✍ Welcome Alphonse Areola

[kitthehammer]

of course it would make sense for us to sign him this summer but if there is a loan possible they will do that if areola is up for it, but i suspect only if he becomes first choice. Remember we may not even get into europe next season so he's hardly going to sign to sit on the bench all season. But you know if we loan him again that he will end up signing perm somewhere else. As usual we'll think of balancing the books instead of thinking ahead, like the last two transfer windows.
But you never know, he may not want to stay with us anyway? He might have been expecting being first choice this season.

[bubbles1966]

Still can’t see us signing him on perm.

C&H has dropped into two different articles this week about Johnstone being called up by England (although he’s now dropped out due to injury).

They know something imo.

Did I mention that I think the guy is not very good?

Just stop reading it, mate

Whenever they say something like "our man on the inside" it always finishes with "of a padded cell" in my mind.

The absence of a decent spell checker / proof reader tells you all need to know about how amateurish it all is.

I just glanced over there - no fewer than eight "articles" already today

[hammerman11]

I wonder if we could get pope if Burnley drop ?
Think he only has a year kept so maybe we can pick him up on the cheap!

[Diogenes]

I wonder if we could get pope if Burnley drop ?
Think he only has a year kept so maybe we can pick him up on the cheap!

He won't be cheap and we wont be the only ones interested.

[Bubbles Fortuna]

He won't be cheap and we wont be the only ones interested.

We might be one of the only teams looking for a first choice fairly urgently though.

The Sky 6 are all sorted, even De Gea is only 31, Tottenham will arguably be shopping around but I can see them being too arrogant to go for an English guy from Burnley.

After that we're in the next rung. Along with Leicester, Villa, Everton, Southampton, Newcastle, Palace and Brighton.

Only Leicester, Southampton and Palace in that group might be shopping around, but even then Forster and Butland are having somewhat of a renaissance of late.

If he wants to be a starter there isn't many if any better choices than us.

[Ironing Board]

I wonder if we could get pope if Burnley drop ?
Think he only has a year kept so maybe we can pick him up on the cheap!

We'd be blessed to have him - he knows how to deal with crosses. I would like some confirmation of interest though.

[Rocketron]

We'd be blessed to have him - he knows how to deal with crosses. I would like some confirmation of interest though.

Hmmm

[Diogenes]

We might be one of the only teams looking for a first choice fairly urgently though.

The Sky 6 are all sorted, even De Gea is only 31, Tottenham will arguably be shopping around but I can see them being too arrogant to go for an English guy from Burnley.

After that we're in the next rung. Along with Leicester, Villa, Everton, Southampton, Newcastle, Palace and Brighton.

Only Leicester, Southampton and Palace in that group might be shopping around, but even then Forster and Butland are having somewhat of a renaissance of late.

If he wants to be a starter there isn't many if any better choices than us.

Newcastle and Villa would outbid us.

[Bubbles Fortuna]

Newcastle and Villa would outbid us.

Neither of whom need a new starting goalkeeper.

Villa only just went big on Martinez, and if Newcastle did look for a new Number one they'd go for a glamour signing.

If they outbid us way above his worth then so be it, that's what happened with Ings.

[LeonRivers]

of course it would make sense for us to sign him this summer but if there is a loan possible they will do that if areola is up for it, but i suspect only if he becomes first choice. Remember we may not even get into europe next season so he's hardly going to sign to sit on the bench all season. But you know if we loan him again that he will end up signing perm somewhere else. As usual we'll think of balancing the books instead of thinking ahead, like the last two transfer windows.
But you never know, he may not want to stay with us anyway? He might have been expecting being first choice this season.

If we loan him, I would take that as an indication that we’re just waiting for a ‘better’ permanent option. I’ve always believed that he was an interim signing this season whilst we waited for Johnstone’s contract to expire. The form of both players this season might have caused Moyes to reconsider that, though.

[funky chicken]

It depends on the clauses in the next loan deal if we decide to loan him again. As I thought I saw in one of the articles that the next loan will have an obligation to buy. If that’s the case then he technically has become a permanent signing. We’re just simply not paying PSG more of a fee until the summer of 2023.

That wouldn’t be the worst deal in the world if it meant we can strengthen other positions. The more positions we strengthen for the long term the less we’ll need the following summer window. Then we can spend bigger on just 1-2 signings.

[hammer1975]

According to Transfermarkt his PSG contract runs out in 2023 - no mention of an option for PSG to extend. It’s why I’ve said previously that talk of his ‘big wages’ being an issue may not be accurate as he’s not on them beyond the next season (plus French tax law makes the net versus gross different to uk tax law anyway).

Not sure why PSG would enter a contract where there is an option to buy for £11m or simply loan for another season and then get for free as his contract runs out. Seems odd to me.

[hammer1975]

If we loan him, I would take that as an indication that we’re just waiting for a ‘better’ permanent option. I’ve always believed that he was an interim signing this season whilst we waited for Johnstone’s contract to expire. The form of both players this season might have caused Moyes to reconsider that, though.

Very much agree on the last bit Leon. Johnstone has been particularly awful this season. I hope Moyes is aware and hadn’t already made his mind up or got some gentleman’s agreement in place that he doesn’t feel right to renege on.

But I do also think Johnstone was overrated in prior seasons too. West Brom conceded quite a few goals last season where he made a decent initial save (to get fans and commentators going ‘oooh, good save’) but pushed it directly back into the danger zone for someone else to score an easy goal. Not good goalkeeping as far as I’m concerned. It got glossed over because west brom were so poor defensively and he’s an English goalkeeper (many still have this preconception that English keepers are David Seaman and Gordon Banks school of goalkeeping - unfortunately they aren’t).

Has anyone seen confirm of Fabianski extending by the way? Plenty of reports that he was ‘set to sign’ but not seen confirm that he did anywhere. Hoping he did.

[bubbles1966]

The 'loan' could very much be at the insistence of the player and agent.

If we commit to a permanent transfer, it not only commits us to a series of annual expenses, it presumably impacts on the player's ability to maximise a signing-on fee?

It also gives the player twelve further months to work out if we are his long term destination.

By all accounts, he's settled in London.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Johnstone rock up as Randolph's replacement.

[hammer1975]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Johnstone rock up as Randolph's replacement.

He’s not even good enough for that Bubbs.

[Southminster Hammer]

Surely we could/should make him permanent now if both wish too?

[w6hammer]

Surely we could/should make him permanent now if both wish too?

Agreed.He is a very good goalkeeper and in my opinion a natural successor to Fabianski.

[westlondonhammer]

It may be dependent on Fabianski

I'm not sure he'll be looking to stay if Fabianski signs on

[e20too]

Just stop reading it, mate

Whenever they say something like "our man on the inside" it always finishes with "of a padded cell" in my mind.

The absence of a decent spell checker / proof reader tells you all need to know about how amateurish it all is.

I just glanced over there - no fewer than eight "articles" already today

I assume you glanced but didn’t read then I can only praise your resilient refusal to crack under the temptation.

[e20too]

Newcastle and Villa would outbid us.

I fear that might become a repetitive chant around this side of town.