ARTICLE: Berge leaves the Clarets for Fulham

[ClaretTony]

Signing confirmed

See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/berge-leav ... for-fulham

[Papabendi]

more excellent business.

[Since62]

Obviously disappointing but no surprise. Players always come and go but this policy to rapidly turnover of the squad makes it more difficult for me to get behind the team. As others have said just no longer as connected to the club. Hopefully a few will stay to become the core players. UTC.

[ElectroClaret]

Do the Blades get any sell-on fee?

[Andingle]

Good buisness , Sheff.Utd buy him for 20M we take him for 12M and sell on for a potential 25M , that is great buisness.
Think he will do well for Fulham and wish him all the best.

[Cirrus_Minor]

Shame to lose him. A very good player on his day who can carry the ball forward in an effortless style. But losing your best players is what relegation looks like.

[Poulton-le-Claret]

Gutting to lose him, but once relegation was confirmed, then it was always going to happen. All the best to him.

[criminalclaret]

Players always come and go but this policy to rapidly turnover of the squad makes it more difficult for me to get behind the team. As others have said just no longer as connected to the club.

It's purely because we are relegated from the PL. You can't deny any of our players wanting to play at the top level given the opportunity.

If we stay up last season, we keep the majority of the squad and command much higher valuations of our players to stop them going elsewhere.

We are rebuilding much smaller scale than we did when we were relegated in 2022

[FCBurnley]

Great signing for Fulham. Big loss for us. We basically got Hannibal plus 8 mill for him

[Elizabeth]

Highly rated by many posters. Now has the opportunity to show those fans not as convinced how he performs in a PL side much better than the Sheff Utd and Burnley teams that were relegated with him a regular starter.
In my opinion a good bit of business for us

[Pearcey]

Shame we only got to see him very briefly but I think we might need to get used to that!

[AGENT_CLARET]

Great signing for Fulham. Big loss for us. We basically got Hannibal plus 8 mill for him

More likely around 5/6m with the sell on fee going to Sheff Utd

[Jakubs Tash]

A class act, Sander. Easily our best player last season. He will need replacing with a ball playing midfielder in my opinion.

[Spijed]

Great signing for Fulham. Big loss for us. We basically got Hannibal plus 8 mill for him

Are we guaranteed to get Hannibal?

[Clive 1960]

Do the Blades get any sell-on fee?

i believe so ..

[vinrogue]

Fully understand this business, wish him well at Fulham.

Had we not been relegated he would still be a Claret.

A tidy profit as we reduce the bloated squad. Training for Saturdays, how many outfield players do the coaching staff need? The known Match squad (to staff), plus 3 or 4 max. We need to ship out a few more imo as we also look to bring in 2 or 3. UTC

[groove]

Great business but still disappointing. I know it was inevitable but I'm more concerned with players on the pitch than digits on the spreadsheet.

[claretskeith]

Great signing for Fulham. Big loss for us. We basically got Hannibal plus 8 mill for him

I wouldn't be counting on us getting Hannibal just yet. As soon as we were interested Leeds suddenly were too.

[Clive 1960]

hopefully with Berg going we had a replacement lined up to slot in , but you never know with this board and i really feel for Scott who will do is hardest to get us back up but how many more regulars will be going to make is job even harder , sorry to say but I'm getting more worried about Pace each day on and off the field..

[GodIsADeeJay81]

They did a crap announcement video

[williamjblazkowicz]

How did he manage to complete his medical if he was injured? Was he not actually injured or was it just a case of him working his way back until he could pass it?

[fidelcastro]

How did he manage to complete his medical if he was injured? Was he not actually injured or was it just a case of him working his way back until he could pass it?

I've always wondered that.

It's amazing how many players suddenly pick up an injury just before they're transferred, but then pass the medical without any problems.

[Paulclaret]

I've always wondered that.

It's amazing how many players suddenly pick up an injury just before they're transferred, but then pass the medical without any problems.

Suddenly pick up an injury? Both Berge and JBG are clearly shown having teatment on the club video in Spain, when the other players are going off training before the Cadiz match.

[BurnleyFC]

Inevitable, really.

He looked very classy at times last season.

[fidelcastro]

Suddenly pick up an injury? Both Berge and JBG are clearly shown having teatment on the club video in Spain, when the other players are going off training before the Cadiz match.

But now it's cleared up?

He wasn't fit for Saturday, but now he's fine. I get you.

[jlup1980]

A class act, Sander. Easily our best player last season. He will need replacing with a ball playing midfielder in my opinion.

I agree we need to replace Berge, but we already have arguably the best CM pairing in the division in Cullen and Brownhill. I don't think there's a team in the league that wouldn't take one or both of them. If we sign Hannibal and we keep Massengo we should have more than enough.

[Big Vinny K]

When we signed Berge last summer it was the one signing where personally I could say that I had seen him play a number of times and I felt it was a genuine quality signing. I was really surprised that we managed to get him and especially for the price we did.
The other signings we made of course there is excitement based on you tube clips or statistics in other leagues but you never know how they are going to adapt in this country in probably the hardest league in the world - and we know some of them struggled.

Berge didn’t struggle. He was our best and most consistent player last season - imho by a mile.

It’s a real shame we could not keep him for longer but completely understandable he wants to play at a higher level.

[IanMcL]

A class act, Sander. Easily our best player last season. He will need replacing with a ball playing midfielder in my opinion.

He was front and back and passing and getting stuck in.

Very difficult to replace for Prem League - if we have a coherent team, at the end of this period.

[CoolClaret]

I've always wondered that.

It's amazing how many players suddenly pick up an injury just before they're transferred, but then pass the medical without any problems.

Medicals are mainly looking for other underlying issues that indicate if the player wouldn't be fit long term or be a poor investment... They can still pass medicals with minor injuries, but then it's up to the buying club to decide if they want to proceed with the purchase.

[Indecisive]

Great business but still disappointing. I know it was inevitable but I'm more concerned with players on the pitch than digits on the spreadsheet.

Reality is in modern day football more than ever the digits (ie the financials) are important. I get as fans the business side isn’t why we are following teams. But now in the vast vast majority of cases, the business side in the majority of clubs is the motivation of the ownership. I’m kinda holding on to the hope that we’ve managed to find some decent businessman to operate the club and that for them to really benefit financially the club has to succeed on the playing side, which should make us as fans happy.

For what it’s worth. It’s a decent fee and really it’s an example of another good bit of business.

My main disappointment with this is that I really like Berge as a player. Unfortunately he’s only played for us in a season id really like to forget.

I’d actually have liked to have seen him at united. Actually feel as a player he’s spent a few years playing at clubs a level below what I think he potentially could do. He’s a really strong, hardworking and disciplined player. As others have said, he stood out a mile at times last year, in a team arguably with players with the ‘potential’ to get to a level he was already operating at.

[fidelcastro]

Medicals are mainly looking for other underlying issues that indicate if the player wouldn't be fit long term or be a poor investment... They can still pass medicals with minor injuries, but then it's up to the buying club to decide if they want to proceed with the purchase.

I seem to remember Charlie Austin failing one.

The supposed injury for Berge just seems very convenient.

[Jakubclaret]

Medicals are mainly looking for other underlying issues that indicate if the player wouldn't be fit long term or be a poor investment... They can still pass medicals with minor injuries, but then it's up to the buying club to decide if they want to proceed with the purchase.

Football medicals are quite rigorous they go over everything with a fine toothcomb compiled over 6 stages. If you are injured or deemed not fit enough a week before the medical takes places you aren't passing not with flying colours anyway. I think it's safe to conclude berge was fine to play but the club didn't want to jeopardise him failing a medical. At least let's be honest about it instead of trying to kid ourselves.

[CoolClaret]

On Berge -

I think he's a tremendously gifted football player and is dangerous when he's on the ball in space - very strong, quick and has good vision and a range of passing. He's also good at winning the ball off opposition players, again due to his strength and athleticism which I think catches players off guard.

Berge displayed unique skills on the field that no one else in our squad possessed, and it's not surprising that our best results came when he was performing at his peak. However, I think some of his weaknesses have been overlooked to some extent... He was caught dwelling on the ball deep in our half several times, directly leading to goal-scoring chances for the opposition. He also tends to switch off and allow opponents to bypass him at key moments.

For me he didn't particularly fit the system that Kompany wanted to play last season and I don't think he particularly fits Parker's nor Marco Silva's either.
I see him more as a '8' with a lot more license to get forward in a 3-man midfield, not as a more disciplined holding midfielder in a 2-man midfield.

Wish him all the best though, perhaps in a team that has a little bit more structure and a bit more license to get forward he will show his undoubted quality. He's definitely a PL player, no doubt about that... All the best Sander!

[PremierLeagueClass]

Football medicals are quite rigorous they go over everything with a fine toothcomb compiled over 6 stages. If you are injured or deemed not fit enough a week before the medical takes places you aren't passing not with flying colours anyway. I think it's safe to conclude berge was fine to play but the club didn't want to jeopardise him failing a medical. At least let's be honest about it instead of trying to kid ourselves.

Absolutely clueless post.

[Jakubclaret]

Absolutely clueless post.

Research it. If you think clubs are just doing multi million pound transactions without insurance on a full player MOT.

[ClaretPete001]

Research it. If you think clubs are just doing multi million pound transactions without insurance on a full player MOT.

The issue is not so much about the medicals but on your assumption about what constitutes passing with flying colours. Football clubs will work with fairly trivial injuries day in and day out - it is unlikely they would allow someone to fail a medical based upon a minor injury even if that injury stopped them from playing.

I would say it's quite possible that he had a minor knock and the club took the view that he wasn't worth the risk playing him.

Disappointed about Berge really enjoyed watching him...!

[CoolClaret]

Research it. If you think clubs are just doing multi million pound transactions without insurance on a full player MOT.

The point I was making is that a player with a minor injury may not necessarily fail the medical examination - that's dow to the decision made by the buying club's medical team.

[Jakubclaret]

The issue is not so much about the medicals but on your assumption about what constitutes passing with flying colours. Football clubs will work with fairly trivial injuries day in and day out - it is unlikely they would allow someone to fail a medical based upon a minor injury even if that injury stopped them from playing.

I would say it's quite possible that he had a minor knock and the club took the view that he wasn't worth the risk playing him.

Disappointed about Berge really enjoyed watching him...!

It's naivety at best to genuinely believe that there was no correlation between concerns about selling berge & playing him.

[Hibsclaret]

If anyone thought Berge would ever play for Burnley again they are naive at best. He is mid twenties and has played 66 premier league games. Dwight McNeil, for example has over 200 premier league appearances and is younger. Last season Berge proved he was the best player in our team and so clearly good enough for the premier league.

All the talk of being injured is absolute nonsense as he has been discussing a move for 3 weeks with the club protecting their 25m asset and not playing him.

[CoolClaret]

All the talk of being injured is absolute nonsense as he has been discussing a move for 3 weeks with the club protecting their 25m asset and not playing him.

.... Well why did £30m Wilson Odobert play against Luton Town then?

[Jakubclaret]

.... Well why did £30m Wilson Odobert play against Luton Town then?

No interest was generated towards WO it came out of the blue from nowhere.

[Hibsclaret]

Odobert wasn’t probably discussing a move for 3 weeks and likely a much quicker deal. I can see why Spurs were interested after the game at Spurs in May and there may have been interest but certainly not as concrete as the Berge situation. Also a 19 yo lad probably wanted to play given the limited number of games he had clocked up. The performance at Luton sealed the deal.

[claretonthecoast1882]

No interest was generated towards WO it came out of the blue from nowhere.

Why has O'Shea played when there has been interest all summer ?

Why did Trafford play when there has been talk all summer ?

But yeah you are right if a player is leaving they pretend to have an injury.

Blackburn even brought Smzodics on against Stockport reserves in the cup

[Jakubclaret]

Why has O'Shea played when there has been interest all summer ?

Why did Trafford play when there has been talk all summer ?

But yeah you are right if a player is leaving they pretend to have an injury.

Blackburn even brought Smzodics on against Stockport reserves in the cup

I think trafford only played 1 game & there's less liklihood of trafford moving & getting injured & the fee won't be as high & interest as cooled probably because of what he's on here. Nobody will fetch as much as berge & that was more or less guaranteed the others are less certs I still think they'll go but not double the amount like berge he was the biggie. Szmodics shop window clubs were reluctant rovers wanted to highlight the justification for the price set out. Anything else I can help you with?

[Big Vinny K]

Why has O'Shea played when there has been interest all summer ?

Why did Trafford play when there has been talk all summer ?

But yeah you are right if a player is leaving they pretend to have an injury.

Blackburn even brought Smzodics on against Stockport reserves in the cup

Not a bad argument for someone with “less than one brain cell” (see above nonsense posted by you know who before you think I’m insulting you !!)

I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a transfer window to close as much as I do this one. Not sure what’s worse - seeing our best players leave or the utter sh-ite posted on this board !!

[Hibsclaret]

I guess we’ll see if Berge is in the squad for Fulham at the weekend. I would think with a lack of late pre season action and no games to get full fitness it would be a risk for Fulham to risk their new man.

[claretonthecoast1882]

I think trafford only played 1 game & there's less liklihood of trafford moving & getting injured & the fee won't be as high & interest as cooled probably because of what he's on here. Nobody will fetch as much as berge & that was more or less guaranteed the others are less certs I still think they'll go but not double the amount like berge he was the biggie. Szmodics shop window clubs were reluctant rovers wanted to highlight the justification for the price set out. Anything else I can help you with?

So just to understand your warped knowledge, clubs in the Premier league were reluctant to buy Smzodics but once he scored against 3rd division Stockport's reserves it convinced them to bid ?

You make more sense when you are saying we should go to the public vote to execute people than you do with football

Nobody will fetch as much as berge - despite selling a player days earlier for more money

There is no help you can give anyone, maybe the sight of players taking the knee at the weekend has left you hitting the bottle in anger

[Stayingup]

I agree we need to replace Berge, but we already have arguably the best CM pairing in the division in Cullen and Brownhill. I don't think there's a team in the league that wouldn't take one or both of them. If we sign Hannibal and we keep Massengo we should have more than enough.

I presume you did watch the first half particularly on Saturday. We need another good midfielder to replace Berge.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Not a bad argument for someone with “less than one brain cell” (see above nonsense posted by you know who before you think I’m insulting you !!)

I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a transfer window to close as much as I do this one. Not sure what’s worse - seeing our best players leave or the utter sh-ite posted on this board !!

Every single transfer window becomes polluted on here as we near the end, sadly as soon as it closes they start to prepare for January. Probably a reason why "Dry January" is impossible.

[Jakubclaret]

So just to understand your warped knowledge, clubs in the Premier league were reluctant to buy Smzodics but once he scored against 3rd division Stockport's reserves it convinced them to bid ?

You make more sense when you are saying we should go to the public vote to execute people than you do with football

Nobody will fetch as much as berge - despite selling a player days earlier for more money

There is no help you can give anyone, maybe the sight of players taking the knee at the weekend has left you hitting the bottle in anger

Szmodics featured against derby came on as a sub & scored. Please stay on topic otherwise I'll refuse to engage.