Harvey Elliott (signed on loan)

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Can we send him back? I thought we had an obligation to buy?

[PaulWinch again]

If he plays a certain number of games. But I think he has the craft and creativity we are really short of in the squad in general. It’s odd how his career has started here, but I don’t think there’s a chance a player comes here if Unai isn’t very aware of what they can do.

[brontebilly]

Footballers fortunes can change quickly. Needs a start during the week. Barkley getting a few cameos at 10 recently and doing ok isn't great news for Elliot. Id like to see him in Guessands spot on Thurs.

[LeeB]

Perosnally - given the FFP stuff - I would send him back at the earliest opportunity.  If were spending 35-40m we need it to get a player we need to be sure as we cant afford mis-steps.

Emery clearly doesnt fancy him - and only sees him as a 10.  Theres at least 4 players ahead of him in that role so we may as well not bother bringing him home tonight ;-)

Me too. I've never been fully convinced by him anyway but was grateful to see him given our summer business.

But if the deal is as reported I would not  in any way risk triggering it.

[Rigadon]

The summer signings / loans look like mistakes right now don’t they.  If we really have agreed to this deal it’s pretty crap. 

[Richard]

Footballers fortunes can change quickly. Needs a start during the week. Barkley getting a few cameos at 10 recently and doing ok isn't great news for Elliot. Id like to see him in Guessands spot on Thurs.

Not only Barkley but Buendia and Tielemans likely back in training this week, so not sure where that leaves Elliott. Overall though we need to carry more of a goal threat so I'd prefer him to Guessand.

[aj2k77]

The summer signings / loans look like mistakes right now don’t they.  If we really have agreed to this deal it’s pretty crap. 

They looked crap at the time. It didn't take hindsight to take a dim view of our summer dealings under Monchi's supervision. His dealings as a whole were terrible and that's why he's been moved on. Lindelof and Sancho two appalling wastes of money and Guessand a terribly scouted rip off deal that Crystal Palace steered clear of when they heard of the costs involved for a player in his mid 20's who has never done anything but for one season.

[Drummond]

Independent reporting the 10 game trigger. Which all makes sense to me. We'll see more of him soon enough and by my reckoning he'll make a big difference.

[eamonn]

Funny how we all dismissed the clause til recently!

If true, I guess it makes sense that Emery gets him up to speed in training first to understand his methods.

Otherwise, he risks "wasting" the 10 opportunities he has to run the rule over Elliott before making a decision to buy or not.

[PaulWinch again]

Independent reporting the 10 game trigger. Which all makes sense to me. We'll see more of him soon enough and by my reckoning he'll make a big difference.

What’s the context of the report? I.e. we don’t want to trigger a permanent transfer or that we want to delay for PSR?

[Somniloquism]

They are just commenting that there is 10 but we haven't hit it yet, with a comment from Emery that he is more a 10 or needs to learn how to play right side like McGinn (the latter is strange as that was his position for England and Liverpool but....). I still expect him to get matches leading up to Jan though although it depends who might leave and who might come in with our new recruitmant master.

[PaulWinch again]

Thanks. It’s an odd one, but frankly he’s a very talented player and our general attacking play hasn’t fired. We need his craft.