Transfer News, Gossip & Speculation Transfer Rumours Thread 2024/2025.

[GBJ]

Actually think he's the right profile for us. Good in the air, presses well. Should help with defending our box from set pieces as well as winning knock downs for kendall/walker etc.
The smart move would be a loan till end of season with a view to a permanent. He'd then be more or less in direct competition with Bonne for a contract for the next season. (Or we bid them both farewell come June)
Injury concerns are the one thing that bugs me.
Pretty certain he lives in Leigh and plans too for the long term so it makes sense.

If Bonne doesn’t find his shooting boots, I can’t see him getting another contract with us

 

[CMRandall92]

If Bonne doesn’t find his shooting boots, I can’t see him getting another contract with us

Yeah that's why I added the (Or we bid them both farewell come June)
Personally if it was easy I'd rip up Bonne's contract now. I think Wood is way off good enough and I'd even prefer him to be in our squad at Bonne's expense.

 

[Smiffy]

Looknofurther than Matt Jay

He has a contract here until the end of the season, I think he will be looking for longer than that, when he arrived here it was 2.5 years, I feel he will be looking for similar or at least 18 months.

Can we have Jack Payne back?

 

[Boreham Blue]

Hopper wouldn't fit the long term ethos. Plus what's the fascination with Ex players ? he was half decent 5 years ago, plus he's injury prone and into his 30's. Let's move on.

I’d disagree with half decent. He was excellent when he was with us

 

[Colblue]

I think he is a real possibility, also we have Matt Jay kicking his heels at our place, a situation most U’s fans are perplexed with, we think it’s because another appearance will trigger an additional payment to Exeter!
Way too good a player not to be in someone’s squad, I can only imagine he must be one of our top earners as I’ve not seen much in the way of pushing for a move himself.
At NL level I would actually be excited with Hopper and Jay up top

 

[kentblues]

Actually think he's the right profile for us. Good in the air, presses well. Should help with defending our box from set pieces as well as winning knock downs for kendall/walker etc.
The smart move would be a loan till end of season with a view to a permanent. He'd then be more or less in direct competition with Bonne for a contract for the next season. (Or we bid them both farewell come June)
Injury concerns are the one thing that bugs me.
Pretty certain he lives in Leigh and plans too for the long term, and we wanted him not that long ago, so it makes sense.

Col Loud description I would say he is hitting a lot of the criteria on the laptop- assuming its now working..
Contract up at the end of the season so a loan to the end of the season, or permanent to end of season with club option would potentially be very good business. But probably nothing to see here.

 

[Blue Yonder]

At least our Col U supporting friends are giving a positive reference. Normally the players existing 'fans' snort with derision at our signings (Bonne and Moncur for a start).

 

[southendkid]

5 goals in 68 league matches over the last 3 seasons. If the club are applying their data driven analysis to potential transfers I fail to see how he would pass that criteria.

Whether it ends up being successful I don't know but I thought the point of the data was to highlight players that would otherwise go under the radar if you just looked at who had a lot of goals and assists?

 

[kentblues]

If Hopper did come in - I believe Kev is a fan of his and wanted him previously - it would be interesting to see how long it’s for.

A short term deal to the end of the season, with an option maybe?

If it was a permanent signing for any longer…. Well. Questions would indeed need to be answered.

Much would depend on the details, what the salary expectations are etc. If his expectations are sensible given he's local who knows. I would expect Kev and COSU to make a sensible judgement there. If I was one of our other forwards I would be keen on this one happening but all speculation and 2+2 may =5...

 

[Grayson]

At NL level I would actually be excited with Hopper and Jay up top

Our fans used to be guilty of this until we got here too. Usually if somebody is poor in L2, they are poor in the NL. However you've been positive on both players so hopefully they'd do well if they joined.

 

[meerkat54]

I think if Hopper is a permanent signing he would be looking for 18 months on a contract.
Don’t think he would bothered with 6 months, that don’t offer him much security.

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

Hopper won't bring the goals personally, but he may just bring the goals out of others with his hold up play. The likes of Kendall and Walker can play off of him. The wouldn't be expected to drop deep, they could actually play on the shoulder. We have been crying out for a proper target man since Cardwell left. Pepple would have been even better next to a target man.

 

[GBJ]

I think if Hopper is a permanent signing he would be looking for 18 months on a contract.
Don’t think he would bothered with 6 months, that don’t offer him much security.

He may not be in a position to be overly choosy though. He’s out of contract at the end of the season, so time isn’t on his side.

Would another Lg2 club pick him up? If not, how low would he be willing to drop? And then how far would he be willing to travel?

Plenty of variables to consider.

 

[dusterman]

Hopper won't bring the goals personally, but he may just bring the goals out of others with his hold up play. The likes of Kendall and Walker can play off of him. The wouldn't be expected to drop deep, they could actually play on the shoulder. We have been crying out for a proper target man since Cardwell left. Pepple would have been even better next to a target man.

Yep, yes, yeah, exactly.

 

[rshepp]

Can we have Jack Payne back?

Midfield never the same after he left.

 

[kentblues]

Midfield never the same after he left.

Payne would have been perfect as LCM in our current system

 

[ColinMorrisWalksOnWater]

I think he is a real possibility, also we have Matt Jay kicking his heels at our place, a situation most U’s fans are perplexed with, we think it’s because another appearance will trigger an additional payment to Exeter!
Way too good a player not to be in someone’s squad, I can only imagine he must be one of our top earners as I’ve not seen much in the way of pushing for a move himself.
At NL level I would actually be excited with Hopper and Jay up top

That would probably rule him out of our sights/computer screen. Salary aside I wonder if he would be willing to drop down to NL?

 

[Colchester and proud!]

Can we have Jack Payne back?

Unlucky he is a very decent little player and loving playing for the Cowley’s.

 

[RHB]

Midfield never the same after he left.

I can never resist this whenever Jack is mentioned.

 

[Colchester and proud!]

That would probably rule him out of our sights/computer screen. Salary aside I wonder if he would be willing to drop down to NL?

Matt Jay is a great little player and very unlucky to not be playing, word is if he plays another game we will owe Exeter another £75K, so as our midfield is so strong he has missed out.I think he is one of our better paid players because we had high hopes for him when he signed, my guess would be at least 3K a week. I think his family have struggled with the move from Devon so my guess would be if he drops down to the NL it would be Yeovil or Torquay in the league below. He will obviously have to take a huge wage cut so I feel he may just sit it out here until the summer.