[B_H_Baggie]

Just posturing from both clubs I would have thought. I expect some kind of compromise eventually, may need Phillips to try and force it through.

[MarkW]

Like the Takeover, this transfer does seem to be dragging on, but what can you do but take every article you see with a huge pinch of salt, and like was said earlier, not believe anything until it's up on the official site. It's frustrating, and I think we are all getting impatient for some more movement on the transfer front, but it's just a case of trying to wait it out.

If we don't get Phillips then Routledge or Dyer from Swansea wouldn't be the worst signings.

[Welsh_Baggie]

Like the Takeover, this transfer does seem to be dragging on, but what can you do but take every article you see with a huge pinch of salt, and like was said earlier, not believe anything until it's up on the official site. It's frustrating, and I think we are all getting impatient for some more movement on the transfer front, but it's just a case of trying to wait it out.

If we don't get Phillips then Routledge or Dyer from Swansea wouldn't be the worst signings.

I'd prefer either of them.  The Phillips price tag is ridiculous - Nani just went for about £4million and is twice the player Phillips is.  We should just move on.

[SmethDan]

Wonder how much of the haggling process is centring on the payment of 'loyalty bonuses'.

[stokelad84]

I'd prefer either of them.  The Phillips price tag is ridiculous - Nani just went for about £4million and is twice the player Phillips is.  We should just move on.

United were willing to accept a low fee to get his £115k wage off the bill.

Dyer and Routledge are both older have a much lower product output. 3 goals and 2 assists for Dyer, 3 goals and 1 assist for Routledge. That was with an in form Wilfried Bony banging in the goals too.

[Welsh_Baggie]

United were willing to accept a low fee to get his £115k wage off the bill.

Dyer and Routledge are both older have a much lower product output. 3 goals and 2 assists for Dyer, 3 goals and 1 assist for Routledge. That was with an in form Wilfried Bony banging in the goals too.

Regardless we should be going for players who are available rather than players that clubs don't want to let go.  How about Lennon or Townsend???

For someone as unproven as Phillips we should just move on and not be held to ransom.

[stokelad84]

Townsend will apparently cost £15million and it sounds like he wants to stay down South.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/west-ham-want-15million-andros-6015702

Lennon is a good player who will leave for first team football. But it depends on what Spurs want for him, they seem to be only offering him in a player + money deal for some of their targets at the moment.

[Mat15(MH)]

Bill Howell mentioned Downing in the story about moving onto other targets, I think he'd be a good signing. But apparently wants to move back up north so probably a no-go for us.

In the end, I think this transfer will happen, like people have said it will be a compromise on the fee, somewhere around 7-8 million.

[MarkW]

For £7-8 million I'd be happy to take the punt on Phillips. He's 24 so hopefully he's only going to get better

[hunsletbaggie]

Bill Howell mentioned Downing in the story about moving onto other targets, I think he'd be a good signing. But apparently wants to move back up north so probably a no-go for us.

In the end, I think this transfer will happen, like people have said it will be a compromise on the fee, somewhere around 7-8 million.

7-8 million for a player who's cv reads Blackpool-relegated from prem
                                                                          QPR -        relegated rrom prem
 Says it all really lets move on.                               

[MarkW]

7-8 million for a player who's cv reads Blackpool-relegated from prem
                                                                          QPR -        relegated rrom prem
 Says it all really lets move on.                               

You can't judge players solely based on what their club has done, especially when one club was so badly mismanaged. He's still relatively young for a Premier League footballer, so for ~£7 million I'd say go for it.

[hunsletbaggie]

You can't judge players solely based on what their club has done, especially when one club was so badly mismanaged. He's still relatively young for a Premier League footballer, so for ~£7 million I'd say go for it.

But you can judge the affect they are having on their team and scoring a wonder goal when your team is already 3-0 down and the opposition is sitting back doesn't make you a 5-10 million pound player.

[Mr Cynical]

Matt Phillips managed 3 goals and 8 assists since fully returning to playing on New Years Day. That's a really good return in a poorly performing team. So there's no reason why he shouldn't get more assists in a full West Brom season than Chris Brunt managed: 10.

What about the 18 months before January 2015?  He didn't feature all that much and didn't shine.  So, it is his 2015 showing so far 'form' or class'?  Definitely wouldn't pay £10m for him.

[AlbionFan]

I think you have to go with TP's judgement on Phillips as a player and his value.

TP would, IMO, improve Phillips as a player and as has been mentioned he is still only 24 with his best years ahead of him.

[M666EYS]

What about the 18 months before January 2015?  He didn't feature all that much and didn't shine.  So, it is his 2015 showing so far 'form' or class'?  Definitely wouldn't pay £10m for him.

10 million is the going rate for any player these days good or bad. (Brown Ideye)

I personally think he wont be allowed to slack under pulis and we might get the best out of him.

[MarkW]

But you can judge the affect they are having on their team and scoring a wonder goal when your team is already 3-0 down and the opposition is sitting back doesn't make you a 5-10 million pound player.

Yes but 3 goals and assists in 1821 minutes, which is around 20 games, is a good return for a team that was generally very poor.

When he was at Blackpool (age 19) and playing in the Prem, he got 2 goals and 3 assists in around 1000 minutes, which equates about 10 games. So even when he supposedly wasn't all that good, per 90 minutes he played, he still was getting a goal or an assist.

[overseas baggie]

For £7-8 million I'd be happy to take the punt on Phillips. He's 24 so hopefully he's only going to get better

For £7m to £8m yes, for £10m no

[phbaggies]

I just asked this question on Twitter but thought I would ask here too

Matt Phillips for £10m or Junior Hoillett for £2.5m, why is Hoillett so much cheaper than Phillips, have I missed something here?? Wasn't we chasing Hoillett last summer?

[MarkW]

For £7m to £8m yes, for £10m no

Yeah I'd agree on that. I don't think he's worth £7-ish million but if we don't get him, one of our competitors will, and so we have to factor in the cost of losing him to rival, which I'd say is especially important because he would hopefully become a start winger for us.

As I said early, what happens with this will take its time, and we just have to be patient.

[stokelad84]

I just asked this question on Twitter but thought I would ask here too

Matt Phillips for £10m or Junior Hoillett for £2.5m, why is Hoillett so much cheaper than Phillips, have I missed something here?? Wasn't we chasing Hoillett last summer?

 More

Hoillett's stock has dropped. No goals or assists at all last season so he's regressed a lot.

[addy]

I just asked this question on Twitter but thought I would ask here too

Matt Phillips for £10m or Junior Hoillett for £2.5m, why is Hoillett so much cheaper than Phillips, have I missed something here?? Wasn't we chasing Hoillett last summer?







 More

Phillips is much better, younger, played more recently, has decent premier league stats for a winger, has longer contract, British based. Form seems to be on the up.

Hoillett is out of contract next summer , didn't really feature that much last season, 1 assist whole of last season 0 goals in 22 appearances(in around 10 games worth of time however). He doesn't seem to be improving.. that is why he is cheaper.

[koren]

I just asked this question on Twitter but thought I would ask here too

Matt Phillips for £10m or Junior Hoillett for £2.5m, why is Hoillett so much cheaper than Phillips, have I missed something here?? Wasn't we chasing Hoillett last summer?

http://www.espnfc.com/player/116662/david-hoilett
22 games played but couldn't get a single goal or assist.No for me.

For Matt Phillips,I think we could sign him finally with around 7m, it's a reasonable price for a British talent.

[smethwickw]

Phillips is much better, younger, played more recently, has decent premier league stats for a winger, has longer contract, British based. Form seems to be on the up.

Hoillett is out of contract next summer , didn't really feature that much last season, 1 assist whole of last season 0 goals in 22 appearances(in around 10 games worth of time however). He doesn't seem to be improving.. that is why he is cheaper.

A perfect fit for us then. 

[seteefeet]

If he fits into what we are planning then pay it! No point going for a cheaper option who can't get a game because they are no better than what we have. We did that last year.
As the TV revenue goes up so does the asking price of players. If the scouting is right then we should know what our targets are valued at. It's one thing to drive a hard bargain, but sooner or later we have to step up and get the players we really want.

[B_H_Baggie]

Was only a couple of years ago that people were shouting for us to just pay the money when it came to the rumoured £8m wanted for Scott Sinclair. With that in mind I'm happy enough to trust the club on this one.

As I said before I just see it as posturing from both clubs and do believe there is a compromise to be found but it could come down to the player handing in a transfer request.