MANAGER: We've made a financial bid for a player

Keith Curle on a striker transfer bid

Manager Keith Curle spoke to us about his current transfer window activity at his press conference on Thursday morning.

"We've made a financial bid for a player," he revealed. "That has opened the door to negotiations, but it hasn't opened it far enough to allow us to speak to the player yet.

"I've spoken to his agent but there are more negotiations needed between John [Nixon] and the other football club. Myself and John had a meeting at half past eight this morning and I know he has since been on the phone to the other club.

"A financial bid isn't something I really wanted to do, but a team in and around us offered money and we matched that. It isn't something I wanted to take to John, but I had to.

"The other club had their bid accepted and they were able to speak to the player. We've structured our bid slightly differently. I think they want us to match the up-front fee before we can speak to the player, so we're in the process of making sure we have the funds available. John has told me the funds are there so he's in the process of speaking to the other club to get that permission."

"There has been a financial saving on the Alex Marrow situation," he explained. "Part of the compromise agreement meant we saved money on what we would have paid Alex. John told me right from the start that any money that is saved or generated by the football department can go into the pot and get used again. He's stuck by what he's said, and I know I can take requests to him and he'll come up with solutions for me."

"The bid hasn't been accepted in its entirety yet," he continued. "The way it's being structured, they would like more money up front and a sell on for the player. We're negotiating within those boundaries to safeguard ourselves.

"We don't mind paying the money up front if the lad comes in and is successful. We're also trying to negotiate some variants within the sell on. We're trying to say the longer he's with us, and the more games he plays for us, it should then mean the sell on is reduced.

"If he comes in and plays 70 or 80 games then he's a League Two player. If he comes in and has the impact we think he will, and he leaves us after 15 or 20 games, that means he's above this level so the sell on will be higher." 

"I'm hopeful we're not far away from being able to speak to the player," he continued. "He's a centre forward who I think has got a future. He has good attributes based on what I've seen.

"He's got good work rate, good mentality and good desire. He needs more game time than he's getting at his club at the moment. If I'm able to meet him, and see if he's got the right character to go with his attributes, he is somebody I would like to bring to the club." 

"He's young, but not fledgling," he said. "He's been out on loan before so he's had a taste of league football. I've seen him a couple of times myself in reserve games and he's somebody who I think has a future at this level, and the level above.

"The more game time these types of players get the more they can flourish. He can play in a number of positions which could be vital for us. He's currently at a Championship club."

On other targets, he said: "I had another target who I was looking at who has decided to see out the transfer window and keep his options open, which he is entitled to do.

"I've not closed the door on that but you have to respect the fact that he wants to ply his trade at the highest level possible.

"There was interest from a League One club so he is trying to maximise that and see if he can get an 18 month contract." 

"We're still looking at other players," he confirmed. "We've also got players here who are concerned because they aren't getting the game time they think their career merits.

"That's something else I'm happy to manage. We've got a squad of 24 or 25 players, so some of them aren't going to be getting game time. There are reasons behind that - sometimes it's tactical and sometimes it's because of the position we're in.

"We aren't forcing anybody out of the door. The players who have been made available have been made available for a reason. If you have a look at some of the performances from Antony Sweeney and Sean O'Hanlon it shows it's having a good effect. They are players who were made available for loan but are now reaping the rewards from the effort they've put in."