Flinkers

I think a yellow or red card can be rescinded in the immediate aftermath of an event. If the referee has made a clear error and shown a card incorrectly, VAR can also be used to overturn that decision. Once play starts again or the game's over, the card remains on record.

Not sure about that, Pedro didn’t seem to be looking that hard for it. No pen, but didn’t really deserve the card either IMO

I agree

Even looks like him a little. You just know one of those VAR decisions would have been given against us if it was the other way round.

Batshuayi has got the touch of a concrete wall...

Which makes the selling price all the better! I also want him gone but, like Ham, there's also a spiteful part of me that would like to see him not play for anyone until his contract ends.

Next year we have 6 first team players entering their last contract year: Fabregas, Cahill, Pedro, Luiz, Courtois and Musonda. The first 4 are already over 30, so even if we retain them it will only be on a year to year basis. If we get rid, that's four new players already, plus filling the holes left over from this season. Also, if Willian wants another long contract with us, his agent needs to be on the phone already. TBH we'll either be spending big again in the next two windows or trusting that the players out on loan (after another season of league football) are then capable of plugging gaps.

Here's a link to the Costa story - splitting hairs but it's GBP57m including add-ons. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4894952/Atletico-Madrid-make-final-57m-offer-Diego-Costa.html I'd take it but I'd let them swing a little while longer.

League - 2nd CL - Last 16 FA Cup - QF League Cup - QF

You can do that at any age but players under 24, who have been offered a contract by their current club and rejected it, will have compensation determined by the PFCC.

The Bosman rule can be used when moving between PL clubs. Theoretically Sanchez and O-C can sign precontract terms with us (or anyone else) in January.

Anyone know what's going on with players like Pasalic and van Ginkel? They must be training with the loan group, and van Ginkel's strongly rumoured to be off to PSV again, but maybe the club's thinking one/both of them (along with Baker) could be candidates for the back up spots...

One of the reasons why most teams don't buy British..! ...yes, I know he's from Iceland and Swansea is in Wales!

To be honest, although Christensen is a top prospect for us, he's still really only 4th or 5th in line. Anyone that thinks he'll go straight into the starting line up will be disappointed (and that includes him). Yes, he's played in a decent league the last two seasons but IIRC 11 of 18 teams had a negative goal difference last year, including Borussia Mönchengladbach! I think we'll lose him within the next year, most likely in January. Not due to a lack of talent but because we can't offer the platform to grow that he still needs while giving him the game time he'll want.

Who, along with Nicolas Süle, has also made the switch to Bayern this summer. He's also 27 so Goretzka's got 5 years on him.