Mr Popodopolous

I don't see how they can splash cash given their likely FFP position.

The odd thing here and I hope they come through it. This is reported as usual. When Derby had a Winding Up Petition or a potential one in early 2020, it never made the news. This was prior to Covid but usually when a club gets a Winding Up Petition or similar it is newsworthy especially one of Derby's size. That particular one was withdrawn, dunno how it usually plays out with HMRC and Winding Up Petitions.

Trying to work out what we realistically will it can get for Scott tbis summer is quite difficult. Few on this forum mention Borussia Dortmund. Alvarez, Ajax midfield- linked for €35m. 6 years older than Scott. About £30.1m. Is 25 and will turn 26 in October. Nmecha, Wolfsburg also midfield- linked with both Borussia Dortmund and Man United. Is 22 and will turn 23 in October. Seen him suggested at £15m. Alvarez also linked with West Ham. Palhinha £50-60m a key priority for West Ham- 27 and turns 28 in July. 8 years older than Scott. Benchmarking with players is very difficult but does this give us any indicator? Scott btw having just checked is ahead of all of them in terms of first team gametime at their respective ages.

£25-30m is certainly a fair price but unless we get promoted this season assuming he stays it does leave us with a dilemma. Not like he has signed a new contract yet.

£25m mentioned again- weren't West Ham and Wolves also expressing reservations about this or reportedly anyway. That aside, what size bids do we think we will get?

That particular buyout clause is fairly ludicrous! Rodrigo one...he is worth somewhat more. Has a decent PL, La Liga and CL record or okay anyway at least when taken collectively, it's not a pure striker either- granted he is 32 but bargain for somebody as cover or first choice- versatile too can play as a wider striker or through middle. In fact he has been linked with Real Madrid for said buyout clause. Benzema, Hazard and Asensio have all gone so... Koch on a free if accurate would certainly be a decent deal for someone here or in Europe.

Impossible to have 27k in the ground for football as we never a) Sell a full away allocation in the Atyeo and b) I don't know if it is still the case but certainly was at some point, unreserved seating areas had a 10 pct allocation reduction for safety reasons. Are there ever empty seats or areas of empty seats for Sky cameras or similar? Lot less sure on the last bit but 27k for City games feels impossible atm.

I think £12-15k is a fair offer and the perhaps slightly higher than I was expecting given the post Covid economics of the Championship as well as our recent history with being close to FFP last year or 2. No reflection on him as such but it's quite a different context now. Fully appreciate that he may get offers elsewhere that exceed, be it football or cash but the offer seems fair IMO.

Despite some uncertainty over Augustin Leeds should be aok FFP wise. £83m Upper Loss Limit to this coming season for one. They also have as well as Parachutes and one of the naturally higher incomes at this level anyway. A) Relegation wage reduction clauses of up to 50 pct. Unsure if that is across the board or what. This even says 50-60 pct. https://www.leedsunited.news/news/report-every-leeds-player-has-relegation-clause-in-contract-that-keeps-club-afloat/#:~:text=The Telegraph say every Leeds,Championship from the top tier. B) Had they stayed up, they would have has to habe paid £40m or so in survival bonuses. That is a cost and a cost removed- I assume that unlike promotion bonuses, survival bonuses wouldn't be excluded from FFP. C) Selling Phillips and Raphinia plus whatever loan fees and cost savings for Costa and James will have helped the accounts laat year. Think they are coming down in an alright state. Players will be sold too of course. Depending on how the survival bonus is or isn't accounted for, whether it's relevant for FFP or not, it is still £40m that relegation meant they didn't have to shell out. Unsure which other clubs use such an incentivised structure.

I largely agree with this analysis or a lot of it, but less affordable by 1960 surprises me a bit. Had price inflation begun then?

Dahoud and Milner. Yes Scott and Brighton would certainly be a good match.

Indeed. 11 behind the ball, I dunno some dangerous breaks even at 0-0 but yeah a thrashing felt unlikely.

Not Scott related as such but West Ham currently linked with Palhinha and one report says £50m, another £60m. My point is, would West Ham be looking to sign him and Scott in the same summer, post Rice? Otoh could that then see Fulham look at Scott should that go through. Dominoes etc.

See your point on one level, game itself but two teams on the pitch. On that note, I must say yes we know Man City can blow anyone away but the way Inter were spoken of by the English media or a lot of it in the build-up as some sideshow, easy etc etc- well it was far from easy or a walkover. Bale tipped Man City to win 5-0 e.g. but in a final and vs a side very well coached, with 5 or 6 talented individuals that felt presumptuous.

Tbh from a financial perspective, thought about it before and I'm sure a cash break even rule would be best in terms of stability. The question is as always how do you combine stability and solvency with competitive balance. Squad number would definitely help that's true. Rules weren't in place then but do see your point for sure, fundamentally is spending more on wages than legitimate income cheating? Whole different thread tbh, quite what the perfect answer is who knows. Yes it seems that way. Trying to think of some examples of it not bring the case- JPT maybe? Beyond that...billionaires, private equity, big money companies or state input the higher you go, here and across Europe to varying degrees.

I didn't even see the build up. Sounds like I didn't miss much in that respect.

Which one? Sheikh Jassim is Qatari and I assume has access to said resources. Unless you mean Ratcliffe. Man United are heavily loss making in recent years ironically, FFP?

Perfectly valid regulatory position although without FFP- and it is in some ways an artificial construct- what kind if squads could PSG and Man City hold and maintain. Could e.g. Man City still have Zinchenko, Sterling, Jesus in addition. Depth insane. PSG still retain last year Navas- depth again, Herrera, Wijnaldum, Gueye, Paredes, Di Maria, Icardi- post January Sarabia. Others too. The numbers both could then rest for the League, to rotate with Team 1 and Team B. What would the risk then be of Abu Dhabi v Qatar finals every year.

Wages aren't usually included in the remuneration package however the fee plus agent or signing on fee seems quite fair to amortise. Will restate my csse, 2008-2014, 2008-2015 very very suspect, 2015-present probably compliant certainly with PL regs. (£105m plus allowables in each 3 year period). Basically gap between possibly Inflated and real sponsorship still probably sees them comply with this rule.

Part of me does agree. Lot of long suffering fans, tended to be well supported even when in the doldrums etc- prior to 2008 surely the working class side of Manchester too. Otoh the early days they posted some record losses. I know a business strategy etc can eat major losses to turn it into a profitable enterprise medium to long run but some big losses and fees thrown around certainly. Think they spent rather a lot in 2017-18 without doubt although that said PSG are undoubtedly worse. Innocent until proven guilty but until verifiably proven innocent then that question will linger. Ortega Free (Yes I know backup only), Alvarez and to some extent Akanji strong pickups pound for pound. Haaland well there was a huge signing on or agents fee tbh. Yes fans have suffered a lot, but otoh the reaction if some of them to UEFA charges and now, petulant and arrogant in the extreme. Ludicrous claims about cabal etc.

Game itself, Haaland was relatively quiet by his standards. I mean you can't be top level every week but I wonder what if any tactical lessons can be gleaned.

Di Marco was the worst. Minimum of two 'falls'. Didn't think they were too bad with it however overall. Compare it to Roma v Sevilla e.g.

Yes somewhat conflicted on it. Great players, great team- Pep clearly a top top coach, some beautiful football and obviously very well run, academy and all. 115 charges however was it. That is quite the question even if a lot of them were perhaps on the way up rather than the present.

Get that, certainly days gone by. Yes agree although we all see a few thousand season ticket holders who don't make it often on average. Fiddling for sure but from say early 1989s to maybe 1985, 1986 a lot did stop going for a host of reasons. Sure a bit of fiddling went on then too but it took some time even after the PL came in for attendances to truly recover.

Yeah it's certainly no Fairy Tale. I mean I take my hat off- as well as the finances they are very well run, impeccably so- Pep is a top class coach, a productive academy certainly profitable on player sales but there is a large asterix too.