CONFIRMED Ryan Leonard

[mancunianblade]

This kid could be very good news for Basham too. He would allow Basham to be a specialist CB instead of being the go to guy to fill the hole in DM/CM

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

Linky:

http://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/blues/15305742.Blues_reject_Sheffield_United_s_bid_for_Leonard/

 

[Ricky]

“We’ve had a bid for Lenny now but the chairman has rejected it and it does not come close to matching our valuation, even if he is in the final year of his contract,” said Brown.


We can probably forget about paying less than 500k. Sounds like they won't let his contract length dictate.

If he's worth far more than Bentley or Payne then he'll be a very good player.

I don't remember him looking that athletic in the past but if he is the athlete they say he is then it's no surprise they value him so highly, because technically he's very accomplished and also seems quite solid.

 

[finlaytheblade]

“We’ve had a bid for Lenny now but the chairman has rejected it and it does not come close to matching our valuation, even if he is in the final year of his contract,” said Brown.


We can probably forget about paying less than 500k. Sounds like they won't let his contract length dictate.

If he's worth far more than Bentley or Payne then he'll be a very good player.

I don't remember him looking that athletic in the past but if he is the athlete they say he is then it's no surprise they value him so highly, because technically he's very accomplished and also seems quite solid.

The player will have the last say on this being in his last year they will have to accept whatever the best offer is or lose him for nothing ,we shall see.

 

[BushBlade]

Murphy, Adams, Maguire, Blackman etc. all commanded much bigger fees and weren’t proven above league 1. I expect he would cost more than £300k but I would also expect any fee to be heavily incentivised so something like £500k up front with potential add ons that could see us pay in excess of a million if he plays regularly and we get to the Prem.

If we'd have sold any of our better players to a championship club for £300k there'd have been an uproar on here. £2m+ wasn't enough for Maguire.

 

[Bristol Blade]

“We’ve had a bid for Lenny now but the chairman has rejected it and it does not come close to matching our valuation, even if he is in the final year of his contract,” said Brown.


We can probably forget about paying less than 500k. Sounds like they won't let his contract length dictate..

I know where you're coming from, but ultimately it's all just posturing. I remember the Bury manager making similar comments shortly before Leon's transfer was wrapped up last summer.

 

[Booker4]

I know where you're coming from, but ultimately it's all just posturing. I remember the Bury manager making similar comments shortly before Leon's transfer was wrapped up last summer.

The initial bid is usually rejected and is more of a tester if anything I think. We'll be back and my guess is that Southend will know that they will lose him but have to talk the talk just to get the highest fee.

 

[Champagneblade]

“We’ve had a bid for Lenny now but the chairman has rejected it and it does not come close to matching our valuation, even if he is in the final year of his contract,” said Brown.


We can probably forget about paying less than 500k. Sounds like they won't let his contract length dictate.

If he's worth far more than Bentley or Payne then he'll be a very good player.

I don't remember him looking that athletic in the past but if he is the athlete they say he is then it's no surprise they value him so highly, because technically he's very accomplished and also seems quite solid.

Interesting from that quote is that the Chairman has already rejected it.

More or less says it's out of the manager's hands already. No not for sale bravado. Just a question of getting the right price.

Sounds more when than if.

 

[Th!stledo]

Interesting from that quote is that the Chairman has already rejected it.

More or less says it's out of the manager's hands already. No not for sale bravado. Just a question of getting the right price.

Sounds more when than if.

It would seem Southend will now use our offer to try and court bids from other Championship clubs. CW's reputation could make others take a second look.

 

[Rootshallbloke]

Interesting from that quote is that the Chairman has already rejected it.

More or less says it's out of the manager's hands already. No not for sale bravado. Just a question of getting the right price.

Sounds more when than if.

It was never in Phil Brown's hands, Ron Martin does all of the dealing with other clubs. If it hadn't been you guys making a bid then Neil Harris from the Scum has been a long term admirer, He may yet table a bid

 

[Chief_Froley]

The initial bid is usually rejected and is more of a tester if anything I think. We'll be back and my guess is that Southend will know that they will lose him but have to talk the talk just to get the highest fee.

Was gonna say the same thing.

I believe Bury's manager described our bid for Clarke last year as "embarrassing"

And that was shortly before he signed for us.

 

[Blade56]

Brown and his chairman will know clubs like Southend can't hang onto good players, why would hey want to stay?

 

[Booker4]

Was gonna say the same thing.

I believe Bury's manager described our bid for Clarke last year as "embarrassing"

And that was shortly before he signed for us.

It may well have been embarrassing to him but all he did was embarrass himself in my view.

 

[Pinchy]

What if someone else is willing to pay £500k or £600k

Then see #76...

 

[BushBlade]

What if someone else is willing to pay £500k or £600k unfortunately Contract length is not the only deciding factor in deciding fees

What some people don't get is that there isn't a lot of money spent on transfer fees in L1. There are only a few clubs who can afford it and there's only so many players each want to sign. So we could 'bully' clubs by offering a reasonable sum, knowing that no one in L1 is likely to seriously outbid us or offer a much bigger contract and if a championship club came in, we give up because any decent player would choose the championship over L1, even if we matched the wages and transfer fee.

We're in the big boys playground now and we're competing against clubs who can afford transfer fees. We won't be getting all our signings on the cheap. If we're not prepared to compete with other championship clubs for players then we'll struggle to compete on the pitch too.

 

[Chief_Froley]

It may well have been embarrassing to him but all he did was embarrass himself in my view.

Just want to say, I didn't see the line that you were quoting that already mentioned the whole Leon Clarke thing. Sorry for stealing your thunder Bristol Blade, how embarrassing!

 

[itsinyerblood]

What is refreshing is that we're after players who seem to be rated by more than just a managerial clique.

After looking at the players that Wilder signed last season I'm completely enthused by the quality of player we now seem to want to bring to United. A time came when the expectation was that we sign journeymen, plodders, those whose legs were about to drop off......but now, well we have real quality throughout the team, not to say competition for places, which in itself will help raise the overall standard as expectations will rise, and so they should. It's taken a long, long time, but the Blades are looking like a team who can compete at a higher level than we've become used to. Wilder has lifted the supporters in ways I can't even begin to describe (but it's never stopped me trying!), the fact that we took hold of Division 1 and played consistently good to excellent football is testament to the management and players. There's a real desire, a real hunger, about the Blades that I thought I'd never see again. We deservedly won promotion and did so with a quality that was down to one man, Chris Wilder.

Wilder's approach to who he wants to bring to United is spot on. Things will change, that's inevitable, but as they are we're in great shape with far more to come. Next season will see the Blades competing at a level that will tell everyone just what our expectations for the future should be. Wilder will do whatever's necessary to make those changes happen, so we'll see better players arrive, our transfer policy will begin to change, maybe not dramatically this season, but leave it to Wilder to assess what we need to do and when. Great times ahead.....hope you agree UTB

 

[mancunianblade]

Then see #76...

You are right, from the little I've seen and read he looks a good prospect and well worth paying out for. Finally I'm confident we have a manager who will never pay over the odds for a Player. We will have a handful more Husseys but that's not the scouting or even the player some players just don't fit at some clubs.

Im confident we will get him for a figure which I'm sure will be a fraction of what them lot will spend on some 29 year old PL Squad player.

At times though people on here seem to throw figures around as if they've done the research and crunched the numbers taking into consideration all external factors when in reality it was first thing that came into their head as their arse touched the bog seat and they logged into the forum on their phones..

 

[mancunianblade]

What some people don't get is that there isn't a lot of money spent on transfer fees in L1. There are only a few clubs who can afford it and there's only so many players each want to sign. So we could 'bully' clubs by offering a reasonable sum, knowing that no one in L1 is likely to seriously outbid us or offer a much bigger contract and if a championship club came in, we give up because any decent player would choose the championship over L1, even if we matched the wages and transfer fee.

We're in the big boys playground now and we're competing against clubs who can afford transfer fees. We won't be getting all our signings on the cheap. If we're not prepared to compete with other championship clubs for players then we'll struggle to compete on the pitch too.

We have the distinct advantage of 3 very well versed men who have studied these lower leagues for many a year and out of the 3 going up we are in Pole position to take whoever we want from These leagues, a number of teams in the Championship will only buy Experieneces players through fear for taking a gamble IMO. A bit like the top clubs in the PL do.

I'm very confident that we will do more than just compete in this league and I'd fully expect come May many a chairman and board sitting their respective mangers down and saying how the fuck has Wilder done that at Sheff Utd after only spending x amount and getting every last ounce out of players on a fraction of what we are paying players.

 

[BushBlade]

We have the distinct advantage of 3 very well versed men who have studied these lower leagues for many a year and out of the 3 going up we are in Pole position to take whoever we want from These leagues, a number of teams in the Championship will only buy Experieneces players through fear for taking a gamble IMO. A bit like the top clubs in the PL do.

I'm very confident that we will do more than just compete in this league and I'd fully expect come May many a chairman and board sitting their respective mangers down and saying how the fuck has Wilder done that at Sheff Utd after only spending x amount and getting every last ounce out of players on a fraction of what we are paying players.

A lot of championship clubs scout the lower leagues too though. And I suspect some of them will become interested in any player CW is interested in. I find it hard to envisage us picking up players no one in the championship is remotely bothered about and turning them into world beaters.

If Leonard is any good, they'll be at least one other championship club interested in him and that will push the price up. But it's unlikely the top clubs will go for too many Leonard types, as you say, they'll go for proven players. So we'll be competing with the likes of Ipswich, QPR etc. it shouldn't be beyond us if we're realistic.

 

[B14Nco]

Im confident we will get him for a figure which I'm sure will be a fraction of what them lot will spend on some 29 year old PL Squad playe

I think this is a really good point... said it before but I don't think there is a massive difference between a 500k unproven lg1 player and a 4mill 30k a week aging prem squad player.

The difference is they're unproven at this level. Need to have a little luck but it's not a crazy strategy.

Look at the teams in the play offs this year. Apart from 'one team' most only had one or two players I've ever heard of... who before this year were unproven.

 

[coolhandluke]

I think this is a really good point... said it before but I don't think there is a massive difference between a 500k unproven lg1 player and a 4mill 30k a week aging prem squad player.

The difference is they're unproven at this level. Need to have a little luck but it's not a crazy strategy.

Look at the teams in the play offs this year. Apart from 'one team' most only had one or two players I've ever heard of... who before this year were unproven.

300k for Thomas from League 2 . 600k for Leonards from League 1 . Sounds reasonable to me .

 

[Fulwood Blade]

. I'm just surprised someone hasn't snapped him up before.

Sorry, but your comment speaks volumes - football coaches/scouts miss absolutely nothing. No player who is half decent gets "left" at a L1 club. He hasn't been snapped up because he will have deficiencies in some areas.

Having seen him play at our place, I like what I see - he controlled your midfield 2 years ago and scored a lovely goal from about 20 yards, but that was only 1 game and he would have to be a hell of a player to be better than what Coutts and Fleck served up for us last season.

As for his value, CW won't pay what you want with only a 1 year contract left. What is clear, and it is quite significant, is that the interest that CW is making now will stand him in a good position come January 2018 when Lenny will be available to sign a pre-contract.

We'll wait thanks and bid for a "free" player next June (2018) or attempt to sign him in January for £200/300K, probably along with a couple of other clubs

UTB

 

[Rootshallbloke]

Sorry, but your comment speaks volumes - football coaches/scouts miss absolutely nothing. No player who is half decent gets "left" at a L1 club. He hasn't been snapped up because he will have deficiencies in some areas.

Having seen him play at our place, I like what I see - he controlled your midfield 2 years ago and scored a lovely goal from about 20 yards, but that was only 1 game and he would have to be a hell of a player to be better than what Coutts and Fleck served up for us last season.

As for his value, CW won't pay what you want with only a 1 year contract left. What is clear, and it is quite significant, is that the interest that CW is making now will stand him in a good position come January 2018 when Lenny will be available to sign a pre-contract.

We'll wait thanks and bid for a "free" player next June (2018) or attempt to sign him in January for £200/300K, probably along with a couple of other clubs

UTB

You may well be right. And that works for me as we would either have him for the full season, or at least for 6 months. Either way that would be a bonus. Wait till the end of the season and he may be part of a Southend squad that has achieved automatic promotion. Otherwise we could get a minor bidding war come January if he retains his fitness and form.

 

[Sheffsteel]

300k for Thomas from League 2 . 600k for Leonards from League 1 . Sounds reasonable to me .

Apart from this season Leonard has spent his whole career in league 2 and the non league.
No where near as experienced or as good as Maguire.
He's had a good career at Southend but it's mainly been league 2 level.

Can't see many clubs interested in him.
Also the longer we wait the more his valuation goes down.
We hold the cards more than Southend.
Wilder will make a reasonable bid then move on.

If he's interested then he can probably get him for £100K to £200K in January.
Let's be honest Southend can't afford to pass up £100K to £400K.
If they wait until next year they get nothing and surely Southend won't let that happen.

 

[SteveBlade]

Apart from this season Leonard has spent his whole career in league 2 and the non league.
No where near as experienced or as good as Maguire.
He's had a good career at Southend but it's mainly been league 2 level.

Can't see many clubs interested in him.
Also the longer we wait the more his valuation goes down.
We hold the cards more than Southend.
Wilder will make a reasonable bid then move on.

If he's interested then he can probably get him for £100K in January.
Let's be honest Southend can't afford to pass up £100K to £400K.
If they wait until next year they get nothing and Southend won't let that happen.

He's been at Southend since 2011 and he's only turned 25 today. Over 200 appearances. Only had a couple of spells out on loan to non league clubs.

 

[B14Nco]

Sorry, but your comment speaks volumes - football coaches/scouts miss absolutely nothing. No player who is half decent gets "left" at a L1 club. He hasn't been snapped up because he will have deficiencies in some areas

Doesn't Mr Fleck blow that argument out of the water?

 

[Pinchy]

Speaking with all the wisdom of one who knows next to nothing about him, logic suggests he'd be an asset to our squad. Tufty wants him and I find that persuasive. As to the fee, it couldn't be simpler so far as we are concerned: TF knows exactly the range he's willing to pay. How much Southend claim they want and how much other clubs are willing to offer won't alter that. Quite right, too. It's a policy that has secured us some excellent players without breaking the bank and will, I'm sure, continue to do so.

So, please, let's try to avoid the familiar 'missed out' refrain if we don't get this player. There'll be another along soon.

 

[Grizzly blade]

Quite right Pinchy.

Well known that Wilder has a price he's prepared to pay, and that's it. No more or we move on to other targets.
Didn't cause a problem last season when we had players pricing themselves out of a move or ending up at inferior clubs due to their greed.

If we are interested in this lad, he will be competing with others in the squad who may already be better than him. The only thing that may be in his favour is if Coutts has indicated he wants to move on, and is unlikely to sign a new contract.
In that case he will be sold or allowed to leave for free, by which time we will have a ready made replacement if he's up to it and good enough.

 

[Pinchy]

Quite right Pinchy.

Well known that Wilder has a price he's prepared to pay, and that's it. No more or we move on to other targets.
Didn't cause a problem last season when we had players pricing themselves out of a move or ending up at inferior clubs due to their greed.

If we are interested in this lad, he will be competing with others in the squad who may already be better than him. The only thing that may be in his favour is if Coutts has indicated he wants to move on, and is unlikely to sign a new contract.
In that case he will be sold or allowed to leave for free, by which time we will have a ready made replacement if he's up to it and good enough.

I Coutts...