CONFIRMED Cameron Archer signs for the Blades - 4 year contract

[Brownieblade]

Really? Tv money is significant for every single club in the country. Leeds are still getting parachute payments which will help but they lost a lot of players for not much money unlike a Southampton who have lost players but are probably earning roughly the same as last year because of that! Corporate, tickets and sponsorship stuff aside.

If we were taking challenging teams for say 40 million then yeh, but we aren’t, we are talking 18 million, with various payment packages to pay it several ways,,add ons etc, and parachute payments to cover wages etc etc

 

[Valley Blade]

They went all out for Ndiaye in the end including seemingly giving him an open ended window to sign.

With hindsight they should have given him a deadline to respond before moving on but that would have probably driven the price down.

So many variables, I’m glad it’s not me doing this anyway. The only thing I know for certain is it’s easier and quicker to buy stuff the more money you have.

Wouldn't matter one jot to Ndiaye if they gave him a deadline. He had another years contract, so could do as he pleased, and he did.

 

[CopenhagenBlade]

And outbidding us lol

Really can’t believe that you are using Leeds as a better run club, let alone Boro, just because they have‘ ‘supposedly’ outbid us on one player

 

[Valley Blade]

When you think about it, we’ve caused our own problem by helping set the market price for championship strikers. I refuse to believ that Villa would be asking for £20m if we hadn’t spent £23m on Brewster or £18m on mcburnie

Yet we are a lowballing, skin flint, no ambition, indecisive club that many on here believe.

 

[Ndiayewillalwaysloveyou]

Latest developments from the Archer WhatsApp group.

Bettis: Look, this is dragging on. Can we get this done today?

Villa; It’s simple. We want either £20 million for a straight sale or you can have him for £18 but we want a buy-back clause.

Bettis: (laughs). Nice try, you do know who I am?

Villa: That clueless bloke who wastes everyone’s time who claims Sheffield United haven’t got a pot to piss in?

Bettis: But we haven’t….

Villa: We’re not a charity. Either put up or shut up

Bettis: You must think I’m stupid. You’re trying to pull one over me with this buy-back clause. I’m not falling for it.

Villa: But why not? You get Archer on the cheap and we give you money for him in a couple of years.

Bettis: Oh yeah? Well how come we never got a penny from Liverpool for Brewster then?!!!

Villa: Brewster’s shit

Hecky: Brewster’s shit.

Bettis: hmm, ok. Brewster is shit.

Villa: Exactly, whereas Archer is shit hot.

Bettis: Explain this buy-back thing to me then.

Villa: You give us £18 million for Archer and we’ll let you have him for 2 years. He’s all yours. Then after 2 years we’ll take him off you and give you £10 million.

Bettis: £10 million, you’d really do that? That could fund Hecky’s Championship promotion push….

Villa: Yep, we would. You’re so shit and going to get fewer points than Derby that we feel sorry for you.

Bettis: £18 million and £10 million buy back. Ok, done. But wait… our fax machine is bust again. Are you ok if we send our formal offer by post?

Villa: Sure

Bettis: Second class post ok?

Villa: Fine, as long as it reaches us by 31 Aug

Hecky: Steve, what the fuck are you doing? They’re trying to have our pants down and you’re falling for it. We can’t agree to this.

Bettis: Ok, ok, the deal’s off. We’ll give you £15 million for Archer. Take it or leave it.

Villa: We’ll leave it thanks. Leeds and Luton are willing to pay more.

Bettis: As if. £15 million…. or we’ll move on.

Nixon: Want me to put a story out to say The Blades want Piroe?

Bettis: Good idea but can we afford Piroe, Alan?

Nixon: Aye, I’ll say that you’ve agreed a fee with Swansea but that you’ll probably fuck abooot and not get it done before the window closes.

Bettis: Harsh, but fair

Villa: Erm, wrong WhatsApp group?

Nixon: Fuck off ya fuds or I’ll block ye.

Bettis: Ok, we’re not serious about Piroe but we are close to an agreement with another striker. Ex Premier League and England international. He makes Archer looks like Connor Salmon.

Villa: So sign him then

Bettis: We will do, but we want to give you every chance to accept our bid for Archer

Hecky: Wait, who’s this other striker?

Bettis: It’s fine Hecky, it’s fine ;-)

Hecky: Who fucking is he? I need to know?

Rocketman: Why has no one told me and Rifleman?

Rifleman: I already know:

Bettis: 8 rifles ;-)

Rocketman: 4 rifles

Villa: Bullshit. 2 rifles

Hecky: WHO…. THE… FUCK…. is he?

Bettis: You’ll never guess (giggles). Seriously, you need to have more faith in me guys

Hecky: For fucks sake, just tell us

Bettis: Ok, ok. Andy Carroll

Hecky: Andy fucking Carroll???

Villa: Laughs

You have alot of time lad

 

[FriethBlade]

We have 2/3 examples of spending this amount of money and it not working out, we can't afford to do that as we have seen. People might not like it, but maybe the club has a hard limit they won't breach for transfers now. 18m is a lot of money, if he goes 6/7/8 games without scoring, things could snowball.

Unfortunately, rightly or wrongly, the thinking that 18m is a lot of money is way out of line in the premier league. Brennan Johnson is valued at over 50m, MGW went for 40m+ etc etc.

We should be able to reinvest the Ndiaye money on a striker and if we can't we are basically accepting thst the PL is
not for us and we have no intention of seriously trying to stay up

 

[paidsy]

Unfortunately, rightly or wrongly, the thinking that 18m is a lot of money is way out of line in the premier league. Brennan Johnson is valued at over 50m, MGW went for 40m+ etc etc.

We should be able to reinvest the Ndiaye money on a striker and if we can't we are basically accepting thst the PL is
not for us and we have no intention of seriously trying to stay up

18m might not be a lot for teams with owners with an endless stream of money, 18m is certainly a lot of money for Sheffield United. Again, look at our track record on signings over 15m, it's very poor. If we were spending 18m on a sure thing then I am sure the club would have zero reservations, but those sorts of players aren't 18m.

We've got to be realistic to the fact that we likely aren't fishing in that market this time around. If we are getting pushed to near the 20m mark I'd imagine the club would fancy their chances with a cheaper option around the 10m mark and maybe go for an expensive loan.

 

[Silent Blade]

I had a video chat with Matt Crooks' dad this morning, he contacted me as he is trying to get in touch with ex GB deaf players because there is to be a reunion party for someone in Wales who was the GB deaf manager in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

I took the opportunity to ask for his opinion on Akpom and Archer (he goes to many Boro matches travelling from his home in West Yorkshire). He said Archer is small, fast and a good finisher but not the physical type. Both Archer and Akpom got good service from the wings and midfield last season but some of the players who provided the service are now no longer at Boro.

He agrees with me that Akpom would be a risk for us because it would be difficult for him to get the service he would need now that we are in the PL also he thinks last season might have been an "one off".

I asked how much he would value Archer, he said £10M but as he is still young it may rise to under £20M after this season.

 

[Rupicola]

Surely we should’ve found out what Villa wanted for Archer and if we were willing to pay it before we let Akpom go to Ajax? So now we have no chance of paying £20m for Archer but have also missed out on Hecky’s top target for around £12m. The board are honestly a joke and have completely set us up to fail this season, this is all on them.

We will never really know the ins and out of it. But It's annoying the amount of time wasted on this if we don't get him.

 

[Brian Deane]

I don’t think that’s a real website

It's not, tried to register lastnight

 

[SUFCinks]

Unfortunately, rightly or wrongly, the thinking that 18m is a lot of money is way out of line in the premier league. Brennan Johnson is valued at over 50m, MGW went for 40m+ etc etc.

We should be able to reinvest the Ndiaye money on a striker and if we can't we are basically accepting thst the PL is
not for us and we have no intention of seriously trying to stay up

Exactly this

 

[Bell4]

Unfortunately, rightly or wrongly, the thinking that 18m is a lot of money is way out of line in the premier league. Brennan Johnson is valued at over 50m, MGW went for 40m+ etc etc.

We should be able to reinvest the Ndiaye money on a striker and if we can't we are basically accepting thst the PL is
not for us and we have no intention of seriously trying to stay up

Again

Spot on

Why enter a market you can’t and don’t want to compete in ?

 

[carthesis]

Surely we should’ve found out what Villa wanted for Archer and if we were willing to pay it before we let Akpom go to Ajax? So now we have no chance of paying £20m for Archer but have also missed out on Hecky’s top target for around £12m. The board are honestly a joke and have completely set us up to fail this season, this is all on them.

You're making the sweeping assumption there that Villa, knowing that Archer was an alternative to Akpom, didn't up their asking price because they have us over a barrel.

It could well have been:

1) Akpom £8m; Archer £15m
2) Ajax offer £12m for Akpom
3) We don't want to pay that for Akpom given his age, and see Archer as better value in that price range, preferring to pay more now but for a "better" asset
4) Akpom fucks off to Ajax
5) We say "Ok Villa, £15m for Archer. Deal?" Villa: "Price is £20m now."

 

[Bell4]

It’s odd isn’t it

Be careful what you wish /aspire for

Winning promotion to the top league in world football only to quite probably endure a season of misery and frustration before going back to where we came to try and do it all over again . Self defeating behaviour.

After all - it’s not that we had any time whatsoever to get our act together to be able to create conditions that gives our manager a sniff of a chance is it ?

We have well known and sensible contributors to this forum who openly state that they have accepted relegation - by the start of August .

You really have to go some to create that kind of mindset within elements of your fan base so early on when nearly every other club on the planet and their supporters would be full of enthusiasm, hope and energy .

What a shit show

 

[Boxer Blade]

Latest developments from the Archer WhatsApp group.

Bettis: Look, this is dragging on. Can we get this done today?

Villa; It’s simple. We want either £20 million for a straight sale or you can have him for £18 but we want a buy-back clause.

Bettis: (laughs). Nice try, you do know who I am?

Villa: That clueless bloke who wastes everyone’s time who claims Sheffield United haven’t got a pot to piss in?

Bettis: But we haven’t….

Villa: We’re not a charity. Either put up or shut up

Bettis: You must think I’m stupid. You’re trying to pull one over me with this buy-back clause. I’m not falling for it.

Villa: But why not? You get Archer on the cheap and we give you money for him in a couple of years.

Bettis: Oh yeah? Well how come we never got a penny from Liverpool for Brewster then?!!!

Villa: Brewster’s shit

Hecky: Brewster’s shit.

Bettis: hmm, ok. Brewster is shit.

Villa: Exactly, whereas Archer is shit hot.

Bettis: Explain this buy-back thing to me then.

Villa: You give us £18 million for Archer and we’ll let you have him for 2 years. He’s all yours. Then after 2 years we’ll take him off you and give you £10 million.

Bettis: £10 million, you’d really do that? That could fund Hecky’s Championship promotion push….

Villa: Yep, we would. You’re so shit and going to get fewer points than Derby that we feel sorry for you.

Bettis: £18 million and £10 million buy back. Ok, done. But wait… our fax machine is bust again. Are you ok if we send our formal offer by post?

Villa: Sure

Bettis: Second class post ok?

Villa: Fine, as long as it reaches us by 31 Aug

Hecky: Steve, what the fuck are you doing? They’re trying to have our pants down and you’re falling for it. We can’t agree to this.

Bettis: Ok, ok, the deal’s off. We’ll give you £15 million for Archer. Take it or leave it.

Villa: We’ll leave it thanks. Leeds and Luton are willing to pay more.

Bettis: As if. £15 million…. or we’ll move on.

Nixon: Want me to put a story out to say The Blades want Piroe?

Bettis: Good idea but can we afford Piroe, Alan?

Nixon: Aye, I’ll say that you’ve agreed a fee with Swansea but that you’ll probably fuck abooot and not get it done before the window closes.

Bettis: Harsh, but fair

Villa: Erm, wrong WhatsApp group?

Nixon: Fuck off ya fuds or I’ll block ye.

Bettis: Ok, we’re not serious about Piroe but we are close to an agreement with another striker. Ex Premier League and England international. He makes Archer looks like Connor Salmon.

Villa: So sign him then

Bettis: We will do, but we want to give you every chance to accept our bid for Archer

Hecky: Wait, who’s this other striker?

Bettis: It’s fine Hecky, it’s fine ;-)

Hecky: Who fucking is he? I need to know?

Rocketman: Why has no one told me and Rifleman?

Rifleman: I already know:

Bettis: 8 rifles ;-)

Rocketman: 4 rifles

Villa: Bullshit. 2 rifles

Hecky: WHO…. THE… FUCK…. is he?

Bettis: You’ll never guess (giggles). Seriously, you need to have more faith in me guys

Hecky: For fucks sake, just tell us

Bettis: Ok, ok. Andy Carroll

Hecky: Andy fucking Carroll???

Villa: Laughs

When I get a spare half day I'll read this

 

[SUFCinks]

You're making the sweeping assumption there that Villa, knowing that Archer was an alternative to Akpom, didn't up their asking price because they have us over a barrel.

It could well have been:

1) Akpom £8m; Archer £15m
2) Ajax offer £12m for Akpom
3) We don't want to pay that for Akpom given his age, and see Archer as better value in that price range, preferring to pay more now but for a "better" asset
4) Akpom fucks off to Ajax
5) We say "Ok Villa, £15m for Archer. Deal?" Villa: "Price is £20m now."

Agree

The more players sign contracts elsewhere the smaller the pool of available players become. There is still a similar demand for players but the teams are more desperate, and the selling clubs know this. Few players & desperate clubs will pay over the odds.

The longer this plays out the worse the situation becomes. We should have had a player or at least fee agreed etc lined up for Ndiaye replacement before we let him leave. I know he wanted to leave and understand why but he was still under contract with us. OM should have been given the green light but told we need to line up a replacement first.

Awful, awful planning.

 

[Champagneblade]

El Accounto has hinted on more than one occasion that the budget was actually less than 20 mill. The prince never mentioned an amout at any stage either.

The 20 mill was something I think only the Star mentioned.

The whole undisclosed and free transfers that need a signing on fee makes it almost impossible for the layman to know how much we've spent.

The glass half full guys says:
Ndiaye - 20m
Berge -15m
Hamer - 15m
Souza - 10m
Trusty - 5m
Traore - 3.5m
Slimane - 1.8m
Larouci - 0m
Davies - 0m
Net spend - 0.3m

Glass Half Empty says:
Ndiaye = Hamer
Berge = Souza
Trusty - 5m
Traore - 4m
Slimane - 3m
Larouci - 1m loan fee
Davies - 1m signing fee
Net spend - 14m plus other agent and signing fees, probably not far off 20m total!

So we've hardly spent anything could in fact be a 20m net spent and still looking for more players!

 

[moody1889]

El Accounto has hinted on more than one occasion that the budget was actually less than 20 mill. The prince never mentioned an amout at any stage either.

The 20 mill was something I think only the Star mentioned.

Pretty sure he stated that there was no set budget, and wasn't going to be drawn into. Talking about budgets.

Why would we want other clubs knowing how much money we have to spend, the club will try and get the best deal they can.

 

[Chengdu Blade]

It’s odd isn’t it

Be careful what you wish /aspire for

Winning promotion to the top league in world football only to quite probably endure a season of misery and frustration before going back to where we came to try and do it all over again . Self defeating behaviour.

After all - it’s not that we had any time whatsoever to get our act together to be able to create conditions that gives our manager a sniff of a chance is it ?

We have well known and sensible contributors to this forum who openly state that they have accepted relegation - by the start of August .

You really have to go some to create that kind of mindset within elements of your fan base so early on when nearly every other club on the planet and their supporters would be full of enthusiasm, hope and energy .

What a shit show

This 100%

Can accept that the prince doesn't have the financial clout to run the club, but that doesn't excuse the poor running of the club. We've missed out on millions not signing players like Ndiaye, Jebbo and Osula onto longer contracts.


Now we're running around trying to find replacements who aren't as good (Ndiaye > Archer), and having to pay more for those replacements than what we've received (due to poor contract planning). Really do need to establish an effective strategy moving forward because the current strategy of promotion or bust will eventually lead to us being in total freefall

 

['Doc' Pace my hero]

If you are looking for a young striker to score regularly in the premier league,probably something like this :
Salary negotiable,circa £30-50k week
Proven record probably in excess of £35m
Unproven,championship record in excess of £15m
The value placed by Aston Villa on Archer is a bit heavy,but if you have the money may be worth the risk.We don’t have the money and can’t take the risk !!
We are going to have to throw the ‘blueprint’ in the bin and get real,firstly,we need to buy someone we can afford and stop chasing the unattainable.The player will be aware that we are likely to be relegated and need to accept that possibility,some won’t be up for the battle.It doesn’t leave much to go at,possibly an older international striker who has scored regularly in the championship,30 years old could do a good job this season,no guarantees,but if we do go down would be a regular scorer in the championship and most importantly affordable….i assume.
A short term risk with little resale value,but Hecky has worked with him at Barnsley and does rate him.

 

[Booker4]

It's all well and good saying £20m is too much but if we get a cheaper alternative that isn't ready then we're almost certainly relegated. Even at £20m I still think it will be a good price in the long term, I don't think he's the next Brewster. Only time will tell but I do think Archer will prove to be a good player at PL level.

 

[Champagneblade]

No problem Marseille. We've just been promoted to the biggest league in the World and want to help ourselves before helping you.




You don't panic sell over highly unlikely scenarios such as this.




Great news. We keep our best player and have a go at surviving and convincing him to sign a new deal in the meantime. He'd shown some willingness previously.


You don't have to be an expert to know that you don't sell your best players before you have replacements lined up. It weakens you.
I think we panic bought Hamer too and got lucky with it. I don't believe we agreed anything with Cov before we pushed the button on Berge's exit.

It has happened to better than us too. Look at Liverpool. Let Henderson, Milner and Fabiano go, thinking they would get Caicedo or Lavia and ended up with neither!

 

[dc_blade]

It’s always made available by the selling club, it drives up the price for other suitors.

So you're saying the selling club is made aware of what buying clubs are offering their player in terms of wage, etc? And they then "always" pass that on to other potential buyers?

How many people at Sheffield United are then made aware of that information? Does Bettis call the squad in a couple of times a day to get them abreast of developments? Is the tea lady on speakerphone while he's talking to Archer's agent?

 

[Maidenhead]

If we get outbid by two championship clubs there are going to be riots

Doubt it

 

[Silent Blade]

If we get outbid by two championship clubs there are going to be riots

Dream on!

 

[Harry's Game]

If we get outbid by two championship clubs there are going to be riots

Nah..

Leeds are owned by a Billion Door sports franchise.

We are owned by a bloke who in comparison budgets on his weekly big shop at Aldi

I think people understand that

 

[Rifleman ITK]

we’ve pulled out.

 

[CrookesBlade]

Really can’t believe that you are using Leeds as a better run club, let alone Boro, just because they have‘ ‘supposedly’ outbid us on one player

Boro are a “well run club” because they have a rich owner who’s been pumping millions in for years….and yet despite this they’ve spent most of the last 10 years treading water.

Leeds are a “well run club” because they’ve 3 years Prem money + parachute payments burning a hole in their pockets to sign people like Ethan Ampadu.

 

[BladeInIreland]

we’ve pulled out.

That's a risky business.

 

[BladeInIreland]

Tbf anywhere near 20m is too much for us. Best to move on.