Masch Gone - fee agreed but not yet disclosed

[TheResonator]

It was Rafa's decision to keep him last season! Nothing to do with Smarmy Arse, he for once is blameless.

 

There is not much money about at the moment, so naturally the fee will not be as high as it would have been in the past.

 

I agree with your first point, but what I'm saying is that when this window opened - in which we've sold him - it was fairly obvious that we would not be able to keep hold of him and that Barcelona and Inter Milan would quite possibly be interested; the latter after they received a fee for Balotelli and the former when they sold Yaya Toure to City.

 

This brings me to the second point. Whilst I know that no teams have thrown silly money about like City, Barca had money in the bank from Toure's sale. So given that we've accepted about (according to reports) ten million less for a superior player, I don't think our negotiations have really gone as well as we might've hoped.

[Guest Captain Jonjo]

Were left with a medicore midfield, medicore team (bar one or two players), and no decent replacements coming in.

[JermainePennant]

His market value is more then 17.5m though, are you telling me you believe masch is only worh 1.5m more then palacios?

 

We should have played hard ball and we would have got more simple as that even if he stayed until jan or next summer we would have got close to what we got.

[goatboy59]

Did I just see the words Benitez, Alonso and proper managers in the same sentence there?

[Randy Marsh]

If it's true that we've received 13m + 5 in add ons then we are even bigger shitbags than I thought. Some great " hardball " we've played there. Fuckin sham organisation.

[Major Tom]

No it isn't. Hodgson has said that Benitez signed an agreement not to go after our players, that infers that we wouldn't sell directly to Inter and Purslow is conducting our transfer negotiations as stated numerous times by Hodgson.

 

Yes, but how do we know Purslow hasn't brought in £28m for Mascherano?

 

People don't seem to deal in facts any more. Just chuck random insults around based on idle and media speculation.

[Captain]

Reina

Kelly Carragher Agger Konchevsky

Johnson Kuyt Poulson Cole

Gerrard

Torres

 

Obvious flaws, so maybe some Masch money to be spent. Certain weaker opposition, put Johnson back and try Babel on right for a change.

 

Kuyt in central midfield?!

 

I can take a lot of different stuff from a manager, but that fucking isn't one of them. Kuyt struggles to trap a ball out wide, he'd have no chance in cm. I'd rather play Lucas in cm. And trust me, I'm no Lucas fanboi.

 

With Mascherano gone, Hodgson can:

 

• Buy a new central midfielder.
• Move Gerrard there.
• Throw Shelvey in to see if he sinks or swims.
  

 

If Shelvey sits on the bench and watches Kuyt start in cm, he'll probably kill either himself or Dirk at half time. And I wouldn't blame him.

[Trumo]

Whilst I know that no teams have thrown silly money about like City, Barca had money in the bank from Toure's sale.

 

Despite City's wealth, I very much doubt the fee for Toure was paid up front. In addition to that, Barca have paid hefty transfer fee instalments for David Villa and Adriano as new signings, in addition to hefty fee instalments and add-ons for the likes of Ibrahimovic, Dani Alves, Henrique and Keirrison, the last two of whom haven't even played for them. They only managed to offset some of this by taking a hit on selling Chygrynsky back to Shakhtar, and offloading high earners like Henry and Marquez. Despite the commercial revenues Barca have commanded over the past few years, they've had to juggle finances like most other clubs. Granted it's not been to nearly the same extent as us, but they certainly haven't been swimming in cash. And I haven't even mentioned the wages some of their players are on.

[TheResonator]

Yes, but how do we know Purslow hasn't brought in £28m for Mascherano?

 

People don't seem to deal in facts any more. Just chuck random insults around based on idle and media speculation.

 

The BBC have reported it as 17.25 million. Not only are they usually reliable, but even if they were a little bit out on this case, do you think it would be by ten million?

[TheResonator]

Despite City's wealth, I very much doubt the fee for Toure was paid up front. In addition to that, Barca have paid hefty transfer fee instalments for David Villa and Adriano as new signings, in addition to hefty fee instalments and add-ons for the likes of Ibrahimovic, Dani Alves, Henrique and Keirrison, the last two of whom haven't even played for them. They only managed to offset some of this by taking a hit on selling Chygrynsky back to Shakhtar, and offloading high earners like Henry and Marquez. Despite the commercial revenues Barca have commanded over the past few years, they've had to juggle finances like most other clubs. Granted it's not been to nearly the same extent as us, but they certainly haven't been swimming in cash. And I haven't even mentioned the wages some of their players are on.

 

I think Villa was bought before Toure was sold, wasn't he? So I doubt the money came from that. Admittedly I'm not sure on Adriano.

 

I take your point anyway that the finances behind these things are infinitely more complicated than we're likely to know.

[Major Tom]

The BBC have reported it as 17.25 million. Not only are they usually reliable, but even if they were a little bit out on this case, do you think it would be by ten million?

 

Yeah, fair enough.

 

It seems to be well short of what I would consider his market value but there are so many variables in transfers that we are not aware of, so I am not sure what made up his price.

[Strontium]

do you really think that the club will not be sold by Oct 6th?

 

 

October 6th of which year?

 

We've just managed to flog the world's best defensive midfielder at a loss. I wouldn't trust the mob running our club to sell hot dogs outside Anfield on a match day.

[goatboy59]

Kuyt in central midfield?!

 

I can take a lot of different stuff from a manager, but that fucking isn't one of them. Kuyt struggles to trap a ball out wide, he'd have no chance in cm. I'd rather play Lucas in cm. And trust me, I'm no Lucas fanboi.

 

 

Heh, well I threw it out there for a reaction I admit, but disagree about Lucas. With Kuyt you get a goal threat. How many free headers missed or 20 yard peerollers into the goalie's mitts does our unBrazilian have to have before people realise it's never going to get any better?

 

And as far as harrying the opposition goes I'd rather have Dirk's "puppy chasing ball" impression that Lucas and his, well I wouldn't even know how to describe it. Meandering and tapping ankles on the edge of the box seems to just about cover it.

 

I think we get central craft and guile from Torres and Gerrard, and when there's a chronic lack of it on the wings we either spend (ahem) or we try to use what we currently have.

 

I'd like to see it given a go at least. He's not going to throw Shelvey into a sink or swim situation, and I'd lose respect for him if he did in anything other than the Carling Cup in his first year.

[hashimwars]

17.25 mill?!! are you fucking me? who are they offering as part of the swap beacuse if its only 17.25 mill I will be incredibly pissed

[Arl arse]

Fire sale...

[llego]

steven defour would paper over a lot of cracks

[Red Mist]

This is really shameful. The club is truly fucked if we can't even sell our players for their true worth. Shame on the club for agreeing to a cut-price sale. Fuckers.

[Tyler Durden]

Embarrassing, but lets be honest what isnt at the club at the moment. I hope whoever accepted this bid dies a slow death.

[Son of L8]

I'm a soft-hearted bloke, and I always want to part on good terms and wish people well...

 

But Javier Mascherano can choke on a fist, and I hope his horrible slag of a wife's face suddenly caves in for no apparent reason, and he has to live out the rest of his days married to a woman with a big gaping chasm instead of a face.

 

With that said, I think the best team we can hope for this season is Gerrard and Poulsen in the middle, with Cole up behind Torres, Maxi right and Jovanovic left. That team should consistently beat the lesser lights of the prem and give a game to our realistic rivals, but its paper thin and a few key injuries would mean a massive crisis.

 

of course, we all know lucas and kuyt are likely to get a look in as well.

 

If the money from this sale goes anywhere other than maybe a left back Ill be shocked.

[murphy]

£17.25 million. Less than we paid for a West Ham reserve. What a cunt of a club we are. Fucking fuming

[King Emlyn]

October 6th of which year?

 

We've just managed to flog the world's best defensive midfielder at a loss. I wouldn't trust the mob running our club to sell hot dogs outside Anfield on a match day.

I think he was being sarcastic. At least i hope to God he was.

[rafarubbish]

17.5 million isnt bad business for a guy that could have rotted in the reserves and left for fuck all, just hope roy spends some cash surely the club has 20-30 mill available to get a left back,striker, and a central midfielder, there playing pish at the minute so if there not going to spend at least play the likes of kelly,shelvey & pacheco id rather see them play as johnson, lucas & ngog

[legal_alien]

Balague is reporting an initial 16 with another 6 based on performance and results.

[Sandman]

City have apparently been paying cash upfront for all their signings to avoid having the transfer fees amortized over the next 3 or 4 years so that they'll be able to conform to UEFA's financial fairplay regulations.

 

This was in the Guardian last week.

[MLB]

Not a great deal for us by any means, but the emphasis now signed on who Roy signs with the money. He has to get it right or we are in for a long, hard season. We badly lack quality in wide areas and central midfield. Up to kow I wanted us to sign a striker as well but it's a lesser priority having seen how poor our midfield has been so far.