Quote Originally Posted by Smartie View Post
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£2m for Youan has always felt like pie in the sky to me. It’s a number based on a theoretical potential level of performance that you could talk yourself into believing was possible but deep down you know is never actually going to happen consistently enough for anyone, ever, in order to justify the fee.
I think 18 months ago it was potentially realistic if he had 'done a Rocky' and went on a great run of really consistent performances.

He's 26 in a couple of days though and he's not really all that different from the player we signed back in 2022. A bit of a maverick, clear ability and a lot of upside but not really good enough or consistent enough for a level all that much higher. He's also suffered 2 long term injuries this season, whatever the nature of those injuries it's inarguable both kept him out for significant spells.

You might still get a coach who believes he can coach consistency and football IQ (insert Lee Johnson smile) into him but at his age and having played almost 150 games I don't think many are going to drop multiple millions on him. He's really at a stage where he has to be close to finished article rather than project with potential. £750K this summer and I'm pretty sure we'd deal, particularly given his contract situation. I'd even argue that isn't a bad deal for us; we signed him for somewhere south of that figure and have had a half decent return on the field.