The 18-year-old is regarded as a bright prospect and has been courted by a number of top clubs. At 6ft 3in the lad is already a first-team regular at Championship level and has represented England at every level from schoolboy right up to the under-21’s but, and this is the sticking point for me, goals haven’t exactly flowed from the Hereford-born striker.
This season he has scored seven goal in 36 league appearances, which isn’t great in fairness. Granted the lad has age on his side and can improve, but I wonder if it’s a wise move investing so much money in a player who has yet to prove that he can score goals consistently.
Alan Pardew is apparently pursuing other targets first, which is a good thing in my opinion as I reckon we could bet a better deal elsewhere. With Wickham being young and English it means that he is going to attract a premium on his price, for some reason, and would likely cost upwards of £10 million. That money could definitely be spent more wisely in my opinion.
It’s a risk that I don’t think United can afford to be honest. For £10 million we could get Gervinho or Kevin Gameiro who both have proven goalscoring records, albeit in the French league. In my mind that is a much safer bet than punting the same amount on a kid who has scored 14 goals in 71 Ipswich appearances.
If we had strikers who could be relied upon at the club already, plus the money to do so, then I’d probably try and sign him for the future, but to expect an instant impact from a young lad is too much of a risk.
So whilst Wickham can score goals like this:
My worry is that he doesn’t seem to score enough to warrant all of the praise that has been put upon his shoulders. We need a proven goalscorer, and whilst Wickham may turn into one evetually he wouldn’t solve our immediate need for a striker.
Would you take a punt on Wickham?
6 million would be my absolute maximum for him. Good player but 10 million? Can’t see with the fat man going anywhere near that price tag.
Moreno(Quote)
@ £10m, he may well turn out to be a snip at that price(or not), however as you say, it’s a gamble we really can’t afford to take imo, even tho every signing is a gamble I think £10m is just not worth the risk…….unless Pardew is getting £100m to spend 😉
richietoon(Quote)
i would definately prefer one of the french players because as you said they have performed in a better league. Personally, I would love to have them both- it would sort us at 2 positions of great need (ST and RW)
Gameiro
Jonas-Ben Arfa-Gervinho
Tiote-Barton
M’Bengue-Collo-STaylor/Willo- New RB
slightly different look than this year 😉
MDS(Quote)
We’re not gonna go near him. Like it’s been said, we can get way better, experienced attackers for that kind of money
AndrewT(Quote)
kna think its a risk to far at the mo,2/4mil then maybe,could swap shola and loverman for him like 🙄
icedog(Quote)
Surely the French players would demand wages out of our league if they are valued at £10m.
Are you not dreaming again boys? 😕
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
bobby…what happened to our “3 day break”? 😉
richietoon(Quote)
Not worth anywhere near 10mn – maybe 2 up front with add-ons taking it to maybe 4 over time
If anyone heard the Simon Jordan interview on TalkSport re QPR it related to how clubs deliberately PR inflate the supposed prices paid in an attempt to appease the fans that they are investing etc.
Basically what we have now is a p1ssing competition – the headline figures mean nothing – its how a deals structured that counts
Stardust(Quote)
Surely the French players would demand wages out of our league if they are valued at £10m
—————————————————
Like Ben Arfa did?
MDS(Quote)
I thought Ben Arfa was £5m so not rated as highly?
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Not really Bob. The French league has tough financial rules which, if clubs fail to adhere to, can lead to them being kicked out of the league and relegated. This is why the likes of Ben Arfa, who was playing for the league winners and Champions League entrants Marseille was only on £60k a week 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
And HBA was £7.5 million in total….
toonsy(Quote)
ben Arfa’s been considered one of frances’s rising stars for awhile now. The deal was reported at around 7M- but Marsaille paid 11m for him just 3 years ago. So yes- I would say he is pretty highly rated
MDS(Quote)
And he would have cost more had he not huffed away from Marseille and left them no chance other than to sell… I mean he was linked with a £30-odd million move to Man Utd before we got our hands on him 😉
toonsy(Quote)
I dont think Wickham is worth anywhere near £10 mil and would still be a big risk as we dont even know if he will make the step up.
I think £10 mil would get you better
Big Dave(Quote)
Booby – we still in for Aman Zagarra?
Stardust(Quote)
I thought it was £1m for the loan and £5m to sign permanently.
We paid £2m for a loan deal? Christ almighty.
funkyjesus(Quote)
He’s a good upcoming striker – it’s just becasue he’s English that theres all this hype. He’s worth about 5.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
According to the web he was signed by marseille for £8.5m 3 yrs ago not 11m and sold to us for £6m.
I’m not picking but I would have thought a £10+ striker would demand big wages.
It was suggested HBA was prepared to come here but he is naturally a winger and not a goal scorer who signed for a lot less.
I’m being serious when I suggest those strikers wage demands will be out of our league.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
@stardust
Zagarra has indicated he was brought up on Shearer videos and a big Toon fan. Again he may be out of our league.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
@toonsy
Why was my post awaiting moderation? 😕
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
FJ,
Good to see you back mate.
I see Rangers have won the title? 😉
Moreno(Quote)
Not yet, they have the problem of Hearts and Dundee Utd to deal with. Hearts have made a season of winning games they shouldn’t easily and David Goodwillie is potentially playing for a move to Rangers so he is gonna want to boost his stats to get better wages.
It isn’t over yet.
funkyjesus(Quote)
@19. 11M euros form the article I read- I don’t know how to convert that to pounds. 😉
HBA was a striker earlier in his career and played both winger and up front front for Marsaille. As Toonsy said he would have cost twice as much if he hadn’t esentially refused to play unless sold to Newcastle. He was one of the highest rated young talents in europe and is supposedly on very high wages at Newcastle.
That wage cap thing is terribly over blown.
MDS(Quote)
@MDS
that wage class thing is terribly overblown. 😀 😀 😀
Just been listening to supermac on the legends and he’s saying he would definitely go for wickham at £7-£8m without hesitation. He rates him highly.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
MDS I think there is a type of wage structure for your run of the mill players but I honestly believe if its the right type of player the club will pay decent money 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
FJ,
Fair play mate. Keep the faith!
United are Rangers bogey team too, shame about Kayal’s injury
Moreno(Quote)
Agreed Big Dave. I’m sure Ben Arfa and Tiote are above 40K
MDS(Quote)
I just cant work out what exactly has Wickham done to be worth that type of money
Big Dave(Quote)
Moreno I hope Rangers do win it just to spite that ***** Lennon 👿
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave- he’s young and english. Apparently that costs 10M nowadays- unless you also score 15 career prem goals in which case you cost 35M
MDS(Quote)
True Dave. He’s a right spiky little ****. Always thought McCoist was alright as well.
(no offence fj) but I have always found the Celtic fans up here to be scum of the earth. The ones i see travel to the away games in my town anyway.
If I have to root for anyone up here I go for Dundee FC and they aren’t even in the SPL. 🙄 Next season 😀
Moreno(Quote)
MDS – Hold on while I get the calculator out….
£1.6666666 million a goal then 😯
We should sell Nolan while we still can!!!
Moreno(Quote)
I think that is the last game Kayal plays for Celtic. He and Izaguirre are too good for the SPL, even if Iza didn’t show it against Inverness.
Kayal is just an Israeli Tiote, he’s that good.
funkyjesus(Quote)
I have always said that from the footballers I know of, I would have Izaguirre over any when Jose goes to Liverpool.
He reminds me of a left back Nobby….which reminds me of something I have to finish Toonsy 😯
Moreno(Quote)
Yeah, Izaguirre and Kayal would be perfect for Newcastle this summer. Left back cover/replacement for Enrique and a cover/competition for Tiote in the middle.
They scream out as obvious transfers and we have a bargain chip with Fraser Forster in terms of negotiations, nevermind Alan Thompson as a mole in the background, lol.
funkyjesus(Quote)
FJ
You ever been to an Old Firm game before? I would love to one day like atmosphere looks class.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
@big Dave
The wage cap seems to be the best kept secret.
I don’t believe it’s above £40k per week but that’s just reading between the lines of various press articles.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Bobby – No comments awaiting moderation 😕
Off topic, but that is my Olympic application sorted 😀
Just got to wait and see now 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
Supermac also believes Jose will stay and run his contract down.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Toonsy, they are not going to let you light the torch,
how many more times 🙄
Moreno(Quote)
Don’t think he’s worth $10m, would be a massive gamble.
Happy bunny , months of subtle persuasion have worked. Daughter who was trying to decide between Manchester and Newcastle Uni has plumped for Newcastle by the deadline at 6pm 😀 no competition in my book, but was warned not to influence her.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Bobby@40
I had some information that changes my whole opinion on everything. He is going to Liverpool, brace yourselves.
Moreno(Quote)
Off topic, but that is my Olympic application sorted
——————–
what’s that?
MDS(Quote)
DEB you influence her perish the thought 😉 good choice all the same 😀
icedog(Quote)
@Moreno
Howay then. You can’t keep things like that to yourself or have you already disclosed it and I’ve missed it?
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
AndrewNUFC,
I haven’t been to an Old Firm game. I lived in Glasgow (home city) and Dundee but moved down to England when still at primary school. Now I am adult, I still wouldn’t go as I value not having a knife in me.
The atmosphere is electric and unrivaled when watching on TV but attendance is a risk at the best of times and ever since Lennon and McCoist were confirmed as the two managers next year, it’s just spiralled out of control.
Both guys are the epitome of what each club represents and it just raises all sorts of passions and tensions. We’ve now got a situation where McCoist starts a fight with Lennon (he is caught on video mouthing off), Lennon gets a ban and then UEFA start hammering Rangers when the SFA turn a blind eye to it and Lennon gets banned for Rangers actions as some sort of counter point, lol.
The whole thing is slowly returning to the old days of a health hazard and it’s taking Scottish football down with it. The old saying is true – The best Old Firm fans live outside Scotland.
funkyjesus(Quote)
MDS – To go and work (and earn a lot of money) at the Olympics 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
MDS…..he’s entering the pie-eatingathon 😆
richietoon(Quote)
My comment was awaiting moderation on a previous post…can’t believe I’m on the same list as Bobby, the **** he dishes out! 🙄
witters(Quote)
RICHIE well hes beat if your in it 😆
icedog(Quote)
So Jose has returned to Twitter!
http://twitter.com/#!/josenufc3
He just twitted “I said I can not talk about the contract discussions so far – there will be news soon!”.
Hope he stays.
sunlounger(Quote)
@Bobby.
Kenny Dalglish has 3 transfer targets to send them into the top 4 next season and has authorisation and backing to bring them in. Young, Adam and Enrique. It’s pretty much a done deal.
Moreno(Quote)
Sunlounger – Interesting. Perhaps he is happy now he has his tweeties back 😆
toonsy(Quote)
Ice, can’t believe you would think I would try to get her to live in the Toon next to the mecca that is SJP for the next 4 years 😉
Geordie Deb(Quote)
And to those who use Twitter, here is Dan Gosling’s Official Twitter Account. (Verified by Danny Simpson)
http://twitter.com/#!/dangosling15
sunlounger(Quote)
Deb im sure you are a happy bunny 😆 and im sure you didn’t try to influence her in anyway 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
deb- do you live in the northeast?
MDS(Quote)
haha ya… it was probably the twitter restrictions in the contract that caused contract talks to stall. 😆
sunlounger(Quote)
Sunlounger – The tweet underneath that one is interesting
“Don’t believe everything you read in the press!”
toonsy(Quote)
Is that defo Jose’s twitter?…wor lass says about one of his comments, that no Spanish speaker would write that as he has the words the wrong way around 😕
richietoon(Quote)
It’s unconfirmed at the min Rich. Dan Gosling’s is real though
toonsy(Quote)
Shane Ferguson has just got on twitter last week as well, he isn’t entertaining me with his tweets yet
Moreno(Quote)
Toonsy…did ya get that email 😉
richietoon(Quote)
@Moreno
I’m surprised your surprised that Enrique is a goner. Then again I’m not surprised you’re surprised. 😉
I’ve been saying it for weeks. 😉
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
MDS – no from the North East originally, lived in London 5 years now in the East Midlands
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Big Dave – perish the thought 😉 i can be very persuasive in an unpersuasive way 😆
Geordie Deb(Quote)
I just hope someone outbids Liverpool and he goes abroad
Moreno(Quote)
Oh- OK. was going to congratulate you on keeping your daughter close to home. But at least this way you’ll have a place to sleep for european nights at SJP in few years 😉
MDS(Quote)
@52
That Jose account is a fake one, Danny Simpson confirmed it the other day, however Gosling now has it 🙂
http://twitter.com/#!/dangosling15
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
MDS – you’re following my train of thought…
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Rich – Aye. I think I’ve shagged that last one 😯
toonsy(Quote)
Andrew…..so wor lass was right, can’t tell her that though 😉
richietoon(Quote)
Andrew – Aye, plucked summit interesting from Gosling’s one aswell 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
I really hope that if Jose goes we bring in a left back that can attack too, otherwise Jonas will be done for
AndrewT(Quote)