Dread to think where you thought we’d finish before we made any signings..

Given where we were at the start of the month and even at the start of the week, this has to be seen as a decent window. Plenty of proven Championship experience plus some exciting young talent. Cantwell is a real statement at this level despite the potential attitude issues. It’s fair to question the overall financial outlay given transfer fees received but given the wider context, the recruitment team deserve credit for the names they got in. Put simply, this is the kind of window that only other clubs seemed to have and one that we’d point to as an example of how a low budget window should be done. Fair play.

I am getting sick of seeing that Spreadex competition advert.

Starting to feel like this delay could be more down to an issue rather than Rovers choosing to take their time. The others were seemingly sorted out far quicker. Optimism is starting to drift away..

Because it’s when PL clubs finalise squads and make decisions regarding loans. More decisions get made as clubs/players can’t hold out for better offers.

It’s unlikely to have got to a medical if personal terms were still an issue. I have as much trepidation as everyone else but this feels more like the club just getting the media stuff done before announcing.

Feel a bit sorry for Jackson at the LT. Never really seems in the loop. Only an hour or two ago he said the only signing close was the keeper and no other medicals had been completed. He was even in the building to interview Eustace and they didn’t tell him.

Finally, a player I’ve heard of.

Do you agree that this summer was the best time to sell Szmodics given his age and that he’ll be likely worth less next season? How many millions have Rovers lost out on in recent years by not selling players at the right time and seeing them leave for nothing? For the club to become self sustainable it has to buy low and sell high, and Szmodics is the textbook example of what we should be doing - provided we reinvest in the squad, which is the obvious question mark.

The issue is lack of further potential. Ipswich are very unlikely to sell at a profit exactly because they’re getting him at his peak. There’s no sell on value. Clubs pay the big money for younger players with high potential. That’s not Szmodics.

I’m still struggling to fully understand the significance of the hearing. Clearly several fans believe this will directly have a bearing on whether Venky’s will sell up but has that been verified with anyone who has knowledge of the legal specifics? I previously saw something which suggested that the most likely sanction was a large fine so wondered if there’s more to it.

The Derby game is there. Look under latest videos rather than ‘match replays’.

So we weren’t on the ropes for the other half? Are equalisers not valid if we haven’t been on top for the entire game?

Who is saying they don’t want a better defence? I think it’s universally agreed that we need better full backs and a new GK. Poorly performing? Norwich were top six last season.

No leaders after signing Batth and McFadzean..?

We sold him at lunchtime. What did you expect to happen by now?

Wharton is worth a lot more because he’s now proven at the PL. No other teams bid for him in Jan when it was clear Palace were closing in. I’m sure many clubs are regretting not going for him, but ultimately Palace were the only ones who put in an offer. Szmodics has gone for a fair price given his age and lack of top flight experience. With how long this has dragged on, the club clearly haven’t accepted the first offer that’s arrived.

Crazy to think about the career trajectories of SS and Dack. Two seasons ago, they were competing for the same position in the team.

If I was an Ipswich fan I’d be slightly underwhelmed that they’d spent £10m on a 29 year old with no top flight experience after one very good season in the Championship. He’s been fantastic for us and thoroughly deserves the move but can see why other PL clubs weren’t in for him. If he was 5 years younger, clubs would have been queuing up for him. Whether it’s a good deal for us will all depend on the next two weeks. The Gally money was seemingly spent well so interesting to see who we can bring in now.

Stop momentum by selling players? One of the biggest criticisms of the owners in recent years has been them stubbornly holding on to our best players in the hope of promotion and then having to let them go for nothing. Brereton and Rothwell immediately come to mind. Selling our best players on our terms and for a decent profit is not a bad thing. We’ve not done enough of it in the last 5/6 years. SS deserves the move and £10m is just about acceptable when you consider his age and minimal sell on value for Ipswich. What we do now is critical.

Selling our best assets isn’t the problem. It’s what clubs in our position have to do to become sustainable. The bigger issue is not the sale, it’s what we do with the money. Given his age, £10m is about right. We weren’t getting more next year so now isn’t a bad time to sell and it didn’t go to the final day. What matters most is who we now bring in.

The argument is that Szmodics’ value is now at its highest. We can debate what the ‘true’ value is, but assuming we aren’t getting promoted this season (which I think is a safe assumption), his stock isn’t rising any higher given his age. Not selling players at their peak value has been a big problem in recent years. I don’t remember many people wanting us to sell BBD for the c.£7/8m we were offered in the last year of his contract and yet that is now rightly used as a point of criticism given he left for nothing. So now would be a good time to sell. Does it mean we should accept any offer that comes along? Obviously not and no one is saying that we should, but given Ipswich appear to be close to a figure we would accept it feels sensible for all parties to reach an agreement. The alternative to hold out and refuse to sell (which is our prerogative) but accept we’ll get a lower fee in the future.

Low risk? He’s unproven at PL level and 29 yo with minimal re-sale value. Obviously some PL teams might get desperate closer to deadline day but there’s no guarantee and the later we leave it, the less time we have to bring in replacements. I don’t ‘want’ him to go but Szmodics market value isn’t getting any higher. If we want/need to sell, this is the right time. Ultimately he’s under contract and we hold all the cards but given Ipswich seem close to reaching the fee we want it seems sensible for all parties to get it done sooner rather than later.

He’s a West Ham season ticket holder.

Phenomenal. Brilliantly written.