13 Aug 2014 17:32:53
I think we're missing a trick here. Our transfer policy seems a bit random with no real direction.
Borini and Buckley for a combined £16.5 million. For an untried championship player and a Liverpool reserve who clearly doesn't want to come. Don't get me wrong, I like borini, and Buckley may turn out ok, but we can get so much more for £16.5 million that would improve our team much more than these two.
Micah Richards is available, and pellegrini said today that Scott Sinclair was too. £10 million double bid for two players City want rid of? It's a possibility, especially considering Richards only has a year left on his contract. And spurs have said Townsend and Dawson are available too. They want O'Shea, so player plus £6-7 million maybe (they apparently value O'Shea at £3 million according to the papers so that takes it to £10 million in total). That works out at just a bit more than borini and Buckley would cost, but would give us 4 players with premier league experience and more importantly would address our glaring need for central defenders and wingers. Who would you rather have really? Townsend or Buckley? I just can't understand the club's fixation with Borini. We tried, it didn't work out, move on. Please. He's a 10-15 goal a season player, surely between them fletcher, wickham, Johnson, Sinclair, Townsend could get that many

1.) 13 Aug 2014
I totally agree it's frustrating being a Sunderland fan! Richards would be a quality signing and he knows rodwell and Johnson from his city days so bed in well

2.) 13 Aug 2014
13 Aug 2014 23:03:32
I agree that Townsend has many of the qualities we need- especially the pace to unsettle defenders. But I am not sure that both him and Johnson can be accommodated in the same team unless we have a defenders who are less prone to errors and also have more pace, as we would effectively have only six outfield players when not in possession. But I would certainly expect Dawson and Richards to add more to the team than Borini- and they would still be around next year, when our ageing centrebacks will need to be replaced anyway. If we could get either Borini or Townsend, Dawson and Richards for a net outlay of £14m- which would you prefer?

3.) 14 Aug 2014
The fees may be the same, but the salaries would be much, much greater. Plus, Poyet puts a lot of value on Borini being familiar with the style and team. Don't get me wrong, I'm quite sick of the Borini "saga". Way past the time to move on, I say. And although it would be nice to turn that into several players, I think that putting £14m towards another striker/winger that would get us more goals than Borini's 10 and actually wants to come here is the better move. Just my opinion, though. Not worth much

P. S. I'm actually quite optimistic about Fletcher, Wickham (if he stays), AJ, and even Altidore pulling their weight this term. Could just be annual pre-season optimism, but I feel things could start to work up front this season.

4.) 14 Aug 2014
14 Aug 2014 02:03:29
I agree with a lot said here but we all seem to be forgetting one thing. Daniel Levy.

Look at what we had to go through with him to sign Darren Bent and how much that "spurs reserve" wound up costing us. I highly doubt he would let 2 players who had moderately good seasons last year leave for the £9m we would be left with should we sign Richards which I've already said should be our top priority.

They would both likely cost around £7m, probably even more for Townsend because of how overpriced attacking players are.

As for Scott Sinclair. I think he is Poyet's last resort should his attempts to sign Borini fail. Don't think Poyet believes Buckley is the solution to the problem. I like Poyet know that Buckley is just solid back up incase players get injured over the season.

All in all I would love to have Townsend and Dawson at the club but would easily cost around £18m not £14m.

But I maintain this. we MUST sign Micah Richards. He ticks so many boxes for us. If we only sign one more player this window it MUST be Richards. we have prem standard cover everywhere but defence and Richards can play anywhere and so provides this.

5.) 14 Aug 2014
14 Aug 2014 02:11:15
Also we still have a fair amount of money to through around. would anyone object to us signing Borini, Dawson and Richards. It would cost around £25m but I think its safer business. I don't think Borini cares if he is on the wing just as long as he plays.