[Adder]

It would be if we got the 16 million but I don’t think we have no where near that. They seem intent on having a fire sale, JRod, Dawson and now Rondon all sold at rock bottom prices

John Percy suggests on twitter that it's £16.5m, hopefully it is. With other clubs having some interest I don't think we'd have let him go for less than £10-12m with 4 weeks still to go.

[KN22]

It will be 16.5m or they wouldn’t sanction the deal at this stage.

[Dan87uk]

It would be if we got the 16 million but I don’t think we have no where near that. They seem intent on having a fire sale, JRod, Dawson and now Rondon all sold at rock bottom prices

the release clause is £16.5 million.

[Blowee]

It will be 16.5m or they wouldn’t sanction the deal at this stage.

They would if it's the best offer they have had. He doesn't want to play for us and we can't afford to pay him. We had to accept the highest bid.

[SmethDan]

Initial reports suggested the fee would be 'undisclosed'.

[Mr Cynical]

Initial reports suggested the fee would be 'undisclosed'.

JRod's fee was 'undisclosed' too.  Despite the fact that it was in the public domain as £5m now, £5m next summer.

[Adder]

They would if it's the best offer they have had. He doesn't want to play for us and we can't afford to pay him. We had to accept the highest bid.

If it was the last day of the window we'd have to accept the highest bid. We obviously judged it as  a fair offer, close enough to the buy-out clause and decided to take the money and kick off our own business.

[VANDERLEI]

They would if it's the best offer they have had. He doesn't want to play for us and we can't afford to pay him. We had to accept the highest bid.

Mate, think about what you've just said, and try to back it up with facts. Absolute biggest load of cobblers I've read on here. Your talking like you know what's happening behind the scenes, when infact you are clueless as to what our intentions are.

[Standaman]

My understanding of the situation gleaned from various sources is as follows.

Rondon does not have a flex down clause in his contract. The release clause is meant to be the safety net if we were relegated (this dumb beyond belief but I will set that issue to one side for the moment). We pretty much cannot afford his wages we therefore have to sell.

No English club got close to the release clause and after Benetiz left Newcastle their interest came to an abrupt end (along with all the fantasy swaps with Gayle).

Dalian's interest is a bit of a lifeline and their offer is a lot closer to the release clause than other tentative offers were but it is still a little short (here I am guessing possibly about £15m). However the harsh reality is we don't have much of a choice and had player rejected the option of going to China we would have been up the creek without a paddle.

To put all this into context Rondon's wages since he last played for us just across the last 2 summers have cost the club in excess of £1m. He is a mini cash flow crisis and until it was resolved the club was going to be very reluctant to enter into additional commitments.

The fact we have a resolution to the Rondon issue and we have signed a player almost straight away is not wholly unconnected.

[boinging_along]

To put all this into context Rondon's wages since he last played for us just across the last 2 summers have cost the club in excess of £1m. He is a mini cash flow crisis and until it was resolved the club was going to be very reluctant to enter into additional commitments.

One thing to look at is, even if his wages are quite a lot, we save by not having to purchase another striker. 

12 months of Rondon's wages - back of fag packet calculations = 12 * 75k = ~£1m.
Worst case we don't go up and we end selling him for cut down price, let's say £5m.
=£4m gain this time next year - worst case.

vs.

Signing a new striker = £10m?
+ 3/5 year contract\wages

I'm not sure this idea of "we can't afford his wages" stacks up against the fact we have to replace him. 

(For the record, there is zero chance he'll be here next year)

[BoingFlyer]

One thing to look at is, even if his wages are quite a lot, we save by not having to purchase another striker. 

12 months of Rondon's wages - back of fag packet calculations = 12 * 75k = ~£1m.
Worst case we don't go up and we end selling him for cut down price, let's say £5m.
=£4m gain this time next year - worst case.

vs.

Signing a new striker = £10m?
+ 3/5 year contract\wages

I'm not sure this idea of "we can't afford his wages" stacks up against the fact we have to replace him. 

(For the record, there is zero chance he'll be here next year)

Absolute nonsense. Why would we get 5 million for a player out of contract? We would get nothing. We would still have to sign a player after he left on a 3-5 year contract. The sale of Rondon funds a new striker for 3-5 years fee and wages.

[BoingFlyer]

Initial reports suggested the fee would be 'undisclosed'.

Creative way to get money out of China, perhaps it was for 30 million 

[Hull Baggie]

One thing to look at is, even if his wages are quite a lot, we save by not having to purchase another striker. 

12 months of Rondon's wages - back of fag packet calculations = 12 * 75k = ~£1m.
Worst case we don't go up and we end selling him for cut down price, let's say £5m.
=£4m gain this time next year - worst case.

vs.

Signing a new striker = £10m?
+ 3/5 year contract\wages

I'm not sure this idea of "we can't afford his wages" stacks up against the fact we have to replace him. 

(For the record, there is zero chance he'll be here next year)

Do you really think Rondon is on 75K a month? that's only 18.75k a week?....more like 60 - 70K a week.

[boinging_along]

Absolute nonsense. Why would we get 5 million for a player out of contract? We would get nothing. We would still have to sign a player after he left on a 3-5 year contract. The sale of Rondon funds a new striker for 3-5 years fee and wages.

First, I wasn't sure if his contract definitely expired next year but fair enough.

Secondly, I don't disagree that selling Rondon will fund a new striker (of what quality though?) - just disagreeing that we can't afford his wages.  I also said my option was worst case.  Best case would be he plays, we get promoted and he signs a new contract. 

Thirdly, I said he won't be here for this season anyway.

I guess it all depends if you think he's good enough for the Premiership.  If he isn't, then selling now and cashing in makes the most the sense.  If you think he is (assuming he would want to stay which I doubt he does), then for ~£1m in wages we would have a striker who would bully this division and not one that we would need to move on when\if promoted.

It's a hefty gamble though - get it wrong and it's going to cost us £16.5m.  Get it right, and we've just saved ourselves a hefty transfer fee for buying someone if we do go up. 

When we sell him though we then need to be replacing him with quality.  We can't afford to spend his transfer fee on another Ideye.  So far nothing I have seen from our board makes me think we'll be getting another Odemwingie instead.  Are you that confident the board will strike gold? 

[boinging_along]

Do you really think Rondon is on 75K a month? that's only 18.75k a week?....more like 60 - 70K a week.

Good point.  I've screwed this up.   Yeah, sell him and we can stick with HRK. 

[BoingFlyer]

Good point.  I've screwed this up.   Yeah, sell him and we can stick with HRK. 

We're doomed!

[StourBaggie]

Medical done and just awaiting paperwork, per Sky Sports.

[TiptonThrostle]

Medical done and just awaiting paperwork, per Sky Sports.

Fantastic news.

[mulliganstired]

Just get this done, we need to move on

[gazberg]

Officially gone now. On OS. Let's get these transfers done.

[Beefy]

Salomon Rondon has joined Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang.

All the best for the future, @salorondon23.

#WBA

https://t.co/svzy4nYTMH

[TheJacko2000]

Class player, desperately sorry to see him leave. Hopefully this now triggers some incoming transfers.

[TiptonThrostle]

28 goals in 120 games tells the story really.

never a fan of his but he always give it 100%.

Good luck Salomon !

[kanu]

Thanks for everything Salomon. Superb old fashioned no.9 who always gave everything. Would have loved to see him play a season alongside someone like Gayle. As it was he was isolated during his 3 years but still managed close to double figures each season. Unplayable at times, frustrating at others but thanks for the memories and good luck.

[royhan]

I never thought when a Chinese owner took over our club that we would be selling one of our best players to ….China. Shouldn't the opposite be happening and Mr Lai should be recruiting top players!