[baggie38]

Why has it gone so quiet? Why no statement from the club? What is Hammond doing? Typical Albion, dithering. Etc. Etc. Etc....

I hope thats sarcasm because it only came out of the blue yesterday. I imagine he had his medical last night. These things dont take 20 minutes to get done.

[Hull Baggie]

I hope thats sarcasm because it only came out of the blue yesterday. I imagine he had his medical last night. These things dont take 20 minutes to get done.

I think the etc etc etc gave it away as sarcasm, at least that's how I read it.

Oliver Burke is an interesting one, bags of potential but hasn't played a huge amount of football. To be fair to him RB Leipzig have some world class players in the attacking positions so that was always going to limit his game time. He looked very good for Forest and a lot of their fans were angry that they'd sold him.

It is odd that RBL are willing to let him go considering he signed a 5 yr deal last year to go there, but maybe he's found it hard to adjust to being away from home and they have agreed to let him leave for slightly more than they paid for him rather than him not being good enough.

[skyclad99]

I have a good German friend who I see when I go out to Thailand. He told me about RB Leipzig and how universally loathed they are in Germany. They were formed out of Red Bull money a few years ago, so cash is no object to them apparently. I got the impression that they were an 'instant' team, and if you didn't fit in, you were out. I personally would not read too much into his time at Leipzig, they are shaping up to be the next PSG cash wise.

A look at Wiki will tell you that they were formed in 2009 and finished second behind Bayern last season, so they are very ambitious, and with ambition comes ruthlessness.

I do not know a great deal about this lad, but I find myself rather keen on the idea of signing him - just the type of player we should be pursuing.

[Hull Baggie]

Just found this...I've posted it more for the Palace fans comments, especially the last one which suggests that we are sharp movers in the transfer market!

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/08/24/crystal-palace-fans-react-on-twitter-as-west-brom-close-on-olive/

[Chipperfan]

I hope thats sarcasm because it only came out of the blue yesterday. I imagine he had his medical last night. These things dont take 20 minutes to get done.

Oh please. Of course it was tongue in cheek. The point is that it's really quite amusing how people whinge when as the potential deal for Burke amply illustrates, as ordinary supporters we have very, very little idea what us going on behind the scenes.

Kudos to Hammond etc. if this one comes off. Quite a coup.

[KYA]

Just found this...I've posted it more for the Palace fans comments, especially the last one which suggests that we are sharp movers in the transfer market!

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/08/24/crystal-palace-fans-react-on-twitter-as-west-brom-close-on-olive/

Read the comments the one who thinks our transfer policy is  based on just buggering them up is on a par with the deluded seals.

[jimmyj]

Read the comments the one who thinks our transfer policy is  based on just buggering them up is on a par with the deluded seals.

Haven't we said the same about West Ham and others in recent years?
Its just down to the fact that we're all more or less fishing in the same sea innit? *shrug*

[KYA]

Haven't we said the same about West Ham and others in recent years?
Its just down to the fact that we're all more or less fishing in the same sea innit? *shrug*

You have a point although a personal vendetta by Pulis i thought was OTT.

[skyclad99]

You have a point although a personal vendetta by Pulis i thought was OTT.

Spot on, the alternative is that TP sits at his desk everyday scouring the media for anyone remotely linked to Palace, and sends his warlords out to do the dirty.....not really feasible is it?

Whether we were serious contenders or not, I was not too happy when Benteke and Townsend went to Palace due to the vague link to us.

[The Black Pearl]

I had a nose on the Forest forum, the rated him and see him as a potential £40 million player in the future.

[overseas baggie]

Haven't we said the same about West Ham and others in recent years?
Its just down to the fact that we're all more or less fishing in the same sea innit? *shrug*

Spot on. There's about 5 or 6 clubs fishing in our pond and the reality is that all of us need to sell some players during the window in order to buy to improve. That means prioritizing and any that have bought early without yet selling enough are vulnerable to being beaten to it when somebody like Burke becomes available.  Am pretty sure Palace needed to have a deal to sell Townsend in place before being able to spend on Burke.

West Ham and Stoke are now quickly offloading and Bournemouth and Leicester will be as well.

[overseas baggie]

I had a nose on the Forest forum, the rated him and see him as a potential £40 million player in the future.

I thought that when he was at Forest and first emerged. Was desperate for us to sign either him or Demarai Gray before they moved elsewhere.  Burke will get the crowd on our feet - we've needed someone like that for years.  Think of Peter Barnes....

[Albion79]

He has signed!

[B_H_Baggie]

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/2017/august/albion-sign-burke/

ALBION today welcome exciting young Scottish international Oliver Burke to the club after the completion of his transfer from Red Bull Leipzig for an undisclosed sum.

The 20-year-old forward, who will wear the number 17 shirt, has agreed a five-year contract and is eligible for Sunday's Premier League clash against Stoke City at The Hawthorns (ko 1.30pm).

Oliver joins Jay Rodriguez, Ahmed Hegazi and Gareth Barry as summer additions to the Premier League squad while the club has also signed China international striker Yuning Zhang, who has begun a two-year loan to Werder Bremen.

The Baggies newcomer was a product of the Nottingham Forest academy before being snapped up by Leipzig and featuring in their unexpected Bundesliga title challenge last season which finished in the runners-up spot behind Bayern Munich.

That means he has given up the chance of Champions League to sign for the Baggies but Oliver says: "I feel like it is a time for me to move on and play more games. I'm here, I want to impress and I want my name to be first on the team sheet."

Head Coach Tony Pulis describes Oliver as a player with "tremendous talent" who has got "a fantastic raw ability" and Chairman John Williams welcomed the latest addition.

"We're delighted to see him at the Albion," he said. "He's clearly a talented young footballer and we believe this is the kind of signing that will excite our fans.

"We're all looking forward to seeing him in action."

[tambag]

https://twitter.com/WBA/status/900990016800923648

[elmo_in_swansea]

Welcome Oliver, hopefully you'll get to showcase your talents!

[WBAinDEVON]

thumbs up to this one welcome to the albion oliver

[gavinrussell]

Fabulous addition...another Willie in the making...maybe not but width and pace in abundance. .

[sing on our own]

Great signing, young, exciting and definitely one who will hopefully improve us.... welcome.

[Hull Baggie]

Pleased with this, even more so if he fulfills his potential.

Also does this mean that Leko can further his development out on loan in the Championship?

[KYA]

Brilliant really pleased with this i feel this kid  is really going to improve our attacking options big time.

[Droitwich Baggie]

I'm feeling a bit more positive about this season.

[lewisant]

Absolutely loving this signing! Well done Albion - put a smile on my face this morning.

Couple of points - where were the rumours? Nowhere and this was clearly done when the news broke yesterday. So don't panic when there aren't any rumours!

Secondly - a signing with the future in mind; young, long contract and if he's a success then there's re-sale value.

Tip of the hat to you Baggies.

[Doobuy]

i imagine that issuing press releases in the morning might be the preference for the club given the profile of its owners.

[Cantello]

  Think of Peter Barnes....

I'd rather think of Willie J.  Peter Barnes never really did it for us, did he?