Love him as a person, but if he turned down 100K a week, then he is mental. Maybe he just wants 1st team football, but with the displays that he's shown recently it just ain't gonna happen here.
As much as it pains me to say it, our team seems to have out grown him and need a more versatile player in every midfield position. There is too much interchange for a specialty DM unless we're trying to kill off a game. He'd still make a great sub though. The fans love him, he should just put his head down and sort out his game on the field.
Fans, money, team spirit, trophies.... why not stay?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012 ... el-de-jongNigel de Jong's future at Manchester City is looking increasingly uncertain after he was moved to the edges of Roberto Mancini's plans during a contract dispute that has left the club open to offers for the midfielder at the end of the season.
De Jong was one of Mancini's key players last season but has made only four starts this league campaign after falling behind Yaya Touré, Gareth Barry and James Milner in the manager's thinking. Mancini also wants to sign another midfielder, Daniele De Rossi from Roma, and though the chances of that happening are receding, his interest partly stems from not being fully convinced that De Jong is capable of re-establishing himself as a regular first-team player. That may constitute a surprise given De Jong's popularity with the City supporters, but Mancini has not been hugely impressed by the player's contribution this season and, to put it into context, is not making any moves behind the scenes to tie him to a new contract.
De Jong turned down a contract offer worth more than £100,000 a week last summer and City have made no plans to reopen talks with the player's agent, Rodger Linse. The Holland international will have only a year remaining on his contract in the summer and, with his transfer value already depreciating, City will entertain the idea of selling rather than risk losing him to a free transfer the following year.
The 27-year-old, who was hampered by a foot injury at the start of the season, is not available in this transfer window, but his potential availability is already well known among other Premier League clubs. Neil Warnock had floated the idea of trying to sign him when he was manager at QPR and, while it is unlikely De Jong would have wanted to join a club who are now in the relegation zone, his contract situation means there will inevitably be other potential buyers looking to sign a World Cup finalist at a reduced price.
City regard last summer's offer as generous but De Jong was one of their more important players at that point and, as such, wanted to be made one of the highest earners at the club. The disparity between what he wanted and what was on the table was significant and, perhaps crucially, City will almost certainly offer reduced terms if talks are to reopen.
