I too have wondered why the hell we didn't extend his contract before loaning him, but then it got me thinking... perhaps we tried to, but he made it clear even as long as a year ago that he wouldn't extend. So maybe we loaned him to boost his stock, put him in the window, and then get a larger fee? Just me speculating.I think we offered him a new contract but he wouldn't sign it unless guarantees were given.
With him only having a year left on his deal it was either keep him and let him go for nothing next season or sell now for what, 9m?
We should have sorted his contract situation out before the loan to Lille.
There's a difference between having good players and using them. Do you see Pellegrini playing any of those you mentioned a reasonable amount this season? He's under pressure as it is, I foresee him sticking to his big guns as much as possible. We need a long-term manager who's given the backing and freedom to be a bit more experimental perhaps at the detriment of results knowing he won't be sacked for it.
Unfortunately, Lopes was simply not quite good enough. Good luck to him, Monaco is a great move for him. We got decent money for him too.
The best youth players will continue coming to City because they know they will get the best footballing education (and the best academic education) here, along with training facilities not matched anywhere else. Most of them realise that they will never get into our team because we are able to buy the best players in the world. What they do know is that with the training they get here, they are likely to have a fantastic football career at teams like Monaco or Marseille or any number of other British and European clubs.
I too have wondered why the hell we didn't extend his contract before loaning him, but then it got me thinking... perhaps we tried to, but he made it clear even as long as a year ago that he wouldn't extend. So maybe we loaned him to boost his stock, put him in the window, and then get a larger fee? Just me speculating.
whats that based on ? we will never know if he was good enough for us unless he got a chance , which he didn't.
That. Plus maybe he wasn't showing enough progression/improvement during practice/training sessions. Too much goes on behind the scenes for us to know much though.I reckon the City coaches could assess me and judge I wasn't good enough without playing me in the first team. They're pretty talented when it comes to this kind of stuff. He'll have been watched, regularly, whilst at Lille and the assessment on his chances of first team football will have been made.
I reckon the City coaches could assess me and judge I wasn't good enough without playing me in the first team. They're pretty talented when it comes to this kind of stuff. He'll have been watched, regularly, whilst at Lille and the assessment on his chances of first team football will have been made.