Everybody says January is a difficult window and we know most of the deals get done in the last day sweep.

Why is that? Because everyone dances round the handbags and waits until the equivalent of the last dance before getting off with someone!

Selling clubs, agents and players are looking to get auctions going (see Snodgrass, today, not earlier).

Buying clubs look to do their dealing early, but if selling clubs, agents and players want to see what else might come up, there's not a lot can be done earlier.

Yup, good post. It is pure conjecture.The only news we hear is the news that either Palace, Sunderland or one of the agents want us to hear. It is all smoke and mirrors.

Take PVA for example. Decent players are not going to sign for Sunderland if they are going to sit on the bench in a relegation fight, so Sunderland are happy to put out that PVA is on his way to Palace.

PVA is equally happy because he can sit tight for a few days to hear whether there is interest from elsewhere. He is getting paid after all, he has nothing to lose.

Palace are not unhappy either, because all the other clubs with players to sell in these positions (i.e. Norwich and Robby Brady) start to think that they might lose Palace as a buyer.

Everyone can dance around their handbags until the last few days. It is all fine, as long as we take all this transfer news with a pinch of salt. The problem on here is that people think that we are actually in for everyone we are linked with, that we should be able to sign everyone that we want to and that having an offer accepted is the end of the dealings. It just isn't like that.

One thing to say for Sam is that he is experienced in transfers. He is obviously playing the game. We seem to have deals set up and ready to go all over the place. The press are lapping it up. The only downside is the histrionics on here.

Yup, good post. It is pure conjecture.The only news we hear is the news that either Palace, Sunderland or one of the agents want us to hear. It is all smoke and mirrors.

Take PVA for example. Decent players are not going to sign for Sunderland if they are going to sit on the bench in a relegation fight, so Sunderland are happy to put out that PVA is on his way to Palace.

PVA is equally happy because he can sit tight for a few days to hear whether there is interest from elsewhere. He is getting paid after all, he has nothing to lose.

Palace are not unhappy either, because all the other clubs with players to sell in these positions (i.e. Norwich and Robby Brady) start to think that they might lose Palace as a buyer.

Everyone can dance around their handbags until the last few days. It is all fine, as long as we take all this transfer news with a pinch of salt. The problem on here is that people think that we are actually in for everyone we are linked with, that we should be able to sign everyone that we want to and that having an offer accepted is the end of the dealings. It just isn't like that.

One thing to say for Sam is that he is experienced in transfers. He is obviously playing the game. We seem to have deals set up and ready to go all over the place. The press are lapping it up. The only downside is the histrionics on here.