Jozo Simunovic is a target for Lillie.
This is today’s ridiculous transfer story.
Ridiculous because with the big Israeli on his way to the club we’re finally back to where we were last season in terms of central defensive numbers … and the press is trying to suggest that we’d consider selling one of the guys who was a stalwart of the last campaign.
Why don’t I see that as likely?
Let me put it this way; unless there’s a readymade replacement just waiting to be scooped up, the idea is … not a good one.
We’re not talking Danny Simpson type disgraceful, awful, shocking here, but it’s not going to win good squad building awards either.
Simunovic can be rash at times.
He’s just been banned for getting sent off in a friendly for God’s sake, but this is exactly the worst possible moment for weakening the central defence all over again.
I can only assume that this will be Lennon’s stance when asked.
£5 million is low-ball stuff anyway. It’s an insulting offer which ought not even to be entertained. The story sounds all kinds of fishy to me, and so I hardly think we’re “braced” for the bid. We’ll simply tell them the player is not for sale and on we will go.
Of course, this presumes that the bid is real in the first place and not simply the media switching its game from Tierney to other players in the squad, which they did try to do yesterday with the hypothetical nonsense questions Lennon had to field about Callum McGregor.
If we sell Simunovic now we’re ruling the signing of Jullien redundant because it would be a like for like replacement when we’re still two central defenders down. I cannot foresee any circumstances under which we would take such a step.
When – if – Lille call and we tell them to “GTF” nobody in the media should misunderstand what that means.
It does not mean Going To France.