03 Mar 2026 13:36:35
On Talksport today saying RE is pushing Wolves not to sell Mane he wants to build a team around him next season. Wolves are now trying to convince Mane to stay offering a new contract with better terms. Hopefully he agrees even for 1 season if not promoted then let him go.
03 Mar 2026 20:11:18
Hmmmm, Liverpool, United, City, Arsenal. Chelsea, PSG, Bayern, both Madrid and Milan clubs want him, but he will stay and slog it out at Stoke in the middle of December. ? He will be off quicker than an Albion fan's dad to the pub on giro day.
And, in all honesty, who can blame him?
I remember Lage saying exactly the same thing about Gibbs White, made him captain in pre-season, wanted to build a team around him, not sell him, etc.
etc. Forest come calling with a big offer and he was gone. Same thing will happen again.
04 Mar 2026 15:55:27
Will be interesting with Mane, cause we've got him tied down so he won't be sold on the cheap (relatively speaking anyway). As for the club's tied with him, well, I'll believe it when I see the bids, because most of those listed there (bar maybe PSG or Madrid) simply do not have the excess finances to spend big on an 18 year old that still needs to learn his trade. You say about slogging it out at Stoke, De, but realistically he ain't getting a game yet at a single one of those clubs you've listed, so not sure it's that unrealistic for a lad of 18 to learn his trade in the Champ.
You mention MGW, but we only sold him because he wanted to leave, and he only wanted to leave because he wasn't playing, Mane, on the other hand, is. It will certainly be an interesting test to see how legit Fosun are about getting us back up, because a season in the Champ could be the making of some of these younger players. Time will tell.
04 Mar 2026 16:44:34
I get your point, Bully, but see my comment about MGW. The season we sold him, Lage specifically said he wanted to build the team around him; he made him captain in pre-season and he played every single pre-season match. Then Forest came in and that was that. I don't think Mane will be here next season due to two things.
One, he will want to play at the highest level; if he gets games at whatever club he ends up at will remain to be seen, but I can guarantee his agent is already in his ear and in contact with clubs. Two, Fosun will sell him on the basis the funds are needed to "rebuild".
04 Mar 2026 20:23:38
Thing is, De, that Lage wanted MGW having ignored him for the previous 12 months, and only because it was clear we were going to lose him, it was too little, too late. And look why MGW wanted to go: he wanted to play for a manager that had trusted in him and absolutely believed in him (Cooper had managed him at Eng U21s), and MGW was very open about wanting to play for him again. Don't get me wrong, I don't for a second argue that Fosun may well be desperate to cash in.
I suppose all I am saying is that if Edwards can build a relationship with him, and the lad has any sense, then he should be happy to stay for at least one more season. Look at Fabio, yes, he got his big contract/move at 18, but when you look at him now, can anyone honestly say that he wouldn't have been better off learning his trade where he was before making his first big move? ?
05 Mar 2026 01:20:57
What's the point of a new contract from Mane's side? Any higher wage he receives now will surely be cut when relegated. He's only on 7-8k/w currently; say he doubles or triples his wages to 25k/w, he'd still likely have a relegation clause which would halve it.
Leaving him earning £12.5k/w instead of 3.5-4K/w. A big difference, but a transfer to almost any club would see him at 20-30k/w, if not more, depending on what club buys him.
05 Mar 2026 10:30:50
To me, the elephant in the room about Mane is that he has come through the academy, like MGW. Therefore, selling such players is pure profit and irresistible for Fosun's accountants, because it's great for the bottom line in our accounts.
05 Mar 2026 10:59:52
It's a fair point there, Deep, because that will appeal to Fosun. Although he isn't actually from our academy, in fact we signed him from Rochdale the season before last, so I'm not certain if it would be the same on a balance sheet (as a homegrown player). Also, I'm fairly sure Rochdale have a sell-on percentage.
Thing is, Fuser, that's very easy to get around. They just wait till we are officially relegated (next week/month) and offer him a new contract based on being a Champ club.
I am realistic here, and if the lad pushes for a move, then we are in a tricky place to say no. However, if he (or his agent) has got any sense, they should be negotiating a nice big pay rise, along with a release fee built into the contract. He would start every game for us in the Champ, whereas if he goes to a top club he'll be playing in the u21s for the next few seasons. Time will tell.
05 Mar 2026 12:14:29
Thanks. I stand corrected, Bully, about his Rochdale back story. Nevertheless, there's lots of lovely jubbly coming our way if we sell him. He has, to my mind, settled in nicely as a PL player, but a spell in the Championship would be a backward step and could jeopardise his development.
Like MGW, he looks to have the makings of an elite player, so I would cash in before we run the risk of finding out he's not!
05 Mar 2026 14:31:25
Sorry, Deep, buddy, but I don't agree. He's looked great; however, the reality is he's still only scored 2 goals in 17 starts! He will indeed some day be an elite player, but at the moment he's 18 and still has plenty to learn. No club is signing him and starting him regularly in the Prem, in fact, at best they will likely sign him and loan him out to the Champ anyway. I'm not sure the Champ is a backward step for any player at 18, to be honest; in fact, when you look at the numbers, very few are even ready for that league at such a tender age. You mention MGW, but he wasn't even playing regularly in the Champ at 18; in fact, even Harry Kane was on loan at Norwich (in the Champ) at 19 because it really is very rare for an 18 year old to be up to playing regularly in the Prem.
I'm not sure if we'll get to keep him or not. I fully accept that's in the hands of the transfer gods. All I am saying is that the Champ is a perfect league for a player of his calibre to start learning their trade. The E & S even did an interesting article about a month back, pointing out that as bad as relegation is for the club, for one or two of our younger players it really could be a perfect step to prep them for the Prem, is all. ?