Jermaine Beckford has been a want-away at Leeds for the best part of a year and his 20-odd goal haul and match-winner at Old Trafford look like booking him his move. When you add to that the fact that he a surly and arrogant git and enjoys a love-hate relationship with Leeds fans, then you can see them cashing in. It looks like Leeds will not be taking any chances on their promotion train being derailed this time and they are being linked with Wes Hoolahan and Simeon Jackson. This would make perfect sense as the fee for Beckford should comfortably cover both players and in addition to replacing Beckford, they would be damaging Norwich's chances in the process. Norwich couldn't resist a big bid for Hoolahan, even if it were by Leeds.
The other knock-on of this scenario would be that the Gills would be left looking for a striking replacement for Jackson and Chris Dickson remains high on their list. I can see him going there in spite of the managerial tit-for-tat over his failed loan deal before he joined Rovers. Business is business when it comes down to it and I don't believe Parky has changed his mind about Dicko's long-term Charlton future despite what he's purported to have said in the last couple of days. The fact is that if we get our extension to David Rooney's loan, then Dicko will fall back down the pecking order. If Akpo Sodje became available for an extension too, Chris Dickson would simply be surplus to requirement once again.
There seems like little other business likely to be conducted by us and my money would be on any other signing being players for the future (youth) or cover for any possible outgoings at virtually no fee. I am thinking of a goalkeeper if Darren Randolph finds himself a better opportunity than reserve football or at worst a prospect to cushion the blow of losing Jonjo Shelvey. I don't think Shelvey is playing well enough yet to get the sort of move we couldn't resist. He's unlikely to get regular first-team football outside the bottom-half of the Championship at the moment.
The one player whose departure could spell the end of our promotion hopes is Nicky Bailey but I believe that's plain for all to see and that the Board have invested too much in our promotion bid for that to happen just yet. If we fail this season to make the Championship, I don't think the club will have any other options come May without significant new investment and I think they would see that as the optimum time to cash in on Bailey and rebuild during the close season.
Saturday's Wycombe Wanderers match looks like it should go ahead and it's a game we need to win if we are to stay in touch with the top two. If we don't take three points, then we face the prospect of slipping to fourth before we play Leyton Orient at the Valley in front of the Sky cameras on Monday 25th January.
Beckford is out of contract in the summer, so Leeds won't get too much for him (maybe £500,000?). Would that be enough to prise Hoolahan from Norwich? Gills would want at least £200,000 for Jackson. If it did pan out as you say, then maybe we can get £50k from the Gills for Dicko too?
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