Lille reportedly offer €20 million

Be careful what you wish for!
If he goes any player‘s brought in are a gamble, they might work out or they may flop.
Hindsight will be in full flow either way.

Earlier in the summer I was in the 'don't sell' camp then I gradually warmed to the idea, as long as we had time to reinvest it.

Now with 2 weeks left of the window, Roofe injured, Itten still to find his feet and Defoe just coming back from injury and too old to be a starting striker for us in every game....I'm back in the dubious camp again.

Do we think we'll see another striker signed or are we going with what we have?
 
All three strikers have had or have injuries - and none convince me they'll provide the goals we need.

If Morelos goes, we need someone else upfront who can hit the ground running.
Exactly what I think, Roofe looks like he's going to be more of a liability than anything else, Itten has been injured as well and hasn't had a chance to prove himself although I feel he will be available more than Roofe will.
We are more like an infirmary for crocs than a fired up team why can't we just get it right.
 
It doesn’t matter, it seems reasonably clear that we need to sell to buy.

As I’ve said, if it’s a choice between Morelos and one more signing, or no Morelos and having £8-10m to spend, then it’s option two every day of the week.
I’m with you here. I think we need to sell him on to try and reinvest the cash to move us on a bit.
We know we need at least one more midfielder.
 
Hard to know if true or not as we’ve heard this a number of times now but if it is the case then I think we need to accept that kind of money as it will strengthen the team and leave us less dependent on Europa income.

Hopefully it can be done quickly as I think teams can register a wildcard signing 24 hours before European qualifiers, maybe get a striker in over the next few days for Thursday.
 
Based on what mate?

Assume you're talking about me saying Roofe won't get far north of 10. Well So far as I can see his top season was 18 in 40 games in League 2.

15 in 33 seems to have been his best season with Leeds.

Look he's clearly a good player but there's no evidence he's going to even threaten the 25 plus area.
 
Winning the league is more important than Alfie and if we get to strengthen the team with all the money then we should go for it
 
3 weeks ago I’d be saying accept.

Since he’s came back looking like the old Alfie. So I’m not so sure.

It’s still a massive return.

The concern is if the agreed price is met and he’s not allowed to go, as agreed, then will Alfie down tools and sulk? Sadly, I think if the price is met we need to sell. But it may well cost us unless we replace him with real quality and very quickly. That’s a big ask.
 
Winning the league is more important than Alfie and if we get to strengthen the team wigh all the money then we should go for it

You're saying that like keeping your top scorer or winning the league are 2 separate options.

I'd saying they both tend to go hand-in-hand.

If he goes then his goals need replaced if we're to win the league.
 
As much as I love the wee man our play this season is worse when he plays as i think we fall back into the trap of expecting morelos to do everything for us. When he hasn't been in the side we are much more fluid and look alot more dangerous. With our squad depth I would be tempted to take the offer and bring in 2 quality midfielders and another striker and I think that would go a long way in helping us push for the title
 
It doesn’t matter, it seems reasonably clear that we need to sell to buy.

As I’ve said, if it’s a choice between Morelos and one more signing, or no Morelos and having £8-10m to spend, then it’s option two every day of the week.

So we sell Morelos, we’ve got 8-10m to spend, a midfielder that everybody want’s is signed (not cheap). Do you think we have the forward players to convert these chances he is expected to make. IMO we will come up short in that department.
 
You're saying that like keeping your top scorer or winning the league are 2 separate options.

I'd saying they both tend to go hand-in-hand.

If he goes then his goals need replaced if we're to win the league.
They dont if he is replaced, we already have Roofe, Itten and Defoe.

I would agree with you if he scored significantly in the league last year. He didnt, he scored 12 in the league last year.
 
Not convinced he's back to his best, anywhere near fit, committed to our cause or guaranteed not to blow up again next week (or by this lunchtime in fact). He was pretty average again yesterday. Therefore I would sell because that’s more than decent money.
 
Games or goals? I think it might be a close run thing with Roofe.

Ouch.

I think it's a bit hysterical insinuating he might be a crock already, although that concern is clearly there.

I just don't think he's going offer enough firepower to win the league.

Likewise with Itten, it's nonsense that people have seemingly dismissed him based on a handful of performances. On the other hand, he is going to have to hit the crowd sooner or the later.

I would play Itten on Thursday and keep Morelos, if he's still here, for Sunday. Good opportunity for the Swiss boy to show what he can do.
 
All three strikers have had or have injuries - and none convince me they'll provide the goals we need.

If Morelos goes, we need someone else upfront who can hit the ground running.
Maybe because I am an old codger but why do new signings need to get up to speed with team mates and fitness?. In my day (late 60s early 70s) you'd get the paper on a Saturday morning saying Waddell or Wallace signs XXXX and the guy was in the starting 11 that day. Has football really moved on so much in terms of fitness that players cant play on the day or day after they sign?
 
I would love Morelos to stay but we can sniff at N offer like that, especially knowing Alfie's head can drop if he thinks he's going and it falls through.

On his game he's unplayable, but when he's frustrated or struggling he can sometimes not have the same impact.

Id prefer him to stay, if he wants to stay. But if the player wants the move, I'd consider it while we've time and money to reinvest.
 
So we sell Morelos, we’ve got 8-10m to spend, a midfielder that everybody want’s is signed (not cheap). Do you think we have the forward players to convert these chances he is expected to make. IMO we will come up short in that department.

If Itten and Roofe can’t get 15 each from the number of chances we create, then Wilson and Gerrard have wasted the money.
 
Given that Roofe is out, I doubt much will happen before Friday.

You would hope that the management has a few irons in the fire should Morelos go. He looked his usual self these last couple of games.
 
As much as I love the wee man our play this season is worse when he plays as i think we fall back into the trap of expecting morelos to do everything for us. When he hasn't been in the side we are much more fluid and look alot more dangerous. With our squad depth I would be tempted to take the offer and bring in 2 quality midfielders and another striker and I think that would go a long way in helping us push for the title
Agreed. I think we are better and more fluid team without him.

I have no issue with him leaving.
 
we don’t win the league with the midfield we have if morelos stays.

need funds to strengthen it - that’s the priority imo

Agree, but we need to replace Morelos too if he goes.

Im supportive at 20m euros but the club must invest the equivalent of roughly half of it on at least a striker & quality midfielder, with hopefully a supporting/wide forward on a loan.

Otherwise the league is gone.

Roofe has looked good, but it’s already apparent that his fitness won’t be there for the whole season.
 
Ouch.

I think it's a bit hysterical insinuating he might be a crock already, although that concern is clearly there.

I just don't think he's going offer enough firepower to win the league.

Likewise with Itten, it's nonsense that people have seemingly dismissed him based on a handful of performances. On the other hand, he is going to have to hit the crowd sooner or the later.

I would play Itten on Thursday and keep Morelos, if he's still here, for Sunday. Good opportunity for the Swiss boy to show what he can do.
Surely Morelos has to start both games? This Willem mob will not be easy and progressing in Europe is still very important for the club's profile. And its important for Gerrard personally, so if Morelos is available i think Gerrard will play him.
 
Agree, but we need to replace Morelos too if he goes.

Im supportive at 20m euros but the club must invest the equivalent of roughly half of it on at least a striker & quality midfielder, with hopefully a supporting/wide forward on a loan.

Otherwise the league is gone.

Roofe has looked good, but it’s already apparent that his fitness won’t be there for the whole season.
We can replace Morelos league goals for cheap.

We need to spend money to replace his european goals
 
Agreed. I think we are better and more fluid team without him.

I have no issue with him leaving.

Im supportive of Morelos being sold if the 20m euros is true, but you’re trolling away saying we flow better as a team without him.

I must have missed that match Coop.
 
3 weeks ago I’d be saying accept.

Since he’s came back looking like the old Alfie. So I’m not so sure.

It’s still a massive return.

The concern if Alfie goes is that we may have to rely on an aging Defoe as our main striker for some time. Not ideal having a near 39 year old as your number one target man.

Roofe's calf injury might not see him out for too long but the concern with him is that this injury has been a recurring problem over the past 3 seasons and has resulted in him missed large parts of each of these past seasons. Quality player but keeping him fit might just be the issue.

Our other striker Itten unfortunately picked up an injury and has struggled to get up too speed. I'm not sure if he was bought with an eye to the future. Don't know how I'd feel about him being our goal threat just yet.

The question if Alfie goes is do we find ourselves in the market for a replacement or are we happy to go with what we have?
 
Agree, but we need to replace Morelos too if he goes.

Im supportive at 20m euros but the club must invest the equivalent of roughly half of it on at least a striker & quality midfielder, with hopefully a supporting/wide forward on a loan.

Otherwise the league is gone.

Roofe has looked good, but it’s already apparent that his fitness won’t be there for the whole season.

I think a loan for either Vydra or Gray would be sufficient.

But yes - we would need to replace Morelos if sold
 
Ouch.

I think it's a bit hysterical insinuating he might be a crock already, although that concern is clearly there.

I just don't think he's going offer enough firepower to win the league.

Likewise with Itten, it's nonsense that people have seemingly dismissed him based on a handful of performances. On the other hand, he is going to have to hit the crowd sooner or the later.

I would play Itten on Thursday and keep Morelos, if he's still here, for Sunday. Good opportunity for the Swiss boy to show what he can do.
I was only half joking mate. I think it’s fair to worry that his injury issues in the last couple of years will be a major problem
 
Surely Morelos has to start both games? This Willem mob will not be easy and progressing in Europe is still very important for the club's profile. And its important for Gerrard personally, so if Morelos is available i think Gerrard will play him.

Oh I think Morelos will start both games.

I just said I personally would start Itten. Frankly, dropping more points on Sunday would be unthinkable.

You can talk to me about finances all you like, if we go out of Europe it's not the end of the world. But if we allow Celtic to get 4 or 5 points ahead even before we go there in October....nah, sorry, the game's up.

We won't recover from a 4 or 5 point deficit in September/October to win the league in May. Call me a "Panty wetter" etc by all means....but we just wont. You all know it in your hearts that we cannot let Celtic eek out any kind of gap early doors.

So yeah, I don't give a shit about Willem II.
 
Sell him and we won’t win the league.

To be honest as much as I’m a fan of Morelos we haven’t even come close to winning the league in the years that he’s been here and with the squad we have at this minute I don’t think we’d win it this season either we badly need to strengthen a few key areas.

£18.3 million would give the manager a chance to sign maybe 2 or 3 quality players.
 
Given injury to Roofe, the improved form of Morelos, Alfie should be worth more to us today than he was three weeks ago. £25 million at least surely?
 
Im supportive of Morelos being sold if the 20m euros is true, but you’re trolling away saying we flow better as a team without him.

I must have missed that match Coop.
I think this season when he has not played we have done absolutely fine.

Starts yesterday and it was brutal stuff in the final third. Link up and inter play was very poor.
 
3 strikers are enough for me, of course Gerrard is going to get at least 1/2 of it to spend.

Like it or not but we cant just keep buying without selling to fund it.

All opinions I suppose. I would rather see 4 as Defoe is late 30s now, Roofe calf issue is back too. With a spell of Injuries we end up with Itten as only available ST at some point, not far off it being the current state if Alfie was sold a few wks ago
 
They dont if he is replaced, we already have Roofe, Itten and Defoe.

I would agree with you if he scored significantly in the league last year. He didnt, he scored 12 in the league last year.

Roofe had question marks over his ability to stay fit when we signed him and has already suffered a recurrence of the calf injury that will now keep him out; that aside he isn't an 'out-and-out' striker.

Itten has yet to score for us and while I won't jump to judge him fully until he's had a run, he could still be anything for us.

Defoe is just back from injury and turns 38 in a fortnight, he will play his part as an impact sub but he won't be able to start 2 games a week for us for the next 8 months with no winter break in between.
 
For the people who wanted him punted a few weeks back - is a couple of goals against a part-time mob from Gibraltar and one against Hibs enough reason in itself for your to acknowledge that you got it wrong? Because it seems to me that changing your mind based on such small evidence seems quite fickle in itself, no?
 
EDIT: should probably have Morelos in the headline but I assume we knew that :))

---------

LILLE have made a fresh £18.3million bid for Alfredo Morelos, according to reports.

The French side have previously had an offer of around £16m rejected by Rangers.


They turned their attention to Genk ace Jonathan David and secured a £27.5m bid deal for the Canadian international.

But they have not yet given up hope of landing Morelos ahead of next months' transfer deadline and have reportedly made a fresh move for the Colombian.

WinSportsTV reporter Pipe Sierra claims Lille have offered Gers just over £18m and says the offer has not yet been rejected.

Morelos had reportedly agreed personal terms with the Ligue 1 side before seeing a previous bid rejected and could now move on before the end of the window.

-----------------

Rhebel and the Sun reporting it

If this is true, we will accept it and he will be away.
 
When you look at the money being paid for players elsewhere 18 million for Alfie is a steal.If his head is still "turned" and in the event of no other offers I think we have to let him go.
If he is still committed to the cause I would rather keep him he is the only striker we have that we know will guarantee goals.
 
I think this season when he has not played we have done absolutely fine.

We have done fine, yes.

Our most fluent football was the part of the United game before he was assaulted imo.

I think it’s time to sell him but I find it disturbing that we want to re write history. All of our best football under Gerrard has been when Morelos has been on form & leading the line.

Him going is hopefully good for the club, I support that, but let’s see what you & others are saying when we play the scum in October without him.

Glad that you can call me out on it.
 
For the people who wanted him punted a few weeks back - is a couple of goals against a part-time mob from Gibraltar and one against Hibs enough reason in itself for your to acknowledge that you got it wrong? Because it seems to me that changing your mind based on such small evidence seems quite fickle in itself, no?

This is a good point.

There were about 5 threads on him after the Gibraltar game acting out like he had just undertaken some kind of renaissance. It seemed to be based mainly on the fact that he was smiling, rather than anything else.
 
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