I think Kone’s transfer away from here needs to be sooner rather than later. It helps him to settle in his new environment with friendlies and plenty of training alongside his new teammates. It’ll also allow us to plan and develop a way of playing next season without him and plenty of time to find and sign his replacement.
The worst thing that can happen is a deadline day transfer as Kone will be thrown in at the deep end and could lose face if he doesn’t score goals early on. It’ll also derail the start of our season, playing with him in the squad for the first few games and then losing our goal threat.
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It’ll be good to sell Kone and loan him back for season.
This wouldn’t be a bad option for us but I see it as being unlikely. Kone has proved he can score at this level, how would his new club see it as helping his development? Surely they’d want him to play Championship level to aid his development OR just keep him at their club (if he signs for PL team). He’s almost 22 and to be limited to another season at League 1 level wouldn’t make sense in my mind
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If Kone wants away, good luck to him. Every player of his age would want the same. Next move will be crucial though. Like goalies, strikers have a very small window to perform before going from an exciting new signing to a disaster.
Agreed. West Ham would be the perfect destination for such a deal.
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If i was his agent I think I would advise him to see out his contract with us, and then get interested clubs in an orderly queue to see who will give him the best signing on fee.
It makes sense for us to make him a massive new contract offer, because isn’t the level of any compensation awarded partly based on the value of such offer?
O’Connor has signed a four year contract at Reading! I’m glad we’re not doling those out.
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4 year contracts in League One is absolute madness. Surprised to see “Mr Sustainable” Rob Couhig dish that out.
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It’s the Reading way
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Shame we never may get to see Kone score to the keepers left.
Good to see Reading out of the financial mess, and straight into long term contracts to league one players.
Do clubs learn? Or has Robbie C got a hidden stash.
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won’t be long before their fans will be complaining about cohig
4 year contracts in League 1.Totally madness. Couhig and Jacobson surely know better. But it maybe the only way you attract players to a basket case of a club.
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The problem with that, if you’re Richard Kone, is that you don’t know those offer will be around in another 12 months! What happens if he has a poor season or he gets an injury early next season?
If I’m Richard Kone, or his agent, I’d be saying grab the best deal you can when it’s offered. That’s the way of football.
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If you were his agent you’d be pushing him to get as big a money transfer as possible, right now. After all, those nice signing bonuses to pay for said-agent’s trainer obsession / coke habits / sex worker peccadilloes will always come in handy in the current financial year and not the next. The bigger the transfer, the bigger the 10% agency fee. It’s likely far less of a pay day if Kone goes for nowt and the agent just gets 10% of a signing on fee. They also will know very well that Kone’s return of 0 goals over many matches in the second half of the season could easily be replicated in the coming campaign, especially playing for a head coach who’s all about control and defensive tightness. Kone could easily go from the coming man to a busted flush. Now is the time to capitalise, not later.
On the other hand, Dev is right that Kone’s opaque visa status could easily cause complications in any move. Wycombe, as his sponsor employer (I’m assuming) may hold more cards than normal when players want to move away. In which case a big money new contract with us may be the only real viable option.
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I believe Kone is a British citizen.
If he is, its all quite confusing, maybe it was the reporting.
I understood he couldnt sign initially because of his status. Which would generally mean he didnt have recourse or had a restriction. Usually a refugee is granted 5 years indefinite leave before he can claim citizenship.
A lot of the reporting hasnt been overly clear.
Yes but football status is entirely different.
Kone had been in this country five years before he signed for Wycombe.
This is where, its all a bit vague, and you have stated a fact. But mot sure how, as reports are he came to the UK for the homeless world cup in summer 2019, and signed for Wycombe in January 2024. So, not 5 years.
My reading from reports were he couldnt sign duevto his status, and you cant get citizenship without 5 years indefinite leave. And you get indefinite leave afterbyou have been granted status.
If Wycombe assisted with his legal status, which i think i read, id presume he is under a visa.
Unless, he has bypassed the usual system because he is a footballer, and thats just wrong.