[CONFIRMED] Surely not? Sky report Wolves in for McDonald

[Hartley Hare]

Bit of a blow this news.

Can't help thinking matters are beyond control as we are not in a position to improve his contract to match or better the Wolves offer? If any player wants to leave and if a release clause in his contract is matched there is nothing to be done.

I suspect that these release clauses are included in contracts to save wages cost and the value is probably linked to the players salary. Low salary = Smaller release clause.

Selling to Wolves leaves a bitter taste as clearly they are a major rival for promotion.

Not good at all.

HH

 

[alcoblade]

Silly money that the footballing side of the FOOTBALL club will likely never see even half of.

"Hey, when 3rd division teams come calling..............."

UTB

 

[alcoblade]

It's worth remembering that McDonald was rubbish last season, and his game is very limited. The better side of his game is good though.

The issue isn't that he isn't replaceable, because he definitely is. The issue is that we probably won't replace him.

UTB

 

[alcoblade]

It's worth remembering that McDonald was rubbish last season, and his game is very limited. The better side of his game is good though.

The issue isn't that he isn't replaceable, because he definitely is. The issue is that we probably won't replace him.

UTB

 

[SotonBlade]

The issue is that we probably won't replace him.

UTB

We've got three weeks to do so!

 

[mattbianco1]

It's worth remembering that McDonald was rubbish last season, and his game is very limited. The better side of his game is good though.

The issue isn't that he isn't replaceable, because he definitely is. The issue is that we probably won't replace him.

UTB

Step up Conor Coady!

Bit pissed off about McDonald as he clearly looked to be settling into the role of just behind the striker/free role/do what you want!

I was really enthusiastic about the season ahead and think McDonald would've been the linchpin in the midfield.

Dare i say it... "I would've rather sold Maguire". CB's are ten a penny, a fit and inform McDonald is very hard to come by in this division.

Please go for Luke Freeman as his replacement Blades. I fear this could be the difference between automatic assault or play off disappointment.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

We've got three weeks to do so!

Seem to recall Darren Ambrose's name put to DW by Staton a few weeks back. Not sure if he's injured but he's not been in Birmingham's squad recently.

 

[JohnDenver]

It's still the cricket season. Wake me up after the bank holiday.

 

[Mad Mick]

Very disappointed if this is true. Sometimes I think we have a death wish.

 

[Coily]

Kevin McDonald is the best player in League One and would walk into probably 50-60% of championship midfields.

If that was right. then we'd have bids from 50-60% of Championship clubs. But we haven't had any, because he really isn't that good.

 

[Guesty]

He's far better than anything else we have in that position, or anyone we might get in to replace him.

 

[Wards]

Jesus fucking Christ.

Just when you think things are looking up...

 

[pommpey]

Well. We've sold our joint top scorer. Again.

McCabe. What a worthless jizzjar that man is.

I don't suppose there's any danger of this money finding its way back into the transfer kitty at all, eh?

pommpey

 

[Blade58]

Step up Conor Coady!

Bit pissed off about McDonald as he clearly looked to be settling into the role of just behind the striker/free role/do what you want!

I was really enthusiastic about the season ahead and think McDonald would've been the linchpin in the midfield.

Dare i say it... "I would've rather sold Maguire". CB's are ten a penny, a fit and inform McDonald is very hard to come by in this division.

Please go for Luke Freeman as his replacement Blades. I fear this could be the difference between automatic assault or play off disappointment.

How much do you think will be freed up for a replacement?

I make it 60% of the transfer fee + MacD's salary

IMO, Weir will be lucky to get MacD's salary. The club still want bo bring the wage bill down. Weir has said still one or two on high wages (MacD?)

Apart from MacD's replacement which will very difficult to find, we still need a striker, at least until Miller is fully fit. Porter aint up to the job and our lack of strength in depth now highlighted by an injury to Taylor

This is a right kick in the bollox

 

[Grecian2000]

Just regarding any possible release clause he had.

Didn't he spend all last summer "holding out" and only actually signed when most players were long sorted? Surely at that particular point we hold nearly all the cards (i.e. you've tried to get a move all summer and no-one wants you so here's the contract . . . . ) and the contract should be heavily biased in OUR favour. How can we get stitched even at such a late stage in summer negotiations?

 

[ponteblade]

having a medical, he's gone!!! Good idea to sell to a team in our league, typical blades well done, feel like i did when Currie left, the l eds fans will have a field day at my expense once again! (gone for a burton this week)
Thanks once again blades! Pissed off ponte blade

 

[OllyBlade]

Whos to say he will pas the medical ,hasn't he got history with this ?

Hmm but he kept injury free all of last season and most of season before. Wouldn't hold out much hope of this.

 

[Blade58]

@JamesShield1: Not set in stone but sources at Wolves suspect Kevin McDonald could wait "24 hours" before making a decision. #sufc #twitterblades

Didn't offer him as much as he wanted then?

Should've made it 48 hours then he could play at Brentford ffs!

 

[sheffielder]

Hmm but he kept injury free all of last season and most of season before. Wouldn't hold out much hope of this.

That's because he didn't put a shift in last season

 

[Highbury_Blade]

What will be the fans feelings toward him if he decides to turn them down?

 

[Superblades]

What will be the fans feelings toward him if he decides to turn them down?

Carry on as normal. Footballers are no different to any other person who is in work. If another company showed an interst in you, you would no doubt hear what they have to say before making a decision.

 

[Elsecar_Blade]

As far as I can see, there are two ways this has played out.

A:
United want to keep McDonald but his agent has let it be known to other clubs that he has a clause in his contract because he wants to leave.

or B:
United want shut of McDonald so they have informed other clubs of his availability and the clause in his contract or the amount they'd accept.

What does it matter? Well, if it is A, then United have a defence over it. Yes, they maybe should have renegotiated when they realised how key he was to David Weir's system but I can understand, what with budgets being as they are, why they might not want to do that. If McDonald and/or his agent are promoting him to other teams, especially another League 1 team, then I have no issue - he can go.

However, if it is B, then that is inexcusable on United's part and they are telling lies. It is suspicious that the week after season ticket sales realistically end, United are in talks to sell a key player.

So how will we know what has happened? Well, it's clear to me. If it is A, United will reinvest the money and bring in a replacement. If it is B, we won't and it's a case of shocking communication again. I sincerely hope it is A and then we can concentrate on improving further and targeting KMac in a 442 at Wolves. We know how other teams managed to bypass our midfield last season.

 

[Bladesman]

Could probably do without him going but he didn't perform well enough last season but then again that could be said for others as well. I would have expected the decent link up between him and Doyle would have continued last season but it didn't. Although the loss of Quinn, Willo and Lowton will have had some impact on that.

 

[alcoblade]

What will be the fans feelings toward him if he decides to turn them down?

That he's a mercinary who will go to the highest bidder. Like everyone else out on the pitch.

UTB

 

[alcoblade]

I think put Doyle and McDonald together and you have a perfect player. The trouble is, they are both at the ends of a spectrum. Players like McDonald almost demand that you play them alongside a workhorse.

I'd like to see 2 who could do a bit of both.

UTB

 

[Bladesman]

That he's a mercinary who will go to the highest bidder. Like everyone else out on the pitch.

UTB

We are United and we sell.

750k will fit nicely in McCabes pocket.

 

[mattbianco1]

How much do you think will be freed up for a replacement?

I make it 60% of the transfer fee + MacD's salary

IMO, Weir will be lucky to get MacD's salary. The club still want bo bring the wage bill down. Weir has said still one or two on high wages (MacD?)

Apart from MacD's replacement which will very difficult to find, we still need a striker, at least until Miller is fully fit. Porter aint up to the job and our lack of strength in depth now highlighted by an injury to Taylor

This is a right kick in the bollox

'tis a kick in the gonads but. Get over it. We move on. He set his stall out last summer stalling on the contract (stall and stalling in the same sentence?!?).

It's the blades way.

Did we really expect to get through the summer without losing a player.

Wolves still have premiership parachute payments, why wouldn't he join them?

 

[Blade58]

'tis a kick in the gonads but. Get over it. We move on. He set his stall out last summer stalling on the contract (stall and stalling in the same sentence?!?).

It's the blades way.

Did we really expect to get through the summer without losing a player.

Wolves still have premiership parachute payments, why wouldn't he join them?

I expected to lose a player or two, but not that player tbh, especially when he writes into todays press telling us how much he's enjoying himself

 

[Grecian2000]

especially when he writes into todays press telling us how much he's enjoying himself

To be fair I'd be enjoying myself if I was negotiating a substantial pay rise as well.

We've lost better players to be sure, but it's our long term failure to replace ANY of them adequately over the last 5 seasons that sees us where we are.
At some point you have to draw a line and start moving the other way. As we clearly haven't reached that point yet my optimism of last Friday night has evaporated like an angels fart.

 

[Latters]

To be fair I'd be enjoying myself if I was negotiating a substantial pay rise as well.

We've lost better players to be sure, but it's our long term failure to replace ANY of them adequately over the last 5 seasons that sees us where we are.
At some point you have to draw a line and start moving the other way. As we clearly haven't reached that point yet my optimism of last Friday night has evaporated like an angels fart.

You wouldn't believe it, but I hadn't seen this post when I just typed my reply to mattbianco1 on the Luke Freeman thread, but it pretty much sums up where we are. We sign players who happen to play in the same position as their predecessor, but to call them a replacement would be generous.