The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - 31st August 2015 THE CLOCK IS TICKING!

[Archibald&Crooks]

There's been itk on Austin today though

Yeah I've just seen it. If it had been JJ or something i'd be taking it more seriously, that latest doesn't bother me one bit.

 

[jonnboy]

We need a goal scorer , Kane cannot play sixty games this season, Austin is a goal scorer whether you like him or not .
He will do a job for us , people to quick to judge .

 

[dagraham]

No ones called him an idiot, throwing names up in the ITK thread is spam no?

Not today, but plenty of people mentioning that we may end up turning to him last minute have been called out as idiots etc.

Anyway, majority of ITK suggests we are not interested so I'll leave it there.

Hard to see where our back up plan comes from if Berahinho fails though. Just hope we have something going on under the radar .

 

[robertgoulet]

Southampton have just slammed the door in our face yet again. We have now dropped all interest in Wanyama. Saints are willing to sell but not to a premier league rival. If he moves, he moves abroad, and that's it.

Leaves plenty of time to get the Witsel deal done. As on SSN we have made a bid for the player, which from what I've just heard will be accepted. It's just a case of then agreeing terms with the player and getting him signed.

On a side note, we are not interested in Charlie Austin.

Holy crapamole on Witsel. Would be fantastic!

 

[yankspurs]

Austin again? Time and time again ITK's have said we are NOT interested in signing him. If you really have to, tell the world that you want him from the pulpit of that players thread, not in here because its a complete waste of time not to mention mind numbingly boring.

He's been linked today through ITK, think it was Ali Z. We've asked to be kept in the loop wrt him.

 

[Good Doctor M]

Witsel's a bit out of the blue. But I likey. Maybe the long term plan is to sign the entire Belgian team...


... cause I'd be cool with that.

 

[Teddy Klinsmann]

Southampton have just slammed the door in our face yet again. We have now dropped all interest in Wanyama. Saints are willing to sell but not to a premier league rival. If he moves, he moves abroad, and that's it.

Leaves plenty of time to get the Witsel deal done. As on SSN we have made a bid for the player, which from what I've just heard will be accepted. It's just a case of then agreeing terms with the player and getting him signed.

On a side note, we are not interested in Charlie Austin.

Does Poch actually want Witsel? Or is this just a case of getting someone in for the sake of it?

 

[Gbspurs]

Does Poch actually want Witsel? Or is this just a case of getting someone in for the sake of it?

I doubt levy would spend £20m on just anyone. £7m maybe...

 

[Good Doctor M]

Does Poch actually want Witsel? Or is this just a case of getting someone in for the sake of it?

Witsel isn't really, a get in for the sake of it kind of player. If that came off, then I'd assume we've been sorting that out for a few months.

 

[yankspurs]

Witsel's a bit out of the blue. But I likey. Maybe the long term plan is to sign tte entire Belgian team...


... cause I'd be cool with that.

There's been talk about him for the last couple of days. So not exactly as out of the blue to the masses like Son was where the first thing we heard on him was he was on his way to London for a medical with us.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

So as it stands, the 'best' of the ITK is suggesting Berahino and Witsel.

That would make for an excellent window but we all know how it usually pans out………It isn't unusual for us to get the collective horn on the last day or two only for the transfer window to close her legs and say get off big boy.

 

[mil1lion]

If Mystery is correct and Witsel is plan B to Wanyama as plan A, who the bleeding hell is drawing up our strategies???

Not surprised considering we seem to favor players who have played in England

 

[yankspurs]

Does Poch actually want Witsel? Or is this just a case of getting someone in for the sake of it?

If Poch doesnt want Witsel, i'd really start to question whether he should be here. Witsel is a quality CM. Would instantly be first choice here, IMO

 

[Vwbottom]

Mystery going 180 in a couple of hours of info, was the first piece of ITK from today or yesterday as it makes no sense otherwise.

 

[Good Doctor M]

There's been talk about him for the last couple of days. So not exactly as out of the blue to the masses like Son was where the first thing we heard on him was he was on his way to London for a medical with us.

He's out of the blue considering the stature of the player. We're spunking 20 mil on him, so this isn't a Levy picking up the phone thing and chancing his arm. We'll probably sign him and no doubt this has been going on behind the scenes for ages and it hasn't leaked out. So, even after a few days, a bid actually going in for him is a very pleasant shock.

 

[TheAmerican]

Southampton have just slammed the door in our face yet again. We have now dropped all interest in Wanyama. Saints are willing to sell but not to a premier league rival. If he moves, he moves abroad, and that's it.

Leaves plenty of time to get the Witsel deal done. As on SSN we have made a bid for the player, which from what I've just heard will be accepted. It's just a case of then agreeing terms with the player and getting him signed.

On a side note, we are not interested in Charlie Austin.

I understand that he is on incredibly big wages, and our tax rate is significantly higher here than over there. I could see that being an obstacle. But, he was rumoured to have agreed a move to Milan in July, so he must be willing to take a pay cut.

Our big wild card in all of this is our Belgian contingent, and specifically, Nacer Chadli. Chadli is Witsel's best mate, Nacer stood as his best man at Axel's wedding. Just as with Alderweireld, I could see the appeal of playing with a group of buds as quite appealing. I truly do think we could get it done if we get Zenit to accept our bid.

 

[yankspurs]

So as it stands, the 'best' of the ITK is suggesting Berahino and Witsel.

That would make for an excellent window but we all know how it usually pans out………It isn't unusual for us to get the collective horn on the last day or two only for the transfer window to close her legs and say get off big boy.

That would be a fantastic end to the window, IMO. Definitely a best case scenario type deal. But the outlay on them makes it extremely unlikely, IMO. We dont have a £45m wheelbarrow to wheel across Europe and England.

 

[ParkySpur]

So as it stands, the 'best' of the ITK is suggesting Berahino and Witsel.

That would make for an excellent window but we all know how it usually pans out………It isn't unusual for us to get the collective horn on the last day or two only for the transfer window to close her legs and say get off big boy.

Agreed.

But my memory of other windows have been like this, but with JJ standing firm on us being quiet. This window JJ is positive on us getting this done, so I'm confident on things getting done.

 

[jordibwoy]

Axel Witsel has joined up with the Belgian National Team today. A pic is on the official Belgian NT twitter page. Doesn't look like any move is imminent

 

[Good Doctor M]

Not surprised considering we seem to favor players who have played in England

Of course. Witsel is obviously more of a risk. He's probably a better player than Wanyama, but we know for a fact that Wanyama on form is one of those players that will win a game for you simply by decimating the opponents midfield... a bit like Sandro for us when he was firing on all cylinders. Witsel, if he adapts to the Prem, would be a great signing. High energy, decent distribution. He'd be solid. I think, with the admittidly little I've seen of him, he'd suit the league down to the ground.