Naughton & Walker to Spurs [Confirmed]

[Linz]

It's being reported all over the place this morning that they've actually gone.

£8 million for the pair.

Best source is probably the Independent:

Everton angry as Spurs snatch defensive duo

Tottenham Hotspur have beaten Everton to the signing of both Kyle Naughton and Kyle Walker from Sheffield United. The two right-backs will join Spurs this month in a deal worth a total of £8m, despite Naughton having been a long-term target for David Moyes.

The two players represent Harry Redknapp's first major success in the transfer market this summer – he is also pursuing Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Patrick Vieira – but the deal has left Everton angry. The club had been given permission by Sheffield United to agree personal terms with Naughton, 20, but that was withdrawn when Spurs offered a lump sum for both players and they have offered the option of loaning Walker, 19, back to Sheffield United for next season.

 

[Kev Gee]

Ah well. I say you buy one! You get one free!

Another disapointing end to the whole sorry saga. (If true of course)

 

[Thelooneytuner]

More reports

Photo Gallery Zoom
FA Cup: Caleb Folan - Kyle Walker, Hull City v Sheffield United (PA)
Tottenham Hotspur appear to have beaten Everton to the signing of Kyle Naughton, and have reportedly captured his Sheffield United team-mate, Kyle Walker, as well.

Everton were earlier given permission to discuss personal terms with Naughton, but it appears as though Spurs have stolen a march on the Merseysiders.

According to The Independent, Tottenham have agreed a £8 million deal with United that will see Naughton join immediately, while Walker will be loaned straight back to the Blades. The deal is expected to be confirmed in the coming days.

Naughton's arrival at White Hart Lane means there are now four right-backs at the club, but Alan Hutton and Pascal Chimbonda will both be sold if the price is right.

Arjun Miglani, Goal.com

For more news on England, visit Goal.com's England section!

 

[Bladesman]

Ah well. I say you buy one! You get one free!

Another disapointing end to the whole sorry saga. (If true of course)

We might get some double glazing out of the deal then.

 

[Robbie]

Get em sold and done with

 

[matth]

I don't really see how the club can defend this, if true.

 

[Linz]

Still nothing coming out of either club... but it's being increasingly reported as a done deal.

 

[Foxy]

I don't really see how the club can defend this, if true.

How so? it's fairly predictable and nothing majorly contraversial... Most fans of other teams I talk to think we've done well if the details are true.

Not saying i'm happy about the deal, don't even know what it is yet, but it's not as "out there" as many are making out.

 

[Jimbo]

At least one of the Kyle's getting sold was always going to be inevitable after Wembley.
As long as we get a fair price and we use at least the majority of the money to strengthen other more important areas (ie. up front) then I don't really see a problem with it to be honest.

Sure I'd prefer them both to stay, but let's face, what Championship Club can afford to turn that kind of money?

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

The deal is more like £10m than the £8m being touted, think SUFC might be putting that one out trying to plead skint again

 

[matth]

How so? it's fairly predictable and nothing majorly contraversial... Most fans of other teams I talk to think we've done well if the details are true.

Not saying i'm happy about the deal, don't even know what it is yet, but it's not as "out there" as many are making out.

Because selling one promising young right-back was perhaps inevitable, if unpalatable, but selling both in the same deal will be seen as nothing short of cashing in.

Whilst it could have been argued that selling Naughton would allow us to build the squad in other areas, selling the other young talent (and the player who would be his heir apparent) suggests nothing other than a complete reversal of the so-called Blades Way in which nurturing young talent would be the basis of the team. It would appear that in fact the Blades Way is nurturing young talent so that it can then be sold to the highest bidder.

If we could have got £6m for Naughton alone - and reports would suggest that this wouldn't necessarily be as outlandish a proposition as some may think - but kept hold of Walker, the more level headed fans would have been assuaged a little, I think. As it is, it seems more like the actual heart of the club has been ripped out, and a precedent has been set - a precedent that cements Sheffield United's position as a small-time selling club, in the same style as Crewe, who may be able to produce the stars of the future but who have to cash in on them at the earliest opportunity. With Crewe, this is perhaps understandable. With a club that is apparently as big as ours - based on the ambition and bluster of the board - this is less understandable, and will cause a lot of ill-feeling amongst the fans.

 

[Robbie]

Sure I'd prefer them both to stay, but let's face, what Championship Club can afford to turn that kind of money?

QPR maybe?

 

[Jimbo]

QPR maybe?

Ok, I'll rephrase it...

What Championship club that isn't bankrolled by one of the richest men in the world can afford to turn it down?!

 

[matth]

One that isn't in desperate need of £8m, I'd have thought.

 

[Linz]

One that isn't in desperate need of £8m, I'd have thought.

What club isn't in desperate need of cash?

Even QPR, as mentioned above, have seen massive ticket rises despite their external investments. Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool are in masses of debt.

 

[matth]

There's a difference between having manageable debt - i.e. that which wouldn't need an instant injection of £8m - and catastrophic, unmanageable debt, i.e. that which would need an instant cash injection to prevent administration occurring.

I presumed that we were in the former category, and therefore £8m would be nice, but not essential. If that's the case, we could, strictly speaking, afford to turn down £8m. I mean, if we didn't have the players in the first place, what would have happened then?

 

[Come from away]

Ode to Matth: Boy it's nice to be so wealthy you can turn down eight to ten million pounds, but if we are no better than Crewe we'd better change leagues real smart and stop wining games - wouldn't want to spoil our image as a small selling losing club. Much to say I'd think you'd whine regardless of the deal - cup half empty comes to mind, me I'm always cup half full and that's why I can have so much fun supporting the Blades.

 

[matth]

That's completely missing the point of what I'm saying.

And I resent the idea that I whine regardless of what happens. If you want to make inaccurate personal remarks, perhaps I should return in kind and wonder out loud if you'd have a different opinion if you actually paid your hard-earned money to see the Blades week in, week out? It's easier for things to look rosy if you're on the outside.

 

[Jimbo]

There's a difference between having manageable debt - i.e. that which wouldn't need an instant injection of £8m - and catastrophic, unmanageable debt, i.e. that which would need an instant cash injection to prevent administration occurring.

I presumed that we were in the former category, and therefore £8m would be nice, but not essential. If that's the case, we could, strictly speaking, afford to turn down £8m. I mean, if we didn't have the players in the first place, what would have happened then?

I've no doubt that Utd COULD afford to turn down an offer of £8 million, but would we really want to?

Is rejecting all offers and keeping an £8 million rated Right Back really going to help us get promoted more than say signing a couple of £2-3 million players (ie. at least one proven goal scorer) and maybe improving Killa's wages to persuade him to sign a new contract?

 

[matth]

It's two right backs, not one.

And as many people are fond of pointing out, the transfer fee is only a part of the expenditure on a player. A player bought at £2-3m pounds would presumably have larger wage demands than either of the Kyles have currently.

As I've said, I could swallow selling Naughton, even though I wouldn't particularly like it. It's selling Walker at the same time that's the problem for me, and many others.

In response to your hypothetical question: no, not necessarily, but in the absence of Mystic Meg style fortune telling powers I can't say for sure that signing two players in replacement is going to help us get promoted any more than keeping what we've got.

 

[Jimbo]

It's two right backs, not one.

And as many people are fond of pointing out, the transfer fee is only a part of the expenditure on a player. A player bought at £2-3m pounds would presumably have larger wage demands than either of the Kyles have currently.

As I've said, I could swallow selling Naughton, even though I wouldn't particularly like it. It's selling Walker at the same time that's the problem for me, and many others.

In response to your hypothetical question: no, not necessarily, but in the absence of Mystic Meg style fortune telling powers I can't say for sure that signing two players in replacement is going to help us get promoted any more than keeping what we've got.

...and if the rumours are to be believed then we will be getting one of them (Walker) back for at least one more season. So if the deal goes through we could end up playing all next season with one of 'the Kyles' plus have a sh*t load of extra money to strengthen the team in other areas. Thus giving us an even better chance of promotion!

In what way is this a problem?

 

[matth]

I'd rather he didn't come back. If we sell him, let him go. Either he'll do well for us and then we'll have the wrench of losing him at the end of the season, or his mind won't be on the job at hand and we'll be a poorer team for having him in. Not to mention the reactions of the crowd.

I honestly don't see the point in selling him and loaning him back. Why not just not sell him and see where we are at the end of the season?

 

[Jimbo]

If he comes back and he's the indespensible messiah that a lot of people seem to think he is, then we will get promoted without a doubt and the £60million gained by promotion will take the edge off losing him to Spurs at the end of next season.

If he comes back and he stinks, then we've got a load of money for a poor player.

Either way, happy days!

 

[Come from away]

That's completely missing the point of what I'm saying.

And I resent the idea that I whine regardless of what happens. If you want to make inaccurate personal remarks, perhaps I should return in kind and wonder out loud if you'd have a different opinion if you actually paid your hard-earned money to see the Blades week in, week out? It's easier for things to look rosy if you're on the outside.

Given a comparison to Crewe I do not think I missed the point (of your attitude at least), cause that's a load of nonsense. On what basis living near the lane gives you some greater insight I sure don't understand. When it comes to spending cash it probably takes me more cash to make my couple of visits to the Lane than you spend in the season.

The transfer of the Kyles looks like a good deal for the Blades in terms of the long term future. Being realistic they are both ready for the premiership and I for one don't blame them for jumping at the chance.

 

[matth]

You're welcome to your opinion, and I'll keep mine. I've got into too many pointless arguments on here before!

Well done for making the trips over, and I appreciate your optimism. Wish I had some of it!

 

[Come from away]

Matth: I guess it is easy for me to be an optimist. I never got to coach the sort of talent we have at the Lane but I know that a team, working together, can often surprise themselves. We have talent, the cash will bring more in and I remain excited about the prospects for this year. I also know the best team does not always win but that's the cruel side of the game that we also seem to manage down to bring to the Lane.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

I think for most Blades it's more to do with hope than optimism. Most I know always hope that this will be the year when they are succesful and might actually win something, but that always has over the top of it a healthy layer of cynical pessimism. Best summed up by my latin motto for all Blades:

Si is can vado nefas , is mos vado nefas , quod vel is si non Vesica mos reperio a via

Roughly translated: If things can go wrong, they will and even if they can't Blades will find a way!

 

[Greg]

It looks as though they'll both be off soon then. I'd rather them go to Everton, but if we're gaining more money out of the deal with Spurs then so be it.

I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for a couple of quality signings to be brought in the boost the quality within the team, and to bring in extra strength-in-depth.

 

[SwissBlade]

I think for most Blades it's more to do with hope than optimism. Most I know always hope that this will be the year when they are succesful and might actually win something, but that always has over the top of it a healthy layer of cynical pessimism. Best summed up by my latin motto for all Blades:

Si is can vado nefas , is mos vado nefas , quod vel is si non Vesica mos reperio a via

Roughly translated: If things can go wrong, they will and even if they can't Blades will find a way!

It sounds so much better in Latin so here it is in Norsk


Hvis saker kanne gå galt , de ville og selv om de kan ikke Blad ville finne en måte


And so we tick the multicultural boxes, in urdu

گر چیزوں کر سکتے ہیں, تو وہ غلط بھی نہیں کر سکتا اگر وہ چھریوں والی مشین سے ملے گی اس طرح :thumbup:

 

[Come from away]

If owt no rite, Blades 'll do they.