Dale Stephens signs 4 year contract

[Marshy]

I'm with you.

Absolutely NOT A CHANCE. The attraction of an out of contract player, is that you avoid paying his full transfer value. You don't just pay it to him instead! What a downright ODD suggestion.

I could see a signing on fee of a 1 million quid lets say, it also enables clubs to keep within a wage structures

 

[BensGrandad]

It was great to hear his song yesterday.

 

[Triggaaar]

YES....maybe more, depending on wages. I think Brighton must be paying Stephens at least the same wages he would have got at Burnley plus the fact that DS would have been a FREE AGENT, means he should get a big chunk of whatever fee Burnley offered to Tony Bloom last August (the rumour was £7 million).

While it makes some sense, if clubs did this they would be telling players not to sign new contracts, but to let their contract run down instead.