2025 Summer Transfer Thread. 😂

[Exiled_Rover]

4 minutes ago, FE123 said:

3 goals and 3 assists in 22 games in his debut season in the top flight after an excellent season year before in the league below.

Lets have it right, if he’d banged a load of goals in last season as well, he wouldn’t be coming here, especially with his profile of being 6 ft 3 and quick.

Another gamble, but I think they can afford to do so with Yuki and Gueye in the squad

It's a big gamble - and one that doesn't obviously push the two starters.

To me we either need to bring in someone better than those two or someone wildly different for an option off the bench (i.e. quick!).

[RevidgeBlue]

3 minutes ago, FE123 said:

3 goals and 3 assists in 22 games in his debut season in the top flight after an excellent season year before in the league below.

Lets have it right, if he’d banged a load of goals in last season as well, he wouldn’t be coming here, especially with his profile of being 6 ft 3 and quick.

Another gamble, but I think they can afford to do so with Yuki and Gueye in the squad

Disagree, need someone who's got a good chance of hitting the ground running and who's arguably better than Ohashi and Gueye even if it's only a loan.

If you're going to gamble you might as well give Leonard a proper chance.

[Polky]

5 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Wow, is that some sort of pennance for something? 🙂

The standard in the Eredivisie is a lot lower than the PL Id say, is that the same for their second tier compared to ours?

Haha you could say so!

Yes their second division has 4 U21 sides from the Eredivisie, so it’s not the best standard of football. 
 

Smit could be a glorified Joe Nuttall who loves scoring against U21 sides 🤣
 

 

[RevidgeBlue]

1 minute ago, Polky said:

Yes their second division has 4 U21 sides from the Eredivisie, so it’s not the best standard of football. 

Interesting -didn't know that.

[Ossydave]

4 minutes ago, Polky said:

Go Ahead Eagles won the Dutch cup last season beating AZ on penalties. Smit played the whole game (didn’t score or assist).

I’ve been watching a bit of the Dutch second division since visiting FC Volendam in February. Their striker scorer 52 goals in two seasons at the second division level.

Now playing in the Eredivisie he hasn’t scored a goal this season, it seems to be quite a big jump in class from the second division to the Eredivisie.

 

 

I follow it a bit purely for betting purposes (fantastic for over 2.5 goals bets). It's pretty much similar to premier league 2 level where the reserves play, so yes a significant difference in quality to the top flight. A number of teams reserves actually play in it.

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, Paul Mani said:

It’s just a hunch and not aligned with what the club or manager has said. I just feel someone will come and test our resolve for him. Plays every game, very consistent, just called up for Scotland….

Im not discounting that he may go. Again, our inability to offer proper contracts.

But he would be a huge loss and we certainly couldnt get by without replacing him.

[Neal]

Like Mark said... Isn't this a non starter as we have no ESC slots left?

 

Regardless, sounds very Telalovic mk2

Edited 1 hour ago by Neal

[Paul Mani]

Re Smit…

“It’s a big risk!!!….” Ermmmm yes!!

Every signing we make is a huge risk because we don’t have the money to have someone nailed on. If he had scored 22 in the second division and then 15 last season his price tag would be 5-10m now. The lad who’s signing for Newcastle went to Stuttgart for free last summer and is about to be sold for £69m! With every one of these players, we’re hoping to pick them up and hit that hockey curve moment. At least at 22, the Dutch lad has time and room to grow.

I still don’t reckon we’ll sign him or Soumane. The art of misdirection…👀

 

Edited 1 hour ago by Paul Mani

[Ricky]

19 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

Re Smit…

“It’s a big risk!!!….” Ermmmm yes!!

Every signing we make is a huge risk because we don’t have the money to have someone nailed on. If he had scored 22 in the second division and then 15 last season his price tag would be 5-10m now. The lad who’s signing for Newcastle went to Stuttgart for free last summer and is about to be sold for £69m! With every one of these players, we’re hoping to pick them up and hit that hockey curve moment. At least at 22, the Dutch lad has time and room to grow.

I still don’t reckon we’ll sign him or Soumane. The art of misdirection…👀

 

He only went to Stuttgart on a free as he didn’t manage to score in his 23 top flight games the season before, he actually left Bremen with 2 league goals in 51 games.
 

Kind of similar to this lad tbf as he had a great season on loan in the lower leagues and then couldn’t make the step up, left on a free after a poor season and then smashed it at the U21 euros and got a decent return for Stuttgart.

Im sure if we’d got Woltamade free last season people would have been concerned as he’d come off the back of a bad season and had only scored in the lower German leagues (think Telelovic).

Edited 1 hour ago by Ricky

[davulsukur]

1 hour ago, jim mk2 said:

Is he as good as Maceo Rigters?

Man, I remember when we signed this guy. I was on holiday with the mrs, perched up on a bar stool to grab a drink and they had sky sports news on, saw that we'd signed him and I was absolutely buzzing. Luckily the mrs doesn't follow football at all, so I don't think she remembers/cares that I old her he was going to be a class signing.

[Scotty1991]

23 hours ago, aletheia said:

Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo all by next Monday.  😉

I wasn’t even joking I’d pull him here on a skateboard 🤣

[Polky]

£1m + sell on %

[BRFC.]

1M bid with add ons accepted for Leonard, poor decision that very talented player. Very good signing for Peterborough this.

[Ruaney]

Just now, Polky said:

£1m + sell on %

Good deal.

 

getting 7 figures for him, Buckley and JRC isn’t bad.

[RoyWegerlesLeftToe]

1 minute ago, Polky said:

£1m + sell on %

All the best to the lad. Hope he smashes it! 

[RoyWegerlesLeftToe]

53 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

Re Smit…

“It’s a big risk!!!….” Ermmmm yes!!

Every signing we make is a huge risk because we don’t have the money to have someone nailed on. If he had scored 22 in the second division and then 15 last season his price tag would be 5-10m now. The lad who’s signing for Newcastle went to Stuttgart for free last summer and is about to be sold for £69m! With every one of these players, we’re hoping to pick them up and hit that hockey curve moment. At least at 22, the Dutch lad has time and room to grow.

I still don’t reckon we’ll sign him or Soumane. The art of misdirection…👀

 

I'm sold. Let's get him then profit. 

[BankEnd Rover]

Just now, Polky said:

£1m + sell on %

Good move and correct decision IMO...Never getting a game here, especially if we're bringing in another attacker. 

[ROVER_N_OUT1978]

Sorry to see Leonard go. Thought there was good potential there.

[Waggy76]

Just now, BankEnd Rover said:

Good move and correct decision IMO...Never getting a game here, especially if we're bringing in another attacker. 

Let us see IF the new striker is better , than Leonard .

Rarely happens with this regime .

[Tugayisgod]

Difficult to remember a window as crazy as this in my time watching Rovers.

Think we are nowhere near finished yet either. 

[alexanders]

Sad to see Harry go, but the best for both parties. Hope he thrives and smashes it! 

[Paul Mani]

Harry Leonard - Top player, injuries have blighted his career so far but if he can shake them off, has a VERY high ceiling!

I’m gonna stick my neck out and say this will be the sale we will live to regret. We shouldn’t be selling him. Arggghh

[BankEnd Rover]

Just now, Paul Mani said:

Harry Leonard - Top player, injuries have blighted his career so far but if he can shake them off, has a VERY high ceiling!

I’m gonna stick my neck out and say this will be the sale we will live to regret. We shouldn’t be selling him. Arggghh

You've answered your own question. The lad has been injured for the past 18months, he's nearly 22, and when he has played, he's been bullied.

League 1 will be right for him and if he does turn out to be good, we have a sell on. 

[Tugayisgod]

3 minutes ago, ROVER_N_OUT1978 said:

Sorry to see Leonard go. Thought there was good potential there.

Bit like Gilzenan in a lot of ways. Potential but injuries just held him back, good luck to him anyway.

Notice Gilzenan wasn't in the Grimsby squad the other night against Utd. so presumably still injured

[roversfan99]

Im happy to sell him. Good fee for a player whose development has been blown apart by serious injuries and that question mark will remain over him.

When he did play which seems a long time ago. He clearly wasnt close to being Championship standard. Maybe he will be in time but a fresh start is best for all.