My issue and the reason I whinged about the deals being slow is I believe it's of the upmost importance for these players to have a pre season under Pep.
Don't really get why people are saying we know fuck all. It's an internet forum. We're fans. Of course we know fuck all! It's speculation, based on what's visible to us. That's what happens on an internet forum – no more, no less. It's fun to speculate. That's it. Howard Hockin came right out and said on the Citywatch podcast yesterday that he knows fuck all about what's going on, and he's a bit more ITK than me…
Now, my tuppeny hapenny worth. I take the point about getting the deals done on Stones and Sané so that Pep is working with his people as early as possible. It's highly valid. However, these deals have to be seen in a longer perspective, perhaps. We've paid over the odds for years now. We clearly paid over the odds for Mangala, we arguably paid over the odds for Sterling (although I still think that that remains to be seen – let's just say that he didn't come cheap, but he's English, and he's young, and he could still develop into a hell of a player). At what point – when – does the club say stop, enough is enough? There's every indication that Stones and Sané both want to come here. With the info this morning on Sané's release clause dropping sharply next summer, it doesn't seem unreasonable for the club to say to Schalke, “Hey, you're not a very huge club, you know, we're offering you a more than handsome fee of about 45,000,000€ for a very young player who, only one year up the road, will be able to get out much more cheaply anyway”. I can see that point of view, in terms of a long term strategy of paying a more than fair fee, but not silly money, for our designated targets. What that would be indicative of is the sea change in the international status of this club. Ironically, it is now the rags who are reduced to offering silly money, whereas only a few years back, it was Ferguson who accused us of it.
By the way, please don't bother to tell me that it's not my money, not personally my money, coming out of my wallet. I am in fact aware of that. Put simply, it's my club, for life, and I feel concerned by the transactions of my club.
Of course I do. Don't be ridiculous. I just find it disappointing that we have, by all accounts, had the groundwork done on stones since January, but aren't closing the deal. And I'm not saying there won't be reasons for this - I don't believe we are just sitting down twiddling our thumbs.Surely you understand not every deal is the same
Try using paragraphs...that hurts my eyes
I didn't say I didn't think he was coming. But I am convinced we would rather have him in for pre season. And when you see other clubs around the world wrap up deals, you wonder why these long drawn out sagas often seem to follow us around.
All the signings have been pretty leftfield for me: Gundogan, Nolito, Zinchenko. And the deals we know we're working on Jesus and Sane were also unexpected.Absolutely no doubt that's what we're doing. It's a classic Txiki bit of bartering - make sure the player only wants to come to you, then drive the price down by waiting, drip feeding information out to the press, and generally acting like you're not that bothered.
In general terms I have no problem with the club wanting to get the best deal possible for themselves. However I'm both surprised and a little disappointed that with Pep coming in this summer, someone higher up than Txiki & Soriano hasn't said "listen lads, go get the deals done early so Pep has got everyone he wants in for pre season - don't worry too much about haggling".
Valuations are loose things, but we're really not talking about outlandish ridiculous ones. Stones at 50 million vs 40 million ? Sane difference the same ? For me closing those deals is MUCH more important this summer than in any previous one. I also think at some point it begins to reflect badly from the players' point of view because they start thinking "well how badly do they want me".
Anyway maybe I'm just being impatient. Lets see what happens over the weekend and next week.
All the signings have been pretty leftfield for me: Gundogan, Nolito, Zinchenko. And the deals we know we're working on Jesus and Sane were also unexpected.
Not criticising them. It's just apparent that City are very active in the market but our targets may not be the headline list that people thought we were looking at.
I love the idea that everyone should be brought in in time for Pep to have a full preseason. I mean, it's wishful thinking bollocks that hasn't happened with any team in any league, probably ever, but as a soundbite and to show us all that you know your shit it's a good'un.
Meanwhile in the real world, multi, multi million pound deals not being straight forward seem like the more conceivable scenario.
Absolutely no doubt that's what we're doing. It's a classic Txiki bit of bartering - make sure the player only wants to come to you, then drive the price down by waiting, drip feeding information out to the press, and generally acting like you're not that bothered.
In general terms I have no problem with the club wanting to get the best deal possible for themselves. However I'm both surprised and a little disappointed that with Pep coming in this summer, someone higher up than Txiki & Soriano hasn't said "listen lads, go get the deals done early so Pep has got everyone he wants in for pre season - don't worry too much about haggling".
Valuations are loose things, but we're really not talking about outlandish ridiculous ones. Stones at 50 million vs 40 million ? Sane difference the same ? For me closing those deals is MUCH more important this summer than in any previous one. I also think at some point it begins to reflect badly from the players' point of view because they start thinking "well how badly do they want me".
Anyway maybe I'm just being impatient. Lets see what happens over the weekend and next week.