Really? I understood he was close to signing for Wet Spam for c£22m +. Too much for us, maybe?

Happy to be proved wrong or, indeed, correct but, sadly, I don't think we are even in for him. Leeds maybe, but our "interest" does not seem to extend beyond click bait.

Would be nice to meet their bid if only to make the Spammers pay more.

I have not seen any remotely credible sources linking us to Pereira, maybe that will change as the window starts to warm up in August.

As to our finances/spending. Everyone is assuming that we have spent £40m up front and have, perhaps, £10-15m left, so we are looking at loans.

It ALL depends on the structure of the deal, that is, how much we have spend up front and how many subsequent payments need to be made. Almost ALL clubs owe others in back transfer fees. ManU paid £45m for AWB, then 5M at the end of the season, but Transfermarkt just listed it as £50m. I suspect that we were paying fees for several players, Sahko, Benteke, Aanholt, hence our high amortisation shown on our balance sheet. With that cleared, and the wage bill, we can reinvest.

I am not a bot. No, seriously, I'm not.

Just been confirmed by WBA that he has signed for Saudi team Al Hilal.

I hope we do have other irons in the fire for another forward player, although the fee is undisclosed this could be one we could have gone for.

That being said I do question his motives for going to play in the Saudi league.

I think that's an outrageous assertion!

He could be going there to negotiate arms deals or because he loves to watch public executions in his free time.

Of course he’s gone for the money... why on earth would you go there after the Premier if it wasn’t for the money! Does tell you about the character of the guy though... wouldn’t want him here ...