That's how I read it. Could be that TM sees this purchase as important while Armstrong and Chapman can be loans. Missing out on Maddison may allow us then to buy those 2 outright.

Don't tell Terry Crews that, he might cuddle you to death!

If the sponsor was the same blue as the numbers (instead of black), I'd LOVE that kit. Black sponsor makes it look a bit... meh.

Be a superb signing for the canteen, me!

Hope it's revealed by Maddison #WorthTheWait

So if Armstrong has 2 years to go, might we be looking to do a loan deal for 12months, to keep his wages down on our side, with an agreed buyer fee next year? Taking the £2.5m figure as an example: £1.25m loan fee with reduced wage contribution this season, followed by £1.25m next summer?

3 weeks to go and I'm personally getting jittery. However, taking rumours at face value, I'd be thrilled with: Perm: Maddison, Bauer Loan: Chapman, Armstrong. Gallagher I'd also like but think it may be lazy journalism.

Looks like we might have Ward to thank for 2 defenders!

A city supporting pal lumps Davenport in with that crowd.

And yet it got us to the semis. It's actually 3 wins 2 draws 1 defeat atmo.

Signed for the u23s? Davenport sure as hell isn't, he's a first teamer. Rothwell looks to be a like-for-like for Payne. Our squad last season was an improvement on the relegated squad, one which Mowbray got more out of anyway and would likely have kept up with one more game. I don't think we're going down with the current squad, but we need signings to push us into or past midtable.

Did you miss 2 signings?

They won League 1 and we didn't. That's something to boast about.

I would stick with it in future if we have a more varied middle 3. A holding passer, a tackler, and a 'driver'. The driver would be the player capable of bombing forward, turning 352 into 3412 or 343. To keep us on the front foot. One could argue he thought Lingard or Alli could do this, but both were lightweight. I feel Loftus-Cheek's strength may have helped us do this more. Without that variation (as we saw) we end up falling back into a defensive 532.

Having met them both, they certainly are.

Have I missed something? What record does Cook have in the Championship? Don't get me wrong, I think he'll keep them up based on his ability to unite what is a decent squad. But basing it on his record 'at this level' is daft. Otherwise we'd be expecting playoffs as a minimum based on Mowbray's 'record at this level'.

We've had proof these last few years of his vision from 2011. After ridiculing his appointment as England manager, I want him to be on-site long term. I'm talking 10 years at least. I'm sold on him.

I know it's not the same (to a lower league, rather than to a foreign league), but that's what excites me about Davenport.

China has 1.2bn people and not a decent footballer among them. Ever. Population is irrelevant imo, esp in an age where inherited nationality counts for a lot.

Well Nuttall seems to be in the first team plans. If he goes on loan, that'd leave us with Graham and Samuel. So yes.

Need a Dack to drive forward from midfield too.

That bump back to Earth hurt. But that team has absolutely embarrassed our so-called Golden Generation. Rooney, Lampard, Gerrard, Scholes, Beckham, Cole, Neville, Ferdinand, Terry, Carragher, Owen. All individually better than any of the current crop and crap for England. Some of these lads upped their game for England. Very proud England fan.

A very tidy lower league player, but not sure I'd want him unless it was to cover a loan for Nuttall or something.

England being in the semi is trippy. England LEADING in the semi? That's Trippier.

I'm terrified. But I'm proud whatever happens tonight. A semi-final is once in a generation, but a final is once in a lifetime.