Guardian writer Ed Aaron's claiming on Twitter that we are close to signing Marc Roberts from Barnsley for £3.5m. Another centre half? Keane on his way?

In the Summer. Tarks in, Roberts on the bench?

RVclaret wrote:Guardian writer Ed Aaron's claiming on Twitter that we are close to signing Marc Roberts from Barnsley for £3.5m. Another centre half? Keane on his way?

Or adding depth to the squad.

Long the other way?

Think you might be right there nutters

Signing a player doesn't automatically mean another player is leaving so I don't think it necessarily means Keane is on his way although I do think Keane will leave in the summer no matter what so the signing of any defender, indeed any player, is forward planning. Tarky is a good example of that.

Just been confirmed to me that Marc Roberts is signing for us - happy days!

Another big defender, over 6ft 4 ins!

Yep £3.5m

Probably right in that it'll be with a view to the summer when Keane inevitably leaves. Just seems quite a decent sum to spend on a 4th choice centre back right now.

I don't know anything about him, anyone know if he's any good?

Apparently Long is injured at the minute.

Boden saying nothing in it.

PWBFC wrote:Boden saying nothing in it.

He's our man then!

Apparently he is sound defensively, but not the best distributor, mixed feelings

I assume, if this is going ahead, we would just loan him back to Barnsley for the rest of the season then he's ready to drop in when Keane leaves in the summer? Wouldn't want him just playing development squad games when he could be playing regularly for a mid-table championship team.

I don't know much about him but Stones and Mawson came from there - one came out alright (until this season) and the other seems very promising so let's hope he is as good!!

I feel more confident in Dyche's choice of central defender than any other position on the pitch - for obvious reasons. If Dyche does indeed want Roberts then he obviously feels he's got something about him. If he's come from non-league not too long ago then he perhaps has some of the traits Dyche likes.

Goalposts wrote:Apparently he is sound defensively, but not the best distributor, mixed feelings

Probably best to judge after you've actually seen him play!

Steve-Harpers-perm wrote:Probably best to judge after you've actually seen him play!

I hadn't finished typing my previous comments when I got interrupted at work. It should have finished "mixed feelings amongst Barnsley fans about him going"

LOL

After being completely blown over by the outstanding and commanding performance James Tarkowski put in last night. I'm really not worried if Keane goes. If he doesn't even more relaxed. Happy days!!

26 years old and has played just 20 odd games at Championship level.

Interesting.

Burnsley selling away a good season. Are they needing the cash?

PWBFC wrote:Boden saying nothing in it.

I'm going to be controversial but does anybody actually think he has any knowledge about any incomings/outgoings at the club?

Got a mate who's a Barnsley fan who says Roberts he's solid and has become their main defender (most important I guess). Says they've got 3 central defenders and won't be selling unless they can get a replacement in. So perhaps Kevin Long going the other way, for example.

Reckons he's worth more than 3.5mil. Obviously fans tend to overestimate their own players fees. Promising to hear anyway as he's usually pretty impartial when I speak to him. Says West Brom are also interested in Roberts.

Let's see!

I'm assuming burnsley is somewhere between Burnley and Barnsley, sorry just couldn't resist.

Looks like some long term planning for Keane's inevitable departure. All for it.

Substituted after 29mins last night, hope not buying a crock?

alwaysaclaret wrote:I'm assuming burnsley is somewhere between Burnley and Barnsley, sorry just couldn't resist.

There is a place called Burnsley. An Alec Guinness film ' The Card' is set there. Billed as one of the 'five great northern towns'.

We have a mini conveyor belt going. As one defender gets to the end and is packed off to another club for a large amount of money, another one has already been put on at the start a few months earlier from a supplier. This results in a continuous supply of quality and continuous profit so long as it doesn't break down.

FactualFrank wrote:We have a mini conveyor belt going. As one defender gets to the end and is packed off to another club for a large amount of money, another one has already been put on at the start a few months earlier from a supplier. This results in a continuous supply of quality and continuous profit so long as it doesn't break down.

Somebody's found the "ON/OFF switch for that conveyor belt that we had in the 50s 60s and 70s.

Well done that man!!! (Dyche)

Would like to see a striker in asap. Any injuries/illness etc. would leave us very light.

Silkyskills1 wrote:Would like to see a striker in asap. Any injuries/illness etc. would leave us very light.

Maybe we could try Tarkowski up front?

Bazer1882 wrote:Substituted after 29mins last night, hope not buying a crock?

Hopefully that is when the Barnsley Chairman opened the email.

Some long term financial planning going on at Barnsley. Sell to Burnley for £3.5m. Burnley add value and sell for £15.0m in 3 years. 25% sell on
cash comes back in 3 years. Good business for a Championship/League 1 survivor.

IAmAClaret wrote:Hopefully that is when the Barnsley Chairman opened the email.

Do they have internet in Barnsley now?

Barnsley live on Sky Saturday tea. Chance to have a look at him, if fit?

ayrshireclaret83 wrote:Do they have internet in Barnsley now?

They've only just got gas and electric, give them a chance.

The logic of buying Keane's replacement now is compelling. Centre halves with the right physical attitributes for the Prem are rare, so if Dyche reckons this lad ticks the boxes - then thats fine for me irrespective of his CV. As others have said he'll be slotting in behind Tarkowski on the conveyor so we can work with him to improve him.

The other good thing about this sort of approach is it should reassure Tarkowski thst he's going to get his chance.

Still not sure if this will happen or just another rumour someone is taking as gospel. Good move for the future if it does happen.

I'd really like us to get Lees from Wednesday, it'd be pricier but the Wednesday fans love him. More finished article than Roberts who must only be on a par with Long (who I really like).

Link to Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... nsley-move" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting to see he's 26 years old. Players obviously develop and mature at different rates - wasn't too long ago that he was playing non league.

Edited to add a link to Barnsley forum thread: http://barnsleyfc.org.uk/showthread.php ... ost1931854" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RingoMcCartney wrote:Somebody's found the "ON/OFF switch for that conveyor belt that we had in the 50s 60s and 70s.

Well done that man!!! (Dyche)

now if we could manage to apply that principle to the development squad......

I would rather we bought Hourihane (sp) their captain and central mid-fielder as cover - unlike most of our mid-fielders he scores goals. He wouldn't cost anything like Snodgrass or Brady but would increase in value and be a great addition to the squad.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sp ... c_Roberts/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Strikes me as being comparable perhaps to West Brom and Northern Ireland defender Gareth McAuley in terms of being a late starter.
He joined Leicester from Lincoln when he was 26 and only really established himself in the Premier League once in his 30s. The difference is really in the amount of Championship games McAuley played - and also the fact he's an inch shorter !

claretdom wrote:http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sp ... c_Roberts/

"the Lancashire Telegraph understands"...

So they have no idea then

Think the Telegraph might have it right though.

Duff was 26 when he joined us. That didn't turn out too bad.

UTC!