Danny Drinkwater

[EarbyClaret]

Apologies if I've missed this and for starting a new thread but Sarri has spoken specifically about him and his future at Chelsea today - which is timed with the window little over a week away:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46650810" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm sure this is being monitored by a range of clubs outside the top six but you'd have to hope we were interested - given that you'd expect a player of his calibre to come straight into our current starting eleven and therefore actually start getting game time again.

[DCWat]

Wages too big, Burnley too small, would prefer it down south, Burnley is a **** hole, hates wearing Claret.

Full house?

Definitely a player we should be looking at

[moaninclaret]

I mentioned Drinkwater on a post a few weeks back along with Victor Moses, Sarri wants shut but wages and transfer fees will be out of our pockets, wouldn't mind both to be honest but would they fit in with SDs ways? Doubt if either would want to come up north anyway, be good to sign them if it did happen.

[Archer]

Has everyone forgotten he’s from Manchester?

[randomclaret2]

Drinkwater is from Manchester, maybe a loan back home would appeal

[jurek]

Got to be a long, long shot for either Drinkwater or Moses
given potential salary drop and likely fees.
Consequently probably neither are even close to our radar.

[PutTheWheelieBinsOut]

Even if we had the money I'm not sure our style of play would attract quality players.

[moaninclaret]

Drinkwater from Manchester, Moses played for Wigan but i still doubt they would come up north unless it was to one of the bigger clubs where they can can sit on the bench and get paid big money for an easy life, they are both worth a punt in the January sales though.

[ClaretTony]

you'd have to hope we were interested

I doubt even if there were an interest that we could get anywhere near what he's earning at Chelsea. Players like that quite often prefer to sit on their wage and not play. This is a player who played half an hour in the Community Shield but, other than that, hasn't kicked a ball in any first team match since the beginning of March.

[DCWat]

I doubt even if there were an interest that we could get anywhere near what he's earning at Chelsea. Players like that quite often prefer to sit on their wage and not play. This is a player who played half an hour in the Community Shield but, other than that, hasn't kicked a ball in any first team match since the beginning of March.

No doubting there are players like that, and Drinkwater could be one of them. Equally though there are surely plenty who get fed up and just want to play.

Comes down to the character of the individual as well, I suspect.

[Aclaret]

I doubt even if there were an interest that we could get anywhere near what he's earning at Chelsea. Players like that quite often prefer to sit on their wage and not play. This is a player who played half an hour in the Community Shield but, other than that, hasn't kicked a ball in any first team match since the beginning of March.

You are probably right there Tony otherwise we would surely be hearing of him trying to get a move.

[ClaretTony]

No doubting there are players like that, and Drinkwater could be one of them. Equally though there are surely plenty who get fed up and just want to play.

Comes down to the character of the individual as well, I suspect.

This was the bloke who was playing regularly for the team that had just won the Premier League but opted to move for a much higher salary to Chelsea. He's started 5 Premier League games for them.

[TVC15]

No harm in going for either Moses or Drinkwater (or both) on loan in January. It would be around £3m in wages to get both - which in the scheme of things is nothing given our healthy financial position and the rewards if we stay up.
We need this type of quality.

Of course the big issue would be whether either are up for a relegation scrap or whether they are happy to be just picking up a wage. Plus other clubs in comfortable mid table positions like Everton, West Ham etc may be far more attractive to them and could also offer them permanent deals - something we could / would not risk.

[Reecey1987]

We dont do loan signings so its a no go

[ClaretTony]

No harm in going for either Moses or Drinkwater (or both) on loan in January. It would be around £3m in wages to get both

It wouldn't - rules don't permit it. It's no more than one per club. And have you taken Chelsea's loan fees into consideration?

[Stayingup]

I doubt even if there were an interest that we could get anywhere near what he's earning at Chelsea. Players like that quite often prefer to sit on their wage and not play. This is a player who played half an hour in the Community Shield but, other than that, hasn't kicked a ball in any first team match since the beginning of March.

If he wants game time then it's fair odds he wont be going to a club who will pay the wages hes on now.

[TVC15]

It wouldn't - rules don't permit it. It's no more than one per club. And have you taken Chelsea's loan fees into consideration?

Sorry didn’t realise that.
Still fine to go for one of them and the loan fee should not put us off....even if it was a million - add this to £80k a week wages for 4 months and well within our grasp. Either player should walk into our team and improve us. It’s very hard to find players on loan or permanently within our budgets that go straight into the team. At least the loan system (whilst far from perfect) can give you that option.

[EarbyClaret]

Financially a move to Chelsea probably secured him for life or at least created the opportunity for him to do so. From a footballing perspective it's put his career in reverse. The nearest equivalent I can think of is Amir Begovic who was a stand-out PL 'keeper but chose to warm Chelsea's bench instead - before moving to Bournemouth.

Chelsea obviously paid over the odds based on Leicester's title win so there's no way they could reclaim anything like a similar fee based on 30 minutes in the Community Shield so far this season. Of course it would be a stretch for us but if we are serious about improving our starting 11 then we're likely going to have to break our transfer record.

Fulham are bound to be interested especially with the Ranieri connection but based on what little I've seen of them they have multiple issues which need addressing - we have the advantage of being pretty clear about what we need.

Wages of course would be the biggest stumbling block and this takes us back to the character of the player, of which I know nothing other than he was an integral part of Leicester's title winning team. If it's football first then there's a chance, assuming we still offer a sizeable signing-on bonus to supplement lower wages, that he might be interested.

Fully accept this is on the outer edges of optimistic but I think most would agree a proven PL-ready midfielder with this kind of track record would massively boost our survival chances - which would be worth far more than the fee/wages involved in recruiting a player of this calibre.

[Vegas Claret]

nailed on to Fulham

[Im_not_Robbie_Blake]

Not as good as D4, Cork, Jeff or Westie in my opinion

[Giftonsnoidea]

Would add quality seeing as Defour is looking permanently injured this season.

Moses would be decnt too, hope we can look at players with this profile, should have been in for them in the summer when we were on the up tho!

[jojomk1]

I doubt even if there were an interest that we could get anywhere near what he's earning at Chelsea. Players like that quite often prefer to sit on their wage and not play. This is a player who played half an hour in the Community Shield but, other than that, hasn't kicked a ball in any first team match since the beginning of March.

Wages? - A bit like Joe Hart then

Maybe he wanted to wait at the start of the season to see if he had any future under the new manager (same as Moses)

He like Moses will want game time if they are serious about getting a move, and don't forget (as with Hart) either could maybe negotiate a good pay off on the remainder of their existing contracts to make up any losses on wages at another club

Loved the comments from Sarri - "he is better suited to a midfield two because as a three he can't play either left, central or right"

As for the comment about him being no better than our existing four - would add a bit more pace, and bite for me

[Archer]

Not as good as D4, Cork, Jeff or Westie in my opinion

Hilarious

[Bfcboyo]

Deteriorating! Dehydration! Doctors deduced!

[thelaughingclaret]

Players don’t like coming up north, unless of course it’s Manchester City that come after them with their millions, then somehow the north gets rather more apealing.

[elwaclaret]

Might have a chance if we REALLY go for Drinkwater. Fulham have been all over Moses for about a month so I'd expect him to be heading there in the window if he goes anywhere.

[FactualFrank]

Might have a chance if we REALLY go for Drinkwater. Fulham have been all over Moses for about a month so I'd expect him to be heading there in the window if he goes anywhere.

Nothing stopping Fulham spending another £100 million, like it's nothing. Unless it takes them to their max squad limit.

[Top Claret]

Can't imagine that we would bring anyone in who would be good enough or fit enough, to hit the ground running in January, who would improve our starting 11

[Blackrod]

Moved for money.
Hardly played and probably not PL fit.
How old ?
Next....

[Spijed]

Hardly played and probably not PL fit.

Probably like Kevin Long in that respect. Will still be getting match fitness in other games.

Kevin Long seems to be match ready even if he doesn't play regularly.

[ClaretTony]

nailed on to Fulham

Wouldn’t surprise me. They are paying big wages and have his old Leicester boss Ranieri.

[Vegas Claret]

Wouldn’t surprise me. They are paying big wages and have his old Leicester boss Ranieri.

and he wouldn't have to move from wherever he is living now