I hate buying players from other English clubs. The pattern is a familiar one. Chairman quotes monstrous fee that would not be asked if Liverpool or the rags were the bidders. City, rightly, drag their feet. Player declares he is not in the ‘right frame of mind’, but doesn’t hand in transfer request. Media leaps at the opportunity to portray City as remorseless bullies (again, something that would never happen if the dippers were in our position), ruining football, etc. Suitably ‘encouraged’, the Chairman refuses to budge….and around and around we go as the whole thing turns into a circus with City cast as the villain of the piece.
Make a reasonable bid and if the response comes in the form of intransigent media soundbites, walk away and leave them with their unhappy player
Corrected.
If the Rags were bidders the monstrous fee quoted would be even bigger. ;-) And the Rags would pay it without hesitation.