Just to expand on that, the reasons why I think it would be damaging:
In short, we need this deal and Liverpool know it. Going back to your original point, I don't think that necessarily reflects badly on Begiristain.
- we would be leaving a transfer target high and dry when he's trying to facilitate a move, which wouldn't bode well when trying to encourage other targets to do the same
- we have three main targets this summer (De Bruyne, Pogba and Sterling). The first two are far from given, whereas Sterling actively wants to join us. Failure to land any of them wouldn't look good, and Sterling is the easiest deal to close, albeit paying a premium
- we need him for a variety of reasons (pace, width, age, nationality). Any one-upmanship over the fee will soon be forgotten
Liverpool clearly aren't going to sell for less than their asking price. We could have any negotiator in the world and it probably wouldn't change that.
I think that'd be cutting off our nose to spite our face. We need Sterling, and if we have to pay the asking price then so be it. I think missing out on him would be more damaging to us as a club at the moment.
But by the same token, if we show ourselves weak in negotiations for a player, and pay way over the odds, then what message does that send to Wolfsburg and Juventus?
Both of them have highly prized assets that they don't want to part with, that we're very keen on. We have to be wary of how negotiations for this Sterling transfer will be interpreted by other clubs we will soon be negotiating with.
Equally though, you could argue that walking away from this deal shows that we can be frightened away from top targets. Wolfsburg and Juventus have no great desire to sell, so would be encouraged if Liverpool can rebuff our advances. Two sides to every coin.
Equally though, you could argue that walking away from this deal shows that we can be frightened away from top targets. Wolfsburg and Juventus have no great desire to sell, so would be encouraged if Liverpool can rebuff our advances. Two sides to every coin.
Not exactly the same scenarios, but Real and Barca met the requested fees when it came to Bale and Suarez. They didn't feel that meeting the asking price made them look a soft touch. They just got the deals done.
Give them 60 million 70, 80. Who gives a fuck? I aint payin. Look's like two good signings are on the cards for this weekend.
Thats kind of the point though isn't it? Any club can be scared off with stupid price tags.
Not every club could be until now, thats what city are trying to change here i think. Certainly a risky game, but one that needed to be played at some point...same PSG, and Chelsea have obviously not had that image for a while now too.
Why didn't we walk away at 40mill then.Thats kind of the point though isn't it? Any club can be scared off with stupid price tags.
Not every club could be until now, thats what city are trying to change here i think. Certainly a risky game, but one that needed to be played at some point...same PSG, and Chelsea have obviously not had that image for a while now too.
Why didn't we walk away at 40mill then.
A bit like the Irishman's answer to someone who asked for directions. " I wouldn't have started from here". But we are where we are and I think we should pay what they are asking and finish the whole saga. I'm sure there will be plenty of media spin from both sides regardless of the outcome so I don't think the damage will be as bad as some of us fear.I don't think quibbling between £45m and £50m is really City making a stand against exorbitant fees though. It's oneupmanship.
Of course the fee is ridiculous, but we live in a world where Luke Shaw is sold for over £30m. There is a huge premium on young English talent. It's not necessarily right, but that's the market we are operating in.
I have no issue with those saying we should walk away, as long as they don't subsequently complain about Begiristain's failure to close a deal or land top targets.
Just to expand on that, the reasons why I think it would be damaging:
In short, we need this deal and Liverpool know it. Going back to your original point, I don't think that necessarily reflects badly on Begiristain.
- we would be leaving a transfer target high and dry when he's trying to facilitate a move, which wouldn't bode well when trying to encourage other targets to do the same
- we have three main targets this summer (De Bruyne, Pogba and Sterling). The first two are far from given, whereas Sterling actively wants to join us. Failure to land any of them wouldn't look good, and Sterling is the easiest deal to close, albeit paying a premium
- we need him for a variety of reasons (pace, width, age, nationality). Any one-upmanship over the fee will soon be forgotten
Liverpool clearly aren't going to sell for less than their asking price. We could have any negotiator in the world and it probably wouldn't change that.
How do these things work? Would not City have contacted Liverpool to ask them what they wanted for Sterling rather than conduct the negotiation through some journalist as you appear to suggest.When we made our first bid and pool refused it, McNulty wrote an article where he stated that only an offer of 35 millions would have been considered, and that info was obviusly coming from Liverpool. Nobody was talking about 50 mllions at that time. My suspicion is that Liverpool changed the cards making us belive that 35 would be enough and than the started quoting 50 millions, that's to me explain why we made such a low first offer
some right mardarses on here as usual.
wonder who are Blues and who are wums...... I think I know.
A lot of valid points made by a lot of people, I was in the camp of 'don't pay them robbing, candle-lighting professional mourners' more than we think we should.
Then I thought more about it.
With the new tv deal, every place gets even more money, so I would guess that all Sterling has to do is earn us a few extra points across the whole season to pay off the extra £5m Liverpool are demanding.
Fuck it, just get the deal done, I really couldn't give a fuck.
It's quite obvious to many, this is Liverpool Football Cult in it's final death throes, twisting and turning hoping someone will give them an oxygen mask rather than turn off the life support machine.
Let's turn off the life support machine.
They'll only waste the money on Benteke anyways!
This never happened, of course, but on September 1st 2008, if someone had asked me that if in spite of becoming the "richest club in the world" and all the excitement and drama that would inevitably bring, would there be a number of our supporters who were pathologically incapable of enjoying the experience, I would have reflected at some length but ultimately said "yes". I came to realise a considerable time ago that some of our supporters enjoy being miserable far too much. It's become their default mode. Or maybe they're just miserable bastards generally.We're gonna have our pants pulled down and pay £50m for a player worth no more than 20 but won't pay top money for Isco pogba etc etc