Would you take Sammie Szmodics ?

[kenyon6923]

Reminds me so much of Danny Ings - 24 goals, 6 assists - VK player works his socks off and 6 yellow cards suggests not frightened of putting himself about, 28 years old - what's not to like ? yeah he might not be a prem player if we returned there but it won't take long to name the players that we think have stepped up to prem level this season.

[ClaretTony]

If you are being blinded by the goals, yes, he's scored 24 in 41 league games for them this season but last season scored five in 34.

[Boss Hogg]

Isn’t he an attacking midfielder ?

[kenyon6923]

If you are being blinded by the goals, yes, he's scored 24 in 41 league games for them this season but last season scored five in 34.

fair point - has he improved or just "one of those seasons" - just looked back on saturdays game and the Fofana chance across the box you would think this lad would have buried it but ?? - just looked at Adam Armstrong at Southampton - 2 seasons prior in prem - 4 goals total (2 per season) !! this season in championship currently 2nd in top goalscorer charts with 21 goals !!!

[Goliath]

Yes

[ClaretTony]

fair point - has he improved or just "one of those seasons" - just looked back on saturdays game and the Fofana chance across the box you would think this lad would have buried it but ?? - just looked at Adam Armstrong at Southampton - 2 seasons prior in prem - 4 goals total (2 per season) !! this season in championship currently 2nd in top goalscorer charts with 21 goals !!!

Adam Armstrong has done it previously in the Championship though

[Goliath]

If you are being blinded by the goals, yes, he's scored 24 in 41 league games for them this season but last season scored five in 34.

How many did Barnes get the season before and most have argued that it was a bad decision to let him go. As you say it's not always about goals.

I'd also be interested in Dolan from them his goal record is crap but he is technically really impressive.

[Jamesy]

Who would we be able to sell to raise the circa 30 million to buy him?

[ClaretTony]

I'd also be interested in Dolan from them his goal record is crap but he is technically really impressive.

Wasn't he in our academy at some point?

[CoolClaret]

Nah.

Reeks of a player that has his one top season when in his prime... I also never want to sign a player or do business directly with Blackburn; don't forget that ticketing fiasco last season for the away game - you know - the one where we won the League at Deadwood.

[bumba]

Who would we be able to sell to raise the circa 30 million to buy him?

£30 million for a 28 year old with 12 months of his contract left for a club £300 million in debt and owners who now cannot put money in to the club? I doubt it to be honest.

[bumba]

How many did Barnes get the season before and most have argued that it was a bad decision to let him go. As you say it's not always about goals.

I'd also be interested in Dolan from them his goal record is crap but he is technically really impressive.

Who would Dolan take the place of? He isn't even as good as our 5th or 6th choice wingers

[Woodleyclaret]

Yes and Carter-Vickers also Potts at PNE all imo worth a bid

[ElectroClaret]

Was surprised one of the bigger Championship clubs didn't come in for him in the January window.
Could surely have done a job for one of them, but maybe cost an issue.

One-off season or not, his goals have kept them up
single-handedly.

[CoolClaret]

Grant Holt bagged 15 goals in the PL in 36 games at the end of his Prime, then 8 in 34, then spiralled to 2 goals in 16 in the Championship.

If Szmodics would've had this season at age 23/24 that'd be a different.

[dandeclaret]

Wasn't he in our academy at some point?

From the age of 7 until 14, then sold for a very small fee, when Man City and Man Utd were fighting over him (having chosen not to sign him when he was young, because he was too small). Went to Man City from 14 to 16, where they released him for being too small. He went to Preston and had a good 2 years in youth football, but chose not to sign a pro contract with them, and instead moved to Blackburn, where he's clocked up almost 150 appearances in the championship by the age of 22.

For a little while at Burnley he played a year down, because of his size, but his technical ability was outstanding. When he went back to his own age group, he was only there for a small while, before playing up an age group. A good player.

[ClaretAndBlue94]

£30 million for a 28 year old with 12 months of his contract left for a club £300 million in debt and owners who now cannot put money in to the club? I doubt it to be honest.

I reckon £10m gets it done given contract and financial state of the club. Surely they will not let him be Diaz v2 and leave on a free

[tarkys_ears]

Who would we be able to sell to raise the circa 30 million to buy him?

Our numerous £100m players should cover it

[Jamesy]

Our numerous £100m players should cover it

Of course! Silly me.

[Jamesy]

£30 million for a 28 year old with 12 months of his contract left for a club £300 million in debt and owners who now cannot put money in to the club? I doubt it to be honest.

How much do you think he will go for? He has just been named Championship player of the year and is all over the media.
Even with only 12 months left on his contract there will be several Premier League clubs after him including all three promoted clubs.
£30 million won’t be too far off the mark.
One thing is for sure, he won’t be coming to us.

[Goliath]

Who would Dolan take the place of? He isn't even as good as our 5th or 6th choice wingers

Isn't he out of contract? So a pretty cheap option for the number 10 role. He has the potential to be a really good player from what I've seen if he can add numbers to his game

[ClaretTony]

From the age of 7 until 14, then sold for a very small fee, when Man City and Man Utd were fighting over him (having chosen not to sign him when he was young, because he was too small). Went to Man City from 14 to 16, where they released him for being too small. He went to Preston and had a good 2 years in youth football, but chose not to sign a pro contract with them, and instead moved to Blackburn, where he's clocked up almost 150 appearances in the championship by the age of 22.

For a little while at Burnley he played a year down, because of his size, but his technical ability was outstanding. When he went back to his own age group, he was only there for a small while, before playing up an age group. A good player.

Thanks for that Dan, I knew I had it in my head that he'd been with us.

[FCBurnley]

Wharton was the one we should have bought. Doing well at CP and has stepped up to PL very well.

[blatherwickstattoos]

Dolans the one we should be looking at, better age he’s been on our books before

[dandeclaret]

Thanks for that Dan, I knew I had it in my head that he'd been with us.

I think for a short while, when he stepped up a year, he was playing central midfield with Callum Styles. Probably the smallest central midfield you could ever field, but their technical ability and decision making made them very effective.

[Goliath]

Wharton was the one we should have bought. Doing well at CP and has stepped up to PL very well.

This was a no brainer if he was willing to cross the divide. Wharton and Berge would have been a hell of a midfield.

[ElectroClaret]

If what I read about Wharton was right, he'd never have come to the Turf.

Apparently, entire family dyed-in-the-wool R*vers fans.

[ClaretTony]

I think for a short while, when he stepped up a year, he was playing central midfield with Callum Styles. Probably the smallest central midfield you could ever field, but their technical ability and decision making made them very effective.

Styles is at Sunderland now - he's clocked up over 200 league appearances at 24 which is good and a good few of them at Championship level too. Not the biggest of midfields is it with him and Dolan?

[dandeclaret]

No - I think they're 5'5 and 5'6..... definitely in the too small to make it group.

[bumba]

Isn't he out of contract? So a pretty cheap option for the number 10 role. He has the potential to be a really good player from what I've seen if he can add numbers to his game

Not sure on his contract think it's up this summer but the club have a 12 month option but suppose depending on funds they may not renew, on a free if we sell all the baggage we have he'd be a decent shout.
A lot depends on what players we keep and sell

[bumba]

How much do you think he will go for? He has just been named Championship player of the year and is all over the media.
Even with only 12 months left on his contract there will be several Premier League clubs after him including all three promoted clubs.
£30 million won’t be too far off the mark.
One thing is for sure, he won’t be coming to us.

I'd be absolutely shocked if he went for anything above £10 million. Very limited which clubs would pay that and which would take a chance on a one season wonder at 28 in his last year, a club would be desperate to pay anymore. All English clubs will be well aware of Rovers financial issues as well

[bumba]

I reckon £10m gets it done given contract and financial state of the club. Surely they will not let him be Diaz v2 and leave on a free

I agree but I hope they do and his next season is back to it's unproductive self

[AGENT_CLARET]

Yes..... But he's off to Luton in the summer unfortunately

[Andingle]

From the age of 7 until 14, then sold for a very small fee, when Man City and Man Utd were fighting over him (having chosen not to sign him when he was young, because he was too small). Went to Man City from 14 to 16, where they released him for being too small. He went to Preston and had a good 2 years in youth football, but chose not to sign a pro contract with them, and instead moved to Blackburn, where he's clocked up almost 150 appearances in the championship by the age of 22.

For a little while at Burnley he played a year down, because of his size, but his technical ability was outstanding. When he went back to his own age group, he was only there for a small while, before playing up an age group. A good player.

Man.City bought him at start of U12s to be fair for a very small 5 figure fee.
They had him at U7and U8s and liked him but got complacent and Burnley nipped in and signed him for U9s.
Believe Stuart Harvey took him into Bburn.

[Quicknick]

Would he want to come?

[Poulton-le-Claret]

According to Transfer Markt, he is contracted until summer 2026 with an option to extend by a further year - having signed this contract in Nov 2023.

My guess is they would want around £15-20m to sell to us and I wouldn't pay that.

[Claretforever]

How much do you think he will go for? He has just been named Championship player of the year and is all over the media.
Even with only 12 months left on his contract there will be several Premier League clubs after him including all three promoted clubs.
£30 million won’t be too far off the mark.
One thing is for sure, he won’t be coming to us.

As other have stated, he’s 29 early into next season and Chuba Akpom went for €12m when Championship top score, and younger than Szmodics in the last year or so.

If anybody is talking £20m+ they’re generally Blackburn fans.

I don’t think he was Championship player of the year either, but was in the team of the season.

[beddie]

They might at some stage be prepared to sell but I would have thought we’d offer no more than £12 to £15 million and at that figure I would be tempted.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Not a chance he gets sold for 30m or anywhere near that.

[BurnleyFC]

Who would we be able to sell to raise the circa 30 million to buy him?

£30m?!

[BurnleyFC]

Wharton was the one we should have bought. Doing well at CP and has stepped up to PL very well.

Not a cat in hell’s chance he’d have come to Burnley.

[Pickles]

I swear he and Ings must be cousins. Their posture and the way they move is remarkably similar, it's uncanny.

[Tricky Trevor]

He is like a young Kevin Keegan. Never stops running, shoots on sight, brings teammates in, and raises al those around him. I’d have him in a heart beat.

[Jamesy]

Not a chance he gets sold for 30m or anywhere near that.

Attacking midfielders who can score lots of goals are worth their weight in gold. Pity that MUD analytics couldn’t have found one for Burnley.

[NewClaret]

No nay never.

He’s having a great season and well done to him. He’s single handedly carried a poor rovers side to survival this year.

But his goal spree has been a one off and I’m not sure he possesses the qualities that’d be required of an attacking midfielder in VK’s system where we had the majority of the possession and opponents are camped in their half!

[NewClaret]

Attacking midfielders who can score lots of goals are worth their weight in gold. Pity that MUD analytics couldn’t have found one for Burnley.

MUD analytics found a team that won the league with 101pts last time around at Sammie Szmodics level, scoring 87 goals in the process.

[Jamesy]

MUD analytics found a team that won the league with 101pts last time around at Sammie Szmodics level, scoring 87 goals in the process.

No they didn’t. It was this season we used them to source players.

[ClaretsPadiham]

No I don’t want us to do any sort of business with them and give them any sort of income.

[Jamesy]

It’s all hypothetical anyway. We can’t afford him unless we offload some players with a decent transfer value.

[Vegas Claret]

we'll be signing big lads, he's 5'7