Sam Allardyce is keen to take Darren Fletcher on loan for six months with the offer of a two and half year deal at the end of it!The manager is the driving force behind a deal which remains very much in the balance as the Manchester United midfielder studies options he has received from us and West Bromwich Albion.
Others inside the club are cooler are on the player but are backing the manager up to a point as they wait to hear back from Fletcher.
Allardyce this morning in outspoken national newspaper comments attempted to pile pressure on Fletcher to sign and ClaretandHugh – as a result – spoke to club contacts about the forces driving the deal.
At 30 years of age the player sits outside the board’s stated policy of taken no players older than 27 but it seems the manager is seeking an exception is made in the case of a player he rates highly.
And he’s ready to agree terms that would take Fletcher up to beyond his 33rd birthday as a medium term replacement for captain Kevin Nolan.
Our source said: “Sam wants this deal. Bizarrely, a clause is wanted which says he stays on if we remain in the Premier League which is a given anyway.
“Some of the staff have worries about his injury record. The last thing we want is a player on a two and a half year deal who isn’t available for periods of time.
“Everybody has a high regard to how the player has overcome serious health problems but clubs can’t be overly sentimental when a lot of money is onvolved.”
to old over the hill and all ways injured sounds like a Sam signing
Blimey. I can now see why you get twitchy, Hugh.
This is a car crash of a deal. End of.
I’m just asking, Hugh. Who is Fletcher’s agent?
Not sure u will find it at http://www.transfermarkt.com
Why ? We have enough dead wood and if he is suppose to take Songs place because we won’t pay the large amount Barc will want with others entering the race,we will be going backwards again,I just don’t see a starting place for him,Noble ,Song Alfitano,Kouyate Poyet and Downing are all better,even Nolan would give him a run for the money ( with a head start ) but then he would not be dropped any way.
He is DEFINITELY a better option in deeper midfield than Kevin Nolan, brings great work ethic and experience. Hopefully this will be the end for King Kev. Also, the extra midfield man gives us the option to use Kouyate at CB if needs be, depth will be important towards the end of the season and if we can’t get a quality CB then this could be a good alternative.
Sorry Sam . Big Big Big mistake.
Things going well . Dont let it go to yor head .
Think again . He can add Nothing .
Does that mean Fletcher wants a clause that he stays on for an extra 2.5 years if we stay in the PL? That is crazy. We are not going down this season. That would give Fletcher the option on extending, not the club. I hope David Sullivan has learned his lessons, keep Sam away from contract negotiations. We don’t need Fletcher, he doesn’t improve our squad, he is outside our profile of younger players, he has an awful health/injury record, his recent form is indifferent, indicating he is past his best.
How many more reasons do we need to walk away from this?
Surely the Davids wouldn’t sanction this deal, do they want Sam to stay all of a sudden & great question about who’s his agent, wonder if it’s Sam and Nolan’s guys mucky hands all over it again
Elite sports group. Not curtis
Yes don’t need him or another passenger on the list.
Hope he is smart enough to say no . It will get us off the hook .
The only thing we need is a Nolan replacement, and don’t we have that in Poyet and Amalfitano.
Save the money and spend it on retaining Song and Jenks.
……and who let lardyarse near the purse-strings anyway!!!!
Fletcher is over 30, over-the-hill and overpaid! …or is that Nolan??