John Stones

[BlueDeadHead]

I'm just looking at it from the perspective that we're just over three weeks off our most important ever season. We've signed Gundogan and Nolito which is great but the former will miss all pre season due to injury.

I firmly believe that having as much time with the squad in pre season as possible is vital, as was proven by KDB last year. He joined us very late, and as a result he ultimately effected our shape and balance when he came in.

The Sane deal we've seemingly been working on sine January, yet his mind was still undecided after the SF of the euros. Stones was part of an England side that was beaten by Iceland nearly three weeks ago yet we've not put a bid in as of yet.

I'll obviously be coming across as a flapper, but my issue is more that I want us to be as prepared as we possibly can be when that first ball is kicked v Sunderland.

None of the players you just mentioned are back from Holidays yet. If we had signed them all a month ago they still wouldn't be with the first team.

 

[Wretched Vengeance]

I find many of the posts on this thread, and the transfer forum generally, fascinating. I have no sources of information for City or any other club, and I'm about as out of the know as you can get. I must confess that I've never had to negotiate a transfer in my life and I've never run a football club or even worked for one. In my work I have never had to negotiate the sale of an asset worth around £50 million. But the assets I've bought and sold often resulted in quite complex and lengthy "negotiations" though I suspect not as complex or lengthy as those involved in buying a high end footballer. This is where phrases like "putting the money on the table" and setting "the pace for negotiations" intrigue me. John Stones is not like a cabbage. There is a clear market price for cabbages, dependent on size mainly, and varying with scarcity. If one shop tries to charge too much simply go elsewhere. But we want John Stones because he's different from - and from our point of view better - than other CBs: it's Stones or no-one. So our judgement might be that he's worth £45 million ... but we might be wrong! We might also believe that in 3 years time, after three years of Pep, he'll be worth £70 million! Everton may agree completely with his likely value in 3 years time, but they will almost certainly refuse to take the risk for City's possible erroneous judgement. So Everton will want a higher down payment than City think reasonable and both clubs will agree on the principle of add ons but disagree on the details. And this is where "setting the pace" of negotiations is difficult. Everton is not a shop with a shopkeeper who works specified opening hours any more than City is. Both clubs have a club employee to negotiate the deal - and he may be in Manchester/Liverpool one day, Spain after another deal the day after and South America after that. Arranging meetings can take days, emails may not even be read for days and the board will retain the ultimate word. I don't know what's going on over Stones but it may be something like this or it may not, but it's likely to one of four or five complex deals our club is negotiating. And I think our club has shown itself to be a rather shrewd operator on this level.

I enjoy your posts, mate.

However, any chance yer could lob in a paragraph or two?

 

[BlueDeadHead]

Everton have a player that should be in pre season training out shopping in Manchester.the deal has supposed to be on since Xmas Everton have more than enough time to scout a replacement.

If Hart shouldn't be back Stones shouldn't be training.

 

[kaz7]

If Hart shouldn't be back Stones shouldn't be training.

Joe is in training today,assume sterling and stones are back too

 

[adr2.8i]

You just want him because hes apparently hung like a Cuban ;-)

I have no idea if stones is coming but I know for a Fact that size doesn't matter. My wife says it and we all know women are never wrong.
When I asked the missus if she thinks stones is gonna come to city she said "what? the rolling Stones? I have no idea, are they still going?"
She doesn't like football.

 

[BlueDeadHead]

No, you are talking stupid. I would rather we have good relationships with clubs where possible when buying their best players rathers than snidey bullying tactics. It makes good sense for
future business dealings to create these relationships.

Ding Ding...would you prefer the Sterling Saga?

 

[r.soleofsalford]

I have no idea if stones is coming but I know for a Fact that size doesn't matter. My wife says it and we all know women are never wrong.
When I asked the missus if she thinks stones is gonna come to city she said "what? the rolling Stones? I have no idea, are they still going?"
She doesn't like football.

or anal allegedly

 

[adr2.8i]

or anal allegedly

Depends how drunk she is ;-)

 

[r.soleofsalford]

Depends how drunk she is ;-)

8-)

 

[efcblue]

The fee has been agreed IMO,and yes you need a replacement,I agree.
Don't think he will stay though,no matter what.
Didn't your delightful fans force him out of one house when he was linked with Chelsea?

If our terms are not met exactly, he will not go. It was harder to make Lukaku stay and he's not going anywhere.

Some fans asked him what he was doing when they bumped into him at a petrol station, but that's the extent of that.

As for the 'delightful fans' comment, if you continue in that manner at all you'll be permanently muted by me. I am absolutely not interested in this kind of utter shit slinging. I've always found City fans to be respectful and nice. Every club has some unsavoury fans. Like you, when I saw a group of utter scum City supporters at the semi last season jeering and pushing a man with his son, no older than 7, as he tried to make his way through. But I don't come here to discuss these situations at all, about any group of fans.

No more thanks.

Genuine question Mr Toffee...what is your absolute honest opinion of him watching him week in week out

Lots of work to be done but can be the best defender we'll see for the next two decades. He still needs to grow as a footballer and whether he can do that at City or not is a big question. Can he afford to have a bad game and get dropped? No. He has to start every single game, otherwise he's going to be just like Rodwell.

If you want competitive leagues then Bony in the PL: 165 minutes per goal, Lukaku 180 minutes per goal. They do math differently in scouseland?

15 minutes per goal?

So does this mean David Nugent is a better striker for England than anyone else, because he played one and scored in one, thus having 90 minutes per goal.

Well it looks like Stones will stay then. If I were EFC I'd be looking to tie him down to a new contract or his value will plummet. Do you really want an unhappy unfocussed player at your football club?

Nah mate, it looks like Stones is going. Especially as he's "injured" and can't play against Barnsley tomorrow.

If he was to stay, it's not like he'd be acting like Suarez. He's a smart lad. He might be unhappy about being denied a move, but he won't lack focus.

The biggest problem is Everton have nothing in the pipeline at present.

Incorrect.