My thoughts on big swap deals are that they are good for selling red top newspapers or when playing Championship Manager.

Our fans love swap deals.

Real life isn't so keen.

We could swap Moreno for Ben Mandy from Monaco to, they'd go for that surely?

Southampton are going to lose Van Dijk this summer, I don't think there is much doubt about that. With Sakho, they would be getting a good replacement handed to them rather than having to search the world for one. It makes sense to me.

The only time I've seen swap deals actually happen is when someone like RM get the player they want from you, and gives you some no mark who can't get a game for them. Otherwise it's generally a myth.

Southampton pay peanuts in wages. No way will Sakho even think about joining them. Sakho stock has risen with his form at Palace so will get interest from clubs who can pay the fee and also pay his wages.

Don't even rule out an Arsenal bidding for him.

comment by Terminator1 (U1863)
posted 22 minutes ago
The only time I've seen swap deals actually happen is when someone like RM get the player they want from you, and gives you some no mark who can't get a game for them. Otherwise it's generally a myth.
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Michael Owen swap to Real Madrid for £8m plus Antonio Nunez.

I see your point!

Really hope we get VVD but im sure City will be in for him as well as a host of other elite teams

He's that bloody good

TBF, didn't Newcastle get Keith Gillespie as part of the Andy Cole deal.

Maybe dreams do come true?

Sakho plus 20m? SH would bite our hands off if Sakho was willing. They'd have our pants down, if they want over 40m for VVD we want the same for Sakho surely

Sakho not only showing his quality at Palace but people seem to forget before the ban for us he was winning Liverpool fans over further cementing his cult hero status.

If VVD hands in tansfer request they will probably ask for more then they did for Lovren 20m sure but i can't see it being more then 30m for a CB surely probably 25-30.

If Palace want Sakho and Klopp likes the look of Zaha they still owe us 5m or so for Tekkers and Sakho as a bargaining chip too.

There probably will be quite a lot of interest in Sakho thankfully hes been immense for Palace and was improving for us pre ban. Paid 18m would expect to make a decent profit on that if Klopp doesn't give him a 2nd chance.

Just goes to show doesn't it how much harder it is to defend as a team and individually when you are playing in a team that plays high up pressing pass out from the back etc then it is in a team that sits deep compact and has 6 bodies sat 5 yards infront of you protecting you for 85 % of the game. All you have to concentrate on is winning the ball put into the box etc.

Just a heads up all those wanting to pay 20m for the likes of Keane and that Boro lad if it happens and they are thrown in the deep end, even stones struggles and hes generally seen as one of the better defenders with the ball

Our defending overall is not even that bad, we were conceding the fewest shots on our goal for the majority of the season etc and defending well. A lot of it came down to individual errors which are a product of the way we play the most of the time. And yes are suspect at set pieces a lot but so are most teams just isn't highlighted as much because they probably concede more from other routes then we do where as ours are set pieces and individual errors all the time and is picked up on.

Factor in our injuries and ever changing back 5 from game to game and a lot of the criticism starts to look harsh. Keane Gibson who ever join us and they will make the same mistakes im certain.

Van Dijk will go to City or Chelsea I reckon