[Albion] Is it time to cash in on Lewis Dunk?

[Sussexscots]

Dunk is THE last player I'd want to see leave. Captain of the side with three seasons PL experience under his belt. Capable, adaptable and a leader in a squad that isn't overrun with those. The ideal mentor for our young defenders.

Not convinced in a short pre season we could find an adequate replacement.

 

[Hugo Rune]

14 drawn games - how many of those were 2 points dropped?

We need a huge budget to solve our lack of goal scoring issues. Dunk’s fee could dramatically add to the coffers and enable us to get a proven top level goal scorer instead of a punt from an easier League.

If Dunk wants to go to Chelsea (and he’d be a first team regular for at least 3 years), the club he supports, in order to double his salary, get in the England squad and play Champions League football, Tony should not stand in his way. We have amazing talent waiting for their chance. Dunk has given everything to this club, I would not begrudge him testing his talent in the top competitions.

The £40m+ fee could be very useful to use for our Murray replacement.

Also, I have a conspiracy theory that we were able to sign Lamptey because we’d given Chelsea the first refusal on Dunk if he hands in a transfer request.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

I believe Webster is benefitting from playing with him, seen a fair few Dunkesque blocks and tackles from him since the restart.
I think White and Webster will benefit from being around him for at least 1 more season.

If an offer over £40m comes in from Arse/Spuds/Chelsea then we should look at it of course.
But I can't see it happening. For some reason he remains ridiculously under the radar.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Brilliant idea, sell him for £40m and then try to find a replacement good enough and use £40-45m gambling on the new player being good enough whilst also losing our captain, leader and local lad legend.

 

[sparkie]

Christ.. more like pay him whatever is required to keep him.

This.

We'll really struggle if we sell Dunky.

Better to give him a new contract.

 

[GloryDays]

In a moment of forecasting...with somewhat of a gamble...the game is a business. I think he could easily go this summer but I'd happy keep him.

The reality is that behind closed doors next season we will be aiming to finish 17th or above again. Can we do that without Dunk as long as we retain White? As long as he plays near his level in the champ then yes, I think we can. We can't ignore that money talks and a big bid for a player in his peak (his value will surely go down each window after the summer) we'll have to take, with another advantage being we would be nurturing Whites ability, as well as Clark and others, and inflating their values at the same time. Keep Webster and Burn but really I think Dunk and Duffy are on the table this summer if the price is right. The level of club we are is more of a farm than a zoo. We can't have the luxury of exhibiting players in their prime because our business model will be player sales more than PL finishes and revenue. Soton, since 05-06 have made £450m in player sales. Of those 14 years, 7 were out of the PL, with 2 in League One. That is phenomenal money.

So I'm not entirely agreeing, but I'm saying it would be naive to retain Dunk just for the sake of him having been our best player this season. He's one of our own...but we can't be too sentimental. Keeping Dunk is not an insurance policy to stay in the PL and selling this summer would be the sensible thing to do if all parties are happy with the numbers.

NB I would rather football not be like this...but this is football in 2020.

 

[GT49er]

Brilliant idea, sell him for £40m and then try to find a replacement good enough and use £40-45m gambling on the new player being good enough whilst also losing our captain, leader and local lad legend.

We wouldn't be looking to actually buy a player to replace him - we'd use the money to strengthen in other areas of the team which are much more in need if incoming quality than the defence.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

It's all in the terminology, for me (Clive).

Should we 'cash in' on him, by offering him up and trying and squeeze as much money out of one of the big clubs? Definitely not.

Should we stand in the way of him if one of the big clubs came calling with a HUGE offer and he indicated a desire to move on and try and prove himself elsewhere, knowing that preventing him from doing so might impact his mood/passion/performances? Definitely not.

On the flip side, I would worry about the potential Mr Tumble syndrome where he went from being the big shark to a very small fish in a huge pond and struggled. One dip in form, confidence shot and out of favour and the dream move could become a nightmare.

 

[LamieRobertson]

No.

 

[METALMICKY]

Aside from being our best player by a mile I think people are getting carried away about his worth based on his age. I'm not convinced that any of the big boys will pay upward of £30 m when he will be 29 in October. Tottenham or Arsenal should have had the sense to sign him up a couple of years back.

 

[dazzer6666]

No - we need him, he's our skipper and best player.

No-one will pay us what he is worth to us. £50m in doesn't cover losing £100m for going down, which we would have a hugely higher likelihood of if he goes.

Keep him, give him a pay rise and build the statue when he finally retires.

 

[dangull]

Its up to him really. Its quite unusual a player stays at the same club for pretty much their whole career, but for selfish reasons i hope he stays. Will not complain if he decides its time to move on though.

 

[ukpolska]

removed

 

[Surrey_Albion]

I think its been said on here already , NO

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

Why would we choose to when experience shows we could spend a good proportion of it on the likes of AJ and Locadia. On the other hand we could fill our boots with gems. If Dunk wants to stay he will and should stay. Hopefully, TB's ambition whets his appetite.

 

[vagabond]

I know this is going to get a few feathers ruffled but do you think it is time to cash in on Lewis Dunk?

With players like Ben White, Adam Webster, Shane Duffy, Leo Östigard, Dan Burn and Matt Clarke all natural central defenders, do you think any of them could step up and replace Dunk?

I cannot count how many blocks Dunk has made this year in front of goal, and it makes me nervous even suggesting it, but Brighton could get a tidy penny for him which they will not get in a couple of years being that he will be 29 this year.

A bigger question might be would he want to go?

Why?

Do we need the money? Have we been relegated from the PL?

 

[Surrey_Albion]

removed

Its still on my feed

 

[Weststander]

14 drawn games - how many of those were 2 points dropped?

We need a huge budget to solve our lack of goal scoring issues. Dunk’s fee could dramatically add to the coffers and enable us to get a proven top level goal scorer instead of a punt from an easier League.

If Dunk wants to go to Chelsea (and he’d be a first team regular for at least 3 years), the club he supports, in order to double his salary, get in the England squad and play Champions League football, Tony should not stand in his way. We have amazing talent waiting for their chance. Dunk has given everything to this club, I would not begrudge him testing his talent in the top competitions.

The £40m+ fee could be very useful to use for our Murray replacement.

Also, I have a conspiracy theory that we were able to sign Lamptey because we’d given Chelsea the first refusal on Dunk if he hands in a transfer request.

Our defence kept us up, again. The kingpin was Dunk, consistently imperious.

Without him, if the defence falters by just a few extra goals, that’s a near certain relegation for us.

Unless he demands to leave, the club should do all they reasonably can to keep him.

 

[Blackadder]

We have just completed our third successive season in the Premier League.

I don't think we would have stayed up in any of them without LD.

 

[DJ NOBO]

I believe Webster is benefitting from playing with him, seen a fair few Dunkesque blocks and tackles from him since the restart.
I think White and Webster will benefit from being around him for at least 1 more season.

If an offer over £40m comes in from Arse/Spuds/Chelsea then we should look at it of course.
But I can't see it happening. For some reason he remains ridiculously under the radar.

How arsenal haven’t signed him, I will never know . Maybe snobbery . If so, they are deluding themselves again .