alera said:
If this deal does happen Everton will come across as a feeder club with no ambition.
Moyes and Kenright will look like complete idiots that lie to their fans and the press.
In regards to transfers they wont be taken seriously again.
Speaking as an Everton fan, I don't really see what the fuss is about on both sides.
City have loads of money and can afford any player in the world (it's just a case of convincing them to come). They want Lescott. They bid for Lescott (with a little bit of unsettling the player in terms of the build up since January, but no more than any other club does, including Everton). Everton will only sell if it's for their own good. All seems normal to me.
Some Everton fans want to turn this into a huge stand off. Why? Either City bid enough money that Everton would be better off with the cash rather than the player, he'll go. There's no shame in selling a player. If we sell a player for way over the odds, and buy 3-4 really good players with the cash, and improve the team as a whole, we'll look like a selling club for about 2 days. That'll all be forgotton in the team is better than last year.
If Everton don't get offered that, they won't sell. Remember Lescott performs the function of first choice CB, second choice LB and part time goalscorer. To replace him, we'd need essentially 3 players (and pay their wages too!). It seems like at the moment Everton are putting out feelers for 3 or 4 players, to see exactly what £22m will buy
Some City fans seem to be insulted that Everton won't sell cheaply, or are demanding big money for a player. Why wouldn't they? I mean, put it this way. if Everton sold Lescott for £18m, would your reaction be "That's worrying, Everton will be more of a threat to us this season because they have the money", or would it be "Well that's a good deal, it's made City stronger and Everton weaker"? If it's the second, why would Everton sell?
Yes, City are prolonging negotiations to make the player demand a move and force Everton into a cheaper sale. Yes, Everton are trying to make City look like the bad guys to make them "put up or shut up" with a really big offer. Everybody is doing exactly what football clubs always do in these situations. So what's the big deal?
