What’s going on here???

[ex_pat_magpie]

It's not we can't, It is we won't compete with Brentford. Or any other club on the planet.

Now that is perfectly in context Scott.

[Andy1981_2]

Without wanting to make the situation seem worse, does anybody else think that this might jeopardise the takeover? I don't mean 'if we get relegated because we haven't signed anyone' even, which clearly would change the picture massively. But even if we stay up, this lack of recruitment is surely a problem. Imagine you bid for a fully furnished house, but because of solicitors dragging their heels, covid delays to viewings, searches, etc. it took way longer than you imagined. You really want the house though, so you say you're happy to wait. But, what if - in the meantime - the seller then started selling off some pretty decent bits of furniture, and just letting other bits go for nowt to the charity shops? When the deal is ready to finally sign off, would you be happy still paying the same price? It wouldn't be unreasonable to say that they'd been asset stripping during the delay, and that the thing you initially put an offer in for now isn't worth what you bid. A reasonable seller might 'fess up and agree to lower the price. But what if they're a total dick, and insist on the agreed sale price? How would you move forward there?

That's basically what is happening at the moment. I'm not too pessimistic yet because the window is still open, but if we don't sign anyone other than loans, and we've sold off players like Lejeune who is actually a good player, then we're potentially going to be left in a situation where the buyers say 'Hang on a minute...' The only real assets our club has is the player contracts. We'll have fewer of those on the books after this window IF we fail to sign players. We don't own the ground our stadium sits on, so the buyers aren't in it for a property deal, so it's literally about the footballing potential of the club. Given that, I can't see how the club isn't devalued by inaction in the window.

[Alberts__Lob]

Well ASM is probably worth £50 mill of the £350 mill Ashley wants for the club. And you could argue that Callum Wilson is worth about £20 mill....

I see what you're saying...not strengthening the team must devalue the price of the club

[Zippity]

It's a fair point...but I think the takeover is doomed regardless.

The PL's stalling tactics are going to get them what they want in the end, imo.

[Andy1981_2]

It's a fair point...but I think the takeover is doomed regardless.

The PL's stalling tactics are going to get them what they want in the end, imo.

Yeah, I probably should have said I don't think it's a done deal or anything - I just mean it's creating yet another hurdle. And it isn't one we can blame the PL for.

[Zippity]

Yeah, I probably should have said I don't think it's a done deal or anything - I just mean it's creating yet another hurdle. And it isn't one we can blame the PL for.

Well...we kinda can. If it wasn't for them, we'd be shopping in Fenwick's foodhall instead of standing outside Gregg's at closing time asking if there's anything we could have from the stuff they're chucking away.

[HughieG]

I’ve been away to Greenland the past few weeks, so sorry for being slow - but have we even signed a single player for the senior squad for this season???

Even for Ashley this seems unprecedented. We usually get a few freebies from the relegated sides.

[Zippity]

Indeed we have not, Hughie.

Only PL club not to sign anyone.