2024 January transfer window - hopes, needs, expectations and rumours.

[pauliewalnuts]

Yes, not doing a deal at the same time as Azaz looks very, very odd.

Reckon there's been some agent activity since then.

[pablo_picasso]

One thing I would add though, is that I think we adjusted our price for Azaz to suit their budget. And while we have wealthy owners, FFP / P&S rules means that we are quite tight in terms of budget, so if Boro want a sale, as is their new model of buying young & turning a profit, then they are going to have to work with us, as we did with them & Azaz.

How did we work with Boro to suit their budget? I think it is far more likely that at the end of last season Azaz signed his contract extension with a clause he could leave for x amount of money and he's gone for that.

I don't really see how Boro have any obligation to work with us for their player, either, tbh. If we want him, we're going to pay what he's worth on the market, they are operating by selling players on, yes, but then again, so is almost every other club.

Back to Azaz, I think it's easy to forget, he is not really a home grown product for us even if he is for FFP purposes - he joined at the start of the 22-23 season, already aged 21, was loaned out for two seasons and then sold. I don't think he's spent much time around Bodymoor, so he's really not a youth product, he's a commodity (basically, horrible word though it is) that we've just made a couple of million quid for.

I have mentioned it previously that Azaz numbers rival the likes of Aaron Ramsey who went for £15M, Dewsbury-Hall who is lauded as one of the best players in the Championship & much better than the likes of Alex Scott who went for £25M.

And I live in Plymouth so talk to several regular match going fans who absolutely sang his praises every week he played.

So £2M is absolutely nowhere near where his performances & stats suggest he should be valued at.

In my humble opinion.

Im not stating that we 100% worked with Boro & their budget. That is my summation of the situation.

But I agree, Azaz was a "commodity", who was purchased to sell. And I accept that without argument. I just think he was worth a lot more than £2M.

And you are correct, Boro have no obligation to work with us, but considering we have just loaned them Archer, A. Ramsey & practically gave them Azaz for the price of a crate of pork scratchings, it might be good business for them to work with us.

Especially considering we have another crop of youngsters who will be coming out of the oven fairly soon in the likes of Young, Feeney, Broggio, Wilson, Proctor, etc.

[Gareth]

I guess the fee represents what the clubs believe is the ceiling of his potential - if the belief is Championship is his limit then 2k might be spot on, I suspect there is some protection included to get a percentage of any profit if he does become a Premier League player.

I’m not big on comparing stats, there are too many variables such as opposition / style of play, it’s in the eye of those doing the spotting to assess

If I’m Boro and I’m under no pressure to sell I’d be wanting to get top dollar, be that 10m+ to subsidise a couple of players who might push them right into the mix to go up.

[pablo_picasso]

Yeah, I suppose you are absolutely right, that Boro should be looking after their own interests.

I just think we undervalue some of our sales.

But, I have said my piece on it & it's probably boring the shit out of everybody, so I will shut the fuck up about it from the now. 😂👍

[Gareth]

Yeah, I suppose you are absolutely right, that Boro should be looking after their own interests.

I just think we undervalue some of our sales.

But, I have said my piece on it & it's probably boring the shit out of everybody, so I will shut the fuck up about it from the now. 😂👍

🤣 don’t stop or I’ll start going on about VAR offsides being a sham again and that’s more boring.

[pablo_picasso]

Yeah, I suppose you are absolutely right, that Boro should be looking after their own interests.

I just think we undervalue some of our sales.

But, I have said my piece on it & it's probably boring the shit out of everybody, so I will shut the fuck up about it from the now. 😂👍

🤣 don’t stop or I’ll start going on about VAR offsides being a sham again and that’s more boring.

Or graphic design elements being a mistake or not... 👀😂

[Malandro]

Yeah, I suppose you are absolutely right, that Boro should be looking after their own interests.

I just think we undervalue some of our sales.

But, I have said my piece on it & it's probably boring the shit out of everybody, so I will shut the fuck up about it from the now. 😂👍

Not boring at all, just discussing it! 👍

[pauliewalnuts]

Classic example of a tweet which has come from someone in the player’s camp (ie his agent)

Romano:

🟣🔵 Aston Villa have submitted an improved, significant new offer to Middlesbrough for Morgan Rogers.

Rogers remains Aston Villa's and Unai Emery's priority for January window. 

Rogers sees this as a huge opportunity and wants #AVFC move.

[pablo_picasso]

Having said all I have said about Rogers, I hadn't actually checked his stats for this year at Boro & I am surprised to find out that he has 6 goals & 9 assists (possibly 10 assists if todays hasn't been added yet) in 32 games.

For some reason, I had it in my head that he only had one or two of each. Maybe I got his stats confused with Alex Scotts.

Granted 4 goals & 3 assists have come from the EFL Cup, but still, overall, it's pretty impressive from the left wing / number 10 role.

I hadn't realised he had played 32 games either.

So that makes me re-evaluate my valuation of him & probably The Malandros numbers of £8M-£10M is probably about right...

[VillaTim]

did he play against us in the cup game ?
(edit just checked he played the whole game, can't say i recall him. It was such a poor game though)

[AV84]

Nobody is asking the important question about Rogers. Is he good looking enough to play in the most handsome squad in the Premier League? Or are we definitely going to have to buy Zaniolo in the summer to keep the balance.

[LeonW]

Yeah, I suppose you are absolutely right, that Boro should be looking after their own interests.

I just think we undervalue some of our sales.

But, I have said my piece on it & it's probably boring the shit out of everybody, so I will shut the fuck up about it from the now. 😂👍

Not boring at all, just discussing it! 👍

I agree and I think Pablo might have a point here. When you think how much the likes of R.Brewster went for. I do wonder whether part of this is about immediate sales for FFP rather  than waiting the buying club out. We have largely got better at this however, at least compared to what we use to be like.

[PaulWinch again]

Having said all I have said about Rogers, I hadn't actually checked his stats for this year at Boro & I am surprised to find out that he has 6 goals & 9 assists (possibly 10 assists if todays hasn't been added yet) in 32 games.

For some reason, I had it in my head that he only had one or two of each. Maybe I got his stats confused with Alex Scotts.

Granted 4 goals & 3 assists have come from the EFL Cup, but still, overall, it's pretty impressive from the left wing / number 10 role.

I hadn't realised he had played 32 games either.

So that makes me re-evaluate my valuation of him & probably The Malandros numbers of £8M-£10M is probably about right...

£10m is mooted to be the valuation, which sounds reasonable enough to me.

[VinnieChase84]

Imagine this gets done after their cup game Tuesday

[VillaTim]

Imagine this gets done after their cup game Tuesday

what if Boro win