Arent you thinking of Paul Mani who said it? (Well, that people in the club said it) No way is he on that much. Hes an academy graduate so he would obviously have been on a very small wage before, he wouldnt have needed such a large lift to keep him.

If those preparations are true, then that outshines any potential performance issues because if we are cutting corners to save money to that degree, how will we prepare for away games during the season? Embarassing. How did Alebiousu look in the half that he played? Seems like De Neve didnt impress and Tavares didnt have time.

Possible that I am wrong but my recollection is that he said that he had the makings of a £10m player. He signed a 5 year contract in 2022 before the budget cuts and they were securing an asset that they believed had EPL potential, I don’t think he will be on much less that £750k a year.

Doubtful, they'd have had him out the door way before now one way or another. He was another academy grad who was on peanuts until they tied him down so he'll be on about 5 or 6 grand a week hence they don't seem to mind him hanging around.

Again the risk would be him coming from a weaker league and whether he could translate his impressive numbers over. Seems more attacking than Baradji. Henriksson has chrons which has caused him to miss games or not finish them: https://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/fotboll/a/4Bd9eq/axel-henriksson-i-gais-beratttar-om-crohns-sjukdom

I dont think Mowbray ever said that. No way is he on £15k either.

Just a few points on what Ismael said today. Firstly obviously good news that we are close to a second player as well as Miller. We need a lot more but its a start. I was hoping that it would be a right winger but seemingly its more likely to be a midfielder. Our attack is badly short. Ismael suggested that the Brittain sale has helped us in the market. That doesnt fit in with what Gestede has said in the past. The Pears situation is strange. Understand freezing Buckley out, but we need a senior seconr choice, we cant have a kid in that position so if Pears goes then he needs replacing. Wonder if it is related to the hair transplant, or if he has reacted negatively to being potentially second choice. Ismael also again mentioned "mistakes in the past" regarding contracts. He is in fot a shock unfortunately, there is no sign that we will learn from these mistakes. No contracts signed including Hyam who ws "close" weeks ago.

Swedish guy sounds a very credible link. He'll be back up to Cantwell. For what it's worth, here's an AI generated scouting report on him: 🧾 SCOUTING REPORT: Axel Henriksson 🔹 Basic Information Attribute Details Full Name Per Axel Nils Henriksson Date of Birth 16 April 2002 (Age 23) Nationality 🇸🇪 Sweden Height / Weight 1.89 m / ~75 kg Preferred Foot Right Position(s) CM, CAM (Attacking Midfielder) Current Club GAIS (Allsvenskan, Sweden) Contract Expires December 2026 Market Value €1.2M (Transfermarkt, 2025) EU Passport ✅ Yes 🔹 Technical Attributes Skill Rating (out of 10) Notes First Touch 8 Smooth under pressure, controls in tight areas Passing – Short 7.5 Smart combinations, especially in the final third Passing – Long 6.5 Capable but not a deep-lying distributor Dribbling 7.5 Confident ball-carrier, good burst in midfield Finishing 7.5 Times runs into the box well, composed shots Crossing 6 Limited usage; not frequently wide 🔹 Tactical & Mental Attributes Skill Rating (out of 10) Notes Off-the-Ball Movement 8 Sharp movement, finds half-spaces consistently Vision / Awareness 7.5 Reads attacking options well, plays clever passes Work Rate 7 Tracks back but not naturally defensive Positioning 6.5 Can be caught high or out of shape when defending Decision-Making 7 Generally calm, still developing under pressure Leadership 6.5 Confident but not vocal or dominant 🔹 Physical Attributes Attribute Rating (out of 10) Notes Acceleration 7 Decent burst but not electric Stamina 8 Box-to-box engine, maintains high energy Strength 6.5 Can be outmuscled by more physical mids Agility 7 Moves well for his height Injury Record ⚠️ Knee injury in 2021; has Crohn’s disease, managed well 🔹 2024–2025 Performance Snapshot (Allsvenskan) Stat Value Appearances 26 (20 starts) Goals 8 Assists 4 Avg Match Rating 7.12 (SofaScore) Passing Accuracy 83% Key Passes / 90 1.4 Shots / 90 2.2 Duels Won % 48% 🔹 Style of Play Role: Advanced Playmaker / Mezzala / Box-to-Box Likes to: Drift between lines and receive on the half-turn Make late runs into the box Combine quickly in central areas Avoids: Heavy defensive responsibility Slowing play down Player Comparison: Upside comp: Alex Scott (Bournemouth) or Emiliano Buendía Current comp: Jordan James (pre-Lazio) or Sammie Szmodics (less proven finisher) 🔹 Suitability for Championship Category Assessment Technical Fit ✅ Yes – creative midfield roles, especially in 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 Physical Readiness ⚠️ Needs adaptation – tempo and duels will be a step up Tactical Awareness 🔁 Improving – press-resistant but positional discipline needed Mentality ✅ Strong, resilient – managing Crohn’s while progressing Transfer Risk ⚠️ Moderate – first move outside Sweden, needs transition time 🔹 Recommended Path Ideal as a depth or rotation option in the Championship first. Could thrive under possession-based systems (e.g. Swansea, Coventry). Alternatively, consider a stepping-stone move to: Netherlands (Eredivisie) Belgium (Jupiler Pro League) Poland (Raków/Czestochowa already interested) 📝 Verdict Rating: 7.3 / 10 Ceiling: High-end Championship starter or lower-tier Premier League squad player Current Level: Top Allsvenskan / Championship squad option Availability: Contracted until 2026, likely €1.5M–2M needed “Smart, attack-minded midfielder with box-to-box drive and goal threat. Technically ready for the Championship, physically and tactically still developing. High-upside signing with the right integration plan.”

He was dubbed a £10m player by Mowbray and the club were really keen to secure him on a 5 year deal. No way that he is on less than £12k, my guess is circa £15k.

Ah that's that then.

I was going to ask whether as someone who predicted a mid table finish, whether surely 2 or 3 extra bits of quality on top of the 3 you would be happy with could potentially push us up and around the top 6. But then I re-read. Just to clarify. You suggested that 3 signings would be enough including Miller who can cover centre back and right back. I and many others feel we need more. You have then done yet another squad list, where you have added 5 new players, and continued with the same argument?

Pears and Buckley - may be a struggle to get them moved on. I suspect Pears the more likely of the two, but after Buckley's poor stint at SW - will many want to pay his wages? Shame, decent player in there.

I don't think that's certain at all, especially in Buckley's case. I'd be stunned if he's one of our top 10 earners, and if he is we should try to find a suitor.

The music lads are dusting off Appetite for destruction as we speak.

Sounds too good, must have a stress fracture or some other reason for it to fail.

Whoever is cheapest then.

mr perfect would claim success if rangers finished out of the top 4,that guy has an ego the size of siberia

From a Twitter account: Alexander Henriksson🇸🇪 • 16/04/2002 •Another signing that is marked by myself as a dream signing, although I think he is still worth mentioning. Henriksson plays his club football for Swedish top flight side GAIS. During the 2024 Season, Henriksson played 26 games which 19 of them he started. Predominately deployed as the attacking player in the midfield three in GAIS`s 4-3-3 formation. •A parallel can be drawn to Fredrikstad`s current creative output in Morten Bjørlo. The two players, while different share some of the creative and on the ball qualities. •The Ability to win the ball in the final 3rd of the pitch, and driving forward with the ball is something that is prominent in both players, and even more so in Axel Henriksson. A technically prominent midfielder combined with his athleticism and his towering 190cm, makes of a rare mould of a footballer. • Although Axel Henriksson is an attacking midfielder, some of his defensive numbers are also through the roof compared to comparable players - Aerial duels won: 42 (92nd percentile) - Duels won: 117 (77th percentile) - Possesion won in the final 3rd: (89th percentile) • The 22-year-old also had an impressive season attacking wise, as he managed 8 goals and 3 assists from 19 starts in the Allsvenskan for a GAIS team that finished 6th. His numbers in the attacking numbers are as his defensive ones, impressive. - Goals: 8 (100th percentile) - Shots on target: 20 (100th percentile) - Touches in opposition box: 98 (95th percentile) • One of Henriksson`s abilities that impressed me the most is his positioning. In the instanced i have watched him, he always seems to be in the right spot, which speaks of a high footballing IQ. As previously mentioned, I find Henriksson to be a unique mould of footballer, and a mould of attacking midfielder you don't see very often. •This is made clear by the interest in him. At the time of writing, Polish club Rakov Czestochowa holds a strong interest in the player who`s contract runs out at the end of 2026, and as we fast approach the transfer window, I am sure there will be a lot of intrest in the player. As previously stated, i view Axel Henriksson as a dream signing, and aknowledge that should he leave GAIS in janaury he will most likely move to a bigger team. •With a market value of 1,5 million euros, I do not think a deal can be reached for under 2 million Euros which would Smash Fredrikstad's transfer record.

buckley is a bit like lars bohinen,both talented but lacked inspiration and courage on the pitch

Could be, it just seems to me it was a hurriedly arranged opportunity which suited both clubs.

Possibly instead of Baradji as they seem very similar types

Definitely sounds legit, some Swedish reporters with huge followings have mentioned it

https://www.transferfeed.com/transfers/axel-henriksson-gais-blackburn-rovers/13291966

Yeah

In swedish media to. https://www.aftonbladet.se/a/QMVV6P?utm_source=androidapp&utm_medium=share