Dale Stephens

[turfytopper]

http://www.seagulls.co.uk/news/article/ ... 11666.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CrosspoolClarets]

I doubt we want him now, and apart from the big city clubs that he isn't good enough for, we are the only Premier League club in the area.

I suspect we have moved on with Westwood and Hendrick (and Defour but he will go I think) so I suspect Stephens knew Brighton was his best option.

[Vegas Claret]

Westwood is much better

[jedi_master]

We definitely need two central midfielders (to replace Marney and Barton, and it's likely that Defour will be off too).

Cairney would be a great signing but I suspect that would need Fulham to not get promoted. I have said it before and I'll say it again, we should try for Will Hughes. That lad must look at Hendrick and be thinking it's getting to the point he needs to make a move.

[NRC]

This is news to us but you'd imagine Dyche and the board would've moved on months ago.

You are kidding, right? At about 3:10 this afternoon Ian Woan goes into SD's office and says "Boss, Uptheclarets reporting sky sports reporting Dale Stephens has signed a 4 year deal with Brighton."

And SD says "what's a 4 year deal?"

[boyyanno]

Wanted to leave after our interest, refused to sign a new deal and now after they've reached promotion commits to four years. Not the sort of character I'd want based on that.

[jlup1980]

This is a shame as he would have been a great free signing. We're short in CM for next season. I'd expect to see a couple of new faces really.

[Ashingtonclaret46]

Surely, if Kante wins the league with Chelsea he will want another challenge next season.

Has any player won it three consecutive years with different clubs?

[joey13]

Westwood is much better

Westwood is proving my Villa supporting mate wrong and certainly has more experience.

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

We definitely need two central midfielders (to replace Marney and Barton, and it's likely that Defour will be off too).

Cairney would be a great signing but I suspect that would need Fulham to not get promoted. I have said it before and I'll say it again, we should try for Will Hughes. That lad must look at Hendrick and be thinking it's getting to the point he needs to make a move.

Cairney - definitely, all depending on Fulham not being promoted.
Hughes - I like him, but I'm not sure he's the sort of player Dyche will be looking for (although I hope I'm wrong). If Dyche did go for him I'd be happy.

[KRBFC]

I'm glad he's signed a new deal, I enjoy the speculation of who we are after, the Stephens link got boring months ago. Like the excitement continue....

[ClaretTony]

That's another article I won't use:D

I thought we might still be interested but it is probably the case that we ended that interest when we failed to get him in Jan and signed Westwood.

[SparkyClaret]

How many wasted articles have you got now for transfers Tony? Would make an interesting look back

[DCWat]

That's another article I won't use:D

I thought we might still be interested but it is probably the case that we ended that interest when we failed to get him in Jan and signed Westwood.

A little surprising that our interest may have ended. Losing Marney, Barton and Defour, you'd think that Stephens would have been a good replacement for one of those.

[Lord Beamish]

A little surprising that our interest may have ended. Losing Marney, Barton and Defour, you'd think that Stephens would have been a good replacement for one of those.

Maybe we've learned from the Lansbury and Dawson farragos that we need to move on when getting a player to come becomes intractable. There will be other players who will come.

[DCWat]

Maybe we've learned from the Lansbury and Dawson farragos that we need to move on when getting a player to come becomes intractable. There will be other players who will come.

Praise da lord

[Giftonsnoidea]

Can't blame him really most people would prefer Brighton over the Manchester area, better weather for a start...

[claretblue]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39860126" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Goody1975]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39860126

Wher did you hear that?

[minnieclaret]

pr1ck

[Juan Tanamera]

We definitely need two central midfielders (to replace Marney and Barton, and it's likely that Defour will be off too).

Cairney would be a great signing but I suspect that would need Fulham to not get promoted. I have said it before and I'll say it again, we should try for Will Hughes. That lad must look at Hendrick and be thinking it's getting to the point he needs to make a move.

Would it be possible to have a show of hands of all those who think Stephen Defour is on his way at the end of the season, just in case no one at the club knows.

[colne-claret]

We should be looking for higher quality than him anyway. Premier league experience is vital not someone who's pushing 30 with none. I'd take Charlie Adam over him.

Stephens is very similar to Hendrick/Westwood.

[Goody1975]

pr1ck

Me or Dale Stephens?

[minnieclaret]

Me or Dale Stephens?

Dearest Goody, I have never had a negative reaction to your posts.
It was, hand on heart, intended for Mr Stephens and his upcoming relegation struggle.

[Goody1975]

Dearest Goody, I have never had a negative reaction to your posts.
It was, hand on heart, intended for Mr Stephens and his upcoming relegation struggle.

I get called a lot worse, wouldn't have bothered me if you had meant it for me.

Thought it was in reply to my jest at claretblue!!!

As for Mr Stephens, i always say things in life happen for a reason, it wasn't meant to be with him, there are choices for him to make and lots of similar and better qaulity players for us at reasonable prices, we just have to find them, they are out there. If we play things right this summer i feel 100% we will be a better unit than this season.

We can't replace Keane like for like but the weaknesses in our first XI and squad can be eradicated if we are canny enough.

[BabylonClaret]

The only good thing about Stephens at this point would have been him being on a free. He doesn't improve on what we have already.

And like boyanno said above - he was just looking for Premier league with whoever. he hoped that Brighton would sell but when they didn't he finally put in a transfer request (when he thought he had no choice left).

[kaptin1]

Free transfers aren't really free though are they? They cost similar but the money just goes to the player in signing on fee and higher wages instead of the selling club. All it means when you sign a free is that you don't have to reach an agreement with another club, just the player and his agent.