Raheem Sterling | Joins Chelsea for £50m

[urban genie]

We paid 44 million for him got 7 years where he has done us proud and helped us win titles and also play exceptional football.

Selling for a million more than we paid and not losing money or losing him next year for free, well only the daft would can that a bad deal

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

He leaves now or costs us £65m and leave in 12 months. At that time we still don’t have him and have had no help to get someone new in. I don’t know how someone can understand that and still feel like it’s a mistake.

Business common sense aside, he's been nowhere near good enough to justify a starting place in our team for at least 18 months.

He has stalled talks and made starting every week, the foundation of his conditions for signing.

The real question is, was starting every week a convenient ruse, and why did he not bring his best form to ensure an even stronger bargaining position?

My own view is that he always intended to run his deal down and just fancied a change of scene, has been found out by better players and a manager who was always just waiting for him to prove him wrong.

 

[urban genie]

With him not wanting to agree a new deal we have to let him go but we will need a replacement winger as it looks like we are changing are style to complement haaland

We bought him for 100 million last year and then signed Alvarez who can play on the wings, then we have Palmer who but for the injury would be more ready to get more games.

Plus berny, plus wingbacks etc.

We have plenty who can whip a ball in

 

[SWP's back]

£45m and, sorry, the club can hang their heads in shame

With a year left it’s amazing business. More than Pool got for Mane.

 

[SWP's back]

If it's a business decision then why does not accepting, say, £45m equate to "you're staying"?

I personally feel that any negotiations should be north of that, especially if Jesus has just gone for the exact same amount.

I have zero issues with him leaving but believe that a better fee is negotiable given his pedigree and other transfers this window.

But the like merchants have made up their mind seemingly.

Jesus is younger.

And “like merchants” just think you’re talking shite again.

 

[pudge]

With a year left it’s amazing business. More than Pool got for Mane.

If Chelsea went for Mane this summer, would they have gotten him for £34m?

 

[Lord Blue]

He leaves now or costs us £65m and leave in 12 months. At that time we still don’t have him and have had no help to get someone new in. I don’t know how someone can understand that and still feel like it’s a mistake.

because logic and emotion are two entirely different beasts.

about 45 years ago when i was 12 i wanted my parents to give our inheritance from my gran dying to city because we needed it. thats emotion over logic too ( as it happens the small amount we're talking about wouldn't have made a blind bit of difference to city )

 

[Lord Blue]

How will you measure that?

tbh i won't, i'll have moved on by then.

 

[CC1]

On selling fees, for the most part these past ten years or so, I'd say that's certainly an area to improve upon.

Especially if most reason selling a player like Sterling, to a rival, for £45m as it merely helps the books.

It’s not a really a problem we have - most of our good/great players stay for over 7 years & we’ve had fantastic value for money. Others we’ve made a profit on such as Torres. We also have an important reputation for treating our players well & the respect is mutual - they then get to leave when they feel their time is up but we still make a profit on them. Gabby & Raz have given us everything but aren’t first choice any more - so we get a decent fee & they get to go to a lesser club (yes - Chelsea & Arsenal ARE lesser clubs) & they will play every week.

It’s a balance - business v player trust.

This has the added benefit of attracting the best players because they know they will be treated with respect & not as commodities

 

[Deepest Blue]

Reckon there’s more than 45m on the table for Raz to Chelsea, particularly if there’s another dog in the race but if not then 45’s not a bad conclusion.