Should we extend Pukki's contract?

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

The chap is a club legend, still as good as ever, our talisman and our key to promotion (again) this season. Yet it feels like this is accepted by many to be his goodbye season. 

Look at Vardy still going strong, and how Defoe was still banging them in at 36. 

Doesn't look like his legs are going to me, the chap remains a machine. 

Why not extend his contract? 

[Capt. Pants 4,226]

Does he want it extending?

I don't think anything will happen before January as he's free to talk to other clubs then.

[Christoph Stiepermann 1,135]

If he wants to then yes and even on high wages. His game is about clever movement which only improves with age, he's no slouch but even if he loses some pace he'll still be effective. If we fail to get promoted he's got a few more years of scoring 20+ at this level which in invaluable considering how much 20 goal a season strikers got for at this level and if we go up and manage to stay up he'll be a superb option off the bench for a few more years. 3 years on 50k a week is about 8m, for a striker as useful as him that's peanuts and would save us having to spend that money on a replacement, even after those 3 years he'd still be younger than Billy Sharp who is a similar type of player (although not as good as Pukki) and he's still performing. If he wants to stay it's a no brainer, he's probably looking to see whether we're likely to get promoted this year though before agreeing to anything.

Edited July 18, 2022 by Christoph Stiepermann

[AJ 1,218]

It all depends on what Pukki wants to do, and given what he has done for us I don't think we'd stand in his way if he wanted to do one last thing at the end of his career. He might want to head back home, he might want to try getting into a team in the CL or might want to go to a team that can win trophies, or, of course, he might want to end his career here with us. I certainly think we'll be in talks with him about an extension given he is far and away our first choice striker

[Nuff Said 5,129]

21 minutes ago, Christoph Stiepermann said:

3 years on 50k a week is about 8m, for a striker as useful as him that's peanuts and would save us having to spend that money on a replacement

Plus pay the replacement’s wages. No brainer for me if we can persuade him to stay. 

[GodlyOtsemobor 2,294]

Should we? Absolutely

Will we? Probably not 

Does he want us to? Who knows. 

 

[Robert N. LiM 4,338]

1 hour ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

The chap is a club legend, still as good as ever, our talisman and our key to promotion (again) this season. Yet it feels like this is accepted by many to be his goodbye season. 

Look at Vardy still going strong, and how Defoe was still banging them in at 36. 

Doesn't look like his legs are going to me, the chap remains a machine. 

Why not extend his contract? 

If he wants to stay, then yes, absolutely. We should also be looking for a replacement, though. In the best case scenario, immediate promotion, we can't rely on his goals to keep us up. Just too much to ask of him.

[Legend Iwan 30]

100% yes. If we go up - and it is still a big if - and spend money on a new striker, Pukki as a second forward would still prove invaluable. And if we don't manage promotion, we definitely need him the season after to try again. 

[KeiranShikari 1,410]

Imagine he'll only sign a new deal if we're promoted and even then he might fancy a change. 

We're in a similar position with Cantwell. Like last season we could potentially lose 2 of our best players.

[Grando 260]

Yes!

[Canary dwarf 221]

Most definitely he still got a couple of good years in him, but does he want too stay , his agent says he wants to play at the top level , but agents try to unsettle there players ,it's in there financial interests to do so, 😃

[rock bus 851]

As others have said, we should definitely offer him one but I don't think he will accept.

He is getting on a bit but his movement is still  so good and that makes him an absolute pain for defenders to deal with - he pulls them out of formation, creating spaces.

I could see him dropping into the 10 role IF we ever find a replacement for him as striker! Indeed I think that's what he actually first did and why he was signed rather than for the goal machine he became.

[HazzaJet 252]

With both him and Hugill’s contracts set to expire next summer, I think we should certainly offer Pukki a new one as otherwise we will have to sign two replacements inside the next year, and we all know that’s the priciest position. I would also offer Cantwell a new contract as well, as he seems to have a positive attitude again and the last thing I want is for him to help us to promotion and go for nothing next summer

 

[canarybubbles 1,915]

16 minutes ago, HazzaJet said:

With both him and Hugill’s contracts set to expire next summer, I think we should certainly offer Pukki a new one as otherwise we will have to sign two replacements inside the next year, and we all know that’s the priciest position. I would also offer Cantwell a new contract as well, as he seems to have a positive attitude again and the last thing I want is for him to help us to promotion and go for nothing next summer

 

If we offer Cantwell a new contract, I think we should demand he sign it as a show of good faith that his new-found application is not just him putting himself in the shop window. The worst outcome would be if he downs tools again in September if he doesn't get the move he wants and becomes a disruptive influence for a third season in a row.

[Dean Coneys boots 1,400]

Is a good question for December I think. By which time we can see where the club is and how he is doing in new formation 

[NorthCarolinaYellow 197]

To me Pukki has earned the right to do whatever HE wants to do. Simple as that.

[chicken 2,624]

8 hours ago, Capt. Pants said:

Does he want it extending?

I don't think anything will happen before January as he's free to talk to other clubs then.

I thought that, apparently not though. It's the summer. Not January. 

[Mr Angry 1,555]

4 minutes ago, chicken said:

I thought that, apparently not though. It's the summer. Not January. 

Only for English clubs, if he wants to play anywhere else in the world he can sign a pre-contract agreement from January. 

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

7 hours ago, KeiranShikari said:

We're in a similar position with Cantwell. Like last season we could potentially lose 2 of our best players.

I would truly love for Cantwell to rediscover his past form, but at this stage it is historic form and there is no way he is currently considered one of our best players. Football is unforgiving, he's only as good as his last season and his last season was dreadful.

I can remember when Chris Llewellyn was right up there with our best players in the Championship, linked with Premier League sides for £4m (at the time a huge amount of money, Bellamy from the same era went for £6m for context), and he seemed to go off the boil and ended up in League One in no time. He had a good career in League One, and for a period was one of the best attacking players in that league, and I suspect that being near 'home' might have played a part in that as I'm sure his Wrexham form would have brought about Championship offers, but it was still a huge fall from grace.

Anybody could come along with £5m right now, possibly even £3m, and Webber would snap their hands off to accept that offer for Cantwell to free up wages and contribute to the rebuild fund.

I would however be chuffed if we could just squeeze some good performances and goals out of him, he can get the fans back on side to an extent and leave (albeit on the inevitable bosman) with a degree of goodwill and respect for helping us back up. 

I do fear a situation whereby he performs well but then shirks towards the end of the season to avoid injury which jeopardises his desired Bosman though. It happens. 

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

2 hours ago, NorthCarolinaYellow said:

To me Pukki has earned the right to do whatever HE wants to do. Simple as that.

Well I wasn't suggesting we kidnap him, bound him in tape, gag him, drive him to an abandoned warehouse in the sticks and keep him there until he signs. But I do get the broader point, he will probably want us to be promoted in order to stick around, at the least, as I'm sure he'd have more attractive options than the Championship. 

[Newtopia 517]

I suspect he would be tempted to join a bigger team and playing a smaller role within that squad.  I am sure some smaller premier league teams would love him to come off the bench, suspect he would be looking for European football, and not so sure he would get into those squads.
 

I also think Smith would tactically like more of a target man up front, I suspect Farke felt the same.  Equally scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in football and Pukki is ace at it.  Plus I love the guy and would delighted if he was around and ultimately moved into a coaching role (bth I hope Krul does the same)

[chicken 2,624]

34 minutes ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

Well I wasn't suggesting we kidnap him, bound him in tape, gag him, drive him to an abandoned warehouse in the sticks and keep him there until he signs. But I do get the broader point, he will probably want us to be promoted in order to stick around, at the least, as I'm sure he'd have more attractive options than the Championship. 

It'll be interesting to see what happens come next summer. Now really was/is the best time for him to move, at 32 he could realistically play on for at least another three years. His game isn't reliant on the type of pace that you lose with age - the explosive type.

Come next summer he'll be 33. Will the teams looking at him now still be interested? Will they be willing to offer the same sort of contract that they would offer this season?

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

1 hour ago, chicken said:

It'll be interesting to see what happens come next summer. Now really was/is the best time for him to move, at 32 he could realistically play on for at least another three years. His game isn't reliant on the type of pace that you lose with age - the explosive type.

Come next summer he'll be 33. Will the teams looking at him now still be interested? Will they be willing to offer the same sort of contract that they would offer this season?

I should imagine HJK Helsinki will be an attractive option, seeing as he is a national hero in Finland.

[Canary dwarf 221]

6 hours ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

I should imagine HJK Helsinki will be an attractive option, seeing as he is a national hero in Finland.

He is well above that level and he knows it.

[canarybubbles 1,915]

8 hours ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

Well I wasn't suggesting we kidnap him, bound him in tape, gag him, drive him to an abandoned warehouse in the sticks and keep him there until he signs. But I do get the broader point, he will probably want us to be promoted in order to stick around, at the least, as I'm sure he'd have more attractive options than the Championship. 

Deleted.

Edited July 19, 2022 by canarybubbles
Too risqué. I don't want to get banned from the site.

[Creedence Clearwater Couto 1,271]

Yes. 100%. 

However, if Smith is to go with a 4-3-3, and we don't bring in the creative players needed, is there any point? Be better off with Hugill up front...😐

* 4-2-3-1 is much better suited for Pukki. 

Edited July 19, 2022 by Creedence Clearwater Couto

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

1 hour ago, canarybubbles said:

Deleted.

??

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

1 hour ago, Canary dwarf said:

He is well above that level and he knows it.

Suppose it depends whether he wants to be the star of the team / big fish, or whether he's prepared to accept a squad role but at a big club. I suppose Brondby would love him back and he'd get European football, or Malmo?

Before us he was regularly in European competition, bet he misses that if anything. 

[Canary dwarf 221]

Just now, TeemuVanBasten said:

Suppose it depends whether he wants to be the star of the team / big fish, or whether he's prepared to accept a squad role but at a big club. I suppose Brondby would love him back and he'd get European football, or Malmo?

Before us he was regularly in European competition, bet he misses that if anything. 

I think he'd be great for Brighton as they create a lot for their strikers, but there not prolific ,pukki would score plenty for them.but I would be absolutely gutted if he left.,

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

2 minutes ago, Canary dwarf said:

I think he'd be great for Brighton as they create a lot for their strikers, but there not prolific ,pukki would score plenty for them.but I would be absolutely gutted if he left.,

Ironically Maupey would probably be a decent Pukki replacement, plus didn't he develop under Dean Smith?