backgrounds react to poverty by an obsessive need for enrichment. I don’t get how people earning millions, footballers or bankers or international drug dealers, don’t just recognise the ephemeral nature of existence and pursue unbounded hedonism, a comfortable family existence, travelling the world or whatever their thing is rather than waste their precious hours on earth accumulating more money than they can reasonably spend.

You are both saying the same thing. I agree.

Well, I just bought 3 tickets for tomorrow's CT Powerball lottery. The jackpot is 1 billion USD (Yes, with a B). You never know! I'll be sure to tell you if I want more after I win