Burnley preparing another bid for Stephens (but probably bollox Twitter rumour)

[Da Man Clay]

Sorry but that's just mental. The difference between £0 and £5-6 million at our level is astonishing, I simply think it is madness to let someone of his calibre just disappear like that without reaping the benefits. I get that the sensible Burnley bid came too late in the day in September, but given that we have developed him as a player, the club deserves better. I'm astonished that no one seems to agree with me to be honest.

Indeed it is. As is the difference between 6m and 170m. We have made the call that we're quite happy to gamble with 6m to return 170m. There is no value in selling him now as getting a replacement up to speed will cost more. I'm more astonished you think DS should sign a year extension just so we get something for him. DS will have given us exactly what we paid for - 1m for 3 odd years service.

 

[Seasider78]

I totally get your last paragraph, there certainly is more at stake than a few million for him, and I can see why we're playing hardball. But we are the ones taking a gamble. If, for instance, and god forbid, we fail to go up, he walks for nothing and we then have to replace him. And I fully agree that Stephens is utter quality. So how much do you have to spend to buy someone of equivalent quality? I'm just quite pessimistic on the chances of him utterly shafting the Albion. I would LOVE to be proved wrong, but I sadly doubt it.

I think you are right we are definitely gambling this season and as I said to a friend at the start of the season this feels like s**t of bust as if we did stay down we would lose a significant number of our stars with premier league ambitions. However in that event the sale of dunk and knocky alone would pay for some rebuilding and we have shown to be shrewd with our recent purchases and for once I trust our recruitment team.

Staying down is unthinkable and replacing dale would be one of the many rebuilding steps we would need to address which is why (coupled with our amazing season to date) I am choosing to remain confident we will get promoted automatically leaving dale begging for a place in our premier league squad come May!!

 

[drew]

I think you are right we are definitely gambling this season and as I said to a friend at the start of the season this feels like s**t of bust as if we did stay down we would lose a significant number of our stars with premier league ambitions. However in that event the sale of dunk and knocky alone would pay for some rebuilding and we have shown to be shrewd with our recent purchases and for once I trust our recruitment team.

Staying down is unthinkable and replacing dale would be one of the many rebuilding steps we would need to address which is why (coupled with our amazing season to date) I am choosing to remain confident we will get promoted automatically leaving dale begging for a place in our premier league squad come May!!

Surely thought it is the fact that it is a calculated gamble with, at the moment, the odds well in our favour. Top of the league by two points with a game in hand and three of our closest rivals having to play at the Amex. Stephens is a vital member of our team and we don't have anyone that could replace him. Yes he will have no value in the summer which is one side of the gamble. The other is that we get promoted and benefit to the tune of £170m.

 

[drew]

Money, of course. He IS a beast, and his performances have been great. But my worry is that all he's doing is putting himself in the shop window, I understand that that doesn't hurt us in the circumstances we are in, but if he disappears off up north at the end of the season for nothing, we're going to have to pay big money to replace him. Selling him now cushions that blow somewhat. Ideal world for me is that he signs a one year extension with a non promotion clause and a promotion extension clause. Win win all round.

Sell him for £6m and run the risk of our promotion bid coming of the rails. I really don't understand your negative line of thinking.

 

[Seasider78]

Surely thought it is the fact that it is a calculated gamble with, at the moment, the odds well in our favour. Top of the league by two points with a game in hand and three of our closest rivals having to play at the Amex. Stephens is a vital member of our team and we don't have anyone that could replace him. Yes he will have no value in the summer which is one side of the gamble. The other is that we get promoted and benefit to the tune of £170m.

Agree 100% (see earlier post) we are going for it and our initial outlay was nothing compared to riches on offer which is why he is going nowhere.

 

[symyjym]

Indeed it is. As is the difference between 6m and 170m. We have made the call that we're quite happy to gamble with 6m to return 170m. There is no value in selling him now as getting a replacement up to speed will cost more. I'm more astonished you think DS should sign a year extension just so we get something for him. DS will have given us exactly what we paid for - 1m for 3 odd years service.

Only Hughton would know if we could let him go or not. With Kayal returning we also have Sidwell, Norwwod and Towell so we seem well covered for his departure if it came to it. Even Rosenior could probably do a job in midfield so we have five options without Stephens.

If we did sell him it would be for the right reasons and it wouldn't break our season.

 

[British Bulldog]

I don't think anyone is asking for long term commitment, just not to be left on the vinegar stroke, to use your analogy!!! He might be playing out of his skin at the moment, and fair play for that. But he's a valuable commodity, and if we lose him for nothing, that's a hell of a hole to fill with no compensation for it.

There's nothing you can do he hold's all the condoms, It's all or nothing with Stephens and Tony Bloom seems prepared to gamble.

 

[spence]

Stephens is our best midfielder it's as simple as that. Both our defeats came with him not being in the team. We simply cannot let him go and i'm confident we won't

 

[Nixonator]

Only Hughton would know if we could let him go or not. With Kayal returning we also have Sidwell, Norwwod and Towell so we seem well covered for his departure if it came to it. Even Rosenior could probably do a job in midfield so we have five options without Stephens.

If we did sell him it would be for the right reasons and it wouldn't break our season.

Sorry what? You think we can stick Towell or Liam in CM and everything would be hunky dory?

I don't consider those as 'options' when vying for promotion. If he goes (which I do not consider for one minute that he will) then we would need this window to replace him.

 

[Da Man Clay]

Only Hughton would know if we could let him go or not. With Kayal returning we also have Sidwell, Norwwod and Towell so we seem well covered for his departure if it came to it. Even Rosenior could probably do a job in midfield so we have five options without Stephens.

If we did sell him it would be for the right reasons and it wouldn't break our season.

Which puts us in the same position as last year - there is no chance we sell Stephens and plough ahead with what we have. It would be madness to do so. Towel has played about 20 minutes of football at championship level. Rosenior is not a CM. selling him would break our season without a suitable replacement.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Stephens is our best midfielder it's as simple as that. Both our defeats came with him not being in the team. We simply cannot let him go and i'm confident we won't

That to me says everything. Instead of Norwood poncing about in MF at the Toon away and thus Shelvey having the run of the pitch a MF of Beram and Stephens he would have been v quiet...even after the sending off of Baldock.

 

[heathgate]

I think he will go this time.... Kayal back, Towell in the wings, a judicious signing for much less than 8-10 million... good business all round.

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[SockMonster]

Keep him! Very hard to find someone as good or that knows our team ethos. Got to be worth the gamble. Don't blame him at all for not committing to new contract he is playing a game just as we are.

 

[b.w.2.]

There really are some silly posts on here. Fortunately, Tony is no mug, and won't let him go. Tony has said nobody is leaving who we don't want to leave, and that certainly includes Dale. About £150m or £8m or less. What a tough call... Not!

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[Nixonator]

I think he will go this time.... Kayal back, Towell in the wings, a judicious signing for much less than 8-10 million... good business all round.

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Absolute madness. Where will he go to exactly? Burnley interest is gone, Aston Villa? The side 20 points behind us in a race to the division he wants to play in?

I've seen enough of us this season, last season and the season before to know the difference Stephens makes to how we function as a 442.

It's like some people want us to **** it up again.

 

[Triggaaar]

I think he will go this time....

I'm not sure you've done much thinking at all. What makes you think we'd even be offered £8m?

 

[b.w.2.]

Absolute madness. Where will he go to exactly? Burnley interest is gone, Aston Villa? The side 20 points behind us in a race to the division he wants to play in?

I've seen enough of us this season, last season and the season before to know the difference Stephens makes to how we function as a 442.

It's like some people want us to **** it up again.

This.

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[carteater]

I'd imagine he's happy to stay for the rest of this season and if we get promoted sign a new deal, if not he'll leave in the summer most likely.

I think the club are okay for this to be the case as well.

 

[Blue3]

Stephens I think would want to now see his contract out then if we go up he might sign a new contract with us or another club if we don't go up then he goes no transfer fee so a bigger signing on fee for the player and his agent

Tony is no mug we all know that he might choose to cash in while he still can Stephens is a very good player but everyone has a price

 

[NooBHA]

Oh but we do,albeit not being an emergency.

Dean Marney will soon be 33 years old, and although he's not for the knackers yard just yet, we will have to start looking to the future.

Barton is only with us until the end of the season.

Defour can't hack 90 minutes of Premier League football, and his game time needs managing.

Aiden O'Neill is only 18 years old and isn't quite ready for Premier League football, even though he's done okay.

Not for one minute am I saying that it will be Stephens (even though he does fit the Marney mould), but we are after a centre midfielder.

You should charge Burnley fans rent on here during transfer windows