It's an entirely different market now. And it depends how you look at it. In terms of impact on the team and our chances of realising our short term footballing aims Ethan Pinnock is far more important that John Stones was. I'm not saying Stones wasn't worth more by the way, I think we definitely should have got more.
They got £12 million from Villa for Scott Hogan not long ago and the same this week for Mepham. If they want Pinnock we should DEMAND the same kind of fee
The prospect of Pinnock going plus potentially GG and Winkler leaving too.... this is worrying. Bizarre business practice if owners genuinely want to get out of this division. I can understand why all three may want to leave, but from the outside it doesn't look good at all. Hopefully none of it comes off but i'm not convinced!
Stones was fantastic on the ball and showed outrageous skill. His defending was shaky, recall him being bullied silly at Millwall when moved into the centre. But it was about potential. I think Pinnock is a better defender than Stones at the stage of his career with us, but far less talented on the ball. He's a mix of Des Walker and Ugo Ehiogu from years gone by (though I don't think he'd get near an England cap. More widely and the topic... if the fee was heading to £5m territory (though I can't see Brentford spending that), its a very good fee, but he's integral to our success. My approach to him would be to offer a new contract on better terms and similar to with Potts, leave the door open in the summer if he really wants to go. I thought selling Potts and Moncur was good business. I could see allowing Jackson to leave if we got in cover might be a good move.... but if we get to the stage of losing Moore, Mowatt or Pinnock... I think our chances of going up this year diminish greatly.
Pinnock was asked after Burnley "Will you still be here at the end of January?" to which he replied, "Barnsley till I die". https://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/ifollow/video-archive/?video=pinburn
Later in the interview there were whispers coming from a particular journalist about him moving clubs. Pinnock replied “shut kite or tha deez”
Brentfords record signing is Andreas Bellend - £2.1 million quid. Can't see them smashing that record. They're a selling club.
They must be keen to avoid getting shafted judging by that signing. Just touch the tip of their budget.
Add ons in the Rico Henry deal push £5 mill. Not gonna say it's gonna happen, just like to pass on what I know.
I do hate jumping on this doom and gloom thread but as I read it everything reminded me of January 2017 and the subsequent issue with Heckinbottom. If any of this is true then we appear to have owners, from Chien Lee to James Cryne, and possibly GG too who's been involved in this sort of thing with us before, who see profit as the be all and end all, where promotion is not a necessary aim despite the fans' ambitions. Then there's this Winkler thingy, which in turn upsets Stendel's position, and we have to ask if there's any truth in it. Players sold when least expected, the coach, and presumably Winkler too, unable to maintain continuity on the field due to being undermined..... again. Stendel is only a coach, he can be ridden roughshod over by being told what's going to happen, not by being asked. I really do hope I'm talking ******** and that in a week's time we're all saying how stupid we were. Time will tell but if it does go tits up then should we be surprised?