The transfer window thread.

[glorygloryeze]

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Turkish international midfielder Ozan Tufan after watching him in action for Fenerbahce recently, according to Fanatik.

It has been a miserable start to the season for Spurs and it feels like a brilliant era has come to an end with Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen expected to follow Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Mousa Dembele out of the door next summer.

But that does not mean Tottenham cannot rebuild and start again.

Tufan, at just 24, has his best years ahead of him and looks like the sort of rising star who could help Mauricio Pochettino put together a new, competitive Spurs team. With 45 Turkey caps to his name already, Tufan has been very highly rated for some time now.

He’s capable of playing both in defensive midfield and at right-back, meaning he could fill two positions of serious weakness in the Tottenham squad.

According to Fanatik, scouts from North London were in attendance as Fenerbahce were surprisingly beaten 1-0 at home by Super Lig rivals Antalyaspor on Saturday. Tufan still managed three shots and two tackles in a typically all-action display however.

Fanatik claimed that London rivals Crystal Palace offered £2.5 million for Tufan in the summer of 2018 and you can guarantee that he would cost a lot more than that these days.

Defensive midfield you say?

 

[Finney Is Back]

I dont disagree with that at all, Im all about smart buys not just expensive.

But - its undeniable - Grealish at £40m+ or Lo Celso/Ndombele/Dybala/Fernandes at £60-70m?

Its like when we made the CL and got in VDV, wouldnt have happened otherwise.

Having the money to spend does open up new markets.

Which isnt to say I believe we must only buy £60m+ players from now on, of course.

Rather - perhaps the intent was to go big when we could to boost the team?

I think we made a huge mistake with Grealish. When I say "we" I mean Levy. Had he not tried to screw a club that he thought were in serious financial trouble then we could've landed the player for only £25 million and right at the start of the transfer window as well. It seemed that Poch was happy to bring him in. He would've added to our English trained contingent and he could've had a year being gradually introduced as Eriksen's replacement.

I think the same has happened with sales as well, Wanyama for example was pretty close going to Belgium with a £13 million transfer fee agreed, only for the player to fail to agree terms. Had we shifted £3 million or so of those funds into Wanyama's pocket then we still would've got £10 million as well as shifting his £3 million or so annual wages off of our wage bill. I doubt we could even get half of that transfer fee for him now and to add insult to injury we're paying him £60k a week to not be good enough for our first team.

These are the reasons why I think we desperately need a Director of Football. I think Levy is too close the overall finances to see what is good value. A DoF would know his budget, know the targets and make decisions based primarly on football needs as opposed to the finances.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Turkish international midfielder Ozan Tufan after watching him in action for Fenerbahce recently, according to Fanatik.

It has been a miserable start to the season for Spurs and it feels like a brilliant era has come to an end with Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen expected to follow Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Mousa Dembele out of the door next summer.

But that does not mean Tottenham cannot rebuild and start again.

Tufan, at just 24, has his best years ahead of him and looks like the sort of rising star who could help Mauricio Pochettino put together a new, competitive Spurs team. With 45 Turkey caps to his name already, Tufan has been very highly rated for some time now.

He’s capable of playing both in defensive midfield and at right-back, meaning he could fill two positions of serious weakness in the Tottenham squad.

According to Fanatik, scouts from North London were in attendance as Fenerbahce were surprisingly beaten 1-0 at home by Super Lig rivals Antalyaspor on Saturday. Tufan still managed three shots and two tackles in a typically all-action display however.

Fanatik claimed that London rivals Crystal Palace offered £2.5 million for Tufan in the summer of 2018 and you can guarantee that he would cost a lot more than that these days.

I'm convinced already!..... Sign him up!!!

 

[Finney Is Back]

I would think Ive made it clear I agree with you, and that I dont just equate value or quality to cost.

But that is besides the point I was making.

A year ago, two, Dybala, Fernandes, Lo Celso or NDombele were very simply not available to us (at the reputation they have today). Now they are because we can afford them.

THAT is my point.

Perhaps the club saw that on the horizon, and decided it wasnt sensible to buy just before that boon.

I'm not sure that is the case..... We offered about £35 million for Grealish right at the end of the transfer deadline, just by then a combination of us seriously tinkling Villa off with our lowball offers early on when we thought we could screw them financially and them getting new owners loaded with suitcases of cash meant that we missed out on a young player that Poch wanted.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

I think we made a huge mistake with Grealish. When I say "we" I mean Levy. Had he not tried to screw a club that he thought were in serious financial trouble then we could've landed the player for only £25 million and right at the start of the transfer window as well. It seemed that Poch was happy to bring him in. He would've added to our English trained contingent and he could've had a year being gradually introduced as Eriksen's replacement.

Im not sure he was ever a first team buy. I think he was a punt, highly rated/talented Championship player, English, Villa failed to come up - it was just a "makes sense" kind of move.

Of course we tried to get him for as low a price as possible. And of course we had a limit on what we thought he was worth. Not sure I have any particular issue with that happening/not happening to be honest.

And certainly dont get the impression Poch was beating down the door for him - where as NDombele and Lo Celso were most certainly moves he was wanting.

I think the same has happened with sales as well, Wanyama for example was pretty close going to Belgium with a £13 million transfer fee agreed, only for the player to fail to agree terms. Had we shifted £3 million or so of those funds into Wanyama's pocket then we still would've got £10 million as well as shifting his £3 million or so annual wages off of our wage bill. I doubt we could even get half of that transfer fee for him now and to add insult to injury we're paying him £60k a week to not be good enough for our first team.

These are the reasons why I think we desperately need a Director of Football. I think Levy is too close the overall finances to see what is good value. A DoF would know his budget, know the targets and make decisions based primarly on football needs as opposed to the finances.

Thats fair. I cant think of a good reason why it was beneficial to haggle to the nth degree and lose the deal. Particularly when we are talking a few million, on a player with a book value of peanuts.

All I would say is, where to draw the line?

Alderweireld could have gone, IF he agreed to Romas terms (same as ours I believe) and IF we were willing to knock £7m off the asking price.

Rose could have gone, if we were prepared to get less than £10m for him, for an England international FB.

Eriksen we could do nothing about (and potentially Alderweireld too)

So I think while you absolutely have a point, it only really applies in a couple of specific situations. Others we had no real option/control over.

I'm not sure that is the case..... We offered about £35 million for Grealish right at the end of the transfer deadline, just by then a combination of us seriously tinkling Villa off with our lowball offers early on when we thought we could screw them financially and them getting new owners loaded with suitcases of cash meant that we missed out on a young player that Poch wanted.

It was purely speculative. Had we got Grealish, what are the chances we would have got Lo Celso or NDombele as well? Would we have had the issues with squad numbers/need - as has plagued us for the last few years?

I suspect we were willing to take a punt on Grealish, and no more, knowing the next summer we would be looking for next level midfielders anyway.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Im not sure he was ever a first team buy. I think he was a punt, highly rated/talented Championship player, English, Villa failed to come up - it was just a "makes sense" kind of move.

Of course we tried to get him for as low a price as possible. And of course we had a limit on what we thought he was worth. Not sure I have any particular issue with that happening/not happening to be honest.

And certainly dont get the impression Poch was beating down the door for him - where as NDombele and Lo Celso were most certainly moves he was wanting.

It doesn't matter whether he was a first team buy or a punt. Pochettino wanted him and Levy fcuked up the deal. £25 million was a very fair price and was in place for a specific reason of Villa needing that amount to east their FFP worries. Instead of realising that £25 million was a fair price, Levy instead spotted an opportunity to screw Villa and offered less than £15 million. The fact that Levy ended up offering close to £35 million for the player at the end of the transfer window shows how wrong he got it. How is Grealish worth £10 million more at the end of the window (giving Poch no pre-season with the player) than he is at the start of the window. That shows how wrong Levy got that one and for no reason at all.

Contrast our efforts to sign Grealish with Leicester's signing of Maddison. Sometimes you have to just realise that a player is available for a fair price and not try to squeeze the deal.

Thats fair. I cant think of a good reason why it was beneficial to haggle to the nth degree and lose the deal. Particularly when we are talking a few million, on a player with a book value of peanuts.

All I would say is, where to draw the line?

Alderweireld could have gone, IF he agreed to Romas terms (same as ours I believe) and IF we were willing to knock £7m off the asking price.

Rose could have gone, if we were prepared to get less than £10m for him, for an England international FB.

Eriksen we could do nothing about (and potentially Alderweireld too)

So I think while you absolutely have a point, it only really applies in a couple of specific situations. Others we had no real option/control over.

I agree 100% with Alderweireld and Eriksen. The players had all the aces there.

However MO you have to either back or sack your manager and there was wriggle room with the other players. For the sake of £3 million (that we'll pay in wages anyway) we still have Wanyama clogging up the squad (and the physio's time). It was brain dead not to sweeten that deal. I think a DoF would've seen the (lack of) market for the player and done this.

We were looking for closer to £30 million for Rose from the agents whispers in the market. At around £18 to £20 million I think we could've easily sold him and got in a young left back from somewhere (I think Bournemouth signed the young Bristol City fullback that I know we had been watching for a good while and admired)

It was purely speculative. Had we got Grealish, what are the chances we would have got Lo Celso or NDombele as well? Would we have had the issues with squad numbers/need - as has plagued us for the last few years?

I suspect we were willing to take a punt on Grealish, and no more, knowing the next summer we would be looking for next level midfielders anyway.

I don't see why we couldn't have got Lo Celso and N'Dombele this season as well as Grealish last season, especially if Levy had just paid the very reasonable price at the start of the summer. IMO paying £35 million (as Levy offered on deadline day) isn't taking a punt... it is a last desperate attempt to appease your manager after you know you've mucked things up by not doing the deal earlier in the window. It could be that it ends up being a good thing (we did exactly the same thing with Berahino for instance) but I would rather the chairman did a bit more to back the best manager we have had at the club for many years.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

It doesn't matter whether he was a first team buy or a punt. Pochettino wanted him and Levy fcuked up the deal. £25 million was a very fair price and was in place for a specific reason of Villa needing that amount to east their FFP worries. Instead of realising that £25 million was a fair price, Levy instead spotted an opportunity to screw Villa and offered less than £15 million. The fact that Levy ended up offering close to £35 million for the player at the end of the transfer window shows how wrong he got it. How is Grealish worth £10 million more at the end of the window (giving Poch no pre-season with the player) than he is at the start of the window. That shows how wrong Levy got that one and for no reason at all.

Contrast our efforts to sign Grealish with Leicester's signing of Maddison. Sometimes you have to just realise that a player is available for a fair price and not try to squeeze the deal.

I question just how much we actually wanted Grealish. Like I say, it seemed like one of those by the numbers deal - worth taking a punt on at a price.

By the end of the window, no other deals happened, it was Grealish or none - maybe that added the £10m?

Everything Ive seen suggests Poch REALLY wanted NDombele and Lo Celso, I never saw that same desire for Grealish.

Now I dont doubt for a second Levys Levyness has cost us at times, and maybe it did then, but its not something Ill lose sleep over.

When Ive seen him spend £40m on Sanchez, I know its not the case that he is simply too tight.

I agree 400% with Alderweireld and Eriksen. The players had all the aces there.

However MO you have to either back or sack your manager and there was wriggle room with the other players. For the sake of £3 million (that we'll pay in wages anyway) we still have Wanyama clogging up the squad (and the physio's time). It was brain dead not to sweeten that deal. I think a DoF would've seen the (lack of) market for the player and done this.

We were looking for closer to £30 million for Rose from the agents whispers in the market. At around £18 to £20 million I think we could've easily sold him and got in a young left back from somewhere (I think Bournemouth signed the young Bristol City fullback that I know we had been watching for a good while and admired)

Im not arguing about Wanyama at all. Though I do strongly question Pochs use of him this season.
Equally Eriksen/Alderweireld. As much as it would be better they went, there is no need to play them.

Rose, last I saw, was in line for a late £11m move to Watford, I though we pulled the plug on it because it wasnt worth the £11m while Sessegnon was injured.

I absolutely agree on a DoF. I think managing the squad, the scouting, the negotiations, the budget really - is a full time job.

One neither Poch or Levy have the time or proper skills to do.

I think it would suit both to have a specialist in there. Look how efficiently Baldini worked that summer we sold Bale...

I don't see why we couldn't have got Lo Celso and N'Dombele this season as well as Grealish last season, especially if Levy had just paid the very reasonable price at the start of the summer. IMO paying £35 million (as Levy offered on deadline day) isn't taking a punt... it is a last desperate attempt to appease your manager after you know you've mucked things up by not doing the deal earlier in the window. It could be that it ends up being a good thing (we did exactly the same thing with Berahino for instance) but I would rather the chairman did a bit more to back the best manager we have had at the club for many years.

Its not a financial question. Its a "why would you?" and "what about the squad places?" question.

Why go all out to get Grealish when you know full well in a years time youll be shopping at a whole different level?

 

[monkeybarry]

Bale.
January saviour - even if on loan. He would add some dynamism to the team, something we are lacking in the predestination way we currently play.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

REported today he has had enough and wants out of Madrid now.

Question is, if (as I expect) Zidane goes before the new year - would a new manager convince him to stay?

 

[monkeybarry]

REported today he has had enough and wants out of Madrid now.

Question is, if (as I expect) Zidane goes before the new year - would a new manager convince him to stay?

I suspect not. Sounds like he they are sick of him and vice versa.
Six month loan suits everyone. They can Eriksen six months early/on loan as a trial basis in return.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

I suspect not. Sounds like he they are sick of him and vice versa.
Six month loan suits everyone. They can Eriksen six months early/on loan as a trial basis in return.

In the summer the story was that Zidane wanted rid of Bale, but Perez loves Bale and didnt want to let him go.

Could be that with Zidane out of the way everyone can live happily ever after...

 

[monkeybarry]

In the summer the story was that Zidane wanted rid of Bale, but Perez loves Bale and didnt want to let him go.

Could be that with Zidane out of the way everyone can live happily ever after...

But it wasn't hunky dory before Zidane came back was it?
I think they'll stick with Zidane all seay

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

But it wasn't hunky dory before Zidane came back was it?
I think they'll stick with Zidane all seay

Again - all reports suggest he is never more than one game from the sack and Mourinho is very keen to have another crack at it...

Dont normally pay too much heed to tabloid BS, but in Spain they basically speak for the clubs dont they?

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

It doesn't matter whether he was a first team buy or a punt. Pochettino wanted him and Levy fcuked up the deal. £25 million was a very fair price and was in place for a specific reason of Villa needing that amount to east their FFP worries. Instead of realising that £25 million was a fair price, Levy instead spotted an opportunity to screw Villa and offered less than £15 million. The fact that Levy ended up offering close to £35 million for the player at the end of the transfer window shows how wrong he got it. How is Grealish worth £10 million more at the end of the window (giving Poch no pre-season with the player) than he is at the start of the window. That shows how wrong Levy got that one and for no reason at all.

No reason at all?

Guilty of not being able to see into the future?

 

[Gutter Boy]

McGinn is still much better than grealish

 

[Finney Is Back]

No reason at all?

Guilty of not being able to see into the future?

No.... guilty of not paying £25 million for a player that we actually value at £35 million because we think we have the upper hand in the deal. Like I said before, look at Leicester’s approach for Maddison compared to ours for Grealish. Whether or not Grealish was the right player, good enough, worth the money, etc. I have no idea and don’t really care, he was a player that Pochettino wanted, available at the start of the window and available for a reasonable price and a Levy ballsed up the deal, not because the selling club ‘moved the goalposts’ not because the player wasn’t available, not because the asking price was higher than our valuation, but because our chairman thought he could get one up on Villa. If he was only worth £15 million in June, then he wasn’t worth £35 million in August. Don’t you see how mad that is?

 

[Finney Is Back]

McGinn is still much better than grealish

The player is immaterial. Had Poch wanted McGinn and we’d gone in for him in the same way I would say exactly the same thing.

 

[Gutter Boy]

The player is immaterial. Had Poch wanted McGinn and we’d gone in for him in the same way I would say exactly the same thing.

I thought it was all just a smokescreen for our secret talks with De Jong that summer anyway?

 

[Finney Is Back]

I thought it was all just a smokescreen for our secret talks with De Jong that summer anyway?

There is no such thing as a smokescreen in real life transfer deals.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

No.... guilty of not paying £25 million for a player that we actually value at £35 million because we think we have the upper hand in the deal. Like I said before, look at Leicester’s approach for Maddison compared to ours for Grealish. Whether or not Grealish was the right player, good enough, worth the money, etc. I have no idea and don’t really care, he was a player that Pochettino wanted, available at the start of the window and available for a reasonable price and a Levy ballsed up the deal, not because the selling club ‘moved the goalposts’ not because the player wasn’t available, not because the asking price was higher than our valuation, but because our chairman thought he could get one up on Villa. If he was only worth £15 million in June, then he wasn’t worth £35 million in August. Don’t you see how mad that is?

Or was he a player Levy wanted like Clarke?