2011 Summer Transfer Window Thread

[Sam]

To be fair I don't think Blackburn's owners have a clue what they're doing.

[stokeriño]

All evidence would indicate as such.

[cmb211087]

It's more the fact they think United tapped up Jones (which ESPN and news of the world have pretty much confirmed with Jones meeting Fergie before we even gave permission). Anyway looks like we are getting around 20m because of that fact. Liverpool have bid 22m today by the way.

[Baddar]

Fergie no doubt tapped up De Gea too, but told him to be all quiet on the matter until we can do the deal properly after the Euro's - it's always been my feeling on that one.

[TCO]

What the hell is up with Liverpool trying to sign all decent young English for extortionate prices. 35mil for Carroll, 16mil for Henderson and now 22mil for Jones. I eagerly await their £557mil bid for Jack Wilshere.

[cmb211087]

Just some confirmation about the Liverpool bid even though he is pretty much a united player now

http://twitpic.com/5a7a9l

[Blue Rosler]

I had a dream that Newcastle swopped Joey Barton with Scott Parker. And Barton went back to being a complete twat, and Scott Parker did brilliantly.

I hope this doesn't come true.

[TCO]

To be honest I wouldn't want Scott Parker at Newcastle.

There's no doubt he's a fantastic player and was brilliant for us while he was at the club but I don't think he'd be worth the investment right now. He's the wrong side of 30, would require a decent amount of money to sign even though West Ham got relegated and would command huge wages.

[stokeriño]

I've never been quite sure why 'tapping up' is vilified or treated as illegal.

My understanding is as follows: A contract exists between the selling club and the player, and the buying club has to convince both parties to agree to terminate that contract, so that they are then free to complete a new contract of their own. Traditionally this involves paying the selling club a fee of compensation and offering the player a better deal.

The concept that the selling club must not only be the party that is approached first, but also must be completely satisfied before the player can even be free to consider his own future, seems to me like a throwback to the treatment of players as "possessions" of the clubs to be bought and sold. Any time this concept has come within even 5 miles of European law it has been brought into question and I cannot imagine it being upheld if it were tested in a real court. So I can only conclude that yet again football is being pretty freaky and unusual compared to the rest of the world in not allowing third parties to contact their players/employees directly - something for which the existence of headhunters in the business world is evidence enough.

Alternatively, my understanding may be flawed.

[R.W.]

The cause of the problem is apparently the clause in Jones' contract says he's allowed to speak to a club who meets the price, but Rovers are under no obligation to sell him as a result of the clause being triggered.

It would be the first I've heard of it in this fashion though. Seems to defeat the point of the clause if the club isn't forced to sell.

[METALMAN]

I don't know if I'd complain were I in Blackburn's position. Phil jones is a promising player but I'd much rather take the £16 million.

[R.W.]

Think Venkys just want more cash out of the deal to be honest.

[9 to 5]

They probably do, but you can't force a player to sign a contract only accept the bid. And normally when a team bids so much, they are alot better and the player goes. >_>

[The Future]

Jones will still be a United player at the end of this I think, depends how much Fergie wants him if he's hell bent on getting Phil Jones like he was when he chased Hargreaves(which concluded after a year of negotiations) then he'll make it happen...probably by tossing in someone like Brown/Gibson/Diouf in exchange along with the 16 million.

If not it's not the end of the world, I like our current crop of defenders

[Starvinho]

I'd be very suprised if the deal didn't go through and I'd be even more suprised if he went on to sign for Liverpool. But stranger things have happened...

[DavidMarrio]

I'd rather have Scott Dann personally for us as he'd be cheaper and well he's a scouser.

It's strange though if there is this minimum fee release yet it's not its basically "Oh yeah you can talk to him...but we don't have to accept" They just want more money and if we were to come in with his rumoured 22mil bid I dunno what to think, I know you've got to spend money to get the potentially good english players but a possible 40+ or there abouts mil on two players?

[9 to 5]

The Venkys are mongs.

[9 to 5]

Wrong thread. >_>

[Quom]

I've never been quite sure why 'tapping up' is vilified or treated as illegal.

My understanding is as follows: A contract exists between the selling club and the player, and the buying club has to convince both parties to agree to terminate that contract, so that they are then free to complete a new contract of their own. Traditionally this involves paying the selling club a fee of compensation and offering the player a better deal.

The concept that the selling club must not only be the party that is approached first, but also must be completely satisfied before the player can even be free to consider his own future, seems to me like a throwback to the treatment of players as "possessions" of the clubs to be bought and sold. Any time this concept has come within even 5 miles of European law it has been brought into question and I cannot imagine it being upheld if it were tested in a real court. So I can only conclude that yet again football is being pretty freaky and unusual compared to the rest of the world in not allowing third parties to contact their players/employees directly - something for which the existence of headhunters in the business world is evidence enough.

Alternatively, my understanding may be flawed.

I thought it was illegal in most sports? I know it is in the NBA. I think it's to stop players demanding a trade/transfer. I think in sport the player is considered a possession of the club holding his contract.

[Hobo]

What the hell is up with Liverpool trying to sign all decent young English for extortionate prices. 35mil for Carroll, 16mil for Henderson and now 22mil for Jones. I eagerly await their £557mil bid for Jack Wilshere.

When Carroll was sold, he was sold with Newcastle knowing Liverpool needed a striker and had 50 million to spend. So they got the biggest price they could when they sold him.

Henderson and Jones are highly rated young English players. Which means they're automatically worth five to ten million more than what they would be if they weren't English. 22million for Jones seems like trying to lure him away from going to Man Utd.