Riyad Mahrez

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

I agree prices have increased but City have their own valuation which they will probably not yet change and we will simply move on and develop another player into the squad.

I think self sufficiency means controlling costs as one of the best ways to influence profits.

Yep. That's the way it works. We don't actually need Mahrez desperately. Nor indeed do LCFC need to sell him desperately, truth be told. The one factor in all this is the player does seem to desperately want to go. So Mahrez will go somewhere. I think that's a given.
When does the transfer window close this year, by the way? I see no real reason why this wouldn't drag on, at least till the end of the month. City's best position is just to let the player get well wound up, and increase the offer incrementally until we reach the top that we're prepared to pay. I seem to remember seeing £75 million being quoted in the media from way back. Not that we're obliged to submit to that valuation. If Leicester City can get more, then good luck to them. Nobody is screwing anybody over. Every club is duty bound to get the best possible price it can for its players, especially if they are a star player. And the club facing them is duty bound to get the best possible price for that player. It's called negotiations. If — if – Leicester made any kind of promise to Mahrez, I would be more than astonished if it were along the lines of “Yes, we'll sell you to Manchester City, and it will be for such and such a price”. In fact, we all know that that simply doesn't happen.
One thing, though. They start training on 2 July, is it? I wouldn't want a seriously unhappy player in my squad at that point, if I were Puel.

 

[MillionDollarDream]

I can't imagine he'll stay. He'd surely be livid. So they have to sell - they just want him to go to the higher bidder. I'm beginning to think that won't be us. ( just like Sanchez and possibly vandyke)

They still don’t have to sell and they already got the replacement in early so it still won’t move them.

I think we in a difficult position. On one hand we want to be "standalone" and no longer go out and pay whatever teams ask but on the other hand, the chairman already said, we cant just buy "squad" players....we have to buy world class to push the current squad to even better things. This often means buying other teams best players and that is going to cost. We need to spend to stay on top, I guess the issue is buying "clever". Someone like Sane was only 40 plus mil. Maybe somone like Bailey who is still young and not proven at top level would give us better value and allow Pep to mold....

Someone like Ziyech before Roma snatch him up too. Unrelated but related to that Jose post Fabian Ruiz is currently having his medical for Napoli so he will be announced today.

 

[Roachy]

We as supporters pay tickets, among other things, so in a sense its our money and how the club decides to spend is of our concern. So yes, glad we dont do shit business anymore.

In that camp as well. The "it's not your money , who cares" people generally blast that out and then don't substantiate it. Also there can never be a upper limit in any transfer with that viewpoint.I'm very concerned with the club paying the correct fees and that includes Mahrez.

 

[TRUE BLUE NO1]

If

If we are in a difficult position then the rest of the league are in a far worse position surely?

I think its always more difficult to "stay" on top....(thats why very few teams have done it over the years)and at the same time the club is trying to shake opinions from years of big spending. Until we do that, teams will expect us to overspend to get the player we want, at a time when we need to buy world class to stay on top. Thats why I think its a difficult position to be in....

The other thing that is difficult is spending big without selling...Teams like Liverpool got 140+ mil for Coutinho and that gives them confidence in the market. Will come a point when we need to start getting good returns for players. The hard thing is selling while they still good...i.e not waiting until Yaya or Aguero were/are on decline but sell while at top of their game and we can get the most profit. Not saying we should sell Aguero but just using that as example...

 

[Marvin]

We just watch and wait with confidence in our team.

No one knows what city are up to, but we are in a fabulous position with the best people in football assessing the situation. I'd be very happy to KO the season with what we have. The footballing issues to deal with in the squad are:

1) Replacing Yaya - cover for 33yr old Fernandinho

2) Long term cover for Aguero. Jesus maybe affected positively or negatively by Brazil's World Cup. At the moment it does not look good as Neymar does not look fit, and rest of Brazil team is poor. This could develop into an issue for us.

I would wait for Leicester to panic, when they realise City are not going to pay £80m - £90m, or I'd look to bolster City's financial position i.e. do nothing so that when an Mbappe/Bale type player becomes available, we can bid for them. In past we've spent money on 2nd tier players in this situation, and as a result found it impossible to bid for the very best players when they become available. There are interesting situations at Chelsea, Real Madrid, PSG for example

 

[CityStu]

Unfortunately for Mahrez, I think there are consistently young, talented wingers arriving onto the market. If we didn't go for him because of Leicester's demands, City will have a similarly talented shortlist to choose from.

 

[EastStand202]

Not much has changed except Leicester have attempted to move the goalposts twice since reaching an agreement to sell. First, they insisted they didn't want Roberts, but then changed that view.

Secondly, they have tried wriggle out of a pay-off Mahrez and Kia believe they are entitled to, with his club citing his previous January transfer request.

Mahrez signed an improved deal after the title win and it included a number of guarantees. Leicester seemingly now wanting more money so they can still pay off Mahrez would firm up a few things.

Reports today are that city are prepared to walk away. Is that true? Deal could be off?

 

[SilverFox2]

I agree with the club's stance but I'd be surprised (& disappointed) if a deal didn't happen.

I don't think City have too much choice if we are to keep to our owners business plan which has always had self sufficiency as its objective.
United inflated the transfer market to try to compete on the field and either accidentally or deliberately raised other valuations eg with Fred.
We are in the fortunate position of being able to choose to stick to our valuations and will either look elsewhere or abandon the need.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Leicester didn’t budge when he pushed last time to leave so why would they now?

They'd have much more time to use that money, and use it wisely, if they took it now. Even £60 million can find you one or two more than useful players this summer. Look at Salah. No-one saw that coming. Why, look at Mahrez himself. Bought from Le Havre for absolute peanuts, even with the market as it was then.
Now look at Mangala (er, no, perhaps not…)

 

[doobyedoobye]

Dragging these deals out sometimes looks like clubs wanting to grab media airtime as opposed to meaningful negotation