No 'evidence', no. The only reasons he is being discussed so much is because the Peterborough chairman is answering questions about him from fans of every single club except ours (and we know the clubs likes to keep its business under wraps these days), and because whoever is in for him is trying to pay in installments, which sounds like us.

Chaddy. Do you honestly feel that Kent is a better player than Maddison, at this point in time, taking money completely out of the equation? Please don't rehash why you rate Kent, I've seen every single point you've made about him. If you have something new to add, feel free, but otherwise I'm just asking for a yes or no answer. I'm also curious if there is a reason you don't rate Maddison, apart from that he hasn't played in the Championship? Again, without considering the finances at all, and without comparing to Kent (let's assume Kent went elsewhere). Also, have you seen much of him? I will freely admit myself I haven't seen him, or if I did I don't remember.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/championship/transfers/wettbewerb/GB2 For those wondering what business other clubs have done, this is a pretty comprehensive list. Surprising amount of clubs that haven't spent anything, at a glance, although where a fee was undisclosed they are counting it as 0. Ours says no expenditure too, but we have spent somewhere from 800k - 1 mill we believe.

Ahhh, that might explain why they think 2 million for Bauer is fair! Who was that then?

A Fleetwood supporter I work with isn't remotely flattering about Cole, so I hope not. Those who said their Liverpool supporting friends speak well of Kent, have those friends watched him regularly on loan? Do they watch the youth team? Genuine question.

Well after I posted it I saw I had a warning for my original post! Honestly wonder why I bother here sometimes.

I'm sorry Chaddy, I don't know you so I don't consider it 'personal'. It's not like I said you're ugly or something. But it is seriously frustrating, when probably about 10% of this thread is you, to continually see you ignore, misunderstand, misquote, or take the wrong way the comments of umpteen different posters. As well as seeing you repeat the same thing a ton of times. People have repeatedly tried to point all of this out - some politely, some impolitely - and yet you just don't seem to digest it. I'm sorry but it gets very frustrating to read. And I don't want to feel like I shouldn't read anything you post, as you do post decent stuff sometimes. You're clearly a very passionate Rovers fan who watches a lot of football, knows about a lot of non-Rovers players, and keeps an ear to the ground for rumours. I just wish you'd comprehend what people are saying better. Maybe try posting less, but reading and thinking more. If you want to take that personally, that's up to you. But I'm not here to pick fights, just getting tired and frustrated from seeing the same patterns all the time.

You do know you can't use 'Nixon reported it' as your justification that Nixon reporting it was accurate, right?

You can tell, saw him laughing all the way to the bank!

No worries, I'm not here to pick fights with fellow fans! I think with Bauer it is simply that our valuations are miles apart. I doubt we will pay anything like 2 million for him because it's not the best allocation of it unless our total remaining budget for fees is upwards of 6 million (which is highly unlikely) in my view. Any big spend should go on a winger, followed by a striker. I'm sure the first LT article on Bauer said he was valued at 500k. Whether that was by us, Charlton, Bauer's agent, or some other source, if that's what you think a player will cost, 300k is a fair opening gambit. Clearly, to our surprise the game changed completely and we have either abandoned it, or (given the LT is still talking about it) we are focussing on other business before re-assessing what we can and will pay.

If, in theory, we had 2.5 million to spend on a player in a position we really need to strengthen, it doesn't mean we have an EXTRA 2 million to spend on a central defender with 12 months on their deal. There's two things at play there. Prioritising - if our budget was say, 3.5 million, you can't buy both and the other players we need, but you could probably get one and fill the other positions acceptably. Also, value for money. We might feel one just about represents it, and the other doesn't at all, for the prices asked. Spending 2.5 mill on one player wouldn't mean we can spend that on everyone.

Why? Just because they've valued him irrationally high? I wonder if a League One CH has ever moved for 2 million, let alone with 12 months left on their deal. Indications around the time our interest was first reported suggested to me that Charlton hugely upped their price suddenly. Just the impression I got reading between the lines.

I feel there is a difference between being priced out of the market at 2 million for any player, and not being willing to pay 2 million for a League One centre half with 12 months left on their deal.

Mission accomplished there.

That was kinda my point. Someone likely to be of no real use short term (or probably ever in Hart's case). Not a serious competition for left back, because TM doesn't think we need one. Personally I agree with him.

I can practically guarantee a left back isn't any sort of priority for TM though. He clearly rates Williams, and also brought in Bell in January for half a mill. There is almost no chance he moves for a specialist left back again (except maybe some cheap 18 yr old project). Maybe if he can't find a centre back for the right price and wants to play 3 centre backs, moving Williams inside, but I doubt he will be unable to find a centre back. Totally agree on the rest though.

On 35k a week, one thing the lad isn't is 'poor'!

No? Well you just wait til JAL posts!

Circa 1.5 in the summer, and about a half mill on Bell. 2 mill in league one....3 mill in the champs doesn't sound excitable to me.

Not remaining no, but in total we did. It's not like we only just started. It could be they won't fund him, we have certainly been there before, but all the ACTUAL indications from the club is that there is at least a little money to spend. The only indications we don't are actually just insinuations based on us not having done more business so far. How much money there is, is a different matter. Personally I suspect something like 3 million. Isn't it plausible that the reason for the slow movement is just that that isn't an awfully large budget for the champs anymore, and that we are ensuring we spend it wisely? If clubs raise their asking prices (looked like Charlton did this) or ask too much to begin with, shouldn't we be careful about meeting it? Especially since we all know the way the market works with fluctuating prices throughout, particularly with the trickle down effect from a world cup. I get why people are worried given the past, but we can be a little more patient. The next week or two will be telling, but even then it won't be over.

Come on Rev, you've surely seen many deals over the years, here and elsewhere, take weeks or months to be completed. We chased Rhodes for a long time, for just one example. These things don't just get done in a few days all the time. There are often long negotiation processes involved with the clubs and players, with everyone trying to get the best deal. I know this isn't news to you.

I feel like I've missed something, so correct me if I have...do you honestly think we're incapable of loaning youth players from Premier League clubs? We've been doing it for years. We loaned two last season in Payne and Armstrong, when we were in League One...why would we be unable to get them in the Championship with more revenue and prestige?

Hopefully they're wrong. We already have an inconsistent, injury prone centre mid called Evans. Good luck Joe!

Weren't we linked to Rothwell earlier this summer? I'm sure even the LT talked about our interest. So not completely out of the blue, just had gone quiet for a while.

Umm, we don't seem to be on that list. Or Rotherham. I guess only Wigan got promoted, ah well! (Might be the list is only showing clubs who have at least had an outgoing, and that just being released doesn't count?) I think we are going to regret letting Ohztuner sign for Bolton for free. Good deal for them. Would have been the best backup for Dack we could expect, and given the option of moving Dack back a little if we were short in centre mid at any point.