Official Gary Cahill transfer thread

[LiOC]

It's good to see that we're trying to sign him up. I can imagine that the other clubs are waiting for us to panic when it looks like he's leaving on a free. Hopefully this should push other clubs into action. Of course, if he rejects the contract we'll be in proper panic mode. Lets hope he signs on.

[Prufrock]

I'd be astounded if, given no-one looks like spending the big money, we didn't offer him a new contract. Obviously we would/will. Whether or not he accepts it is a completely different matter.

[Lord Kangana]

I'm guessing we'd have to make he deal pretty enticing if he were to sign. At the moment, he has the option of taking his pick in January, because of the potential cut price. The only way I can see it is if we offer him a long term, high wage, fully in the knowledge that he ain't going to stick around and we would recoup the investment several fold. From his point of view, it might make sense in that it would be insurance against serious injury/loss of form.

Depends how much of a gambler he is. Its a risk for either party, whichever happens.

[Prufrock]

Thing is, he has been almost entirely injury free, freak blood clot aside. The papers had him linked abroad, and he is a European style defender. He can sign for them in January. That is before you take into account that despite whatever rules they have about only signing players from the same country on a free one month in advance, it clearly happens before then. The Pratley deal has been known about since the winter. If Cahill banks on staying fit till xmas he has his pick of almost any club going. It'd have to be a hell of a wage. A wage we couldn't afford for the length of the contract, IE to get a big transfer fee. If we aren't getting that fee now, I can't see how we are likely to a year or more from now.

[Lord Kangana]

Its a difficult one. As I say, its a gamble for either side. From his its the risk of being contractless and clubless at the end of the season, if he does a Woodgate or something. And I wouldn't write off the nagging doubt in the back of many a players mind. From ours, its signing him up to a highly lucrative contract (the only way I can see him re-signing) and then him becoming an Albatross around our necks.

[Prufrock]

It sounds a bigger risk for us, which is one of the problems with the whole bastard thing. To keep your best players you have to pay wages you can't afford, but you can afford even less to not pay them. As for him, I'm not sure it is a nagging doubt anymore. If Cahill decided he hated football tomorrow, and was jacking it, he'd never have to work again. Of course, being human, he will try to get the best deal he can, but I'm not convinced he is particularly fearful of struggling for pennies. Put it this way, I bet Woodgate hasn't bothered with a pension scheme. If I was Cahill (ie a financially set for life non-Bolton fan) it would take a fair wedge for me to stay.

To contradict myself, I'm not sure all that isn't blown out of the water anyway. Even to give him massive wages by our standards probably wouldn't see him as highly well paid as Phil Jones, before taking into account the bump he'd get from signing on a free. I'd love him to stay- Holden, Lee, and Cahill are our three top (,top Jamie?) players- but I can't see it without paying him an irresponsible packet.

[elfil76]

no harm trying to get him to sign. Letting him walk away for nothing is what we want to avoid.

[irie Cee Bee]

No surprize to me. I always thought that was the reason why OC gave the big clubs 2 weeks to make up their minds with an offer that made sense to us. We would simply offer him more money with a new contract.

Win - win for everybody. Cahill gets more money, more first team opportunities, playing in a better team which could actually make it to Europe after the upcoming season.

For BWFC, a class defender for whom "big teams" would now have to put up for or shut up, and a stronger defense (better than if GC was not in it), with a strong tackiling midfield in front of them, unlike last season after Holden got injured. Now we are covered.

Just need a pacy forward.

[boltonboris]

I'll like to think he'll sign a deal in order to help us maximise his saleability.. But he won't, or at lease from his point of view, he shouldn't.. There's no danger of him being clubless, even if he sustains an injury.

[drummergeek]

going on a free

[TANGODANCER]

going on a free

Can you use that crystal ball and get me Saturday's lottery numbers?

[drummergeek]

going on a free

Can you use that crystal ball and get me Saturday's lottery numbers?

1 2 3 4 5 6

[CrazyHorse]

going on a free

Can you use that crystal ball and get me Saturday's lottery numbers?

1 2 3 4 5 6

I'll bet you 14 million quid those aren't the numbers.

[drummergeek]

would you bet 14m that gary cahill won't leave on a free?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

would you bet 14m that gary cahill won't leave on a free?

The club is.

[jimbo_bwfc]

Petrov is highest earner on what? 40k?

Offer him a few quid more, make him highest earner and stick a 12M release fee in there to give him a better chance of moving on in January/next July.

[drummergeek]

if we are giving him a new contract there is no point putting a 12m release clause in.

[CrazyHorse]

would you bet 14m that gary cahill won't leave on a free?

He'll not leave for free. More likely is we'll accept a silly offer on the final day of the transfer window.

So yeah, I'll take that bet.

[drummergeek]

would you bet 14m that gary cahill won't leave on a free?

He'll not leave for free. More likely is we'll accept a silly offer on the final day of the transfer window.

So yeah, I'll take that bet.

hmmmm right i don't have 14 mill so instead of betting against me buy us a new striker!

[jimbo_bwfc]

if we are giving him a new contract there is no point putting a 12m release clause in.

Course there is. Why would he sign a contract that makes it harder for him to leave Bolton than it already is?

He is more than likely going to walk away on a free to the club of his choice with a couple of million cash in hand, only way he'd sign a contract would be out of pure loyalty to us for getting him to where he is now and he feels he owes us a payday- there is no other logical reason he'd sign a deal. He's made no bones about the fact he wants to play for a top club- although he has done it in a respectful way.

Clubs are put off by our 17m pricetag. If we're saying to Cahill, here's a big wage increase and look we'll stick this release fee in so it's easier for you to get out to a big club then he might (still doubt it) but might agree to it.

If we're offering him a new contract with the same 17m release fee or no release fee then he's fecked up any ambitions of playing at the top level because we're not going to get there and clubs aren't going to pay that sort of money for him.