Hokey Cokey thread

[Durhamfootman]

Sunderland sign an 11th player

Grealish to Everton on loan

[sussexpob]

Ornstein claiming Isak considers himself done at Newcastle, and will refuse to play for the side again.

I would love for Newcastle to make an official complaint about tapping up to the PL or courts. Its quite clear this is a concerted effort from player and Liverpool to force Newcastle to accept a price lower than they'd have liked.

[Durhamfootman]

It might backfire on them all

It could become totemic with Newcastle feeling that they have no choice but to keep the player, just to show the rest of the PSR privileged clubs that they can't use this as a template to force their will on other clubs who have a player they want.

The Newcastle owners wealth doesn't help them with PSR compliance, but Isak and his wages are already baked into the calculation, so PIF's wealth means they could easily afford to pay his wages for the foreseeable even if the player refuses to play. In the meantime Liverpool will have no choice but to move on (until January at least), the player won't be playing (with a World cup next year) and the club can hold out for 3 years, should they wish

My understanding, from what I've read, is that the owners have told him he won't be sold and he won't be allowed to go anywhere near the team until he gets his head around that fact. I have no problem with Newcastle moving the player on in January or next summer to an overseas club where he can't hurt them week in, week out. The owners might be much more pragmatic about a sale than I am, but they'd have to be crazy to let him go to a direct rival.

If he continues to refuse to play after the window closes, then they could probably arrange a loan deal in another league and at least ship his wages (which are certainly within the range of clubs, who couldn't otherwise afford to buy him) off the PSR bill. Maybe arrange a season long loan with an option to buy in a year's time at PSG or Madrid or similar. The player will become much more affordable to many more teams in a years time with 2 years left on his contract, rather than 3 if Newcastle want to play hardball with Liverpool and refuse to sell to a PL club

If the owners capitulate under player, agent and Liverpool pressure, they'll leave themselves wide open to raids on other players by other 'big 6' clubs

[Durhamfootman]

in the meantime, I guess Isak's statue will be put on hold

[Durhamfootman]

Newcastle have a new defender up for a medical tomorrow

Newcastle complete the signing of Malik Thiaw from AC Milan

[Durhamfootman]

Calvert Lewin on his way to Leeds, thank goodness, because i feared Newcastle might be tempted out of desperation. He has a medical tomorrow

Bournemouth sign a defender from Lille... Diakite

Sunderland haven't signed another player today
A red and white patient of mine reckons that Sunderland are in with a real chance of winning the Africa cup of Nations next year

[Durhamfootman]

Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle confirmed today

[mikesiva]

Only an idiot would sack Nuno after what he accomplished last season.

Then again, the Forest owner does seem to be an idiot.

[Durhamfootman]

a clever idiot though

From what I've seen, he tore up the PSR rule book, signed about 25 players in one window, took the 10 point PSR hit, survived the season by the skin of his teeth and from there built a top table challenge. I have sometimes wondered whether his was the right approach to football's protect the big boys so they don't form their own breakaway league strategy

[Durhamfootman]

It hasn't escaped my notice that something very similar to Isak is happening between Newcastle and Brentford

This is something that needs to be tackled. This clause 17 thing (something to do with free movt of players) could completely change the nature of player transfers. Why would any club pay 100m for a player that might go on strike and demand a move for nothing 12 months later. There is a process of compensation for the losing club, but it can take about 2 years to get a resolution, doesn't guarantee that the compen will even remotely reflect the value of the player to the losing club and effectively gives the new club 2 years to save up a lot less money for the player..... in the meantime clubs will be punished for breaking PSR rules because their players, with whom they supposedly have a contract, went on strike and left for sod all. Now changes that see clubs prepared to pay a lot less for a player might be a good thing, of course, but for all these agents agitating for their players to switch clubs so that they can trouser 15% of the fee, it might turn out to be turkey's voting for Christmas

[Durhamfootman]

Newcastle have agreed a fee for striker Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart. 60m plus 4, in add ons.

Not a name I recognised, but I immediately recognised his face from the U21 Euros. Seemingly he was supposed to go to Bayern in a year's time, but now he is en route for a medical here tomorrow. Whether that means Isak is on his way out remains to be seen. Personally I hope he's forced to stay and sit on his @rse for 4 months or a year... maybe I could persuade him to spend some of his free time digging over my allotment

[andy]

Really not convinced by us spending £42m on fernandes from Southampton...3 goals last season...unproven...we need prem proven quality...worried a lot of money on someone else who will end up on scrapheap

[Durhamfootman]

at least you didn't lose Paqueta on a long match fixing ban

if he was to move to Spurs or Villa this late in the window, that would really hurt you, unless the corruption bods decided to do a U turn, in which case get of him quick

[andy]

He won't go anywhere...he's not performing well enough for anyone to pay the big money for him...losing Bowen is what scares every westham fan

[Durhamfootman]

Bowen tells the tale of sitting at Wetherby services waiting for the phone call from his agent to go for a medical at SJP asap; this was when the fat boy was in charge. The phone call never came, which I still think was a missed opportunity and a great shame for Newcastle. I rate him very highly. WH had better not go down if they want to keep him