Mr Sno

FWIW I wouldnt be against trying to sign Michael Morrison on a 1 ir 2 year deal. I was disappointed we weren't in for him when he left Birmingham and we have seen with the likes of Davies and Jagielka that CBs in their mid 30s and even older can do a job.

Either way Reading are going to he raided in the summer and certainly certainly number of their players will make us stronger.

9 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Presumably he said this mistakenly believing we could then get a fee for him?

Absolutely bizarre suggestion, best all round if he moves on & we have at least some room for manoeuvre in the transfer market as a result.

But why would ODowda accept a deal?  Sit for 12 months and wait until he is a free agent where he will cost £0 which will benefit the available wage for him + a signing on fee, also not forgetting he will be able to pick and choose which club to go to. 

If you take up the option you are banking on 1) a club willing to pay when he is a free agent in a year 2) him accepting when he could just wait.....these kind of 1 year extensions are only really viable with players that have value and track record e.g Brereton, Carvalho.....for someone like ODowda it would be a silly decision. 

49 minutes ago, Harry said:

There are plenty of Championship players out of contract this summer, but I do feel that our financial situation will prevent us competing for the ‘top tier’ free agents, such as Lawrence, Nyambe, Jed Wallace etc. 

We might have a shot at some of the lower tier ones at other struggling clubs, Laurent, Rinomota as examples there, but there are also a few which you’d think we could probably afford but maybe they wouldn’t drop to the opposite end of the league (Cornick an example there). 
 

I do wonder if it’s not worth spending the £10k-£15k pw on these lower tier agents, and instead focus all of our efforts on the best youngsters from leagues 1 and 2 (I’ve just posted my top L1 & L2 player list on the transfer forum under the EFL team of the year thread.) 
I’d much rather we put any available money in that direction. 

Lawrence and Wallace are well out of our league, both will go to top championship clubs probably those with parachute payments, Wallace turned down Besiktas over Christmas.

No issue with this, the swindon winger Mckirdy I would be in for, relatively local and offers us width.

Rimonata and Laurent are both no thrill signings but both young yet experienced and offer that level of physicality in the middle of the park that we lack, would be happy with eithrr or both.

4 minutes ago, Ska Junkie said:

Wasn't Vassell at Birmingham supposed to be a potential star? I think he had quite a bad injury didn't he?

I'd like to say a couple of the Derby players but we will surely be outbid.

I've always thought Swift at Reading is a good player too.

Vessell has fallen off a cliff and destined for League 1, Swift is well out of our price range and will go to a top tier champ or lower prem side.

Just now, SBB said:

Wasn’t the rumour he’d been offered a new deal on hugely reduced terms? Either way, I hope we shake hands and part ways in the summer. 

Well he may have been but Ian was saying trigger the 1 year deal - that would mean he would be on pre covid wages, which he just isn't worth 

An interesting listen until Ian Gay mentioned extending the year on ODowdas deal. Absolute lunacy, another potential year on pre-covid wages on one of our biggest disappointments would be a terrible decision in my opinion.

12 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

I would also suggest Reading wise that Holmes and Laurent have their attributes.

Both under 30, Holmes a CB who got significant gametime when they nearly made the playoffs. 22-23 IIRC.

Laurent I know little about but believe he can play CDM but also chip in with a few goals. Midfielder.

Both had interest from Nottingham Forest in last 6-12 months.

The other thing to remember with Reading is that in addition to the £16m wages cap I mentioned, it's £21.1m this season meaning a fall of 20-25% will be required. Offers opportunities to other clubs.

Laurent = no thrills but would be a good acquisition. Again there will be suitors.

10 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

30 though & been a regular all season (38 starts) at Reading.

Now they’re safe I can see them offering him another contract.

He will have suitors - proven solid right back at this level.

3 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Honeyman has a year option .  Allegedly the player who covers the most km per match.  We will probably see that on Saturday.

Yiadom a bit of a blindspot for me.

Rinomhota definitely an option though.

Yiadom is very physical and direct, proper athlete.....can't think of a full back we've had in his mould tbh. A pearson type for sure.

2 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Also at Blackburn, Lenihan and Rothwell haven't yet renewed but similar to Nyambe in that sense?

Yea both of these are no chance, lenihan linked to the prem and Rothwell apparently already going to Bournemouth.

28 minutes ago, Son of Fred said:

Ryan Nyambe...yes please.

I think at 24 there will be bigger suitors... I would happily take Yiadom, Rimomhata and Honeyman.

38 minutes ago, Robbored said:

That’s a seriously long list. I’m actually quite surprised for some reason.

I see Marlon Pack is there. He still lives in P’head I think. I wonder if he’s Nige’s type of defensive midfielder?

I think Marlon is heading to L1. His legs have gone.

1 hour ago, Simon bristol said:

Isnt is semantics? Their contract has expired with one club and they are signing with another one.

Maybe, I'm not going to have a debate about it though. 

13 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

I'm intrigued by the OPs theory that signing someone on a free doesn't equate to a transfer.

Because they are not being transferred from one club to another, they are a free agent. I thought it was pretty obvious.

43 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Perhaps it was judged on who dives the most?

Impossible not to reach the conclusion that in a far poorer side than Fulham that Weimann’s contribution is much greater than Wilson’s.

Certainly more goals & probably more assists, too.

Yep.

Would've had Weimann ahead of Wilson.

I have put this here as I don't believe that signing someone on a free equates to a transfer - some very interesting potential signings on this list.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/championship/endendevertraege/wettbewerb/GB2/jahr/2022/land_id/0/ausrichtung/alle/spielerposition_id/alle/altersklasse/alle/plus/1#/

Anyone here who we think are realistic options?

24 minutes ago, candygram for mongo said:

I could be way off the mark here but I have a feeling that Pearson is not a fan of Kalas and think he could be sold if there are any takers

If there are takers he will definitely be sold - 1 year left on deal and big wages - mad to keep him.

21 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Re King - would not surprise me if he got another year on a similar basis to Simpson…coaches salary incentivised by playing / making squad.  I’d be fine with that.

If he was being let go, I see no reason why he made the last two 18s.

If he was going to be paid £500/£600 quid a week I would agree, but realisticly he would be on a few grand a week that 1) we could save 2) put towards a better player - perhaps an unfair comparison but after Brunt last season and Simpson this season I just don't see how it can be justified.

Also worth noting that the less he plays the worse his legs are going to get, danger of being a liability ala brunt if thrown in when desperate. 

14 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

The two biggest things we can do to help towards FFP which wouldn’t weaken is to find homes for Wells and Palmer.  This is a must.  The next one which is more arguable as would weaken us is to sell Kalas.  
 

I can’t understand anyone who wants to keep Wells considering his lack of impact this season and huge wages. 

Not on the ridiculous astronomical wages he is on. I would accept an offer of £0 for him, same with Palmer, just get them off the books.

5 minutes ago, TonyTonyTony said:

Want an away day to Everton

Would be excellent.

1 minute ago, Swede said:

Strap yourselves in as all of the speculation about those three players is only going to increase when there's nothing else to report on.

It might help for someone in the know to list their current contract situations to help keep things in perspective as I can't recall exactly except that Scott's recently signed a new one? & Semenyo has another year +? I think HNM is on the shorter length.

HNM I think we need to sell.

Genuine question.

Is alex scott better than jakc grealish was when he was 18 at Notts County?

Just now, City oz said:

We need to keep him. He has great potential and part of the next two season progression in NP plan for Prem at BS3.

True - I suppose the question is how much will he be worth in a years time- maybe that value will be 15 20 mil.

Unless we have to sell due to FFP maybe keep him. I suppose a lot depends if we can shift Palmer, Wells and Kalas.

I'm not convinced that Towler will habe a long term future here under Pearson - doesn't seem his type of centre back.