[Albion] Daily Mail reporting Albion have rejected £4m from Burnley for Dale Stephens

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

He's gone, £6.5m is incredible business.

He hasn't got the pace for the premiership though, he could do well in a better team like Everton for example but not burnley.

Need to spend that £6.5M on a number 10 ASAP.

Only risk him going is knockaert and dunk might get ideas and then we are screwed. I can't see us accepting anything less than £15m for each of them though.


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I believe the difference is we don't need to sell Dunk or Knockaert, Stephens' contract is running out, take £6m now or nothing in the summer? Good move by the club.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I believe WA was excelling himself with poorly thought out waffle on the radio. Dale Stephens signing a long contract for Burnley is no more a considered career move than extending his contract at the Albion. Such a commitment might not look so good by January. The danger is that another Premier League club will make a bid.

There is no suggestion that Norwood was a replacement for Stephens, more than likely a second choice after Pritchard got too greedy However, Norwood and Kayal are both low scoring midfielders, so it might have been Pritchard and Norwood. I prefer Norwood to Pritchard anyway as this will allow Dale Stephens to be pushed more forward. And three midfielders are better than two over the whole of 90 minutes cause with just the two they get worked too hard and lose out on creativity. .

Is your head filled with blancmange?

 

[Justice]

Bring Bridcutt back as a possible replacement? would be down the pecking order obviously

No thanks

 

[Eastleigh Seagull]

Also a good personal move for him - didnt realise he was originally from Bolton - wonder if he wants to buy my house...Ashley Barnes lives 100 yards down the road.

 

[Icy Gull]

If he wants to go, as we now have cover, we should let him go for as much as possible. I have total faith that the club will get more than he is actually worth as they have done with every player since the Barnes debacle.

Burnley will be paying well over the odds to make up for the underselling of Barnes IMO.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

I suspect Norwood was made fully aware of the Stephens situation, which would have been a reason why he did sign for us, I'd have thought he'd have been less likely to sign if Stephens was staying.
I'm not too upset about this transfer. We've already got a replacement, who's potentially a better player? Certainly easier than trying to replace Knockaert or Dunk.

I tend to agree with this. Norwood is Stephens replacement. Personally I wouldn't buy another CM if he does go - I would use that cash to invest in a Number 10 and a quality centre back. The biggest thing we'll miss from Stephens is his goal threat from set pieces.

Stephens is quality, but he's had his injury problems, he's got a year left, and to make over £6m profit is a tremendous effort. Wouldn't be surprised if he went for £8m+

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I've no doubt that Stephens want to play in the Prem, but have Burnley actually made a fresh bid?

 

[Notters]

I believe WA was excelling himself with poorly thought out waffle on the radio. Dale Stephens signing a long contract for Burnley is no more a considered career move than extending his contract at the Albion. Such a commitment might not look so good by January. The danger is that another Premier League club will make a bid.

There is no suggestion that Norwood was a replacement for Stephens, more than likely a second choice after Pritchard got too greedy However, Norwood and Kayal are both low scoring midfielders, so it might have been Pritchard and Norwood. I prefer Norwood to Pritchard anyway as this will allow Dale Stephens to be pushed more forward. And three midfielders are better than two over the whole of 90 minutes cause with just the two they get worked too hard and lose out on creativity. .

Apart from the fact that they're completely different players.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I've no doubt that Stephens want to play in the Prem, but have Burnley actually made a fresh bid?

No evidence they have.

This renewed discussion is because of a tweet on a highly unreliable 'football-rumours' type twitter account.

 

[Seasider78]

Cannot blame the player for wanting to secure a guaranteed spell in the top division.

He will be a loss for sure and as others have commented it will be hard to replace the natural partnership he had with Kayal in what is a crucial area of the pitch.

Only annoyance is this is happening so late in the window but I guess that is how transfers work when the premier league clubs are calling the shots.

 

[bhanutz]

What annoys me is that teams like Sheffield Wednesday manage to keep hold of their 'key' players. Although I believe they pay a lot higher wages than we do.

 

[Bozza]

No evidence they have.

This renewed discussion is because of a tweet on a highly unreliable 'football-rumours' type twitter account.

My post has nothing to do with any such twitter account - I have no idea.

Mine is more a 2 + 2 = X post. As I said, I'm posting without any direct knowledge at all.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Cannot blame the player for wanting to secure a guaranteed spell in the top division.

He will be a loss for sure and as others have commented it will be hard to replace the natural partnership he had with Kayal in what is a crucial area of the pitch.

Only annoyance is this is happening so late in the window but I guess that is how transfers work when the premier league clubs are calling the shots.

I'll still be worried about Knocky and Dunk right the way up til midnight August 31. The last day tends to be when the really silly money bids come in.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Cannot blame the player for wanting to secure a guaranteed spell in the top division.

He will be a loss for sure and as others have commented it will be hard to replace the natural partnership he had with Kayal in what is a crucial area of the pitch.

Only annoyance is this is happening so late in the window but I guess that is how transfers work when the premier league clubs are calling the shots.

Agreed, but there is actually no new news as far as I can see. What is the source for all this ?

 

[Driver8]

Looks like Burnley are buying for next years Championship season already. Talk about lack of ambition.

 

[Nixonator]

Has all this come from a bollocks tweet?

Love how people quickly change their tune when they think he might be out the door.

Stephens is IMO our best midfielder and a quality player that would take a lot of money and increment in wage bill to replace.

Norwood, though a good player, is not the answer.

 

[Goldstone1976]

If he goes for £6.5m then it makes him correct in his recent tweet about Pogba not being worth 10x him. Pogba is worth 13.7x Stephens.

I rate Stephens - I particularly rate his partnership with Kayal - but I don't think we should turn down £6.5m with him having only 1 year left on his contract. Onwards and upwards...

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Has all this come from a bollocks tweet?

Love how people quickly change their tune when they think he might be out the door.

Stephens is IMO our best midfielder and a quality player that would take a lot of money and increment in wage bill to replace.

Norwood, though a good player, is not the answer.

How have people 'changed their tune'? Some very sensible posts here, resigned to losing a quality player, but not irreplaceable.

 

[perseus]

Apart from the fact that they're completely different players.

They are all right footed midfielders. Norwood has been described as deep lying and does not get into the opponent's penalty area, so it might very well have been Pritchard as well as Norwood?

I'm not sure any of our midfielders are really like each other or could be considered replacements. I think we will need Dale Stephen's goals this season. 8 at least.

https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1084866/Live/England-Championship-2016-2017-Derby-Brighton

We are overbalanced towards our right hand side. This is always a tendency with right sided midfielders, but also because Bruno and Rosenior are right footed as well, but mostly because Kayal seems to look right-sided. Not saying this is bad, might even be good, but it does mean Skalak on the left gets much less of the ball than Knockaert on the right.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Stephens is good in the main, but there are a few times he has gone missing/outplayed, Derby at home being one.

I don't want him to leave, but not the end of the world.