We might choose to sell him for an arranged fee now rather than wait til next summer and risk a shit fee at tribunal.

It's pretty premature to say this of Broughton at this stage. So far he has made two permanent signings, both players already tracked for a while by the club, and bid on previously if I recall. Both players were from relegated sides, which made it easier to do than in the past. And a lad on loan from Liverpool, which has been part of our transfer policy for 2 years too. Meanwhile, three players worth decent money have walked off on free transfers, and we still stand a chance of losing our best prospect in years for a pittance. Brereton has not signed his new deal and as a result we are likely to lose him for less than we'd like. There are 2 weeks of the window left. To be clear, I'm not blaming him for any of that. I'm just saying nothing has really shown he is the real deal, as things stand. Maybe he is, but not gonna be able to call that until the end of the January transfer at the least I would think.

This stage of the window is about when I expected things to start hotting up with Diaz. Whether it's just speculation or actual bids. If as many teams are keenly looking as is now being said, we should be able to get the 20 million we reputedly want for him. Crucial we line up a good replacement, and ideally with some money left over to strengthen elsewhere as we probably won't replace him like-for-like in impact.

He is though. He played once in a cup for Spurs. Here, he has been injured nearly the entirety of his time here and has played 3 times. He isn't a regular starter as things stand, but he doesn't seem fully fit yet and will definitely get his chances and it will be up to him to take them. The same couldn't be said for if he was at Spurs. Squad player is a big upgrade on youth team player.

It's not just about what we've invested into him though. We invest into the academy as a whole in the hope of producing gems like him, and Raya, and there is a whole lot of wasted investment that falls by the wayside. Granted, we currently have a lot coming through and the academy is paying for itself indirectly regardless of Phillips, but we only have about 4.5-5 million of direct money from the last few years (Raya 3m, Wright 1m, Mahoney 500k-1m...maybe a touch extra from Raya's clauses). Prior to recent years we had a serious dry patch for a long time. Point being, we need to be able to capitalise on the good uns, and it's really not fair that due to a rigged system we are losing seriously valuable talent when it has barely played for us (or in Wright's case, before). Of course we have also lost a bit (Lenihan, Nyambe) for nowt due to our own sheer incompetence and that part's on us. But it is going to seriously hurt if we get about a million or two for Phillips then see him go on to become an England legend.

Fair enough, I'll stick to it being a draw though, just with less worry than before of a defeat. Our own defence could end up being makeshift very quickly, and we can't get away with that every game. 4 wins from 4 (5 from 5 really) would be sensational, just feel it won't happen. Fingers crossed though!

On paper, this is certainly the easiest of our opening 5 league games. We have a 100% record. They're managed by Paul Ince, a disaster at Rovers, and some ex Rovers players thrown in (I make it 4 in their squad), only three days after a gruelling, hot match against a good side, and we're away...I've seen this script before. Banana skin written all over it. First dropped points of the season. I'm going to predict a draw. 10 points from 12 will still represent an excellent return. Joao to score if he plays.

There has been speculation since last January. He's handling it fine. I don't think a derisory bid from Nice is going to affect him.

We will probably struggle for 'mega' bucks if we wait two years. At that point he will only have a year left on his deal, as 17 year olds can only sign 3 year deals. Unless we can persuade him to sign another next year of course.

That didn't present itself as an exclusive. The LT also reported that a deal with Phillips was agreed for when he turned 17. What nobody has been able to categorically clear up since is whether Phillips was able to officially sign it so it legally came into force once he turned 17. What I've seen on here and elsewhere paints the picture to me that he and his team verbally agreed it, but it couldn't be signed into force, then when the time came they decided it wasn't enough and renegotiated.

The article says it's 25k extra compo per appearance he makes, not the 40k (I think) that was mentioned on here earlier.

I thought that made it sound slightly concerning too at first, but I'm sure it's just a quirk of how the (fairly poor) reporter has written it. There will have been talks before, this will be about trying to finally get it over the line, and obviously we are dependent not just on when our guys are free for the talks but when Phillips' representatives are free.

Interesting. Lancs Live rarely go against the general grain of reporting. They must have been told something. Of course, there is a lot of language like 'could' sign it, so I'm not going to ejaculate just yet. Still firmly at the precum stage at best. There are rumblings in my balls though for sure.

It was a British transfer record fee and very fair at the time. The money in the game in general accelerated afterwards, and he fulfilled his potential, that's why he went on to be worth 5 times that. They weren't robbed in the very slightest sense whatsoever.

You mean Rovers, right? I agree, my point was it's much worse than Southampton's situation in the 90s that you compared it to.

Raised him as a footballer, obviously. I doubt Mrs Phillips' football coaching credentials. His family shouldn't be nagging him to set them up for life as has been suggested, that's their problem. If he chooses to share it that's up to him. As others said, it's not his current job position, he's essentially being offered a significant promotion and wage rise already. I'd be surprised if we're not offering him at least 5k p/w, which over a 4 year deal is a million quid. Plus any loyalty bonus. Plus if he's half the player everyone thinks he is, he will get a big move, multimillions and set his family up for life anyway. Yes, in his position, I'd strongly consider staying put where I can continue developing, for still very good money, rather than risk vanishing into the Spurs player graveyard as many, many others have, for a short-term bonanza that could look like peanuts to him in 10 years.

Were Southampton losing players for well below their true value (or free in some cases)? Or did they sell a player for a very fair British transfer record fee?

He is replaceable, but for us, on our wage budget, it's more likely we get a replacement who isn't as good just now, than that we replace one of the best players in this league with someone as good or better, for less money. Such a deal is out there, I'm sure, but I don't yet have the faith in Broughton to find it, nor in our wage structure to get it over the line against probable competition. Even a player as good could take time to settle in and find on-field and off-field chemistry with teammates. In short, it's something that probably could happen but I have limited confidence that it would. I don't think just signing multiple poorer players would have enough of a net impact to compensate for that one player with defence-piercing quality you rarely find in the Championship.

I'm sorry I don't think you phrased that sentence how you meant to, I don't understand what you mean.

Spurs won't have any need to rush the deal. I doubt we will let him go until our defence is sufficiently recovered or reinforced.

He owes us nothing? We found him, raised him and built him. If he owes us nothing, we certainly owe him even less.

Especially if we get promoted. But I don't think that's likely. Especially if we lose BBD.

Decent is akin to 'fairly good', not bang average, and I think the most accurate description of Lenihan by this summer would have been 'good' Championship defender.

Where are you getting 10k p/w from? As far as I'm aware, I was the first person on here to mention that hypothetical figure for him, and I plucked it out of my arse.

Or, by moving he might ruin his obvious potential and never earn that amount of money again.