Reported as either 1.3 or 1.7, not sure which. Total rising to 3 million with add ons. No idea what the adds on, might be quite easy to meet (appearances and goals) or a tad unlikely (promotion, England caps). We'll never know what we end up paying.

On the other hand, we just finished above City's youths, despite their vastly greater resources (including playing expensive first team defenders who cost far more than our entire first team).

Boateng would be an internal promotion that has 'been there' as a player.

Well, you've got me thinking again about why I got passed over for a decent role at my company in favour of a complete idiot with minimal life or work experience...probably should have answered less honestly in the interview about where I saw my career going!

And I think it's early to be drinking so heavily.

If he does step up, that's great. What wouldn't be great is a strategy based on him stepping up instead of getting an experienced CB. Even if he's looking terrific in training. Surely you see that?

https://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/football/tom-white-joins-blackburn-rovers-458010 This article says the fee was 5-figure (not 6 as I thought I read before) so it really might be peanuts. Sell-on clause too. It also says Gateshead could have an option on loaning our youth players. I assume that would be our lesser lights or very young players, as it's not a particularly great testing ground with the league they operate in.

Oh to be clear I was in no way arguing with you, just commenting on the situation as presented. I'm glad for the info, which for some reason I'm assuming is accurate. Maybe it's just the way you talk about it, sounds legit to me. Definitely happier with frees than loans, as long as they're not ancient and they're up to the task. Oh Jesus Christ.

The A list keeper and defender should be his sole priority. They don't appear to be - instead he has bloated the midfield himself and sounds like most focus is on making sure we get Gallagher in before we decide whether we can have the A list or B list goalie and defender. For me, sod Gally until we've settled the goalie and defender question. It's not like he's a superstar and it's not like we are short in numbers there, or quality when Graham is fit. We are very short in quality (and numbers) in goal and defence even when everyone is fit. Something else concerns me. Your earlier post indicated that both the keeper and centre half signings might be loans. That would be pretty unhelpful come next summer. We'd then have no keeper again, the same poor defence with Mulgrew a year older and even slower (and out of contract?), Downing gone, Johnson 33, and Gallagher presumably. Basically, this window would achieve, in the longer term, just adding Gallagher and losing Raya, and if we're lucky we could maybe get another good season out of Johnson. For the same budget as last year, I don't care how anyone spins it, that would be disastrous business. It won't have made us anywhere near good enough to go up this season either I shouldn't think.

Considering it's only a one year deal and we have other players who still commute from the North East, I agree that's a sign he is committed. Good to hear.

Still, if it's a similar sized town to Blackburn and that's each...they're getting approx 10-20k between them. That's not dissimilar to ourselves, so maybe the impact isn't so far removed from what happens with us and the Manc and Mersey clubs?

Between them or each?

I think the Lithuanian is more of a winger or attacking mid (also not broken past u-18s yet)? Thought Mols was similar to that. No clue about Vale and Evans, and someone correct me if I'm wrong on the first two. I think the club are keen to ensure our u-23s stay in the top youth league. It's good for them and our ability to attract youngsters. This kid seems rated tbf, only odd thing about it is his age. Does Buckley even have a spot in the first team though? I know we are expecting him to push on, but to even get on the bench for the CM/DM roles he will be competing with Travis, Evans, Johnson, Smallwood, Davenport, Downing, Bennett and even Lyons to a degree, as things stand. The first 5 probably being the biggest threat...only 4 of those 6 (including Buckley) can realistically make a matchday squad. Meaning Buckley is relying on some combo of us selling someone, not bringing in Adam, Butterfield or A.N. Other, and injury/suspension just to be on the bench. I suspect he will spend at least the first couple of months training with the first team but playing with the u-23s.

Yeh he could be here to give the u-23s cover for Buckley moving up. It seems a bit odd if so, given Buckley is 3 years younger than him. You'd expect someone brought in for that purpose to be no older than 20 really. Obviously no complaints if this goes on to be a good signing. Just on the older side for the development squad..much like Lyons was. In fact I wonder if this puts the writing on the wall for Lyons, who actually sounded alright. Only room for so many young CMs coming through. Given how stocked the area is, 'risky' appearances from youth team players will be at a premium. Maybe Lyons is verging on a move north of the border where he impressed? Maybe to rejoin his old Coleraine boss permanently?

Going off this article, where it seemed Gateshead wanted a 6-figure compo fee, I assume the White deal is costing in the region of 100k. Which I imagine is similar to our sell on for Mahoney (20% of the profit, we got about 500k at the time, thought I heard he was selling for about a million to Millwall). Could be related, could be a coincidence. We should net a small 'development fee' for Mahoney on top of that. Was the max for that 5%? So maybe another 50k if I've remembered that right. https://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news-carlisle-united-set-to-sign-hartlepool-united-target-tom-white-290881

Good post, I think the only one I strongly disagree with is that to me Dack is definitely automatic promotion quality. I think he'd fit very well (probably better) in a top 2 side as there'd be other danger players the opposition would have to focus on. He'd get more space and his team would have more of the ball in the right areas. As another poster pointed out, Downing and Johnson could be top 6 players as they technically were last season. Unknown quantities for us though, especially due to their ages (particularly SD). I reckon a Nyambe given more game time is probably a top half player next season. Samuel is relegation quality/unknown. Good list though.

It sure is pretty late. Especially when we already have Buckley, Davenport and Lyons competing as 'young midfielders trying to break through'. And ten players in total who can play CM. Very odd signing. Tony really does love collecting central midfielders (this guy is central, right?) Goes without saying that I hope he becomes a corker, but still odd. Our recruitment priorities are confusing at present. Hope it all makes sense when the window is done.

What deters me from Rodwell isn't so much that he is making us wait (bit annoying but understandable to a degree), it's that he's popped himself off on an extended holiday at this time of year. He's entitled to if he wants, it's just that it shows a woeful attitude towards truly fixing his career. He should have had his hols earlier and be training with us, like everyone else who didn't have international commitments. A couple of other out of contract players we've never owned are managing it. Just a sign of a man who isn't bothered anymore, I hope we swerve him.

That's worrying.

Looks there like the sort you'd expect to find rummaging through your bins at night.

Was this the same interview? Those comments seem incompatible (not as much money as Tony thought, but we're not messing around...which we also seem to definitely be doing so far).

Surely he is allowed to bin them off when he's ready to replace them though?

What? Where did you hear that? Must be the strangest condition to impose on an incoming manager I've ever heard of. "You can have the job Tony, but only if you don't replace the goalkeeping coach who never played as a pro goalie. I know it'll be tempting so you need to promise. Hm? Yes you can sell promising young goalkeepers and buy new keepers until you get one who doesn't need coaching, sure." Sounds very dodgy if true.

So our most talked about youth player is galaxies behind the youth players of a youth team we finished above? Unless you're talking about the ones they don't use in their youth team anymore, like Foden, that doesn't seem right.

In fairness that doesn't necessarily mean we can't afford it. Could just mean we don't think he's worth what we're being charged. I certainly don't think he is worth more than about 3 million. I don't want us to pay more than that for him whether we have the money or not.