Jack Grealish

[Phil1]

”Yes, but how did you enjoy the play, Mrs Lincoln?”

The two things… Fee & smacks of desperation …are inexorably intertwined. There is no “yeah, but other than that…” question to be had.

Paying that sum for that player IS the “smacks of desperation” event.

In this context the desperation looks like a positive. If we are looking at making him our record signing (on this point i'm closer to your thinking than some others regarding fees) then it tells me Pep has made him our number one target, and if that's the case it's because Pep has seen something worth getting excited about and splurging the cash.
I'm very much looking forward to seeing him in a City shirt and have made peace with the money it'll cost.

 

[manimanc]

Like I said @manimanc …. arseholes and opinions.

Don't know what you mean my friend?
I'm an arsehole, you're an arsehole and we have opinions?
What?

 

[leo_city]

”Yes, but how did you enjoy the play, Mrs Lincoln?”

The two things… Fee & smacks of desperation …are inexorably intertwined. There is no “yeah, but other than that…” question to be had.

Paying that sum for that player IS the “smacks of desperation” event.

I'm afraid you cannot separate the context. We are not paying £100m for a player out of desperation so he can plug obvious gaps, we're paying a premium fee for a top player to improve even further. The debate whether he's worth that money is irrelevant to it and only time will tell. This is the least of addressing a need/desperation for a player we've had in a transfer window, for a while.

Was Sterling or Stones worth £50m when we bought them? Did that smack of desperation, or did we pay a big fee to get top players who only got better? Did their fee really matter in the end?

 

[Churchlawtonblue]

Not a cat in hells chance of getting him for that

maybe , you then move on to another target. one swallow doesn't make a summer.

 

[Mancini Manus Domini]

For those worried about overpaying for Grealish and Kane, is there also a different perspective from the outside looking in? The two best English players are being bought without competition and so cementing us as clearly the best team in the Premier League. Imagine £120m Kane and £100m Grealish lining up against you? The demoralising affect that has, as you try to fight thoughts of resistance being futile. That goes for opposition fans and players.

Players like Van Dyke and MaGuire, and conversely their clubs, have for me benefited from their large fees. They may have been over priced at the time but it's quickly accepted as the new normal and everyone moves on. Liverpool and United's defence improved significantly for having 80m defenders added to them, not just because of the player's abilities but also the fee and the message it sends.

 

[lionheart]

Personally I would rather pay £125m for Kane than £100m for Grealish but less sure if Bernardo goes.

 

[Churchlawtonblue]

I think that’s about right, too. But, when you add the Homegrown label, you have to place a premium on him, which gets me to about £70M, plus some PL & CL win and England appearances add ons. Maybe if we have to pay £5M if he wins the CL with us, and we do it 6 times, then I might consider £100M reasonable!

;-)

Some on here are comparing him to Merlin, KDB and Messi which is utterly ridiculous. A good player but seriously?

 

[balotelli's back pocket]

 

[Keeper!]

Agree with this but I will add when a player has such an emotional connection with the selling club it does increase the likelihood of a last minute change of heart.

(That isn’t me saying I think that’s what happened just pointing out it is a possibility and one city wouldnt know about until last minute)

IF he does have that emotion, then maybe, just maybe we should stay well clear.

I watched us lose players in the past, Barnes, Owen and SWP, all seemed not to want to leave "their" club and to an extent their careers suffered.

If Grealish or for that matter Kane are not 100% committed, walk away and quickly.

100m transfers have huge pressures regardless for the player involved, they have to be totally committed.

Last year we had the same issue with Messi and hence why I was against the deal, Messi would not force the issue, why, because he loves his club, that is enough to put me off any player, however good.

 

[Blue Llama]

”Yes, but how did you enjoy the play, Mrs Lincoln?”

The two things… Fee & smacks of desperation …are inexorably intertwined. There is no “yeah, but other than that…” question to be had.

Paying that sum for that player IS the “smacks of desperation” event.

Same thing was probably said when the club shelled out for Kun. And others for that matter. Only history provides the right judgement.