Transfer News 2022/23 Season Incoming Transfers and a few other things

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I'm happy for Stevens go out get some form and come back and take Eastwoods shirt could also turn out he's goes and becomes a top keeper in League 1 and we get a nice fee for him from higher up
 
The Stevens loan is better than I expected - didn't think we'd find a taker for him at League One level; very happy that we have.
I’m still really surprised whenever I see this sort of comment re Stevens. The guy is still being monitored by 75% of the clubs in the Premier League. Arsenal nearly bid for him in January six months after Villa formally offered half a million.

If he has a good season at Vale he’ll be sold to a “Top 30” club and we won’t see him here again. There was a lot going on last season.
 
I’m still really surprised whenever I see this sort of comment re Stevens. The guy is still being monitored by 75% of the clubs in the Premier League. Arsenal nearly bid for him in January six months after Villa formally offered half a million.

If he has a good season at Vale he’ll be sold to a “Top 30” club and we won’t see him here again. There was a lot going on last season.
Like my comment if he does well we get a nice fee for him if not he probably replaces Eastwood
 
I’m still really surprised whenever I see this sort of comment re Stevens. The guy is still being monitored by 75% of the clubs in the Premier League. Arsenal nearly bid for him in January six months after Villa formally offered half a million.

If he has a good season at Vale he’ll be sold to a “Top 30” club and we won’t see him here again. There was a lot going on last season.
Not trying to discredit you just genuinely asking and appreciate if you cant say for obvious reasons, but how does a club nearly bid ? and how would you know another club nearly bid ?
 
Like my comment if he does well we get a nice fee for him if not he probably replaces Eastwood
Leaving our optios open. Either McGintey or Stevens could be Premiership keeper but they may not. We are in the lucky position of leaving our options very open. I will be amased if Eastwood is our first choice keeper at the end of the season though. Just think one of the others will get so much better.
 
I suppose loaning Stevens out is logical. If we are going to be playing McGinty more as the season goes on (and I think we probably are) then we certainly don't need to have three keepers with one playing most of the games and the other two sharing out the cup games. If McGinty is seen as the up and coming thing, then it had to be either Stevens or Eastwood going out on loan.

I suspect Stevens is more 'loanable' than Eastwood (and maybe it's less disruptive family-wise than for Eastwood?). I'm sure Stevens would prefer to be playing at Vale rather than warming the bench here, and if he does well and gets himself a move to a team higher up the leagues, then good luck to him. Signing him up for another three years gives him security (whether playing here or in Burslem) and means the club would get decent money for him should he move.
 
I’m still really surprised whenever I see this sort of comment re Stevens. The guy is still being monitored by 75% of the clubs in the Premier League. Arsenal nearly bid for him in January six months after Villa formally offered half a million.

If he has a good season at Vale he’ll be sold to a “Top 30” club and we won’t see him here again. There was a lot going on last season.

Because clubs at all levels of the football pyramid display a ton of recency bias.

And as good as he was in 2020/21, he had a poor season in 2021/22, whichever way you look at it (basic stats, advanced stats, the 'eye test'). Were there mitigating circumstances? Absolutely there were. But football is a 'what have you done for me lately' industry - and not unreasonably so. Talented prospects fall off metaphorical cliffs all the time, even without the effects of a couple of nasty illnesses in short order.

Jack has to re-establish his credentials as a potential top notch keeper - and unfortunately, losing the OUFC gig in pre-season to Easty is not a good start.

Do I think he can play at League One level, and potentially higher? Yes, of course, if he can get back to 2020/21 shot-stopping form and iron out some of the wrinkles in his game (kicking and handling of crosses, in particular)
Did I think a League One team would take a risk on him this summer? Can't say I did, which is why I'm pleasantly surprised. Thought he would have to drop a level to get his shot.
 
We've seen that Stevens can be an exceptional keeper at this level and also has the potential to be so much more. However we also saw him struggle last season, albeit, for reasons not all of his own making.

Hopefully a change of scene, a run of games, regaining his confidence, and we'll have a top goalkeeper to come back to us next summer. Or one of the 15 PL clubs to be watching him come in with a deal that's too good to refuse from all parties. Either way, sitting on our bench achieves nothing so a loan deal and improved terms from us is the best thing for everyone right now.
 
Not trying to discredit you just genuinely asking and appreciate if you cant say for obvious reasons, but how does a club nearly bid ? and how would you know another club nearly bid ?
Several ways, but usually it comes from a club official making an ‘off the record’ enquiry. Particularly higher up, some clubs don’t like lodging official bids unless they know it’s going to be accepted, as they don’t want the “embarrassment” of being turned down. Newcastle and Southampton asked the question re Baptiste a couple of years back after sending scouts to every home game for 2/3 months, but an official bid never came. They were right on the verge of pressing the button, though.

In the case of both Baptiste and Stevens, I only knew about clubs “nearly” bidding because I met a lot of people while working as a journo for national papers and magazines over a decade ago. Sometimes said people ended up working inside clubs and sometimes said people still work closely with particular clubs in the media. With Stevens, I merely happened to know one of the scouts who was tasked with his file. Pot luck.
 
Looks like a decent move alll round. Stevens has to prove he can keep at L1 level al over again.

Let’s hope he does.

Ps: assume there’s a recall clause. Football ‘s a funny old game. He might be needed next week.
 
I hope we put a clause in stevens loan agreement he can't play against us
It would be interesting tho.if he did play for vale against us
 
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