FactualFrank wrote:Aye... was told a season long loan, but now read the article. Shame.

THEWELLERNUT70 wrote:Also its being reported that although a break clause has been inserted,Chelsea expect Drinkwater to be here for the full season

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Are these from the same reporters that announced he had signed because they read a fake twitter account?

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Are these from the same reporters that announced he had signed because they read a fake twitter account?

THEWELLERNUT70 wrote:Also its being reported that although a break clause has been inserted,Chelsea expect Drinkwater to be here for the full season

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Links?

ClaretTony wrote:No, Sam Wallace was the first to confirm the signing - before the fake accounts came

Cleveleys_claret wrote:If you look at his twitter feed he announced the signing at 16.51. Therefore he was working on assumptions and guesswork as our club hadnt announced it and needed to submit the deal to league to allow us to sign him as it wasnt going to be completed by 17.00

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Chelsea never loan out a player without a fee attached. It is a business model they have. Buy players and loan them out. Obviously this wasnt the intention with DD but there is absolutely no way that they have loaned out a player without a hefty loan fee being attached to the move

EarbyClaret wrote:Some strange comments on this thread

Could we afford to sign him outright - no
Would he have wanted to come even if we had - unlikely
Is he the highest quality midfielder we've been seriously linked with in this window - yes
Is the team/squad stronger with his addition - undoubtedly
have we missed out on any of our realistic CM targets - no. We can't compete with Palace on wages and as far as I'm aware everyone else we were seriously linked with stayed put aside from Mooy - who I doubt many would rate more highly than Drinkwater

I'm not sure what people expect the club to do. The deal on offer was obviously until January - do we accept that and have a £30M plus PL winning midfielder for five months or say to Chelsea it's a season long or not at all?

He's done a pre-season with Chelsea which has included a surprising amount of 'minutes' for a player supposedly told he was surplus to requirements. No concerns about his fitness or motivation.

He won't start immediately but it won't be long. Cork's place is most under threat. For whatever reason his levels dropped last season particularly pre-Christmas. A lot of that had to do with his cumulative workload and I think he'll benefit from someone else sharing the responsibility. What's more we could play a genuine central three in a 4-5-1 and still have a CM on the bench.

Struggling to see what's not to like about this and the window as a whole - would have preferred not to lose Tom but something had to give in the goalkeeping department - that aside stronger in all three of the other units.

nil_desperandum wrote:A point which in no way contradicts what I said.
My point being that the deal we have got - and its length - may well be the best that we could achieve today. Since we don't have the money for his transfer fee or his wages, then Chelsea held all the cards.

No Ney Never wrote:Chelsea have a two window transfer ban.

Stayingup wrote:Haven't they just sold Luiz to Arsenal?

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Truthfully not trying to be negative but it shows just how desperate we were and how we had wasted a transfer window until yesterday on our search for a midfielder. Like I said earlier hope we can get him full time or maybe going back in for Phillips on a free with a large signing on fee when Leeds dont get promoted again.

Cleveleys_claret wrote:If you look at his twitter feed he announced the signing at 16.51. Therefore he was working on assumptions and guesswork as our club hadnt announced it and needed to submit the deal to league to allow us to sign him as it wasnt going to be completed by 17.00

Vegas Claret wrote:Nixon reporting today that Leeds where about to hand Philips a new long term deal

Stayingup wrote:Haven't they just sold Luiz to Arsenal?

Stayingup wrote:Haven't they just sold Luiz to Arsenal?

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Yes they have offered him one but as yet he is not signing it

"Were" again spelling, I know how important it is to you (I will stop now I promise ha ha)

Vegas Claret wrote:I reckon they'll get promoted this season sadly

DCWat wrote:Some heads need wobbling to Richter scale level! All signings carry a risk but this is one that ticks so many boxes that needed to be ticked, it’s madness to see this as anything other than a positive signing.

I’d be amazed if we’ve not discussed / considered a longer term option here. The impact on one of Cork or Westwood will of course play a part but this is part and parcel of football and managing a squad.

Great signing and one that was very much needed.

summitclaret wrote:Agreed and we can now use in game subs in cm, something we have not been able to do for ages, unlike probably any other professional/semi team in the world. ☺☺☺☺

Woonderbah wrote:It's a great bit of business and unfathomable why some of us are picking faults.

burnley007 wrote:What an utterly bizarre signing.
I'm sorry, but am I missing something here?
We've got him for half a season?? I'm struggling to see the value here.
We've been utterly conned. Again.
What a shambles

Blyclaret wrote:Burnley007
Maybe i will regret this but tell me how we have been conned

burnley007 wrote:A loan is bad enough, but 6th January?
A month to get match fit, what a total let down.

burnley007 wrote:A loan is bad enough, but 6th January?
A month to get match fit, what a total let down.

claptrappers_union wrote:I’d imagine the deal was done for 6 months just to get it over the line

Top Claret wrote:
Best transfer window in ages. We have signed players in areas were we have been in need of quality. Adding Jay Rod and Drinkwater to the squad has at last improved our starting 11.