Winter Improvement Thread (aka Winter Squad Weakening Thread and TWF Suicide Watch)

[Deutsch Wolf]

In the wider picture, we have to get this right now. There's already a lot of dissatisfaction about various elements of the club (style of play, manager, owner, CEO, PR, prices etc etc etc) and this is another hit we've got to take.

The problem being that when we have sold big players in the past we generally haven't got it right. Only once really I think in recent times.

1998 - Froggatt - about half of it spent on Flo/Niestroj (fail)
1999 - Keane - all used to bulk up squad, Akinbiyi/Ndah/Pollet/Branch/Oakes (success)
2000 - Akinbiyi - about half given back to Lee on Ketsbaia/R Taylor/Dinning and some more to Jones on Roussel/Butler (fail)
2006 - Lescott - money not spent, parachute payments had run out (N/A)
2012 - Fletcher/Jarvis - over half spent on Sako/Sigurdarson/Doumbia/Boukari/Margreitter (fail)

With the amount of duds we've signed over the last 18 months - some of them being players the manager has not even given a proper chance - I can't have much faith in us ending up in a better overall position. I'd be a lot happier if we got someone different in to spend the money, what's Ken going to do? He's been trying to sign target men and play them at number 10 for ages, at least they were only loans, imagine he goes and spends £2.5m or whatever on that nutbar idea.

 

[Sedgley Wolf]

Has there ever actually been a bidding war for a player? Surely the only one who can drive the price up between rival parties is the player when he's negotiating personal terms.

Maybe the term 'bidding war' is a tad hyperbolic but Wolves would still have the power to accept the highest offer and reject lesser ones. Competition for Afobe's signature would surely push the price up.

I don't see how a player can have an effect on the transfer fee when he's already at the stage of talking terms. Surely the fee would have been agreed by that point.

 

[nimrod]

The only thing you can assume is that we wanted the money in now as we have cracking targets lined up for the transfer window. That we're a well-organised, well-run club with a slick recruitment department that has already identified targets and has the deals virtually done...

nice use of the dots

we can only hope

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Maybe the term 'bidding war' is a tad hyperbolic but Wolves would still have the power to accept the highest offer and reject lesser ones. Competition for Afobe's signature would surely push the price up.

I don't see how a player can have an effect on the transfer fee when he's already at the stage of talking terms. Surely the fee would have been agreed by that point.

I can't see how it would drive the prove up, Wolves will have their valuation of a player and that shouldn't change whether it's 1, 2 or 10 clubs trying to find out what the magic figure is.

The player isn't going to make any difference to the transfer fee but he can generate a bidding war type scenario between clubs that have agreed a fee. He's the only one who's likely to have any financial gain from multiple parties being interest as he can play them off against each other in negotiations.

 

[Sedgley Wolf]

I can't see how it would drive the prove up, Wolves will have their valuation of a player and that shouldn't change whether it's 1, 2 or 10 clubs trying to find out what the magic figure is.

The player isn't going to make any difference to the transfer fee but he can generate a bidding war type scenario between clubs that have agreed a fee. He's the only one who's likely to have any financial gain from multiple parties being interest as he can play them off against each other in negotiations.

Wolves might well have a valuation of, say, 10 million but that's subject to whatever clubs are willing to pay for him. If someone hits the panic button and comes in with a bid of 12 million to blow the other clubs out of the water, then I'm pretty sure our valuation of him will soon be forgotten.

For the second part, I don't get your point. If you're referring to his salary then I guess you're correct, but that wasn't really what I was talking about in the first place.

 

[The Bear]

Jinks - Hughes has already said that Crouch won't leave Stoke in this window.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Wolves might well have a valuation of, say, 10 million but that's subject to whatever clubs are willing to pay for him. If someone hits the panic button and comes in with a bid of 12 million to blow the other clubs out of the water, then I'm pretty sure our valuation of him will soon be forgotten.

For the second part, I don't get your point. If you're referring to his salary then I guess you're correct, but that wasn't really what I was talking about in the first place.

That scenario could happen regardless of how many clubs are interested, if someone is desperate they'll chuck money at it to get their man regardless of competition. If several clubs really wanted him then they'd just match whatever figure Wolves agreed with the first club.

Salary was exactly what I was on about, that's the only part of the transfer where having multiple suitors is likely to make any difference. Hence me saying the player was the only who'd benefit from such a situation rather than the club on some fairytale bidding war.

 

[big mean bunny]

I was all prepared to move on from Afobe from today, however the idea that we are getting less for him than Brentford got for Andre Fucking Gray/Grey has wound me up.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Whilst I would have preferred Afobe to stay am not going to get hung up over the price as suspect there will be numerous figures quoted & we are not going to find out the exact deal.

Hopefully as its early in the window we have time to bring in adequate alternatives.

What worries me more is that last season we finished 7th & only really lost 1 important first team player in Sako (which we knew was going to happen & I'm not including injuries which can cause problems to any squad) - to one that has only 5 fit senior defenders, no owned fit senior strikers & a plethora of midfielders (half of whom seem to be out on loan).

Club in limbo due to the sale or not, this is seriously bad forward planning by those responsible.

 

[Aikiwolf]

From Jim White:

I hear #Wolves manager Kenny Jackett will have a decent percentage of the #Afobe fee (8-figure sum plus add-ons) at his disposal

Also a rumour that Sheff Utd have enquired about Dave Edwards (which I highly doubt, and doubt even further that it would be listened to)

 

[Quirkafleeg]

Would we want Mark Davies back, and more importantly would he come back, the latter I would doubt. However it seems Bolton have reluctantly accepted a 700k fee for Davies. A lot of teams should be all over that, including us. Remember Leon came back after dogs abuse at Molineux.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I wouldn't want him as he's always injured.

I would be delighted if Edwards went but can't see it.

 

[Jinky]

Afobe deal confirmed, 4 years, medical completed at 9.30am this morning. Fee as suggested is £8-9m + add ons.

Cheers for the memories, Benik & good luck.

 

[Quirkafleeg]

I wouldn't want him as he's always injured.

I would be delighted if Edwards went but can't see it.

Looking at Soccerbase it seems he's had a brilliant run in the team so far this season, has missed a couple since the start of the season.

 

[Quirkafleeg]

Afobe deal confirmed, 4 years, medical completed at 9.30am this morning. Fee as suggested is £8-9m + add ons.

Cheers for the memories, Benik & good luck.

It'll end up being the £10m if he keeps them up with goals. Somebody mentioned they were pissed it isn't as good as the Andre Gray fee, however that fee is half add ons so Burnley haven't paid a considerable amount up top as most think.

 

[fizzwolf]

He's gone and forgotten IMO. I will renew my Early Bird ST too I enjoy the day out regardless but would fully understand if we lose a few thousand off last years figure in the current circumstances

 

[Quirkafleeg]

He's gone and forgotten IMO. I will renew my Early Bird ST too I enjoy the day out regardless but would fully understand if we lose a few thousand off last years figure in the current circumstances

Wolves these days are like visiting a whore house, the idea thrills you and gives you a right stonker on, however the bird tells you afterwards she has aids..

 

[playtheace]

Afobe deal confirmed, 4 years, medical completed at 9.30am this morning. Fee as suggested is £8-9m + add ons.

Cheers for the memories, Benik & good luck.

Apprently "its been a long time coming" says Afobe....hmmm

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Apprently "its been a long time coming" says Afobe....hmmm

How does Jonzy respond to that, I wonder?

 

[Parkins left foot]

How does Jonzy respond to that, I wonder?

Only been here a year - not been that long in coming