Stoke reject O'Connor offer

17 July 2003

He may well be playing for us over in Denmark, but Stoke City and Albion appear to be miles apart over the fee to be paid for midfielder James O'Connor. Although he was out of contract and free to move, he was under 24 at the time and therefore compensation is due to be paid by Albion. The clubs must agree a fee or take the case to the League Tribunal, which is an outcome that is now looking increasingly likely.

According to their official web site, Stoke have rejected Albion's initial offer of £50,000 - spread over twelve months in two instalments of £25,000 - saying that they turned down a bid of £750,000 for O'Connor three years ago because they felt it wasn't enough, and that he has developed further as a player since then and gained International experience. Quite what figure they have in mind isn't obvious - they seem to suggest that it would be in excess of the figure turned down three years ago - but it seems so far away from anything Albion are offering that agreement seems unlikely. What Stoke don't seem to have taken into account is that he had three years left on his contract back then?

Previous Stories:

  11 July 2003:  Astle Gates Unveiled

  11 July 2003:  O'Connor and Hulse signed

  10 July 2003:  MP backing Sakiri

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