OTF

I can tell you that Dan Burn's shirt is not actually that big. I have one of these thrown to the kids by the man himself and it fits me nicely and I'm 6'.

Looks like he's mourning the loss of his career.

I suspect Howe is equal part frustrated by the way the window has played out thus far and by the fact that he's being questioned about it.

Just because we're linked with a player it doesn't mean we're seriously interested. Even though it makes him one of the most expensive GKs of all time I don't think it's a huge risk. If he didn't work out we'd be able to sell him for a reasonable chunk anyway given his history and pedigree. I think what it boils down to is if we NEEDED a gk we'd have paid the required amount already. As it stands we need other players more urgently so more spent here means less available there.

In this day and age there's something to be said for letting the off-field stuff be sorted out by the responsible parties and just watch the games and support the team our manager puts out. It's more than a bit shit that we all have been forced into having such a detailed understanding of the financial implications involved in running a football club. At first it feels useful but at a point it starts to take the enjoyment out of it. Especially long drawn out player pursuits that sap the joy out of signing new players.

Being pulled into the media game is not optional, playing it is. I think we largely avoid playing the game because we don't have widespread media support, we've acted in the market with genuine intent and a fixed budget. If our targets go beyond that budget or become overly complex we disengage and move on. In this case we're likely just doing the same but I was insinuating that we could be calling Burnley's/the medias bluff regarding Man City's interest by leaving our offer on the table and nothing more. I'm comfortable that there are other options for keeper that we can move on in the coming season with the sort of money we are prepared to outlay on Trafford. So like others have stated it's not a huge priority. Another striker is more important.

Pickford was £25m + add-ons but yes that was a huge fee for the then 23 year old Pickford. Ramsdale was a similar price and Arsenal went on to sell him for a slight loss 3 years later and he's now in the Championship at age 27. If you believe Gemmill Pickford is also in the Championship.

Have some perspective. Take a look at our last 4 years and tell me there have been fuck all returns.

We could just be playing the media game. I don't know anything about the German GK they have signed, but there must have been an element of coverage for Trafford's potential departure with that signing. I guess it depends whether they feel they can use the £30m odd from his sale to increase their chance of PL survival, or whether keeping him gives them better odds. From his perspective it's a very different prospect keeping for a newly promoted side versus a team who has qualified for Champion's League. He was instrumental in Burnley's promotion so he may consider than to be a good time to move on to the next phase of his career with a nice pay bump as well. Time will tell. They don't need to sell him and we don't need to buy him.

Don't pretend you would want any of those four playing any significant part in the upcoming season.

Let's be honest, none of them would have been close to first choice. Selling them and knowing our budget before buying is the way we need to operate. We're buying to improve our best 12-13 players first (allowing for various formations/strategies) and to add to our depth second. The players who gave us depth and options; Krafth, Osula, Lascelles, Miley, Trippier are still here in various phases of development and influence. It gives us a better overall squad than when we last were in the CL as a starting point, and I'm sure we will add another quality forward option, a high-ceiling defender and it's likely we will also get Trafford across the line.

Are you suggesting we should have just offered £40m straight up, in doing so making him the fifth most expensive keeper of all time? They're understandably trying to get the most they can for him, noone could blame them for that, if Man City do pay £40m then I think it will have been bad business for us to have offered the same. £40m for them is 5.6% of their annual revenue (£715m), 5.6% of our revenue is £17.92m. If we were to offer £40m the equivalent for them relative to their revenue would be £89m. Hopefully the kids is invested it our project. I don't think City will buy him for £40m. We need to buy quality prospects with the right attitude, they can buy top quality ready made world class players. Trafford is the former.

Well said. All the best to him. Did himself proud and served his club well.

If you don't have the club trained home grown players you just miss out on the additional spots. If they're not going to play or play much then there's not really any benefit to having them on the list. It does mean in future that it is important to bring quality players in before they turn 18 so they can potentially become club trained home grown players of the future.

"..there time"

Except last window and the one before, and pretty much most other windows.

Agree, dropping Joelinton for another forward would have huge implications on our physicality. There's not many teams in the premier league that will just roll over against a more fancied opposition so it's very important to have that physicality to bully the opposition into submission.

I don't think it would be that much given he has only a year on his contract. Maybe £30-40. He would provide a different option for us sitting behind Isak. If he was a couple of years younger with another year to run maybe then £50m.

What does @Dr Gloom have to do with it?

Honestly I did wonder how he and Isak would work together. I'd still like to get him because he's obviously quality, but far from the end of the world.

Can we get the subtitle updated to "Some moody french beanpole" please @Monkeys Fist

No convict and more importantly no NZ heritage here.

"Our only ask is that you wear the name Isak on your back. We believe at least 75% of our supporters won't know the difference."

I particularly like the ways she tries to come up with loaded or provocative 'questions' for Howe at pressers which he immediately recognises and shuts down with a friendly greeting, a typically Howe'esque response and a knowing smile.