Taxi for Alonso - looks like he's off to Fiorentina! - NIXON

I heard it was Sunderland.

So we all agree the teams name begins with S then.

No, I'm still happy to stick with Stoke -

STOKE boss Tony Pulis is ready to make a bargain £600,000 swoop for Bolton’s Spanish contract rebel Marcos Alonso, writes Alan Nixon.

Pulis has made an inquiry for the former Real Madrid defender who is in talks with Serie A giants Fiorentina about signing a pre-contract.

The Italians have only offered £170,000 for Alonso and Bolton want more.

Stoke will meet the Trotters' asking price - and want permission to meet the player.

Alonso is already sitting on a £25,000-a-week offer from Fiorentina, so the Potters will have to push the boat out on his personal terms to make the move happen.

Pulis has been looking for a new left-back all season and Alonso’s recent form in the Championship has caught his eye - with Bolton willing to sell because he is out of contract in the summer.

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Ive no idea how we haven't offered him a contact last year given we paid quite a bit for him, but I wouldn't be to bothered about losing him if Dougie can get a replacement in time, and I assume we won't sell unless he can do anyway.

Hes young, just starting to show promise, but for me hes still too slow and it wouldn't be long before opposition managers realised that and targeted him, I don't feel he has been singled out by the opposition as much as our LB position was last year as it was such a known problem all year and that has probably helped him a little bit.

He will be a decent player but nothing to get too worried about losing.

I think he's had a few good games. Has he turned any corners? Not sure. He had a few games last year in the Prem where he looked great, but eventually got found out as defensively slow.

I'd like him to stay but he's far from indispensable.

The question is will we replace him with better? If not then we need to seriously consider if it is worth letting him go.

If we gave him a 3 year deal at 25k per week that works out at nearly 4 million quid in wages. Sounds a lot doesn't it?

But, if we let him go for 170,000 or nothing in the summer we would have to replace him. Even if his replacement was only offered 15k per week, that is still 2.5 mil in wages and we would still have a transfer fee and signing on fee to pay probably. So to save any money at all we would be looking at buying someone for less than 1 million. Are we going to find better than Alonso, at his age, for less than a mil?

jayjay23 wrote:The question is will we replace him with better? If not then we need to seriously consider if it is worth letting him go.

If we gave him a 3 year deal at 25k per week that works out at nearly 4 million quid in wages. Sounds a lot doesn't it?

But, if we let him go for 170,000 or nothing in the summer we would have to replace him. Even if his replacement was only offered 15k per week, that is still 2.5 mil in wages and we would still have a transfer fee and signing on fee to pay probably. So to save any money at all we would be looking at buying someone for less than 1 million. Are we going to find better than Alonso, at his age, for less than a mil?

Unless we sell someone we won't pay more than 250,000 for a left back, and they won't be on 15k. If they are young they won't be above 8k. 25,000 a week is ridiculous for a player how has proven very very little. Also I can't imagine the rest of the team would be happy to see Alonso on 25k.

Alonso is crap at defending and good at attacking, as a team were good at attacking and crap at defending, we need a proper defense and I don't really see him as being that hard to replace in terms of his defensive ability.

To tempt him away from Stoke and Florentina we would probably have to up our offer to 30k as well.. thats getting close to what Cahills wages were.

What annoys me is that he said himself that he's happy here and wants to stay. Greedy little shit!

If we lose him to a tinpot club like stoke and they go on to make a huge profit o. Him I won't be happy.

Tweer from Tower FM about 30 mins ago -

Bolton Boss Dougie Freedman on Marcus Alonso 'we've had an offer from Fioretina, not enough, and Stoke have enquired about him'

Nixon tweet about a hour ago -

There is nothing in Chung Yong Lee to Stoke. Been asking for Alonso - so are Forest. But Bolton not selling yet

I can go for letting him leave for Fiorentina or Stoke but not a team in the same league as us, it would be fucking madness letting him go to Forest unless they pay big money.

Nixon just now -

Nobody in for Kevin Davies. No contact. Kamara down to one last piece of paperwork. Too late now on Alonso and Ngog.

Bolton left-back Marcos Alonso is close to securing a move to Fiorentina on a free transfer at the end of the season, according to his father.

Alonso is out of contract at the Reebok Stadium in the summer and yet to agree a new deal with the Trotters despite being offered an extension.

Fiorentina are thought to be frontrunners for his signature, while Stoke and Celtic have also been linked with the 22-year-old former Real Madrid youngster.

Alonso's father and agent, Marcos Alonso Pena, says a move to Serie A with the Viola at the end of the campaign is a likely option for the defender.

But Alonso senior insists assisting Bolton's promotion push is his son's main priority at the moment.

He told tuttomercatoweb of the youngster, who joined the Trotters from Real in 2010: "Yes, Fiorentina are very, very close to Marcos.

"We were in Florence for the first time in December, to speak with the Viola.

"But now Marcos wants to finish this season quietly with Bolton, trying to do his best professional job to bring the club into the Premier League."

There must be some slow wingers in Italy if they think he's going to be a success.

Boggersbelief wrote:

"But now Marcos wants to finish this season quietly with Bolton, trying to do his best professional job to bring the club into the Premier League."

Maybe his dad should shut the fuck up then.

Drink driving wanker.

But seriously, I think it will be a blow to lose him, as I think he has good potential and has finally established himself here.

Can see why he would want to go to Fiorentina though.

We could always sign butterfield.

fuck him.

Little money grabbing prick with an even more money grabbing daddy...

Boggersbelief wrote:We could always sign butterfield.

You jest. But Dougie rates him.

Signing him was more of a favour for a friend IMO.

Something which coyle would have done...