I know it hurts. But isn't that the business model we want? Where we take young stars keep them for a few seasons and then they go onto bigger things?

It makes us attractive to another Olise, Eze or Wharton down the line.

Players are smart now to have the release clause. If only wilf had the same he could have gotten his dream Arsenal move.

The upside if you can call it that. Is that at least at face value it appears business is being done early rather than a few days before the start of the season with a pre season under your belt

Pro USA & Israel

I just read this too. It has that ring of authenticity doesn’t it.

I would rather this than see him playing against us. We look like we are about to sign his replacement too.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

Well he didn’t waste much time in deciding to go did he.

Disappointed as it will make it easier for others to follow him now…..I would guess Eze will be next once an offer comes in….if rumours are true he was the one most likely to go.

But that’s the way it is these days….we are a selling club and that’s what we do. Develop players for other teams.

Indeed.

Trying to stay glass half full, if I were a Jack Clarke at Sunderland or the next Eze/Olise in the Championship I'd be looking very favourably at a move to SE25 instead of some of the larger clubs. Ditto if I was struggling to break into the first team at a top club Academy somewhere.