30 Jun 2024 09:08:06
Guessing as it is July 1st Everton did not need to sell Branthwaite cheaper than the £70m+ they want and they are safe from PSR/ FFP after their sales. Looks like we may have to stump up or move on, I really hope not on to de Ligt tho, hope rumours on this are false.

1.) 30 Jun 2024
30 Jun 2024 09:42:20
Not sure what part of the world you’re in WRD, but it’s not 10am on 30th June yet.

It may not matter for the transfer, but just letting you know from a sanity perspective ?.

2.) 30 Jun 2024
30 Jun 2024 11:26:21
It might still be the 30th but the deadline for PSR has effectively passed as it's not enough to have a deal agreed, but clubs need the funds transferred into their accounts by midnight tonight.

Trying to get all the contracts and legalities tied up and then transfer massive sums of money on a Sunday will be very difficult if not impossible in most cases.

I doubt any deals will be done today, at least not ones driven by PSR.

3.) 30 Jun 2024
30 Jun 2024 12:25:45
Oh yeah ? thought was July 1st ?.

4.) 30 Jun 2024
30 Jun 2024 13:02:51
WRD ?.

5.) 30 Jun 2024
30 Jun 2024 17:07:37
I’d rather take De Ligt for £30-40m than Branthwaite for £60m+. In fact, based on current ability, I’d probably take De Ligt over Branthwaite even if the price for them both was the same.

6.) 30 Jun 2024
30 Jun 2024 17:59:42
De Ligt is awful.

7.) 30 Jun 2024
30 Jun 2024 19:20:02
The Dutch Harry maguire.

{Ed025's Note - honestly wiggy...there can only be one Harry Maguire mate.. :)

8.) 30 Jun 2024
30 Jun 2024 19:44:19
De Ligt is not the level of player we need. He’s pretty much failed everywhere since his time in Ajax. If you can get him for around 20m then he’d be ok as backup.

There’s a reason why Bayern don’t want him. And Juventus didn’t want him before that.

9.) 30 Jun 2024
30 Jun 2024 20:16:38
Speaking of players, I mentioned nico williams last summer. He is some talent. One of the best players I have seen in this euro so far. Can play both wings with ease.

10.) 30 Jun 2024
30 Jun 2024 21:00:41
I remember the last crap centreback we were linked to. Too short for the Prem, was thd expert analysis. Now our best player.

11.) 30 Jun 2024
30 Jun 2024 22:48:09
De Ligt is a good player, but he's not yet proven himself to be a great one.

Juventus were happy enough to let him leave, and now Bayern are as well.

But even if you put two underwhelming stints at top European clubs to one side. He is still a player who misses between 10-15 games a season on average injured, and is on 250k per week.

Is he more or less likely to pick up injuries in the more physical EPL? After not living up to the billing for Juventus or Bayern is he worth paying 250k per week?

I think he's the kind of signing we would have 100% made during Woodward's time. Which probably tells you everything you need to know about signing him now.

One to avoid for me. I expect we'd end up with a player who never quite convinces when he plays, but probably spends 40% of the time on the physio table and not on the pitch. All while being the highest paid defender at the club. No thank you.

12.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 09:14:06
Why did Juventus and Bayern want him in the first place? He looked great at Ajax!

13.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 10:53:06
So did Antony Patrick ??‍♂️.

14.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 11:08:32
Happy with de Ligt and if we get him then the 'dream team' inc Wilcox and Ashworth have given it the thumbs up. The growing narrative already seems to be that he is slow which isn't what I've taken from watching him a fair bit. Admittedly not in the last season where Tuchel (perhaps a little concerningly) preferred Dier. We seem to always have a need to pin a negative too short / slow / injury prone tag on players we don't want. He's not de Ven or Saliba fast, but few are and that doesn't make a player slow. He reads the game superbly and his distribution is excellent and walks into the team. I'd prefer to see it as an opportunist signing for someone who's fallen out of favour for whatever reason with a new coach. Happened to Salah and de Bruin once at Chelsea.
One surprise however would be a 5 year contract for any new signing. It's a long time for a player to be untouchable should anything happen in that time.

15.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 12:51:45
Apparently he did Shappy. The point being nobody bar us went for him. Unlike de ligt who many were after. Do you see the difference? I must say I am surprised that it has not worked out at Juventus or Bayern.

16.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 14:17:54
I'm not surprised Patrick.
Can you name any player from that ajax team that's moved and excelled?
Freak season they were never that good and have been pricing that for the last 5 years each and every one of them. Some good talent but massively over rated on 1 good cup run.

17.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 14:37:49
Hope many are in for him now Patrick now he is available from bayern. I've no idea who wants him but it's not a long list i'd imagine.

18.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 16:56:03
Only saw him play once in that season. Thought he looked a class act. Can remember not being over impressed with a colleague of his. A certain Donny! We will see. Better informed people than me around to make the right decisions.

19.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 19:05:57
Patrick, I remember De Ligt looking less than great in the Europa league final against us.

20.) 01 Jul 2024
01 Jul 2024 19:56:26
Shappy he was 17years old! Still played well. Was given a 7 player rating (Guardian) and deemed to have “a great future! ” But for a 17 year old you think it was a less than great performance? Ok .

21.) 02 Jul 2024
02 Jul 2024 00:14:04
He was as were the rest of the team playing in a system they had been schooled in for many years, that the familiarity served them well.