RUMOUR: Mills to Wolves (leicester bid accepted)

[leicsRoyal]

I keep seeing the word "ambitious" connected with Leicester.

I'd like to make the point that just because Leicester are spending big does not mean they have any greater ambition than Reading.

It simply means they have people who are prepared to gamble with their own / other people's money in an effort to fulfil their ambitions faster than might otherwise have been the case.

Agree with this also, although Leicester have got in early and signed players that they feel they need.
The danger with doing it our way is that by the time we realise what we need the cream at the top has gone or are already in advanced negotiations and we are left scratching around with what's left.
Either that or we have great faith in some fairly untested youngsters to make up our squad.

Earnshaw just completed move to Cardiff BTW.

[Terminal Boardom]

I think that it will be interesting to see how Leicester fare. Will there be an increase in STs sold? Will gates increase? They have the fan base to survive at a higher level but then so do we. At least they, and Ipswich, are getting their players in early. bringing in players halfway through the season can be very hit and miss. Torres is a good example of how badly things can go. That said, I agree with much of the sentiment already voiced. How the non playing over paid prima donnas react to not playing will be the difference between success and another season at this level.

[Svlad Cjelli]

...... The new Cardiff perhaps. .....

You heard it here first, ....

Except that 1hour, 19 minutes earlier I posted

Leicester are shaping up to be the new Cardiff - big spenders who everyone expects to get success.

[Svlad Cjelli]

...... The new Cardiff perhaps. .....

You heard it here first, ....

Except that 1hour, 19 minutes earlier I posted

Leicester are shaping up to be the new Cardiff - big spenders who everyone expects to get success.

[andrew1957]

I am rapidly going off Mills.

Looks like he has done a deal with Wolves and they are not prepared to pay more than 3M and now he is holding RFC to ransom saying “if you don't let me go I will walk away on a free next summer”.

Sounds like we don't want to sell to Leicester - which I completely understand - as it would send out a very negative message to our players that Leicester are a far more ambitious Championship club than we are.

If all this is true I can see Mills getting a very poor reception if he ever turns up at the Madstad again.

http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/wol ... on-future/

[roadrunner]

Paper talk. Take it with a large pinch of salt until you hear something official or from one of the few reliable posters ITK on here.

[Wimb]

It's hardly holding the club to ransom is it?

It would be different if Wolves were bidding say £1.5 million but the fact they're prepared to pay a price which generates us a profit on a player who is perfectly entitled to seek his fortune for free in 12 months hardly smacks of being a hostage style situation. Bear in mind also that this is happening in early July, leaving the club a month and a half to sign a replacement, not on the last day of the transfer window.

I see nothing wrong with a player who has given 2 loyal seasons of service to the club leaving for a Premier League team that will probably double his wages. Life in football is short and he has to do what's best for his career and his family.

[chilipepper91]

Mills transfer could come to a head this week. His agent is meeting Hammond today #readingfc

Fordham on Twitter

[rfcjoe]

It's just crazy how many people take paper talk as gospel.

Fookin' mongs.

[Ferris]

Ennit. I won't believe a word until it's confirmed by Kes.

[roadrunner]

Ennit. I won't believe a word until it's confirmed by Kes.

In Paint.

[Hoop Blah]

...who has given 2 loyal seasons of service to the club...

Whilst I have no real problem with him looking to move on if the right opportunity presents itself I really don't call his brief spell here as 2 loyal seasons.

He's been handsomely paid for his services, he's not doing a us a favour here!

[Hoop Blah]

....he's not been out in the media making noises like some might've. I would say that the 'refuses to put in a transfer request' is a Mills' people generated bit of coverage just to remind the world that he's attracting interest though.

We don't know what's going on behind the scenes either. Not signing a new contract (which he's perfectly entitled to do) is a pretty clear signal of intent though and leaves the club with few alternatives than try and cash in now if there are some very good offers on the table.

I still stand by this.

Holding to the club to ransom is a bit of an exaggeration but he is leaving us with limited options.

[Super Kevin Bremner!]

If I was Mills I'd be doing the same whilst ensuring my performances for the coming season were good enough to get me that Premier League move. I'd then also be keeping my options open that I might be making that Premier League move with reading should the team get promoted.

Don't really see how we stand to miss out too much there. If we aint that fussed about cashing in on him now, one would guess it's a gamble worth taking.

[Reading777]

RFC need to sit down with Mills and his agent to draw a line in the sand one way or another as this saga could go on and both parties will find themselves in a position of disadvantage, Mills losing a season of higher wages/top flight experiance, plus if he stays we lose £3m on a Bosman next summer and the ability to find a suitable long term replacement of whom wishes to fight for our cause.

I personally hope the lad goes and can try his luck in Premier League, for a player with his ability this type of opportunity won't come around to often and will no doubt represent a massive career challenge for him in holding down a regular 1st team place and cope with the higher skill levels associated within alot of the teams he'll be facing. Its also fair to say Wolves are likely to be down the lower end of the table if they lose their key front man (and maybe still if he stays), although Mills would still see that as a certain step up to our current position.... time will be the only judge...

[Svlad Cjelli]

....he's not been out in the media making noises like some might've. I would say that the 'refuses to put in a transfer request' is a Mills' people generated bit of coverage just to remind the world that he's attracting interest though.

We don't know what's going on behind the scenes either. Not signing a new contract (which he's perfectly entitled to do) is a pretty clear signal of intent though and leaves the club with few alternatives than try and cash in now if there are some very good offers on the table.

I still stand by this.

Holding to the club to ransom is a bit of an exaggeration but he is leaving us with limited options.

Yes, but that's what's happened to clubs like us since the very start of professionalism and the transfer system. It's just football.

[Svlad Cjelli]

RFC need to sit down with Mills and his agent to draw a line in the sand one way or another as this saga could go on and both parties will find themselves in a position of disadvantage, Mills losing a season of higher wages/top flight experiance, plus if he stays we lose £3m on a Bosman next summer and the ability to find a suitable long term replacement of whom wishes to fight for our cause.

Don't you think that will have happened already?

[Hoop Blah]

Don't really see how we stand to miss out too much there. If we aint that fussed about cashing in on him now, one would guess it's a gamble worth taking.

I guess the implication/worry is that we have to sell him now for the £3.5m that Wolves are happy to pay instead of the £4m we're after and the likes of Leicester are reportedly willing to pay.

I can't see the club being willing to keep him for a season and the let him go on a free. That's not our style these days so we're running the risk of Mills' preference dictating our sell price.

[Hoop Blah]

Yes, but that's what's happened to clubs like us since the very start of professionalism and the transfer system. It's just football.

Which I'm not criticising him for, just pointing out that all the 'isn't he doing the right thing' bits and pieces I'm reading recently aren't all that accurate.

He's still looking after number 1 and leaving the club with limited choices. Not that I think that's really wrong either.

[andrew1957]

Maybe I was being a tad harsh on Mills but since the Bosman rules came in all the cards are held by the player.

What seems to be happening more and more is that players are being told by agents to see out their contracts and then getting more lucrative contracts elsewhere. There seem to have been more high profile Bosmans already this season than I can recall happening in past seasons.

This is going to have a very adverse effect on smaller clubs as time goes by, as out going transfer values have been helping to keep them afloat. It also makes it very hard for a club like Reading to justify paying more than minimal transfer fees for incoming players. Paying something between 1 and 2M for Mills is not an investment if he chooses to walk away for free after 3 seasons.

I think players have to be prepared for a bit of give and take or they will simply kill the golden goose once and for all.