Stickied Transfer Rumours & Confirmed Deals Thread 2024/25

[HertsWolf]

Just how dodgy is this transfer?

Why would it be dodgy?

 

[HertsWolf]

He needs to sack his agent then, poor guy.

Why?

 

[HarvSFC]

You could argue that, but then you'd be wrong.

We usually have the best net spend in the Premier League. Look at last summer, we were preparing for the Europa League and still ended up with a spend of -£20.6m.

Whereas Wolves are just outspending everyone and looking more like a Manchester City than a Southampton.

I'm only calling out Mark when he starts denying things he's said/calls people jealous when he was exactly the same when Derby were in your position.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Methinks HertsWolf is riled... Also, there's a multi-quote system, buddy.

 

[HarvSFC]

Why?

Doesn't really need an explanation. Mark said he had offers from Liverpool, Chelsea, Juventus and Monaco.

He's ended up at Wolves in the Championship. Being a footballer is a short career.

 

[HertsWolf]

Doesn't really need an explanation. Mark said he had offers from Liverpool, Chelsea, Juventus and Monaco.

He's ended up at Wolves in the Championship. Being a footballer is a short career.

He's getting PL wages for playing in the Championship and he will get a full season of games in an increasingly visible shop-window. Not sure why that's a problem for Neves. Personally, I think it's a problem for Wolves if it goes wrong because there's no real downside for the agent or the player.
(fwiw I don't think it got as far as 'offers' from those PL clubs. There was 'interest'. Who told us there was 'interest'? Let's have a guess.......... surely not the agent? Surely not!

 

[HarvSFC]

Well, if he's as good as everyone's making out and at £15m, he should be getting a full season of games in a top-flight, especially in a World Cup year. He wouldn't have been at Wolves if not for his agent, hence why he should sack him. Fabio Borini's agent gets him to AC Milan..... etc, etc.

And no, Mark told me.

 

[HertsWolf]

Methinks HertsWolf is riled... Also, there's a multi-quote system, buddy.

No, not really riled. Just there's all kinds of crap being sprayed about. Yeh..I know about the multi-quote thing but I am doing others things then coming back to it again and again

I don't know what to make of it myself. It's a strange transfer if you look at it on its own. I like the strategy if it works (stating the bleeding obvious there, eh?) but last season's transfers were mainly piss-poor. We got Helder Costa, but then we also got Texeira, Oniangue, Gladon, some Haitian...it just seemed scatter gun. So it's a big "if".

I'm a bit irritated by the 'dodgy' bit, I admit, because there's no evidence it's dodgy. My worry is more about the long-term and in whose interests it all is. I have a long enough memory, unfortunately, to remember the dark days of the mid-1980s when I was a regular at Molineux (I was at uni in Brum) and I know how awful it is when you are facing extinction.

Edit: just watched a long video of his passing. He's ridiculously accurate. It's like the player he passes to has some kind of magnet and the ball just lands at his feet. It will be a massive boost to the club if we have someone in the middle as talented as Helder Costa on the wing.

 

[HertsWolf]

Well, if he's as good as everyone's making out and at £15m, he should be getting a full season of games in a top-flight, especially in a World Cup year. He wouldn't have been at Wolves if not for his agent, hence why he should sack him. Fabio Borini's agent gets him to AC Milan..... etc, etc.

And no, Mark told me.

I think the point being made in the media is that his star has waned a lot in the last 12 months. I've read today somewhere about Porto's style changing to a more direct approach that doesn't suit him at all, so his value had more than halved. His agent think...let's get him in the shop window where he'll get plenty of air-time. I agree it seems to benefit the agent **more** than the player, but I think it's a clever move **if** it works out well for Wolves.

I just think it's risky and there's no moral hazard for the agent.

 

[markwwfc1992]

The worst case scenario of this is if we don't get promoted, players like Costa and Neves ask to leave, we sell them for a minimum of what we paid for them. Simple.

 

[Benji]

Why would it be dodgy?

You know.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

No, not really riled. Just there's all kinds of crap being sprayed about. Yeh..I know about the multi-quote thing but I am doing others things then coming back to it again and again

I don't know what to make of it myself. It's a strange transfer if you look at it on its own. I like the strategy if it works (stating the bleeding obvious there, eh?) but last season's transfers were mainly piss-poor. We got Helder Costa, but then we also got Texeira, Oniangue, Gladon, some Haitian...it just seemed scatter gun. So it's a big "if".

I'm a bit irritated by the 'dodgy' bit, I admit, because there's no evidence it's dodgy. My worry is more about the long-term and in whose interests it all is. I have a long enough memory, unfortunately, to remember the dark days of the mid-1980s when I was a regular at Molineux (I was at uni in Brum) and I know how awful it is when you are facing extinction.

The main reason the dodgy thought has come up is due to what you're saying. Who does this benefit? Mendes. Could it benefit Wolves? Of course, but it's just as likely, if not moreso, to go tits up.

Don't get me wrong, we were just as bad last season spending massive fees on average players (McBigmac anyone?), but we've curbed it down this season, not that that's stopping us getting shit, as we've so far on transfer fees spent bugger all and made £2million back, plus the sale of Amavi and probably Gil to come yet.

I hope it works out for you guys (as long as it's not at our expense of course), as I want all the Midlands clubs to do relatively well (though more misfortune for Blues is always amusing, West Brom are due some too). I believe it's mainly concern from other fans of what could become of this and the risks associated. As you implied there, he could be another Costa or he could be another Texeira.

I suppose to sum it up, I'm saying let's see, but be wary. There's not been much experience of Chinese owners yet (and I include Xia in this) as to how they affect clubs long term. We'll hope they're not all like Carson Yeung. I am wary of Chinese businessmen coming and taking over clubs, especially in the quantities that they have, they've taken over all of us Midlanders ffs. This happened with American businessmen, we had a big influx of them and I can think of only one that's going/gone relatively well, and that's Liverpool currently. The jury is still out at Swansea, not a great start though last season.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

The worst case scenario of this is if we don't get promoted, players like Costa and Neves ask to leave, we sell them for a minimum of what we paid for them. Simple.

That's a nice thought.

We tried that with a few of our players.

Would you like Micah Richards? We got him on a free, and have tried to get rid for free.
Carles Gil? Looks like he's off for €2million. We bought him for £3.2million.
Jordan Amavi? Selling for £8.5million. Signed for £9.35million.
Libor Kozak? Released on a free. Signed for £5.5million.
Carlos Sanchez? Sold for £2million. Signed for £5million.
Jordan Veretout? For sale for around £5million. Signed for £8.5million.
Aly Cissokho? For sale for around £1million. Signed for £2million.

There's other fun ones too such as...

Jordan Ayew. Signed for £10million. Sold for £5million.
Jores Okore. Signed £4million. Free Transfer.
Jose Angel Crespo. Signed for £600k. Free Transfer.

Easy making your money back, isn't it? For the record, all of these are within the past 2 seasons.

 

[markwwfc1992]

That's a nice thought.

We tried that with a few of our players.

Would you like Micah Richards? We got him on a free, and have tried to get rid for free.
Carles Gil? Looks like he's off for €2million. We bought him for £3.2million.
Jordan Amavi? Selling for £8.5million. Signed for £9.35million.
Libor Kozak? Released on a free. Signed for £5.5million.
Carlos Sanchez? Sold for £2million. Signed for £5million.
Jordan Veretout? For sale for around £5million. Signed for £8.5million.
Aly Cissokho? For sale for around £1million. Signed for £2million.

There's other fun ones too such as...

Jordan Ayew. Signed for £10million. Sold for £5million.
Jores Okore. Signed £4million. Free Transfer.
Jose Angel Crespo. Signed for £600k. Free Transfer.

Easy making your money back, isn't it? For the record, all of these are within the past 2 seasons.

Difference is Costa has already increased his transfer fee for what we paid for him... He's been touted for 20m moves this summer already.

 

[Luke_1884]

The worst case scenario of this is if we don't get promoted, players like Costa and Neves ask to leave, we sell them for a minimum of what we paid for them. Simple.

To be fair Mark, thats a pretty good scenario, it could get much worse than that.
We're not in the shit but already we're finding it hard to shift players on big contracts it seems (players who's stock were at their highest when we bought them), if they don't have great seasons things could get tricky. You'd like to think someone would take a punt on them regardless but you never know in this game.

Edit: Too slow, what JaseTheVillain said pretty much.

 

[PrestonCha]

PrestonCha thoughts on our bargain of a signing today?

I've said what I think about what's going on at Wolves.

I'll definitely be interested to see how he gets on for the few months that he'll be with you, like.

If you're happy with uncertainty, instability and disloyalty then fair fucks to you.

Me personally, as a fiercely loyal PNE fan...Something just wouldn't sit right with me, if this was going on here.

And before you trot out the puerile "jealousy" jibe.....I'm a 32yr old man, mate. I don't get jealous over what other football clubs get up to or achieve. I'm a Preston North End supporter...we're used to other clubs being able to outspend us.

Anyroad, good luck to you. It'll be interesting to see where Wolves are in a couple of years.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Difference is Costa has already increased his transfer fee for what we paid for him... He's been touted for 20m moves this summer already.

Yeah, we had Benteke for that. Still didn't work out too well.

 

[markwwfc1992]

Yeah, we had Benteke for that. Still didn't work out too well.

Didn't you buy Benteke for about 6/7m and sell him for 30m? He was excellent for Villa, I would personally consider everything about Benteke's spell at Villa as a success. Scored you goals and made you a good profit.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Didn't you buy Benteke for about 6/7m and sell him for 30m? He was excellent for Villa, I would personally consider everything about Benteke's spell at Villa as a success. Scored you goals and made you a good profit.

I meant money wise overall, Benteke was excellent, great player and I'd have him back here tomorrow for the £30million we sold him for easily. Still the more rounded better player out of him and Lukaku imo.

I more meant, we had the back up of selling a player for a massive fee, it still left us shite financially.

 

[HertsWolf]

You know.

No. I don't. Do you mean illegal?

 

[markwwfc1992]

Well, if he's as good as everyone's making out and at £15m, he should be getting a full season of games in a top-flight, especially in a World Cup year. He wouldn't have been at Wolves if not for his agent, hence why he should sack him. Fabio Borini's agent gets him to AC Milan..... etc, etc.

And no, Mark told me.

You could argue he's putting himself in the shop window too. If he impresses for us, he'll go next summer to a much bigger club than ourselves. He could go to Chelsea/Liverpool and sit on their bench all season and be forgotten about.

 

[markwwfc1992]

To be fair Mark, thats a pretty good scenario, it could get much worse than that.
We're not in the shit but already we're finding it hard to shift players on big contracts it seems (players who's stock were at their highest when we bought them), if they don't have great seasons things could get tricky. You'd like to think someone would take a punt on them regardless but you never know in this game.

Edit: Too slow, what JaseTheVillain said pretty much.

Fair enough, that is another possible outcome. Personally I don't think it will come to that. The players in question (Costa and Neves), Costa has already increased his value with his form from last season. Hard to say about Neves but Porto were knocking back €30m euro bids for him last summer, so quite happy we could get him for £15m.

 

[Benji]

No. I don't. Do you mean illegal?

I didn't claim it was illegal, but I would imagine if any investigation were to take place they would find something amiss with regards to Jorge Mendes' involvement. It does feel vaguely similar to the Tevez/Mascherano transfer, but I would imagine he has protected himself with some creative accounting or a loophole or whatever.

 

[HertsWolf]

The main reason the dodgy thought has come up is due to what you're saying. Who does this benefit? Mendes. Could it benefit Wolves? Of course, but it's just as likely, if not moreso, to go tits up.

Don't get me wrong, we were just as bad last season spending massive fees on average players (McBigmac anyone?), but we've curbed it down this season, not that that's stopping us getting shit, as we've so far on transfer fees spent bugger all and made £2million back, plus the sale of Amavi and probably Gil to come yet.

I hope it works out for you guys (as long as it's not at our expense of course), as I want all the Midlands clubs to do relatively well (though more misfortune for Blues is always amusing, West Brom are due some too). I believe it's mainly concern from other fans of what could become of this and the risks associated. As you implied there, he could be another Costa or he could be another Texeira.

I suppose to sum it up, I'm saying let's see, but be wary. There's not been much experience of Chinese owners yet (and I include Xia in this) as to how they affect clubs long term. We'll hope they're not all like Carson Yeung. I am wary of Chinese businessmen coming and taking over clubs, especially in the quantities that they have, they've taken over all of us Midlanders ffs. This happened with American businessmen, we had a big influx of them and I can think of only one that's going/gone relatively well, and that's Liverpool currently. The jury is still out at Swansea, not a great start though last season.

But that's not dodgy. That's just football. (and I'm being careful with names ). I think the bit about beneficiaries is important. Wolves could be beneficiaries (promotion, success in PL) but others **will** be beneficiaries no matter what. I've just been speaking to someone who reckons that Wolves could double their money on both Helder Costa and Neves in a single season. That provides a £28 million pot from which you could buy and pay the salaries of a lot of Grant Hanleys, Jordan Hugills, Tom Inces etc etc further down the line. So it could be a very clever strategy, FFP-wise.

But yes, as I said, no matter what, certain individuals (and I include the players) will benefit. It's risk free for some people, it seems. Not sure that makes it dodgy; disingenuous maybe. I think we are going into the unknown, as this hasn't been done before. The Independent draws a parallel with what happened at Valencia but I don't know Spanish football well enough to make a judgement.

I think the problem in Championship terms is that clubs relegated from the PL struggle with massively expensive (and often terribly fragile) PL players who aren't thrilled at playing at Barnsley (or Wolverhampton, tbh) on a wet and windy Tuesday night in November. We spent two years getting rid of the divas and built a solid team under Jackett. That team needed to evolve with the steady addition of better and better players. Brighton, Huddersfield, Wednesday, Derby (until this month), Reading....all seemed to be playing that game and with success. I think Villa are going through the same process we had a few years back. This division needs a certain type of player, and strength, stamina, discipline and steel is probably much more valuable for getting out the right exit of this division than flair and skill.

We are likely to lose the core of that solid team now (Batth, Iorfa, Hause, Doherty, Edwards, Price, Graham, Dicko and others) as their places are filled with the new elite.

I am happy for today but if it goes wrong, it will go wrong very quickly.

Didn't you buy Benteke for about 6/7m and sell him for 30m? He was excellent for Villa, I would personally consider everything about Benteke's spell at Villa as a success. Scored you goals and made you a good profit.

Exactly. I think this is the Neves and Helder Costa scenario. Boly the same, only a longer bet hence the loan deal. I see it as a good deal for the player (plenty of game time, good wages, high profile) and those around him.

But to me, it feels like the "club" doesn't matter. We're a vehicle for others' ambitions. If it was the players' ambitions, then that's football, but if it's others, then that is an unhealthy development.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

But that's not dodgy. That's just football. (and I'm being careful with names ). I think the bit about beneficiaries is important. Wolves could be beneficiaries (promotion, success in PL) but others **will** be beneficiaries no matter what. I've just been speaking to someone who reckons that Wolves could double their money on both helder Costa and Neves in a single season. That provides a £28 million pot from which you could buy and pay the salaries of a lot of Grant Hanleys, Jordan Hugills, Tom Inces etc etc further down the line. So it could be a very clever strategy, FFP-wise.

But yes, as I said, no matter what, certain individuals (and I include the players) will benefit. It's risk free for some people, it seems. Not sure that makes it dodgy; disingenuous maybe. I think we are going into the unknown, as this hasn't been done before. The Independent draws a parallel with what happened at Valencia but I don't know Spanish football well enough to make a judgement.

I think the problem in Championship terms is that clubs relegated from the PL struggle with massively expensive (and often terribly fragile) PL players who aren't thrilled at playing at Barnsley (or Wolverhampton, tbh) on a wet and windy Tuesday night in November. We spent two years getting rid of the divas and built a solid team under Jackett. That team needed to evolve with the steady addition of better and better players. Brighton, Huddersfield, Wednesday, Derby (until this month), Reading....all seemed to be playing that game and with success. I think Villa are going through the same process we had a few years back. This division needs a certain type of player, and strength, stamina, discipline and steel is probably much more valuable for getting out the right exit of this division than flair and skill.

We are likely to lose the core of that solid team now (Batth, Iorfa, Hause, Doherty, Edwards, Price, Graham, Dicko and others) as their places are filled with the new elite.

I am happy for today but if it goes wrong, it will go wrong very quickly.

I can't disagree, and dodgy is perhaps the wrong word, but something seems amiss with this deal. If, as has been reported, there was Premier League/Serie A interest, why would he come to the Championship? If Porto were knocking back €30million bids last season, why sell him for £14million this?

It all does seem a bit fishy.

It could work out FFP wise and you could sell the players for a profit, or you could end up lumbered with two expensive failures at the club sapping money away. We'll see, but I'm sceptical.

 

[markwwfc1992]

I can't disagree, and dodgy is perhaps the wrong word, but something seems amiss with this deal. If, as has been reported, there was Premier League/Serie A interest, why would he come to the Championship? If Porto were knocking back €30million bids last season, why sell him for £14million this?

It all does seem a bit fishy.

It could work out FFP wise and you could sell the players for a profit, or you could end up lumbered with two expensive failures at the club sapping money away. We'll see, but I'm sceptical.

Porto sold him to us on the cheap because they needed the money quickly. Last season they were under no financial position to sell their assets and were able to reject such offers.

I guess you could say we simply took advantage of another clubs problems.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Porto sold him to us on the cheap because they needed the money quickly. Last season they were under no financial position to sell their assets and were able to reject such offers.

I guess you could say we simply took advantage of another clubs problems.

It still smells fishy to me, Mark. As I stated, I hope it goes well for you lot as long as it's not at our expense. I can't help but be sceptical about this deal, perhaps I'm wrong and it's all gumdrops and ice cream, I don't know. My instinct says something's up.

 

[HertsWolf]

If, as has been reported, there was Premier League/Serie A interest, why would he come to the Championship? If Porto were knocking back €30million bids last season, why sell him for £14million this?

Because there were no offers around £25m. That was a year ago. He's had a poor season. He played just 6 of Porto's last 24 League games. Didn't even come on as a sub. His arse has heated Porto's subs bench for the last 6 months. No PL club is going to pay £30m for someone with "that" talent. It needed his agent to conjure up a deal that gets him back playing football at a decent enough level. Cue Wolverhampton Wanderers (the most famous English club in Italy, remember?).

It all does seem a bit fishy.

I don't think so. An excellent agent getting a great deal for his client. The player.

It could work out FFP wise and you could sell the players for a profit.

Agreed. I think for some, **that's** the plan. If Wolves succeed that'll be a nice positive side-effect, but not the main game....

We'll see, but I'm sceptical

Me too. Excited but somewhat sceptical.

 

[markwwfc1992]

It still smells fishy to me, Mark. As I stated, I hope it goes well for you lot as long as it's not at our expense. I can't help but be sceptical about this deal, perhaps I'm wrong and it's all gumdrops and ice cream, I don't know. My instinct says something's up.

We're going into the unknown, Since aslong as I've been alive (only 25 years mind) the club has always been self sufficient and never spent beyond it's means (post Bhatti brothers era, that was before my time). The last 12 months have been a complete contrast to what any Wolves fan has ever been used to. Personally I find it much more exciting than the approach we had under McCarthy/Jackett eras, and is showing some ambition that has been lacking from Molineux for many decades.

For now we will enjoy it, but if it goes tits up as many predict, then we will take that as the consequence. Fight by the sword, and die by the sword, as they say.

 

[HertsWolf]

It still smells fishy to me, Mark. As I stated, I hope it goes well for you lot as long as it's not at our expense. I can't help but be sceptical about this deal, perhaps I'm wrong and it's all gumdrops and ice cream, I don't know. My instinct says something's up.

And to be fair..if it was happening to any other club, I'd be mocking them. Because I'm a total fucking hypocrite.