Are you expecting January bids for our top players?

[Tooting Gull]

I'll be honest, I am. And there is no point in being unduly negative even if it happens. We know how strong the will is from the club to keep the top performers if humanly possible. And I expect them to every bit as resistant in January as they were in the summer towards any predators.

It is going to have to be a really decent offer, fee and wages to the player, from a) a Premier League club, and probably b) a PL club with a very good chance of staying up, especially given our position.

But you can't blame people for trying their luck. I expect people to be in for Dunk and Duffy, who have started to look really strong - possibly even Palace after their shocking defending this season, Knockaert, maybe Stephens and Kayal. So pretty much the same names as the summer, with the addition of Duffy. But with maybe some more desperate buyers.

I imagine every single one of these players would rather get promoted to the Premier League with Brighton, but of course there is no certainty of that in January as we all know.

 

[junior]

I'm expecting a bid for Stephens and I suspect he'll go.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Stupidly confident that'd we'd bat all bids away, in the same way we'd tell Real Madrid to do one if they approached us about Hughton. Madness maybe, but it's been that kind of a season thus far.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

After Burnley's refusal to take no for an answer over Stephens, you have to assume that some clubs who haven't been paying attention will have a go. And as you and I both know, a certain news agency along the coast will try to flog their Solly March to Southampton dead horse to the papers again come January. But TB has been consistent in his 'no sale' stance.

The only question mark is Stephens bearing in mind his contract situation and with Kayal coming back. But I think CH would rather keep a player that he knows fits the system and is integrated in the squad rather than bring in an unknown quantity at this crucial stage. Assuming there'll be another striker, two people who might upset the team spirit is too much of a gamble.

 

[ewe2]

Is there an offer TB cannot refuse ?I guess there must be.

 

[Mackenzie]

There are bound to be a couple of bids, but accepting them would be pretty stupid given our position. Dyche will probably remind us that he still wants Stephens, and we'll probably remind him where to go.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I reckon there might be bids for one or two players that Bloom will try and bat away. Indeed - assuming he gets the Eagles gig - it would almost be remiss of Fat Sam to let the window go by without making some derisory bids for Dunk and Stephens just to unsettle our players and score some cheap popularity points with the Palace mongs.

 

[Rugrat]

I'm expecting a bid for Stephens and I suspect he'll go.

I think this is a possibility, other than that definitely No!

 

[the right footed denilson]

Dunk is the one I suspect...

 

[albionfan37]

The only ones to go will be the ones we want gone team spirit is way to good to unsettle the players unnecessarily. In fact I'd be surprised if they haven't all been told no ones going regardless

 

[Biscuit Barrel]

I'm expecting a bid for Stephens and I suspect he'll go.

Can't imagine DS would want to leave now. He will be a free agent in 6 months time and will be able to command a massive signing on fee as no transfer will be payable.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Dunk, Stephens and knocky I would have thought.

Kayal has been out too long and hemed is not getting the game time, so I assume they won't be.

I certainly expect some of the fringe players to go out on loan or permanent...elvis, Ince, possibly hunemier, not sure if the Belgian fullback will be kept on.

 

[grubbyhands]

There will be bids obviously and Stephens,Knockaert and Dunk will be top targets however NONE will go as Uncle Tony will want the rewards of promotion and the huge associated monies of such outweighing any short term profits. Trust in Tony, apparently he's a bit of a successful gambler, he knows what to do.This could be our year but only if the crucial members of our squad remain.

 

[Tooting Gull]

In a bizarre way I'd say Stephens is now less likely to leave than in the summer. If we go up, he could opt to sign on here for the Prem Lg. If he decides not to do that or if we don't go up, he gets PL with a juicy signing-on fee and big wages. But a lot of this depends on how desperate these teams are. That is the thing that has changed since the summer.

 

[The Large One]

A combination of the way the club held firm in the summer, plus Tony Bloom's insistence no-one whom they don't want to leave is leaving and, more importantly, our strong position in the table at present leads me to believe no-one is going.

Many will be Premier League players next season anyway - whether it's with us or not.

 

[Simster]

I don't see any of our key players leaving without some insane offer coming in and sufficient time to replace them. I mean £15m for DS might turn the head of the player and club, but you do get the feeling that if not in that ballpark, TB will simply stand firm.

 

[larus]

Let's assume we have a good period over Christmas (say 7 points). We'd be on 55 from 25 games.

This would leave a target of 35 points from 21 games to get to 90 which would (in all likelihood) give us automatic.

So, unless a big clubs comes in for one of them, then they may choose to stay and get promotion, especially if there is a really good team spirit. I'm sure there will be bids, but even if the club accepts, I wonder if the player(s) may take a longer term view (I mean more than 4-5 months).

 

[Driver 8]

I would hope the players see promotion and the riches it will bring as very much in their own hands now. With that in mind I hope all will stay and I wouldn't be surprised if Stephens signed a new contract in the not too distant future.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I'm expecting bids, yes.

But the drawbridge is up and none will be sold.

( Except Elvis, obviously ).

 

[Robdinho]

Duffy has already played for us and Blackburn, isn't there a rule preventing him from playing for a third club in a single season?