Summer 2025 Transfer Window - hopes, speculation, rumours etc.

[Dave]

Have never tried the African Guinness, meant to be a lot stronger but obviously very popular in Africa.

I picked up a bottle a couple of years back out of curiosity, genuinely the worst beer I've ever tasted. It was like engine oil.

I can normally struggle through a bad beer, but this was dreadful.

[pauliewalnuts]

Plenty of people tried to kid themselves during covid times that the cans weren't actually bad. A myth quickly dispelled as soon as the pubs reopened. I like it just a bit cooler than room temperature, cold Guinness isn't for me, and it's not a drink for warm weather either. Goes flat quickly.

Have never tried the African Guinness, meant to be a lot stronger but obviously very popular in Africa.

Heineken tried the frankly awful Islands Edge here recently anyway, like a tea after taste off it. No surprise it bombed but they still brew the perfectly reasonable Murphys and Beamish with little or no marketing. Murphy's is decent, bit sweeter than Guinness for me. Beamish, of course Cork has to be different, but very popular down there. Pretty stouty/filling but still ok for 2-3.

Bit cooler than room temperature Guinness - 15/10
Can of Guinness - 3/10
Cold Guinness- 3/10
African Guinness - 3/10
Islands Edge - 2/10
Murphy’s - 4/10
Beamish - 4/10

That Brewdog Stout - 0/10.

[Tuscans]

🚨 NEW: Leon Bailey to AS Roma — €4m paid loan, €16m option to buy.
@OAccomando91
 

[PeterWithe]

If true that seems another low fee coming in.

[Nev]

The worst pint of Guiness I ever had was in the Palace Bar in Dublin.

My local does a cracking pint but that's 'cos lots of people drink it in there, particularly the old Irish chap who sinks half a dozen every night of the week.

[PaulWinch again]

That would be very low.

[Steve67]

🚨 NEW: Leon Bailey to AS Roma — €4m paid loan, €16m option to buy.
@OAccomando91
 

Seems a bit, get him off the books at any price so we can bring another player in. Whoever comes in, I hope they offer more than Bailey has over the last couple of years. He’s been very disappointing and this move suits all parties.

[cdbearsfan]

He was mostly excellent the season before last. Can't see his value going up so would rather get cash up front or make it a deal with a compulsory purchase at the end.

[Stu82]

Reports that we still can't spend the £40m raised from selling Ramsey is very concerning if true. How are the finances so dire especially after having the highest turnover ever last season on the back of playing in the Champions League? The squad depth is looking thin - a couple of injuries could easily derail the season early. Our top-six rivals have mostly all strengthened.

But that's the problem. We are not short of cash indeed we have owners that want to spend but are prevented from doing so. The absurdity of PSR is it seems to only look at revenue and not at the overall financial health of a club.You can have mountains of debt as long as you have the revenue to service it. Being debt free like us counts for nothing.

The answer is that our wages as a % of revenue has been the problem and we are playing catch up.

Hopefully this isn't a silly question, but if it is wages as a % of turnover, what year does this apply to?
We have just finished 24/25 season,  so is it 23/24 that we are punished for, as this last season as our wage bill as a percentage would be much lower.

[paul_e]

So effectively a £20m fee if they keep him, seems ok to me, I wouldn't have expected much more.

[Stu]

The worst pint of Guiness I ever had was in the Palace Bar in Dublin.

My local does a cracking pint but that's 'cos lots of people drink it in there, particularly the old Irish chap who sinks half a dozen every night of the week.

You would think a bar in Dublin would be selling shitloads of the muck, which I believe means you’re assured of a decent pint of the crap because it’s pasteurised? Something like that?

Anyway, I’ll have a pint of Carling please

[eamonn]

So effectively a £20m fee if they keep him, seems ok to me, I wouldn't have expected much more.

In euros, so closer to £18m sterling. I thought we'd get closer to £25m but then I thought Ramsey should have fetched £50m