Lacroix

It's only in the last couple of seasons that we've become a 'selling club.'

It could be argued that's because we now have a higher quailty of player who are more in demand by top clubs.

Nonetheless, we were not a 'selling club' in the first 10 years of our return to the Premier League, and in fact we managed to retain the likes of Zaha, Dann, and McArthur who were all coveted by other Premier League clubs.

We also brought in top players like Benteke, Sakho and Townsend who in the early days would have been seen well out of our range.

We've gone from that to a situation where as soon as a top club flashes their eyelids at one of our better players we are eager to pack them off.
It's something of a paradox that the more established a Premier League club we become the more readily It's accepted we have to sell our players.
With Lacroix there's not even the excuse that we would be selling to a Champions League club.
We haven't replaced Guehi and some are happy to see Lacroix leave?
And no, while Riad and Canvot have potential, they are not the experienced senior players of the pedigree of Guehi and Lacroix.
I support Crystal Palace FC not 'Players the Top Clubs Don't Want FC.'
I agree with the major parts of your comment, regards to previously holding onto players. You would think we would have more capability to do so, not less. Hasn't worked out that way. You are also right to suggest the level of player is part of that.

Disagree about Canvot, he has come on leaps and bounds since filling the Guéhi hole and I do believe he is of the quality required for a replacement. That's not to say he is on a level with Guéhi, but he is more than just "potential" now.

Looks like another departure I will hate to see with Max. It does give some sympathy to Oliver's sentiments midway last season. Hopefully we will be able to adequately replace and get our recruitment right.
 
I get players want better deals and “bigger club “ but despite success in last year or two we will never break into top 5 given our business philosophy of continually selling our best players Wharton Sarr next 2 out the door so despite recent highs can’t help feeling so disappointed with our outlook
Its not the clubs philiosphy to continually sell our best players, the fact we have a continuous stream of them to sell in the last 15 years is thanks to the club especially SP and Dougie Freedman.

We are attracting and signing better players these days but we arent Real Madrid. Our players are ambitious and want to play for the top European clubs and the top European clubs want the best talent. Then its the club's best interests to get as much dosh as possible for the transfer and to sign a good replacement without spendng all of the transfer fee.

Its how well we spend the transfer fee. We lost Anderson to Fulham and got a great replacement in LaCroix for £20m was it. If we sell him for £50m+ and do the same then its not a bad result?

That aside will be sad to see him go.
 
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This will upset a few on here, but I rather like Brighton's approach when they have players under long term contracts.
To Manchester Utd who wanted Baleba?
Well ok, but it will cost you £150 million.
They tend to get maximum value for players and more.
Somebody like Van Hecke, who has only has a year on his contract, looks like Brighton will get £50m from Spurs for him.
Brighton also took circa £200 million for Caceido, Cucerella and Pedro from Chelsea.
I wonder what Brighton's reaction would be to a Chelsea offer for Lacroix 2 years into a 5 year contract?

All this assumes that there is truth in the story.
It seems there is clear Chelsea have an interest as they have a habit of leaking these stories.
What is less clear is Palace's response and I hope it would be turned down flat.
Absolutely right. Brighton and Brentford are the clear models to follow as a "selling club". It doesn't just mean taking every offer to sell.
 
I get players want better deals and “bigger club “ but despite success in last year or two we will never break into top 5 given our business philosophy of continually selling our best players Wharton Sarr next 2 out the door so despite recent highs can’t help feeling so disappointed with our outlook

We don't get the players without release clauses though - that's the deal.

We have to be a selling club to an extent - its the only way the financial model works. Unfair - yes, but its a fact.

We kept Olise for another year as the release clause was sensible, its no different to what we did to QPR with Ebs, Reading with Olise. Its the continual churn, we rode the wave of it to win trophies, the flip side is that bigger sides will pick off the talent. Its no different to the rest of the world.

He goes with my best wishes - came in, did a job, led the defence and is moving on.
 
Yes seems players put release clauses into there contracts when they join us and use us as a stepping stone .Blackmail really but if suits Mr Parrish and Board then so be it.Will always be same model hopefully continues as long as recruitment stands up ?
 
I agree with the major parts of your comment, regards to previously holding onto players. You would think we would have more capability to do so, not less. Hasn't worked out that way. You are also right to suggest the level of player is part of that.

Disagree about Canvot, he has come on leaps and bounds since filling the Guéhi hole and I do believe he is of the quality required for a replacement. That's not to say he is on a level with Guéhi, but he is more than just "potential" now.

Looks like another departure I will hate to see with Max. It does give some sympathy to Oliver's sentiments midway last season. Hopefully we will be able to adequately replace and get our recruitment right.

As a 19 year old i think the club and supporters have given him a lot of slack. Yes he's improved and hopefully will continue to do so but he is still making far too many mistakes.

Arguably both goals at Brentford in May were his fault and off the top of my head Man U away and Macc's first goal were his fault too.

He is definitely still a work in progress.

Back to Lacroix, whilst it's difficult to keep a player who wants to leave if the £51m to £52m transfer fee quoted is correct (is that 60m Euro?) i'm very disappointed. Hopefully that figure doesn't include add ons too.
 
So wrong in every way in Europe and selling our best players no wonder OG would not sign a new contract lost 2 best centre backs just shows football is all about money Chelsea city should of been deducted points but still buy every one available
Some times what is the point we are so behind the times need a new chairman with proper ambition
That would be the Glasner that has just joined (checks notes) a club that has just sold their best player?

This isn’t on the Chairman. Every club in the world except possibly Real Madrid and PSG is a selling club.
 
Yes seems players put release clauses into there contracts when they join us and use us as a stepping stone .Blackmail really but if suits Mr Parrish and Board then so be it.Will always be same model hopefully continues as long as recruitment stands up ?

Lets say you join for 18m and have a release clause of 40m, then you have to have improved as a player for someone to pay that. Or you get a new contract one year in, with a wage increase with a release clause built it.

It worked for keeping Zaha - everyone knew the clause fee but no one triggered it. The flip side of not having these clauses is you get the Guehi situation - where they may choose to run down a contract.

Its no different to the club inserting a clause that says "if we get relegated, your wage drops to this" - is that blackmail?
 
I listened to a podcast with Martin Kelly recently and it's clear that he still has a real affinity with the club.
He regularly meets up with the likes of Dann, McArthur, Ward and Tomkins and there's a clear bond there.
Despite coming from.a big club in Liverpool and being an England International he seemed genuinely delighted to be part of the club and it's history even if he wasn't always first choice.
I miss the commitment of those aforementioned players.

Sure , it could be argued that we attract a better quailty of player, but every transfer window there is the disruption and the feeling that some of our players want out asap.
And it has to be acknowledged ,as BTP pointed out , our League positions haven't noticeably improved despite the cup success
 
That would be the Glasner that has just joined (checks notes) a club that has just sold their best player?

This isn’t on the Chairman. Every club in the world except possibly Real Madrid and PSG is a selling club.
And reports suggest that the entire proceeds will be given to OG,to reinvest in players of his choice.
 
That would be the Glasner that has just joined (checks notes) a club that has just sold their best player?

This isn’t on the Chairman. Every club in the world except possibly Real Madrid and PSG is a selling club.
For 115 million, not 50.
 
I do think this a case of him being seen as more valuable to us, rather than him actually being worth more than the £55 million quoted. I had hoped the club could squeeze more money out of Chelsea in an inflated market, but there is an element of risk for them. All of his best years have come in a back three under Glasner. When Glasner left Wolfsburg he struggled, hence why we were able to pick him up for a relatively low fee. I'm disappointed he's off, but he's not at Marc's level, and his pace does cover up some of his mistakes and questionable positioning (I'm entering the rejection phase where you write a list of reasons you're better off without them!!)
 
Shame , really liked him, looked like the next captain.

We’ve had a great group of players, who obviously would end up moving to bigger clubs.
Keep replacing them with worse players and will get caught in the end and relegated, unfortunately.
At least we will have a few trophies and a new stand, before we win the championship and start again.
 
I do think this a case of him being seen as more valuable to us, rather than him actually being worth more than the £55 million quoted. I had hoped the club could squeeze more money out of Chelsea in an inflated market, but there is an element of risk for them. All of his best years have come in a back three under Glasner. When Glasner left Wolfsburg he struggled, hence why we were able to pick him up for a relatively low fee. I'm disappointed he's off, but he's not at Marc's level, and his pace does cover up some of his mistakes and questionable positioning (I'm entering the rejection phase where you write a list of reasons you're better off without them!!)
That is how you're supposed to sell, though. Based on what they are worth to you, not to the buying club. If they are worth more to us than we will get, we should not be selling. That's what Brentford and Brighton do.

He is certainly worth more than 55m to our club, we would be unlikely to be able to replace like-for-like for a similar or lesser price, and as far as I am aware he is one of the few without a release clause, so we should be able to stand our ground if we wanted to, either to keep him or request a more germane fee.
 
Lets say you join for 18m and have a release clause of 40m, then you have to have improved as a player for someone to pay that. Or you get a new contract one year in, with a wage increase with a release clause built it.

It worked for keeping Zaha - everyone knew the clause fee but no one triggered it. The flip side of not having these clauses is you get the Guehi situation - where they may choose to run down a contract.

Its no different to the club inserting a clause that says "if we get relegated, your wage drops to this" - is that blackmail?

Zaha didn't have a release clause and so we could demand whatever fee we wanted. That's the main reason he didn't leave. After we rejected low ball offers from Arsenal and Everton he sulked for the next season and i suspect that put many potential suitors off.

In terms of Lacroix i'm not aware of a release clause and if there was one i suspect his agent would have leaked it months ago (as Olise's did when Chelsea came in).

I don't think the Guehi situation had anything to do with a lack of release clause. I think his agent sat him down a few years ago and said the best way to maximise future earnings is to run down his contract. A release clause is a nice to have really - a player can still be sold for less and/or run down his contract if he so wishes.
 

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