Mr Popodopolous

Nobody yet but to have him in the 18 would be good. Last thing we want to do is a) Throw him right back in and he pulls up again or b) Unsettle an improving defensive unit with a sudden switch (by unit I mean defending as a team). No doubt a fit and in form Kalas is great to have but feel it best we ease him back in right now.

Largely agree but are PL clubs paying those prices for Championship players anymore? Blip or trend...but I'm happy we rejected.

Agreed. Would add his Sheffield United and QPR side were not bad at times too but it might depend on whether his remit was a short term or a longer term one. Survival, well it's dig in etc.

I don't think Stoke fans are too disappointed about Clarke or Delap although that's a very quick skimread but could be one to watch. Definitely would thin out a squad anyway.

Agreed. Can't work out though at this juncture if they're hamstrung a bit like us or actually could breach without a sale- could be either. This one is interesting. Seems hard to say how on the face of it, 2 x PL cash and profit, 1st 2 years of Parachute Payments (always the biggest). They did take out a Bank Loan/Bank Loans in 2020-21, wonder if that is impacting upon instalments as they fall due. Secured against Parachute Payments maybe? Not exactly big spenders however, wage bill surely will have dropped from £56-57m which it was in 2020-21 which frees up further cash. Ramsdale sold, more transfer receivables to go against payables. Definitely no FFP issues but potentially cash flow I didn't expect this from them.

The summer if not now is definitely the best time for it provided Semenyo doesn't wish to extend. Maybe we can push it up to £15-20m IF he really gets going between now and May.

Yes good point, they might be buying a 2nd Lorient player too- but wonder if they will still he shopping elsewhere at least in forward areas if both of those deals go through.

Bournemouth have just signed that Lorient wide player Ouattara for £20m. Confirmed now. Him and Semenyo or him v Semenyo?

What do you think to a potential fee? £15m or a bit less rising to.

Clearly they'll be looking pushing at the edges with us being close to FFP and that's business. I think him and Brentford would be a good match tbh, were he to move on. Brighton?

It is odd, Geldhardt wouldn't come cheap for one- maybe they would be hoping for him very cheap as he started there and may want to return on loan. Part of the Agreed Decision also includes some money, 125 pct of the monthly wage bill being deposited for a number of months to cover margin for error.

I'm hopeful we would get £12-15m in an up front fee but the problem is the FFP the club say they're fine not to sell- will stick with that atm but it's never 100 pct sure.

There is chatter although I'm not sure they're in so deep, that Stoke need to sell Souttar or they've messed up FFP basically. Surely clubs have until end of May or whenever their Reporting Period ends anyway, so in theory they could risk it- they've turned down a £10m bid. My gut feeling there by messed up maybe they mean: 1) Maxed out their season budget for the season in the summer and now need to trade. (Which tbh there is a bit of- Bursik gone, Delap returned on loan- talk of Harry Clarke to our 'friend' Ashton's club). 2) Even if they are on track to breach, January or end of May? No club has yet been rocked points in the season of the breach itself so for us, Stoke or whoever it'd be unprecedented.

Playing Devil's Advocate if we reject a bid that would outright resolve FFP without any debate as to the method and we get a charge like Birmingham in 2019, is that a potential risk? Do we know for sure that the League or are not expecting a sale as with Birmingham in 2019. Overall I'd be surprised if we did end up in that position but Birmingham fans in 2019 were loudly dismissive of the concept when it first arose early February 2019. Would that be a price worth paying?

Dunno if their performances have been so bad necessarily but he might tighten them up. Some decent January signings too and he's liked wide players in the past- Bowler returning, Poveda already there and Rogers on loan. Get Yates or Madine in the middle and that is the basis of a useful 4-3-3 or front 3 anyway.

The 125 pct makes sense but that seems weak considering not one, not two but three failures to pay on time.

Both with a track record in the PL. Even though I agree on the growth argument. How exactly a player is valued is so hard to gauge. Ah ok that makes sense..yeah agree he's worth more than that.

Up from £15m or? I agree @Psychopomp with a lot of what you write there but I worry about if we price him out of a move vs any EFL expectations as with Birmingham in 2019- the market dynamics seem to shift often. Hmm think a fully fit Kalas is or could have been a top end Championship player, that can transition even if short lived into a lower end PL player.

Striker, wide man, wide striker and winger can be fluid and interchangeable. Definitely Semenyo could fit Striker and wide striker IMO, unsure Bournemouth would play him through the middle as a first choice.

Always limited value in comparison but reportedly... Ings- £12-15m to West Ham Wood- loan with obligation, Loan fee now and £15m fee in summer (Nottingham Forest). In the context of Semenyo does that move estimations up or down?

Sort of related, Agreed Decision on Wigan and their late payment of wages x 3. For 3 offences that is a bit soft especially given that the rules changed the other year.

The market moves on quickly. Chris Wood to Nottingham Forest (yes I know not Semenyo related) but he ie Semenyo will be one of many targets for Bournemouth probably. Scott? A week ago it was multiple clubs and Wolves especially. Now they have signed Lemina, Sarabia and subject to late haggling Gomes is due to go there. For £5-6m more than the £25m reported Scott price tag for all 3 combined (£30-31m for the 3 of them).

My feeling is that Preston won't breach FFP, but maybe monitoring requirements of some kind? Probably the £5m and £2.5m for Covid, £3.5-4.5m per year maybe in usual FFP allowances? Perhaps £3-4m per year for the latter.

Ooh! Thanks @Davefevs They usually stick these out later so that's eaely for them. I had a feeling that their losses may not be so low, our (Holdings) wages down £5m and amortisation and impairment was down too.

Good Podcast. Bit long but came across it when reading that thread. https://shows.acast.com/fan-engagement-pod/episodes/changing-fan-behaviour-time-for-a-rethink