I think we need Morton here, someone to keep hold in midfield. Problem is he can’t take off Brereton, Dack, Hedges or Gallagher, so I assume he would take Buckley off.

They’re still all over us.

Agreed. For all the talent he obviously has, getting a hold of games from central midfield will be vital to his success. You can’t just play when they let you play, he needs to find a way to control the game.

34 minutes in here and here’s my review so far… Kaminski, Brittain, Ayala and Phillips good. Phillips battling with Long and competing - impressive. Pickering a weak link at left back. Travis and Buckley trying but losing the midfield battle. Brereton struggling to make his usual impact. Sammie, Dolan and Vale all non existent. Not helping Brereton and their lack of threat is meaning Reading can push forward. and finally… this game stinks of a Bradley Dack double. If he’s not on the pitch after half time I’ll be damned.

The obsession with Lenihan and Boro is very odd. Rovers down 1-0 at Reading. Brereton lost his man defending the corner. Don't look at the races so far, Dolan and Vale non existent.

Smells like a last minute new offer to me! Maybe Spurs thinking they’re told / being told they’re close got a final offer out of Rovers. Especially after two good debuts in the cup and league. Wonder if the Liverpool defender being kept back has made us gamble on our own instead?

This is superb from the club if they’ve managed that. To fight of Spurs is phenomenal.

WOW! Lancs Live saying he is staying and signing. https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/transfer-news/blackburn-rovers-tottenham-contract-phillips-24781299

He’ll be on much more than 10K p/w at Spurs. And putting him on 10K here - which we wouldn’t do - would cause more problems than it’s worth with the rest of the squad. The reality is you can’t hold people back. Spurs are a bigger club, have more opportunities, more finance. We cannot compete on any level with them and in the long run, showing young kids that they can sign for Rovers and be allowed a move to Spurs is helpful.

Regardless I think this is what happens, we will get a few million now to avoid all the hassle.

I must say I don’t understand how this alleged ~250K figure is worked out, or how Elliott ended up going for more, or how the standard of your lawyer can determine what the final figure is.

The Spurs contract that Phillips is being offered is enough to set his family up for life and there’s a bit of pressure on him to do that. Plus, I assume he believes he’s good enough to break through at any club.

I assume you can work out what a player is valued at you from Joe’s earlier link, but I haven’t got time to check.

Have you any idea where this ~250K comes from? I asked why Harvey Elliott was so much from Fulham to Liverpool and haven’t been told why this is any different.

That’s the figure I was told, only relying it, I don’t know where it comes from.

Does he have to start, or does that work for subs as well? It’s Ash’s decision from what I was told this morning, not necessarily his agent like previously predicted. Spurs deal sets his family up for life at 17.

FYI Rovers are expecting if he leaves at the end of the season to receive circa 250K from Spurs, but that would increase for every game he plays for us before he leaves. It’s likely we will SELL him this window and that fee will be a couple of million.

It’s the opening of the negotiations though, you’d expect conversations to continue

Back to the game, does BBD play?

8.4M is insulting, but he will go this window I don’t doubt it. I’m sure we have replacements lined up, don’t panic. As a side note I’m getting bored senseless of Radio Lancashire and the Telegraph keep asking JDT about signings. It’s the same answer every time - when will they realise that Greg buys them and JDT coaches them?

It wouldn’t surprise me if he did Aus or MLS. Clubs over there will lap up signing a player from United, he would get blue skies and a good wage.

I think Phil has grown accustomed to the finer things, I can’t see him coming back here. Sadly, because I’d like to think if I was a pro footballer I’d make sure I finished my career at Rovers whilst I was still capable.

He gets 14 points on the work permit calculator thing that Joe posted. 15 is the minimum limit, but they might be able to go to ‘exceptions’ whatever that means.

Captain Travis has picked the pre and post match music this season!

One for @StubbsUKi suspect