Levy should have taken Manchester City's big money, around £170million with add-ons and built a new team,
Er, excuse me, but where did you read that we were prepared to pay that?
The truth is that we never got into any serious negotiations, because Spurs and Levy did not want to sell to a direct rival (!) at
any price
.
Now they want more than £86 million for a player who’s 30,and who’s in the very last year of his contract? I have no great love for Bayern — that’s not the question here — but I think frankly they (Spurs) are disrespecting Kane, who’s given everything to that club. And this is where I really do think City have the right idea, in this as in so many other things.
It hurts to let Gundo and Mahrez go — and I speak as a fan — but it’s the right thing. Players are rewarded for loyal service, and other players in the long term, thinking of coming to City, will duly take note of that. Or if they don’t, their agents will. Gundo, of course, was free to go, but it was with everybody’s blessing, because he’d done so much for us.
Does that therefore mean that we should let Kyle and Bernie go? No, not necessarily, because you can’t let too many key players go in the same window. The club also has to think of its own interests. I think City get the balance right.
As regards Cancelo, I suppose City are looking for a buyer, but only at a serious price. Because he is a skilled player. If not, it wouldn’t absolutely astonish me if Pep thought that something could be done with him. Pep’s a proud man, and he lets people know he’s the boss, but he’s not this psychopath with gritted teeth. He’s pragmatic, too.
If anything, it looks to me as though Phillips has got the kiss of death on him. Not even an appearance in a nothing match like the Community Shield? Sorry, but that’s a bad look (unless he was injured and I don’t know about it).