John Stones

[Machiavelli]

I didn't say we have paid £49m for Sterling but that's the agreed upon deal.

If we offered £44m they wouldn't have accepted it, so the possible £5m in addons was pivotal; some of which I imagine we have paid after last season.

So if Everton feel they can squeeze more money out of us given those previous examples then they have fair reason to.

I'm sure Txiki thought he got one over on Liverpool when they agreed to a deal £1m less than what they asked for and I'm sure Liverpool were glad to let him think that.

Not a bad saving all the same.

 

[Metalartin]

So the point is either pay it from the start or make sure the final bid really is the final bid... since we've put our final bid in(allegedly)... we should really tell them that's that and focus on someone else maybe?

 

[Neville Kneville]

Right, they didn't get their absurd asking price straight up front, and they were never going to, from anyone.

But we were the only club at the table at the money involved and Sterling only had eyes for us, and the dippers made us look like mugs after feigning a final bid, and coming crawling back a couple of weeks later with a 'really really' final bid.

They got their little victory in the press, and we thought we hadn't lost much face because technically we didn't fully meet their asking price.

But truth be told we showed ourselves to be weak negotiators and publicly had our bluff called.

Other clubs have taken notice of this, and now we're going through exactly the same thing with Stones.

Rather predictable.

We haven't paid Liverpool's price for Sterling. We paid 6 mil less & allowed them to pretend they got the full amount.

But they didn't.

 

[waspish]

Everton agreed a 10m fee with Swansea for Ashley Williams. Perhaps a deal is imminent?

Do why ain't Swansea taking the piss and not asking for at least 25m for him hey!

 

[Wretched Vengeance]

Won't lose any sleep if we don't get him

He may turn into the best defender in the world but £50m is a lot for potential and every time I've seen him live I've wondered what all the fuss is about

Pretty much how I see it.

 

[Metalartin]

Do why ain't Swansea taking the piss and not asking for at least 25m for him hey!

We should put a bid in for £15m if we're walking away just to drive his price up.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I didn't say we have paid £49m for Sterling but that's the agreed upon deal.

If we offered £44m they wouldn't have accepted it, so the possible £5m in addons was pivotal; some of which I imagine we have paid after last season.

So if Everton feel they can squeeze more money out of us given those previous examples then they have fair reason to; be it outlandish objectives he has to achieve or merely appearance based etc.

I'm sure Txiki thought he got one over on Liverpool when they agreed to a deal £1m less than what they asked for and I'm sure Liverpool were glad to let him think that.

Liverpool told the press they got thd full amount but they didn't.

Ten deals done in a similar manner defers payment of 50 milliion quid, some of which may never be paid if a player fails. By all accounts we have at least two now with Sterling & Sane. Maybe Stones is 3. That's just in one year. It's an enormous sum of money.

 

[RichardDunneOwnGoal]

We haven't paid Liverpool's price for Sterling. We paid 6 mil less & allowed them to pretend they got the full amount.

But they didn't.

Are you deliberately missing the point mate?

They called our bluff re a final offer, and got a vastly inflated fee for a player no one else would touch with a barge poll at the figures quoted, and we were the only club he wanted to play for.

That precedent is what's coming back to haunt us with Stones now.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Are you deliberately missing the point mate?

They called our bluff re a final offer, and got a vastly inflated fee for a player no one else would touch with a barge poll at the figures quoted, and we were the only club he wanted to play for.

That precedent is what's coming back to haunt us with Stones now.

I don't know that we made a 'final offer' in either case. I know Liverpool told the press they wanted 50 mil & didn't get it.

 

[Nasri's Hair]

Everton's player evaluations are ludicrous. 50 million is a bargain considering they want 75 million for Lukaku. I say we look at other targets or just play this season with what we have if they don't accept a reasonable offer between 40-45 million.

I know I'm in the minority, but I think Otamendi. Mangala, Kompany (when fit), Denayer, and Tosin in Pep's system would be just good enough to win the league and maybe pick up another trophy along the way. Yes, it's not good enough to win the champions league, but even if we got Stones I don't see us winning it this year anyway.