Im_Spartacus wrote:Ted Hughes wrote:Wonderwall wrote:Ted Hughes wrote:Can we just knock this idea of him wanting more playing time on the head once and for all ? I posted the antidote to that nonsense on here fucking ages ago; he is one of the main players picked in almost every big game we play (which should make one or two of you who don't value him, at least spend a few seconds to consider why that is & who replaces it, in real life rather than fantasy football world, if he goes ). It's a bullshit excuse & a media cliche.
I can understand he wants to get the best possible financial deal, & he wants to make sure that there is stability in the future & that a new manager isn't likely to come in & drop him, but if he leaves for any other reason, it's simply because he wants to go somewhere else.
I agree ted, which makesbit all the more strange. Where can he go thats better than where he is and on better terms? Its a mind boggler
Unless he doesn't want a better team ?
Perhaps he just wants loads of money, & a new challenge, & thinks he'll be out on his arse anyway as soon as Pep Guardiola arrives ?
Another alternative is that he's just been after more money & wants to see how keen City are to keep him, & will actually sign.
He strikes me as a fairly genuine type of guy, dedicated to his craft. If, having won every domestic trophy on offer, he feels he could be a bigger part of something at another club, I can sympathise with that view.
I certainly don't think though that any club would be offering the 165k a week we're allegedly offering, and in all honesty I don't think he's worth that to City. It sort of seems that there is a campaign briefing against him coming from somewhere to show him up as a greedy twat, and I can't help think that this can only be coming from inside the club. It wouldn't surprise me if we have offered nowhere near that amount, and someone inside the club is simply spinning the story to reduce the perceived reputational damage of losing a player who actually wants to go and play football elsewhere in the prime of his career.
They may not pay his wages, but they are getting a £20 mil player for nothing, so if he pockets ten as a signing on fee, they still have a bargain.
The campaign to show him as a greedy twat, is mainly coming from some fans imo. The club are just showing the fans they are trying to keep him, which, if they didn't, they would be getting loads of shit from fans saying they weren't trying, & how various people should be sacked for it, as they do with every single transfer which doesn't go through.
I wouldn't at all be surprised if he is at City next season. He is a Yorkshireman; this is what they do. He'll probably just nod, rather than actually signing the contract.