Caleb Okoli - Outgoing

[slymunn]

If selling Okoli and Justin means we keep hold of players like BEK and Fatawu I'm all for it  We have enough cover at the back, so its not as much of an issue.

[kingfox]

Was unsure about Okoli last season, I started to warm to him a little bit over pre season, but in terms of defenders with ball playing ability, we can do much better. 
 

Wouldn’t be against moving him on, but would much prefer it if it was Faes or Vestergaard. 
 

As I’ve said all summer, if one of them go, get in a loan replacement from the Premier League.

[Spudulike]

Okoli's passing is poor that's why I wouldn't want Vestergaard to go whilst in the Championship, unless there's a very unlikely acceptable offer. Janik has his faults but his passing out from the back is not one of them.

[honeybradger]

8 hours ago, STUHILL said:

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. 

They were definitely unreliable. Pick any highlights video of our season in the championship at random and there is a decent chance there is a cock up leading to a goalscoring opportunity from one of Faes or Vestergaard. If we had a slightly worse keeper than Hermansen and the forwards in the championship were slightly better/luckier we would all be in agreement that those two are shaky even at championship level. Faes in particular under than poor run under Maresca was a bombscare.

 

Game 1 - Coventry. Completely in disarray at 0:30 and 1:18

 

 

 

Game 2 - Huddersfield. Why is Faes going after Vestergaard's man at 0:25 and leaving a man unmarked at the far post?

 

 

 

Game 3 - Cardiff 6:52 Cardiff are in their own half yet Vestergaard still leaves their striker unmarked.

 

 

 

 

[jv1]

Absolutely zero chance Milan are paying decent money for Okoli - imagine if they watched him Sunday 😂😂

[Ric Flair]

3 minutes ago, jv1 said:

Absolutely zero chance Milan are paying decent money for Okoli - imagine if they watched him Sunday 😂😂

He's very highly rated back in Italy, think it helps he's been included in a chunk of Italy senior squads in the last 12-18 months. I don't think we can expect much more than we paid for him but with some add ons and maybe a sell on, it's probably something we'd be open to. That said, he's likely on fairly modest wages by our standards.

[Guest BlueApple]

Maybe I'm just a hater but I think Vestergaard's passing ability is vastly overrated, he get's the ball, walks up the pitch, puts his foot on it and then plays a simple pass, surely to god we can train another CB to do that who doesn't have the pace of Gary Taylor-Fletcher.

Okoli probably isn't that guy, as he looks a little like an early Maguire, his feet don't seem to do what his head tell them but there was a moment in the Sheffield Wednesday game where he beat their striker for pace and used his physicality to shield the ball and I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen that. 

[FrankieADZ]

13 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

He's very highly rated back in Italy, think it helps he's been included in a chunk of Italy senior squads in the last 12-18 months. I don't think we can expect much more than we paid for him but with some add ons and maybe a sell on, it's probably something we'd be open to. That said, he's likely on fairly modest wages by our standards.

think 20/21mil is pretty far really, although i doubt AC Milan would pay that, we know what italian teams are like they will plead poverty etc and offer like 12mil

 

also AC are meant to be signing Zachary Athekame from Young Boys as well for around 9mil too

[TheGoldenGod]

18 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

He's very highly rated back in Italy, think it helps he's been included in a chunk of Italy senior squads in the last 12-18 months. I don't think we can expect much more than we paid for him but with some add ons and maybe a sell on, it's probably something we'd be open to. That said, he's likely on fairly modest wages by our standards.

He also was exceptional against Fiorentina which as an Italian team doesn't seem to be a coincidence. I feel like he's just better suited to that league!

[frany104]

Okoli out and Vušković in on loan

[jv1]

20 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

He's very highly rated back in Italy, think it helps he's been included in a chunk of Italy senior squads in the last 12-18 months. I don't think we can expect much more than we paid for him but with some add ons and maybe a sell on, it's probably something we'd be open to. That said, he's likely on fairly modest wages by our standards.

Sunday was a terrible day at the office e for him - really showed him up for a lot of his weaknesses- it’s a different game in Italy and maybe it will suit him more but if you are looking like a donkey in the championship there is something wrong 

[Edingleyfox]

I would accept £10 million for him. He is a great athlete but playing out from the back or under pressure he is a bit limited. 

[coolhandfox]

54 minutes ago, dmayne7 said:

No way. Faes is perfectly good at this level but he's nowhere near good enough for the PL. Okoli is also plenty good enough at this level plus he's got potential to be a lot better (whether he hits that is a different matter).

 

Plus Faes is a total ****

Same Okoli who lost 5 out of 6 Arial duels and lost 3 out of 3 ground duels on Saturday?  

 

I'd sale both if I had the chance.

 

 

 

[coolhandfox]

33 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

He's very highly rated back in Italy, think it helps he's been included in a chunk of Italy senior squads in the last 12-18 months. I don't think we can expect much more than we paid for him but with some add ons and maybe a sell on, it's probably something we'd be open to. That said, he's likely on fairly modest wages by our standards.

Need to sell before he has more chances to tank his price with poor performances.

 

Like Soumare, he become a better player in people mind when he not playing. 

Edited 13 August 2025 by coolhandfox

[Ric Flair]

1 minute ago, coolhandfox said:

Need to sell before he has more chances to tank his price with poor performances.

 

Like Soumare, he become a better player in people mind when he not playing. 

He is very 50/50 is Okoli. Had some very strong performances where he blocks everything, covers the ground well and looks the exact defender our fan base appreciates. Then he has had games where he nutmegs himself, is all over the gaff and looks like he can't pass.

 

He's not had a run of games to the extent we can measure what is par for the course with him but I'd sell if we can get our money back and some add ons.

[Lesta Legend]

12 minutes ago, Edingleyfox said:

I would accept £10 million for him. He is a great athlete but playing out from the back or under pressure he is a bit limited. 

 

 

Edited 13 August 2025 by Lesta Legend

[honeybradger]

34 minutes ago, FrankieADZ said:

think 20/21mil is pretty far really, although i doubt AC Milan would pay that, we know what italian teams are like they will plead poverty etc and offer like 12mil

 

also AC are meant to be signing Zachary Athekame from Young Boys as well for around 9mil too

12mil for Okoli would be excellent business from our end. 

[fleckneymike]

Very replaceable. 
 

Has no one defining characteristic / ability as a CB that makes him integral to the side. 

[sdb]

He doesn't even need replacing.

 

Faes

Vestergaard 

Nelson

Souttar

 

We'd be envious of those choices if it were another championship side 

[Claudio Fannieri]

I think we will do a deal at £15m + add ons and a sell on. iIRC the deal for Okoli was more like €10m + add ons to €13m, highly doubt any of those add ons have materlised so I think his book value is closer to £7m so anything north of £12m and we will be banking another £5m + of pure profit so could then sign Callum Doyle for £7m + add ons  over 5 years would mean this year we would be £3.5m up and have a replacement. 

[moore_94]

35 minutes ago, sdb said:

He doesn't even need replacing.

 

Faes

Vestergaard 

Nelson

Souttar

 

We'd be envious of those choices if it were another championship side 

Souttar is out until the end of the year though

 

Like @Ric Flair said, I think we should be looking at getting a centre back in on loan (ideally with an option / obligation) so then once we get to January, and we will hopefully know if Souttar is going to be suitable enough, we can look to get rid of one of Faes / Vestergaard

[JimJams]

Aluko can probably cover until Souttar is available again.  Did a few preseason games at CB and looked good.

The Vuskovic loan looks appealing but Spurs will want him to play not provide cover and that could be at the expense of Nelson, so I'd be cautious of that one.  

Alfie Gilchrist is another name that crops up here sometimes. He's played CB, but more RB, but Chelsea would surely be interested in a sale.  He only has a year left, so we could probably talk them into a loan with stipulations, they extend for a year, we get an obligation that suits us?  Maybe...  I do prefer the idea of loaning someone we can purchase at the end of the season, having already agreed a fee.  Could even try for Veiga!

 

Of course this is all fantasy because Milan probably won't pay for Okoli.

[messerschmitt]

3 hours ago, moore_94 said:

Souttar is out until the end of the year though

 

Like @Ric Flair said, I think we should be looking at getting a centre back in on loan (ideally with an option / obligation) so then once we get to January, and we will hopefully know if Souttar is going to be suitable enough, we can look to get rid of one of Faes / Vestergaard

How?

[Les-TA-Jon]

5 hours ago, honeybradger said:

They were definitely unreliable. Pick any highlights video of our season in the championship at random and there is a decent chance there is a cock up leading to a goalscoring opportunity from one of Faes or Vestergaard. If we had a slightly worse keeper than Hermansen and the forwards in the championship were slightly better/luckier we would all be in agreement that those two are shaky even at championship level. Faes in particular under than poor run under Maresca was a bombscare.

 

Game 1 - Coventry. Completely in disarray at 0:30 and 1:18

 

 

 

Game 2 - Huddersfield. Why is Faes going after Vestergaard's man at 0:25 and leaving a man unmarked at the far post?

 

 

 

Game 3 - Cardiff 6:52 Cardiff are in their own half yet Vestergaard still leaves their striker unmarked.

 

 

 

 

Come on mate, you've still got 43 games to do!

[DezFox]

16 hours ago, FrankieADZ said:

or it gives the likes of Aluko more of a chance to shine

Another year of feas then.