Yeah, something like that has been the reported sale clause in the loan agreement. That doesn't mean that it can't or won't be renegotiated if Barnsley miraculously make it to the EPL this year. It also doesn't mean that Barnsley wouldn't pay it anyway (though I highly doubt it) because, experience at that level or not, keeping that guy who fits your team so well and does what Dike does is going to be crucial if Barnsley hope to stay up in their first year in the EPL since 98.
According to one of the Barnsley forums they have a quote from a board member (ok apparently it's from CEO Dane Murphy) stating that figure was blown way out of proportion and that he's very much within their purchasing budget. Whether that's true or not his value has certainly gone up since he arrived there.
It's also worth remembering that if Barnsley reach the EPL, their strikers won't be touching the ball a lot.
You're right about this. Their only chance might be to chuck balls up field and hope someone can do something with it. It might be a miserable year for Dike if it comes to pass but I'm hopeful that he's the kind of player and person that might be able to adjust and make something happen. It would help that he's a beast, a fighter not a whiner. He'll get up and try again--that seems like his MO. The guy has "'Merica 2000s" written all over him. It worked for McBride and Dempsey. EDIT: All this written out, I realize that I seem to be indicating mid-table EPL as his high-end, which I think is a reasonable outcome at this point. Given our striker pool, we could do worse (and might not do better any time soon).
Btw interesting tidbit Billy Beane (of Moneyball fame) is a minority owner at Barnsley... unless they get that EPL money from a miracle promotion they won't be sending Orlando suitcases of cash for Dike anytime soon!
7th place in the Championship is about on par for where all the Moneyball Era A's have finished. Decent, sometimes good but never great. No matter how you evaluate it or acquire it and no matter the sport, great costs big bucks.
Of course they'll touch the ball! They'll touch the ball for one of the kick-offs and for the multiple restarts after Barnsley concede goals
"You won't sleep with me for $100 but you said you'd think about $10000000? At this point we're not debating whether or not you'd prostitute yourself, we're just debating the price." Dike would be a pretty good money ball purchase even now but if he keeps it up I wonder if that price rises above their means. It's also why as a West Ham fan, I'm resigned to losing Declan Rice to Chelsea because while he says he's "bought in", Chelsea are gonna ask him, "Yes, but are you still bought in if we offer you a 500% salary increase?" And to him I'd say squeeze those a-holes for every penny you can.
I always wanted to write a book called: YankeeBall! Free Agency, Relief pitching, and Left-Handed Power Hitting
True, but IMO he has far more physical presence than McBride had and his touch is already a bit better than I remember McBride's to have been.
Dike does that for 70-75 minutes and he can then be subbed off for a fast, mobile winger/striker crossover, e.g. Weah, who will draw fouls, PKs and cards from physically and mentally exhausted defenders. That in turn limits the opposition coach's final-20-minutes tactical options a lot.
I doubt that he is able to get all those muscles high in the air. And that's where McBride was thriving. And, actually, don't see how they are similar except that both aren't fast.
McBride was quite physical and elite in the air. I haven’t seen much to show that Duke’s touch is better than McBride.
Even in a depressed market Lukaku would cost +60 million Euros, a third of which would be the rumoured price of 20 million. Which happens to be double what Sunderland paid for Jozy. That'd make Dike the poor man's Lukaku or the rich man's Jozy Altidore. Either way, not a bad player to have in your squad.