Rony Lopes

[Matty]

It's simpler for me. If he has a buyback clause (which I'm hopeful is the case especially due to his tweet re City after leaving) then it's disappointing but ok. If he doesn't, it is a catastrophically fucking stupid, EdWoodward/ De Gea level fuckup as he is potentially worth a fortune & we should have got him signed up before he went to Lille.

I'll agree that the error here was allowing him to reach 12 months left on his contract, an error we also made with Denayer. I'm no talking signing him up to a 4 or 5 year deal 12 months ago, but what's wrong with a 12 month extension? However, on the topic of a buyback clause, that would need to be agreed with both Monaco and Lopes I presume? If one, or both, parties refuse then there's not much City can do (ok, if Monaco refuse we could always look to sell elsewhere I suppose). Lopes' statement looks like he's still on good terms with the club, however these things can be for PR purposes so we can't be 100% certain he isn't feeling a bit aggrieved at not getting regular time at City.

Oh, and none of this is as big a fuck up as the De Gea debacle! That's cost United £30m, plus the reputational damage that is still being caused by the uncertainty, and the blaming between United and Real. City got/will get £9m for Lopes, and the World isn't scrutinising us over it. Even if he turns out to be a £40m/£50m player in the future we'll be cut some slack as it's far from certain. People aren't vilifying Chelsea/Mourinho for selling De Bruyne and look what he's done since.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Not the 'close the thread' type but it does seem odd that this is still running. I thought it was a done deal? If so, don't suppose anyone knows if we inserted a buy back clause?

 

[Sunnysideupp]

I'll agree that the error here was allowing him to reach 12 months left on his contract, an error we also made with Denayer. I'm no talking signing him up to a 4 or 5 year deal 12 months ago, but what's wrong with a 12 month extension? However, on the topic of a buyback clause, that would need to be agreed with both Monaco and Lopes I presume? If one, or both, parties refuse then there's not much City can do (ok, if Monaco refuse we could always look to sell elsewhere I suppose). Lopes' statement looks like he's still on good terms with the club, however these things can be for PR purposes so we can't be 100% certain he isn't feeling a bit aggrieved at not getting regular time at City.

Oh, and none of this is as big a fuck up as the De Gea debacle! That's cost United £30m, plus the reputational damage that is still being caused by the uncertainty, and the blaming between United and Real. City got/will get £9m for Lopes, and the World isn't scrutinising us over it. Even if he turns out to be a £40m/£50m player in the future we'll be cut some slack as it's far from certain. People aren't vilifying Chelsea/Mourinho for selling De Bruyne and look what he's done since.

What was Lopes' statement regarding City after he left?

 

[Matty]

What was Lopes' statement regarding City after he left?

Can't remember exactly what he said, but it was a fairly complimentary one, thanking the club, the coaches, the fans etc. Didn't sound like he had an axe to grind, but as I said that could just have been because his agent is savvy enough to make sure he doesn't burn any bridges publically.

 

[abellwillring]

It's simpler for me. If he has a buyback clause (which I'm hopeful is the case especially due to his tweet re City after leaving) then it's disappointing but ok. If he doesn't, it is a catastrophically fucking stupid, EdWoodward/ De Gea level fuckup as he is potentially worth a fortune & we should have got him signed up before he went to Lille.

This is significant hyperbole even by your standards.

 

[Sunnysideupp]

Can't remember exactly what he said, but it was a fairly complimentary one, thanking the club, the coaches, the fans etc. Didn't sound like he had an axe to grind, but as I said that could just have been because his agent is savvy enough to make sure he doesn't burn any bridges publically.

I'd be very surprised if we haven't included a buy back/ first refusal clause but that said the fee was pretty high for a relatively unproven talent making me less confident. Unfortunately I haven't read any media reports confirming or denying a buy back clause

 

[Neville Kneville]

This is significant hyperbole even by your standards.

It depends if you give a shit & take an interest or not. Many of you don't. I do. I watched him play quite a fair bit for Lille & he ranged from 'ok' to fantastic. The rags have just paid 36 mil rising to 50 plus, for 'ok' in the same league. That bloke may end up better than Lopes or not as good. Both outcomes are possible
Transfer fees are only going one way, up & up & up. If Lopes is 'ok' he'll be worth double what we got for him, if he's fantastic, he'll be worth 10 times what we got. If we haven't got a buyback then it's a potential fucking disaster, especially when you read his tweets & how much he loves the club. De Gea doesn't love Utd & had no reason to sign. If Real Madrid had been hunting Lopes, it would be pretty understandable we lost him. Lopes should have been signed ages ago.

I've been completely supportive of City on transfers in. But I'm not kissing their arses if they've fucked up. All of the most talented kids should be signed up long term & if they are allowed to leave like this, we should have a buyback & a sell-on clause.

I trust we have.

 

[squirtyflower]

It depends if you give a shit & take an interest or not.

And yet more subjective hyperbole.
Many on here don't agree with your opinion in this matter and yet your response is an emotional put down that they 'don't give a shit and don't take an interest'.
Well I can tell you I give a shit about our Academy, so much so I gave up a highly paid job in order to have more time to watch them. There are lots more like me who also go and watch them on a regular basis, perhaps not as much as twosips, but enough. I didn't watch Lopes play in France as I don't have Sky however, after one impassioned post, I decided to stream the games to see how he was doing, and all I saw was a good player with some real dross around him.
I think it's been very clear for a while that he wasn't coming back to sit on the bench, therefore good luck to the lad in his career but for goodness sakes stop haranguing every poster who has a different opinion to you, you don't have the divine right to be correct on Lopes you know.

 

[Neville Kneville]

And yet more subjective hyperbole.
Many on here don't agree with your opinion in this matter and yet your response is an emotional put down that they 'don't give a shit and don't take an interest'.
Well I can tell you I give a shit about our Academy, so much so I gave up a highly paid job in order to have more time to watch them. There are lots more like me who also go and watch them on a regular basis, perhaps not as much as twosips, but enough. I didn't watch Lopes play in France as I don't have Sky however, after one impassioned post, I decided to stream the games to see how he was doing, and all I saw was a good player with some real dross around him.
I think it's been very clear for a while that he wasn't coming back to sit on the bench, therefore good luck to the lad in his career but for goodness sakes stop haranguing every poster who has a different opinion to you, you don't have the divine right to be correct on Lopes you know.

Actually if you read the fucking post you will see I was replying to someone having a go at me, not 'haranguing' anyone at all. If someone belittles my opinon, like you have just done, I'm fully entitled to fucking answer it.



And can't be arsed continuing with this nonsense I'm talking about Lopes.

 

[squirtyflower]

Actually if you read the fucking post you will see I was replying to someone having a go at me, not 'haranguing' anyone at all. If someone belittles my opinon, like you have just done, I'm fully entitled to fucking answer it.



And can't be arsed continuing with this nonsense I'm talking about Lopes.

QED