I see some people on Twitter are saying there’s reports in Israel that we are seriously looking at signing Serbian GK Predrag Rajkovic from Maccabi Tel-Aviv for between €5m-€7m. Seems very highly rated and a few people saying he’s classed as one of the best young keeper’s about. Not sure how this would work with Dahlberg’s arrival and Bachmann already being here. That said, if true, Kelso won’t be happy....
There's little to suggest Dahlberg is ready to be number 1 yet so the choice with him will surely be whether sitting on the bench or heading out on loan will be more beneficial for his development. And Bachmann is a classic PL number 3 goalkeeper. I'd have thought it'll end up new number 1, Gomes number 2, Bachmann number 3 and Dalhberg sent somewhere on loan.
Maybe. But Dahlberg is on about £20k per week if rumours are to be believed. That’s a big wage for someone being shipped out on loan! Plus with what Wilmot said when he joined about being around first team squad, wouldn’t surprise me if Dahlberg was told the same. Mind you, after the underwhelming contract news of late, I’m expecting a ‘Watford sign Karnezis on 5yr deal’ any day now.
I'd presume that Gomes will leave a take a one year contract somewhere or begin his career as a football agent. New GK will battle it out with Dahlberg for the No 1 spot and Bachmann will be the 3rd choice as you've said.
I’d be willing to bet a lot of money that Gomes won’t go anywhere. He’s always said the last contract he signed would be his last in football as a player suggesting he’d retire and become an agent as you say. He’ll be here next season I’d suggest. https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/4379137/heurelho-gomes-watford-super-agent/ (Excuse the link to that rag)
I was musing over the reported rumours of Ronaldo (brazil) buying Real Vallodolid. A club we have used this year for loaning the South American players this year. Interesting to see if we expand that relationship and whether Gomes can be put to work in a post football career.
Reports from Turkey that we have had a bid rejected for Fernando Muslera, who's said to be happy at Galatasaray. End of that one I'd say. https://www.sporx.com/g-saraydan-muslera-icin-watforda-ret-SXHBQ713900SXQ & We are well placed to sign Benfica's Bruno Varela according to Portuguese sports newspaper, Record. https://www.record.pt/futebol/futeb...nfica/detalhe/watford-chama-bruno-varela.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruno_Varela
Varela is young and relatively affordable whereas Muslera I reckon is outside our price range. It will be interesting to see what happens with the GK position. Contrary to what some have said I think Gomes can still perform. It's more how fit he feels and can he put up with another pre-season?
The story goes that the financial outlook in football in Turkey isn’t a rosy one and that clubs are looking to raise capital. If that’s true, Muslera may not be outside our pay-grade and may come cheaper than face-value. Some stories are saying we are ahead of Galatasaray for Trezeguet purely because they cannot afford the €5m buyout clause. Varela is supposedly a very poor GK from what I am reading on the internet. Doesn’t seem to be many Benfica fans with a kind word to say about him. Gomes I would say can undoubtedly still perform. The problem being that he’s always had a mistake in him and he’s too old to iron those errors out - indeed they may be more frequent. He’s a good age to be a No.2 or No.3 now and can focus on starting a life away from the starting XI, be it coaching or agency work. I don’t blame him as much as many do though because it must be hard as hell playing behind our defence for the past 3 years.
Lots of clubs across southern Europe are hardly cash rich or need to sell because of FFP. Even a club like Barca sold below their target of 20 million euros for Deulofeu because I suspect they need to raise cash quickly. I know Turkey are technically Asia Minor but they are I agree hardest hit. The EPL is insulated to a degree by the huge TV money but there are signs that huge transfer fees but more importantly crazy salaries are having an impact. The agents' fees are money lost to the game and need to be regulated. It does mean we at WFC can set our sights higher I agree. Trouble the World Cup is a shop window so anyone doing well means we face competition upping the price. Our best players have generally been there ones flying under the radar or underappreciated elsewhere. Nothing wrong with our current ambition and I do trust the Pozzos on the front especially after our business last summer.
What a signing for Wolves. Goes to show that you don't need to be a top 6 club to bring in class players.
Apart from the fact that they got him for free. I was meant to say that a player of his calibre would often go to larger teams - especially for free. Seems like being in your first season back in the Prem is no excuse to not get quality players, which is what I feel we lacked on bringing in under QSF.
They will be paying him double the salary we could afford. The fact that he has no transfer fee just means he could ask for a ridiculous salary. Few teams other than the top 6 have the sort of finance wolves have now.
But they will without a doubt have whacked a huge signing on fee at his feet, and his wage will be very, very high. Just because there wasn't a transfer fee to the club doesn't mean it didn't cost a lot.
Plus the uncertainty hanging over him around the legal implications of him breaking his contract. Worst case scenario could see him banned from playing for a long period, so basically an expensive ornament.
No doubt about that. Can't see it costing Wolves any more than £20 million though. Still though, for an experienced player who is highly rated, that's a decent price considering we paid about that for Gray without the inclusion of the cost of wages
Increased financial incentives is one thing, but that will only get you so far. The influence of Mendez will be the reason many top players go to Wolves. He's one of the only people in football that can say: come to this club and if you perform well, I'll get you a job at a top club in world football (and all the sponsorship deals you desire).
