If we did it for every player I’d agree with you, or if we paid about £50m over the odds, BUT, look at the income we generate, compared to clubs like Arsenal - and for one player Pep wanted, after such a good season, perhaps sometimes the club need to push the boat out a bit. Given the prices of even average players these days, plus our prize money this season alone, £15m isn’t a huge amount to us I wouldn’t have thought.
We do it based on our valuation, sometimes we’ll lowball knowing we’ll have to put up or shut up. We deemed Grealish worth a £100m punt and this last season it looks like it was a great call. Rice was never a £100m player though and never will be let alone £105m plus add-one. We also don’t have to push the boat out as you say, we stick to our guns and do our business how we see fit, a treble and 3 titles in a row suggests our model is pretty much spot on and working.
Id also point out that nowhere has it been proven Pep wanted Rice, Bellingham possibly but Rice? I think the world and his wife could see Rice only really wanted Arsenal so City put in a cheeky bid and it didn’t pan out.
Potentially by the end of this window City could have near £600m sat in the transfer kitty, it doesn’t mean we have to spend it though and if Pep does decide to leave in two seasons that banking that money up for a new manager to rebuild isn’t a bad think. It’s not about the past or now, it’s about the future and the club may be privy to new rules that may require spending based on money banked etc? I’ve no idea but we won’t ever just splash £5m+ let alone £15m just to get a deal done.
Every season a new superstar arrives on the scene, every window there’s a talent, players come and go and some join City where others don’t. It’s the nature of the beast and I’ve every confidence the club will pluck out a gem from absolutely nowhere like we did with many before them.
The moment we cave on a deal, we’ll be fucked over by every club in the future we deal with. It’s not the amount, it‘s the principle and professionalism that stop us doing it.
I do fully get the frustration, I feel it too, but I understand the reasons behind it, I run my own business’ and see the same situations come up.
