29 Jul 2015 16:46:52
Seems we are set to pull out of the race for Brandon Barker on loan with City unwilling to put a clause to buy in his contract (I know his contract runs out at the end of the season but I guess this would be a fail safe on him signing a new contract or them trying for a big development fee at tribunal). Other links Pepe and Martinho have now signed with other clubs.
Cellino has supposedly told Rosler to get someone in before the first game though so on the plus side we must still have a bit of money to spend (or he is banking on a Gradel windfall).
Any thoughts on who we might go after now? (Worth a cheeky bid for free agent ex-Schalke winger Barnetta perhaps? Long shot but you never know).
29 Jul 2015 19:24:24
Short-sighted of Cellino not to take Barker. It's like giving up 10 goals and 10 assists in just one player.
29 Jul 2015 21:28:55
Lets be honest, with Massimo his stance could change overnight, he could be talked round or City may change their stance. I do sort of understand it though, we are trying to build a young, capable and improving core team that we can add a player or two to each season rather than having a massive overhaul at the end of every one. If Barker came in and played great then we loose him and can't replace him its detrimental to the team for the season after.
Hey who knows, with what we have left in the kitty (Which with another sponsor deal just gone through could be a fair few quid) plus the potential £1.2m from the Gradel sale perhaps we can straight buy someone half decent, optimism and all that.
30 Jul 2015 00:35:14
Detrimental for season after? What you mean as we attempt to survive having made almost a 100million pound extra in revenue due to his helping us get in the premiership? Yes, that would be a real hardship.
30 Jul 2015 02:18:14
It would be a huge leap to say Barker would be the difference between promotion or not this season. I think even with him (or another half decent left wing) 5th-10th would be a realistic finish, look at some of the players the top teams in the league have brought in let alone the ones coming down. We have a young team, we will have some dips in form and fitness. If we did go up then yeah of course it wouldn't be too bad but if we came close or he played really well? Losing a key player would be a moral killer.
30 Jul 2015 08:58:41
I think a no brainer. Get Barker in for the season, if we go up, there's a big wedge of cash to buy new players. You're maybe right Gummie that Barker won't be the difference but considering Rosler's preferred tactics, a player of his ilk is a must. Cellino might be looking at the bigger picture but he needs to look at the here and now also!
MM
30 Jul 2015 10:50:02
yes we can't really afford another year down here at some point we must go up . for the good of all the longer it takes the harder it becomes .money stable with as been main problem so the time is right to go go go
30 Jul 2015 11:26:16
Brentford had Alex pritchard on loan last year from spurs thought he was real quality. Middlesbrough had bamford scored all them goals. these are the kind of loan players that can make a difference. YOU HAVE TO TAKE THEM.
30 Jul 2015 13:40:32
Last time I looked both those teams are still in championship, what was the difference they made.
30 Jul 2015 14:07:54
Bamford kinda proves my point though. Middlesbrough relied on him so much last year and got close. They come back from their holidays this season and all those goals are gone. Bringing back Downing might have eased some of their concerns but players at that club will have come back a little dejected.
Buckley has come back on Roslers radar with Sunderland hoping to offload him for around £1.5m. If Gradel goes to Bournemouth and we get our payout they may just accept the £1.2m we will get and that gives us a young player that will improve, that is proven, has a significantly larger number of games under his belt and if he has a great season will be there for the one after. For me that's the no-brainer decision. If City agree a loan to buy then Barker would be too though.
30 Jul 2015 17:44:04
We should get both imo. Even if we do sign Buckley, he may get injured or suspended. Not many players play the entire season in every game so what will we do then? We'll be in the same predicament throwing in players out of position. Not really the signs of a team looking to get promoted.
MM
31 Jul 2015 01:30:46
To be fair Mick I would like to see three wingers come in all things being perfect but if finances are tight I would rather see one top player come than a couple of average ones. If we could get both it would be a real coup for us though.