STUHILL

I used to love Transfer Talk but can't remember the last time it was anything but depressing.

Where did we get that his release clause ends this week? Reputable? If true, can see it being a Fatuwa situation, with us pricing him out of a move with us factoring in his potential and importance to us, with any valuation to clubs.

Agreed, but I think his release clause may be a little high for most teams to genuinely consider him at the moment. We know his potential, but he is still raw and a season in the Championship would do him a world of good. Just depends late in the window, if a lower Prem team loses out on some other options and so decide to take a bit of a punt on him and his potential. I think it could really mess with our season, and we would need to get very fortunate with a player or two that we bring in to cover that creativity loss. Hope he stays but does seem like it is 50-50 right now.

Agree to disagree. I think they are a decent and reliable pairing at this level, but not good enough together for the Premier League. Neither are the best at keeping goals out, but they both excel at this level with the ball, passing and moving it forward, which contributes to our attacks. We are likely to have a lot of possession in most games again this season, and that is where we saw Okoli look wobbly first half, but Faes and Vesty look composed and confident. Nelson could certainly push either of them for a starting spot, but our CB's are the least of our worries in this window. We should focus on midfield and striking options.

I think the Newcastle rumour was put out there by his agent, to try push Leeds or whoever else to make an offer. He isn't good enough (yet) for Newcastle. Hope he stays one more season with us

£5 million and 50k p/w off the books is worth way less than a promotion back to the Premier League. I don't think we would find an equivalent or better player for less than £5 million He changed the game when he came on at the weekend and looks a top player at this level I would hold onto him this season and try to get back to the Premier League at the first time of asking Will only get harder the longer we are down here. Bouncing straight back is usually the best chance I think there are other areas we could cut, before losing Winks

They weren't unreliable under Maresca in a full season in the Championship. I like Nelson a lot but Faes and Vestergaard look very assured on the ball, especially when we have 60-70% possession at this level. I can see Nelson starting a lot of games for us anyway whether through injuries or just pushing one of those two out the 11 for a time.

I wanted Okoli and Nelson to be our starting CB's but I think that was mostly because I dislike Faes and Vestergaard so much. In truth, a Faes Vestergaard partnership in the Championship, is probably still our best pairing from what we have. I think we should sell Okoli if we get a decent enough fee and bring in a CB on loan to give us Faes, Vesty, Nelson, + 1 with Harry Souter back at some point too.

We are at a tipping point of selling too much of our ability to compete for promotion. Bilal would be a big loss. I don't have faith that Top will give us the funds and/or we will be able to replace players like this with our scouting team. Can't do much if his release clause is triggered, but this sale should mean we absolutely do not sell Fatuwa or Winks.

Gross if true. I wanted him to go to America or somewhere in Spain or Italy. Reasonable chance he will play against us if he gets a 2 year contract

Needs to be a backup No.10 and will be useful at this level. I'd hope he isn't a starter for us when the window closes though. Fantastic last 30minutes from him yesterday. Although, get him off corners and free kicks FFS!

Can see him ending up at a top 10 Premier League team as a 3rd striker super sub 1 year deal.

We will price him out of a move. He has far too much potential, and a team will bulk at that priced into our valuation. He seems happy here too and it's so important he stays this season. Very much doubt he will be leaving.

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Be surprised if anyone pays a £30m + release clause for him. He likely wouldn't get into the starting line-up of any Premier League clubs apart from the 3 promoted. We rate him highly, but he has only shown glimpses of his potential so far. A year in the Championship playing 1-2 times a week, would do him a world of good. Suspect the Newcastle link is his agent trying to push Leeds or another club to make a move. Hope he stays.

I wasn't overly hyped by this anyway. Think we can do better. Maybe we will hit the loan market for an out of favour or young striker from a Premier League club.

That would soften the blow a bit if we get £30+ million. Still think he will be one of the best players in the Championship if he stays though.

To be fair to Cifuentes, he has likely been told to work with what he has in some cases. I don't blame him too much for trying to give everyone a chance to change course, but we as a tortured fanbase, know only too well about the chances afforded to players like Soumare, Daka and Skipp. Vesty and Faes I dislike strongly, but they have at least proven at this level with Maresca, that they can contribute to a dominant promotion. A big test and potential red flag moment for Marti now is, does he persist with Soumare and Skipp OR does he immediately recognise his error? In a perfect world, I would love to see movement in the coming weeks of Soumare and Skipp being loaned out and two CMs arriving. If Marti is behind a push like that, then I am all aboard his train.

Can we confirm he was genuinely booed when he came on or was it a "Wooooout" situation? He definitely took it as booing it seems. I wouldn't be that surprised either way. Seems early to single him out but maybe if it was Vesty coming on from the bench instead, then he would have been booed too. Part of me would love to kick him out of the club, buttttt he does look a very good CB at this level and I want the best 11 despite my personal gripes

in the Premier League, I can't stand him and I think he is useless and would happily give him away for free in the Championship, he looks one of the best CB's in the league and should probably start every game for us

Me included. I think I just so badly wanted Vesty and Faes to be pushed out the club. But, when Faes came on, him and Vesty looked like the pairing from 2 years ago, and were confident in defence and attack. A real step up from Okoli. Still early, but if we can't get rid of Faes and Vesty, then they should be starting together, with Nelson and Okoli as back-up. Perhaps, Nelson can push his way into the team ahead of Vesty, but Okoli really didn't look too good today.

4 hours earlier... me giddy at the idea of Okoli and Nelson, with Vesty and Faes shipped out... Now thinking... Well... maybe they can stay 1 more season

Skipp and Soumare should be pushed out on loan. No one will buy them. We then start Winks and sign two CM's and pray we can hang onto Bilal. Worrying that Marti felt confident in Skipp and Soumare, but hopefully today was a shock to him and that won't happen again if they stay.

Woeful today. Hope he can rediscover his Championship form from 2 years ago. Monga should start the next game based on today.

Really nervous with him having that release clause. Can see a newly promoted club triggering it at the end of the window and leaving us scrabbling to find a replacement. Hopefully, we are already bringing in TWO midfielders anyway, but what a bonus if we can hang on to him for this season.