Transfer Speculation Continues

There's a day to go until the transfer deadline, and if the reports are to be believed it looks like the movement is outwards rather than incoming.

The future of Jerome Thomas and Andy Reid has been speculated recently, and this morning there is news that Portsmouth are interested in a deal for Thomas for £1.5 mil, and Sunderland are chasing Reid for £2.5 mil.

I stated in an earlier post that I didn't expect Thomas to leave, and that I hoped the vultures wouldn't be swooping around Reid. However, in our present financial situation and the way we are playing recently, the club may decide to accept these offers.

I'm really not too fussed if Thomas goes. Yes, he's a handful. Yes, he can be exciting to watch. However, the reality is that once you get past the step-overs and close control, there's not a lot of end-product to his game. He rarely scores (although he has got some crackers) and his crossing is often wayward. If rumours of £1.5 million are right, I'd personally take it. It would pay for the Gray transfer, and I would imagine he's still on Premier League wages.

Reid is one I really don't want us to let go of. It's arguable by some that we don't need him as much now – our switch to 4-4-2 doesn't necessarily give us the luxury of protecting Reid to create, and he doesn't have the tackling of Zhi or the pace of Ambrose.

However, we need to think what might happen towards the end of the season. If Youga and Viewtoakill pick up injuries, we might not be able to play with the same attacking shape we have. There may be games where we have to play 4-5-1. In these instances without a clear attacking formation, Reid has proved to be our only source of creativity, which poor results over the Christmas period only served to prove.

Then there's also the question of the proposed fee. £2.5 million is only half what I value Reid at, especially when you consider the frankly ridiculous sums Sunderland have been dishing out recently. If Kenwyne Jones is worth £6 million, the sums mentioned so far are frankly an insult and smacks of Keane and Quinn playing on their Irish connections.

The fact that we don't appear to be linked with bringing in any fresh blood as a replacement is further indication that any more transfer activity may simply be a book-balancing exercise. I really hope this isn't the case.

Murray/Pards – Let Thomas go to pay for Gray if we have to. But with the push for promotion heading in the right direction, the loss of a match-winner like Reid could really hinder our prospects.

The riches that could meet us in the Premier League will dwarf £2.5 million in the short term.