Transfer gossip.

[Din]

If Bournemouth had signed a guy from abroad with a mediocre record who'd already shown he wasn't good enough for this level for 8 mil (and had previously shown a shocking level of disrepect to club, players, manager and fans), we'd all be laughing our socks off, so why should we worry about where the player comes from?

The circumstances here are quite different though. Let's be honest Grabban, even at Championship level, isn't fantastic. He's not a particularly good finisher, not great in the air and won't win many physical battles. However the fact that Eddie Howe managed to turn him into a prolific goalscorer the season before we signed him says a lot. Howe knows how to get the best out of him, and plays a style that suits him perfectly. Grabban is also very clearly a confidence player as well. A move back to Bournemouth and a regular first team place will give him bags of confidence. Whilst I agree we should just be concentrating on what we do, if he helps Bournemouth to go on a great run of form then that could have a negative knock-on effect at our end.

 

[Lavanche]

Afobe is near signing for Bournemouth for 10 million. So by selling Grabban we would probably have had 2 million difference and a striker who would have trust of our coaching staff and fans.

In my opinion this would have been no brainer and I would have sold even if Afobe deal wasn't sure. Even if Howe gets everything out from Grabban we really should not concentrate too much if we strenghten our opponents but if we can strenghten ourselves. 

Anyway seems that Bournemouth now takes our transfer target and we keep Grabban. Can't see much win for us from it. 

 

[morty]

Afobe is near signing for Bournemouth for 10 million. So by selling Grabban we would probably have had 2 million difference and a striker who would have trust of our coaching staff and fans.

In my opinion this would have been no brainer and I would have sold even if Afobe deal wasn't sure. Even if Howe gets everything out from Grabban we really should not concentrate too much if we strenghten our opponents but if we can strenghten ourselves. 

Anyway seems that Bournemouth now takes our transfer target and we keep Grabban. Can't see much win for us from it. 

Thing is, thats assuming that the "Bournmouth offerred 8 million for Grabban" story is true. My gut feeling is that it was a load of old ballcocks.

 

[bloodwagon]

Wish i could find the piece, saying he cost them 10 mill with addons raises to 16 mil.

 

[Beauseant]

Thing is, thats assuming that the "Bournmouth offerred 8 million for Grabban" story is true. My gut feeling is that it was a load of old ballcocks.

Also lots of assumptions that we wanted Afobe in this window but no evidence. I think Alex made it quite clear that we think he's vastly overpriced. Anyway, Naismith soon.

 

[Number 9]

It has been said by someone who is supposed to be itk, that Naismith will have medical next few days.

 

[Beauseant]

It has been said by someone who is supposed to be itk, that Naismith will have medical next few days.

Yes, that's a good source. He's seldom wrong.

 

[Lavanche]

Thing is, thats assuming that the "Bournmouth offerred 8 million for Grabban" story is true. My gut feeling is that it was a load of old ballcocks.

Yeah ofc rumours are always rumours and we never know which one of them are true except ones that gets trough.

But at the end in my opinion we shouldnt be too afraid selling if we think we can get better replacement.

 

[eatonparkboy]

Yeah ofc rumours are always rumours and we never know which one of them are true except ones that gets trough.

But at the end in my opinion we shouldnt be too afraid selling if we think we can get better replacement.

Yes, that makes sense. Grabban may have made Bournemouth worse than our replacement improves us.

 

[Canaryboy]

Bournemouth linked with Grabban in the summer, then sign Glenn Murray from Palace on deadline day. Murray and Gayle both our targets, Palace only prepared to sell one of them so Gayle move falls through. 

Bournemouth linked with Grabban in January window, then sign Afobe, one of our summer transfer targets.

Anybody get the feeling that Eddie Howe has just played us like a fiddle two windows in a row?

What now for Grabban? Not named in the 18 yesterday, surely if Alex Neil had plans for him he'd be giving him minutes. 

 

[Canaryboy]

I don't think we are in desperate need of a striker, Naismith got some goals in him if we can complete on that, I fancy Mbokani to come into his own in the second half of the season.

That said, I wouldn't say no to Ross McCormack, especially as he is versitile and can play on the flanks or deeper. 

 

[morty]

Sky reporting Bournemouth have put an official bid for Grabban.

 

[dj161]

Its time we just sold him already and move on, and spend the money on an upgrade such as Naismith

 

[Lavanche]

Where are they getting all this money? Afobe 10 with big addons, Grabban reportedly 8 and Iturbe loan with more than 15 million buy option.

Anyway I would sell as I said earlier. Naismith or someone else will replace him and we will have a player who we are willing to let play and wants to play for us. 

 

[ZLF]

russian billionaire is the backer...

 

[GJP]

Plucky, little Bournemouth.

 

[KeiranShikari]

If/when the Naismith deal happens I think we'll let Grabban go. I just hope we sign another forward too, although the priority should still be the central defender.

Asking Norwich to sign 5 first team players in a 1 month window is probably a bit much.

 

[Canaryboy]

Asking Norwich to sign 5 first team players in a 1 month window is probably a bit much.

And that pace of change is far too great. 

If we were to go and sign 5 players in this window, and 5 in the next window, that is something like 13 players aged over 21 who would need to leave the club. 

2 or 3 in this window, 2 or 3 in the summer, trying to improve the XI each time. 

Norwich fans are always screaming about needing this or needing that (maybe that is all football fans?) but you change too much and you end up destroying the most important thing that a club like us can ever have, which is a great team spirit and togetherness.

I'd much rather we built slowly with a focus purely on quality over quantity, and would be happy if we left some of our business to the summer if it meant signing the right player and actually solving issues for the long term, rather than giving a three and a half year deal to somebody who you want to replace again in the summer and are lumbered with (Becchio?). 

 

[KeiranShikari]

As long as we're replacing good characters with other good characters I don't think I'd be too worried about a high player turnover rate for a few windows, as long as the overall quality of the squad is improving and we have a good manager at the helm. Look at Watford.  

For the moment we have some players that will obviously leave but that will get tougher in the summer for sure.

 

[Canaryboy]

Also got to question whether 5 signings in this window and then 5+ signings in the next window would leave us with players who are actually an improvement on what we have.

That would be spreading whatever our budget is pretty thin.

We should be looking to sign the types of players who cost £10m+ and command high wages.

I'd rather we signed 2 or 3 real quality £10m+ players in the summer than spread the budget thin over players who ultimately probably won't improve on what we have or are cheap for a reason other than lack of ability, the only reason we got Leroy Fer in a cut price deal was because he was permanently crocked. 

Since failed two medicals and we have to be thankful that Tony Fernandes is the eternal mug, because they can't shift him now.

So if anything I want us to progress slowly purely because its about time we started to attract genuine proven quality and that costs a lot of money, and a single genuine top class talent can completely transform a team.

Look at the impact Dimitri Payet had on West Ham. Not sure how much they dropped on him, 8 figure sum apparently, so probably £15m? 

One huge signing at the back, one huge signing at the front, could completely transform our side. 

The less players we sign the more we can spend one each player. Imagine Swansea going down we spent our entire budget on Williams and Sigurdsson from Swansea and Loic Remy from Chelsea, would completely transform our team.

Quality over quantity going forward for me.