We're skint

[Birdman1811]

A lot of clubs being cautious. Many feel we'll have empty stadiums again this season, and don't want to get hurt when that happens.

It's going to be a funny summer. I would hope we'd hold out for 35 million at least on Pereira, but if Val wants more money, Pereira doesn't want to be here, and an offer comes in, the club has a hard decision to make. That's what I'm trying to get at, there's a lot more to think about.

[Bob Fossil]

It's disgusting the board are trotting out the "sell to buy" mantra through the media via back door press leaks and it seems as Albion fans it's being accepted

We do not have to sell to buy, we have money to spend on transfers, not a great deal, but some. I raised concerns when Clarke was only a loan deal, with no option to buy, we were categorically trying to buy the player but then somehow couldn't afford £5m

I tried to cut Ken some slack when he put his eggs in the Val basket, £2m compo, although we tried to batter Barnsley down over that which proved a waste of time, yet from a competitive budget to the pot is empty is just taking the piss

When have we ever been relegated from the Prem and needed to "sell to buy?" Never! Even through the pandemic and lost revenue we don't need to know either and we frankly shouldn't stomach it

Look at the released list of players too, HRK on his wages for example, could make a case for him still offering something at chump level but we let him go, for what? To then not be in a position to reinvest that saving? Yes we are in a fortunate position to pay slightly better salaries than most in this division but now we should be looking to kick on and give Val a squad which has a chance to get back promoted and on Friday night we had Matty Phillips playing as a number 9 FFS!

Squad clearly needs work, we sent a terrible message out re Pereira and SJ when we basically hung a "For Sale" sign around their neck at Val's first presser, what's wrong with the Naarge approach? Difference is they have owners who try to do right by the club, we have people teling lies from the top down and taking the fans for a ride so it seems

I fear if we don't get back up in the next 2 years we're on a very slippery slope, given that in mind the current actions from the board and how we're approaching things beggars belief

Cuzer

Fulham and Sheff Utd making the same noise too.

I think there is money for transfers tbh, but we don't want us knowing that right now, but it will be less than previous relegations.

The reduced income last season alongside the 2 year instead of 3 year parachute payment has made it more difficult for the relegated clubs than previously in terms of funding rebuilds. Comparatively our budget remains as strong relative to the rest of the division as it ever has done, but there’s less room for long term transfer commitments - especially given how risk adverse we as a club are.

As Cuzer says, since last season we have taken Maitland-Niles, Gallagher, Diagne, Austin, Ivanovic, Gibbs, Grosicki, Yokuslu, HRK and Hegazi’s substantial wages off the wage bill, alongside releasing Peltier, Edwards, Lonergan and we have further sold Field and Harper. Add that to the fact the remaining players have seen their wages cut by up to 50% and it is hard to believe our budget is even remotely stretched.

We have some legacy transfer payments from last season to cover, but taking into account the last 3 seasons’ transfers we are still in a net profit from sales to buys - or break even at best - not including the Ferguson tribunal fee, so it’s not like we can claim all our money is going on Grant still! 

I don’t expect us to splash stupid amounts of cash around, and with so many league clubs being financially stretched there will be bargains to be had negating the need to, but I can’t accept there isn’t money in the budget to get 2-3 decent Championship additions in without having to undersell Pereira to the first bidder.

You have to remember too, Sheff United have the best part of £120m of transfer fees from the last 2 seasons to amortise with zero raised in sales!

If Sheff U and Fulham have not built in flex-downs then we should be in a far better place. Anyone know if they have?

[Birdman1811]

I imagine they have.

Very few clubs don't.

[Birdman1811]

Sheff Utd and Fulham also have owners prepared to invest. We don't.

I think there is some money for transfers, we'll see as the window closes, but even fag paper maths show it's not a lot. Last 18 months have been awful for us, with no investment, we rely on corporate and match day revenue quite a lot. We've lost all of that.

[Duffers]

I imagine they have.

Very few clubs don't.

Yeah it would gross negligence for any club outside of the “Big Six” to have player contracts without flex down clauses these days.

[SW4Baggie]

Sheff Utd and Fulham also have owners prepared to invest. We don't.

I think there is some money for transfers, we'll see as the window closes, but even fag paper maths show it's not a lot. Last 18 months have been awful for us, with no investment, we rely on corporate and match day revenue quite a lot. We've lost all of that.

I don’t think anyone is expecting us to produce Villa levels of spunking - majority of our fans underatand our model just doesn’t allow it - however, we have a squad of 18 players, and after having released / returned / sold 15, it seems bloody ridiculous that adding 2 new additions has left our transfer kitty empty!

[Birdman1811]

Think we've gone for the Ashworth model, try to avoid transfer fees as much as possible, but compete heavily on wages. It arguably worked better for us than anything since . We will spend some I'm sure.

[Big Daddy Cool]

Think we've gone for the Ashworth model, try to avoid transfer fees as much as possible, but compete heavily on wages. It arguably worked better for us than anything since  . We will spend some I'm sure.

The right approach. We need to go back to what worked 10 years ago. Wasted too much money on the likes of Zohore and not much return.

[SW4Baggie]

Think we've gone for the Ashworth model, try to avoid transfer fees as much as possible, but compete heavily on wages. It arguably worked better for us than anything since  . We will spend some I'm sure.

I think it was the right approach THEN, but now I think we need to be doing more with a view to profiting from selling on players. For me we’re still not taking advantage of up and coming players locally… only have to look at the fees clubs like Brentford and Norwich are selling players for to realise how crucial that is when it comes to self sustaining and competing.