Transfer gossip.

[Bill and ben]

Take the 8. Losing him will give us space and cash to improve and that's more important than worrying about one of our 6 or so rivals.

besides they have adapted quite well to their situation and I cannot see him improving them.

of course if another team came in with 7 mill....

 

[Beauseant]

We can sell him to a number of teams so why sell to Bournemouth? Much safer to ship him off to somewhere like Derby or Middlesbrough.

Alex and McNally both know what they're doing and are in possession of all the facts. All of our opinions are based on conjecture and trying to join the dots.

 

[Bill and ben]

If Derby or Boro make a bid that's not far short of 8 and if he is willing to go then the decision is made as far as I'm concerned.  But will both be true?

 

[Canaryboy]

I was one of those who thought we should snap Bournemouth's hand off for £7m in the last window. 

But one of the brightest young managers in the game wants to pay £8m for him, and another of the brightest young managers in the game doesn't want to sell him to that club for £8m.

So I'm going to trust their judgement and conclude that Grabban would be too important for Bournemouth. 

 

[Bill and ben]

It makes no sense to sell him to the first bidder for 8. If one of the brightest young managers thinks he is that vital to b'mouth they'll bid a lot more, after all they don't have a problem overspending. 

My opinion is that if the only bid on the table on deadline day is the 8, then do the deal. 

Of course the paid employees are in a far better place to know what's best than any of us, but wouldn't life be boring if no one discussed their ill formed, semi researched, subjective nonsense opinions!?  Incidentally we don't know that AN wants to keep him or keep him away from them. We know only that the club feels that this is not the right deal for today.

 

[eatonparkboy]

Do you think maybe the player himself might want a say in this? What is best for his future prospects? Surely that might have a bearing on the outcome?

 

[Canaryboy]

Do you think maybe the player himself might want a say in this? What is best for his future prospects? Surely that might have a bearing on the outcome?

I'm sure if he is desperately unhappy here we'd allow him to leave at the earliest opportunity, just not necessarily to Bournemouth. 

 

[lyb]

Does anyone think we're pursuing anything on the Byram front? My feeling is no, otherwise I'd have thought we would have been a bit more amenable on the Lafferty front, unless we have and Byram has ruled it out.

 

[Canaryboy]

Man city bought big players from Arsenal

Not in January when they look like the two favorites to win the Premier League?

Sagna, Clichy and Nasri all summer signings. 

 

[morty]

Does anyone think we're pursuing anything on the Byram front? My feeling is no, otherwise I'd have thought we would have been a bit more amenable on the Lafferty front, unless we have and Byram has ruled it out.

Meh, not getting a warm feeling about it, but who knows.

 

[eatonparkboy]

AN refers to Pinto as "giving us options" at the back describing him as an athletic, big lad. Many full backs have converted to centre back, successfully, I add, in many cases and I'm wondering whether this may be seen as his role with us.

Many continental coaches and players do see defending differently to us Brits and are quite happy to move along a back 3/4.

 

[Lavanche]

I think Pinto has only played as RB and never even at the right of three CB's so can't see him as CB even thought his frame would allow it. 

Probably can do the job if we are in need, but would be odd to signing for that purpose mainly.

 

[KeiranShikari]

Probably means options as in him playing a bit further forward and Russ Martin going to join Bassong and Bennett in a back 3. Wait, we've already played 3 at the back. Or It's just a generic phrase meaning that he is an option because he is a footballer.

Seems that Whitt's days are numbered, Wouldn't be surprised to see him Rejoin Rangers on a free next summer.

 

[morty]

Alex Neil just said at press conference that if anyone wants Lafferty they have to buy him, we are not interested in loaning him out.

 

[It's Character Forming]

Alex Neil just said at press conference that if anyone wants Lafferty they have to buy him, we are not interested in loaning him out.

Interesting... not sure what to make of that !

 

[Canaryboy]

Alex Neil just said at press conference that if anyone wants Lafferty they have to buy him, we are not interested in loaning him out.

Hmmm, I wouldn't usually have a problem with that stance, because any team that wants Lafferty on loan is unlikely to be able to cover his entire wages now that he'd have had his big Premier League pay rise so he's pretty much saying that Lafferty will need to take a pay cut if he wants to move. 

But feels a bit harsh on Lafferty who wants match fitness before the Euro's? 

Alex Neil could just be calling peoples bluff of course, see if anybody bites with a bid in the transfer window and then loaning him out in the loan window if nobody takes the bait, or trying to use him as a makeweight to get the Byram fee down perhaps? 

 

[GJP]

Interesting... not sure what to make of that !

Seems pretty straightforward to me.

 

[KeiranShikari]

Yup - we want rid.

 

[Beauseant]

Ultimately what's best for Lafferty is irrelevant. He is an asset of NCFC so if they want cash for him it's their prerogative. The more unwanted players we sell the more cash for new acquisitions!

Its just unfortunate the Five Bellies Evans has taken it upon himself to conduct his negotiations via the media, but what do you expect from that car crash of a club?

 

[Indy_Bones]

We should just sell him to Bournemouth and worry about getting the points to climb up the table instead of worrying about potential relegation scenarios.

I'm with Gaffer on this one.

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?

If selling Grabban to Bournemouth for 8 mil meant we could get a proven striker such as Austin or similar, rather than sell to to likes of Derby or Boro for 4 mil and get someone just as unproven as Mbokani (or as mediocre as Grabban), then I'll take the 8 mil every time and let Bournemouth worry about what we're going to do with a top striker upfront whilst they're playing Grabban...