Let’s be honest, the cycle is over and doubt anything will change shortly as they won’t want to invest much in something they hope to sell soon.
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This is the sense I’m getting.
A lot of the good work will be undone if no European football next season and we playing this poor.
If we play this poor next season my concerns will be wider than missing out on European football.
I do feel we need to try and get some form of it, even if it’s just allowing to give our youngsters games.
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He’d be an idiot not to. He isn’t.
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You mean the people who’ve enjoyed the incredible success we’ve had since they took over? Stadium? Cups? Unbelievably gorgeous manager?
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Possible. However I’m not sure much has changed. Two seasons ago with multiple injuries we left it late and ended up signing Davies and Kabak. Players nowhere near our level. We later signed Konate.
I’m guessing we’re biding our time once more and will recruit again in similar fashion. Nonetheless I do believe we should have and should be more proactive in improving the team. Perhaps the money just hasn’t been there.
Only issue is Konate was 40m.
We’ve got Moises Caicedo at near 70m and Fernandez at 120m.
I thought the latter would have been a good option at 50m but he will never be that apart from in actual terms.
Are you questioning Konate?
No I’m saying he would cost in excess of 60m if we bid for a similar player today
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You can see how warped the transfer situation has become when Anthony Gordon is worth 45million.
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Surprised they didn’t sell when Chelsea were interested.
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Quite, breakout 4/5 months of decent but hardly anything to write home about (bar falling over and looking like a 60 year old child) and this season well?
He still has time to push on but I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up at some relegation fodder on loan in 2-3 seasons.
It’s a pity that FSG haven’t got a dead man’s switch installed, because the club gives every impression of being an out of control train these days, speeding toward mediocrity.
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I am surprised there’s no news on this situation yet. Yes the process takes time but no leaks off offers / interest is a little perplexing.
My best guess is Middle East interest, possibly QIA, but the conundrum for FSG is how that will be received by fans.
We see some PR stuff, not necessarily with QIA, but with the club in the Middle East. Training camp in Dubai, pics of former club greats e.g. Ian Rush, meeting and greeting various Arabs, and so on.
It is possible that this is a bit of a softening up of the fan base, and in addition to our relative slump, might possibly improve the climate around a potential takeover deal.
I’m not saying there won’t be some fan protest, but I am saying that it has felt to me as though relations with the Middle East have been carefully managed to date, and I wonder if that is because of a potential sale?
Everton are like a lot of clubs somewhat trapped by the sense of attachment to some players - selling Gordon probably felt like it would have been selling the family silver (or maybe they had visions of handling this like they did Rooney where they kept him for another year before getting paid the big bucks?).
One of the advantages a club like Brighton have is that they are willing to deal if the price is right and so are not weighed down by this sort of thinking.
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If the owners are so keen to sell up as so many fans think they are, then I don’t see why FSG would worry about selling to a Middle Eastern group.
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I can see what you mean. Sell, take the money, then it’s not their concern.
Arguably they want to finish well, at least in terms of a smooth handover to the new owner, as their reputation might matter to them. Then also, if a possible deal with QIA isn’t buttoned down, but only announced, and there is significant fan unrest, it is not difficult to see QIA pulling out, and then FSG will be left with a struggling club, fan unrest, no new owner, and probably an asset that is in danger of diminishing in value at that point.
Just speculating, but I can see why it is a delicate dance to negotiate and pull off.
If that’s what is happening.
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Perhaps be worthwhile to not consider a sale to QIA as fact and work on the basis that FSG are still looking at a partial stake sale, since that is actually being reported by the ‘more reliable’ sources.
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