30 million pound Sterling bid rejected - new bid made

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Man City need Sterling. There aren't many available English players that fit their profile... in fact I'd probably say there are a handful.

If I'm not wrong, right now, they don't necessarily need English players to meet the current FA Home-grown player rules or the Champions League List A 4+4 (club-trained + association-trained) rules. I think the rules do not have restrictions on player nationality - they only require the player to have been registered for 3 years with the club or another club under the same FA before they were 21 (and I think there might be a lower bound too, like from 16 to 21 or something). A lot of these guys will be English of course, but not always.

They will need English players though, if Dyke's proposed change to the home grown rules gets approved.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Replacement Is key. And better be all but done before we ship him off to City

I'm not really sure this is true... well, I suppose how critical that is depends on how much faith you have in Markovic and Lallana being able to put in major improvements (in Lallana's case, staying fit and being available for a whole season).

In the attacking / wide mid areas, we have quite a lot of players even without Sterling:
- Coutinho, Ibe, Lallana, Markovic, Milner, Origi

And with possibly Ojo, Kent and Wilson waiting in the wings to get a shot at the cup games or the Europa League group games.

This is the time for Markovic and Lallana to step up to make their claim for the regular starting place that's freed up. We've invested over 40m on them, and they're both talented players who have the potential to do more next season. It would seem quite logical to me that we assess in pre-season and give them a chance to push for the place before deciding we need to buy someone to throw ahead of them. The bulk of the money should hopefully get spent on a lethal striker instead.

In any case, I think the market is quite well stocked in AM and wide mid types right now, which is good in case we decide in mid-July that we need better.

 

[gkmacca]

Meanwhile back on Planet Stupid:

Sky Sports News has announced that, although City have offered £40m, LFC value Sterling at about £50m, so City have offered £10m below the value. Thanks for that.

On the same channel, Ray Wilkins has opined that unless someone offers more than City, their current offer makes them frontrunners. Thanks for that, too.

You don't even need school these days. You can end up just as stupid by staying at home and watching SSN.

 

[Nir.Barak]

Am I the only one desperate we won't sell our best player again?

We'd do a shit job replacing him with the fucked up transfer system we installed that's for sure.

 

[Red Astaire]

Am I the only one desperate we won't sell our best player again?

We'd do a shit job replacing him with the fucked up transfer system we installed that's for sure.

You are the only one (I hope) The guy doesn't want to play for us so in my opinion that's that. Sell him for top whack.

 

[Nir.Barak]

You are the only one (I hope) The guy doesn't want to play for us so in my opinion that's that. Sell him for top whack.

Suarez didn't want to play for us 2 seasons ago, and yet gave an incredible season after staying.
Fuck him. one more season with us is something he signed up for and we need him badly. he can go once we're back in the top 4.

 

[Red Astaire]

Sterling effectively downed tools at the end of last season. It was obvious. His attitude sucked balls. Suarez was completely different. Worked tirelessly for the team, almost won us the league and won player of the year. An amazing player (if a little bitey) and nothing at all like Sterling. Sell Sell Sell!

 

[Nir.Barak]

I don't think Streling would harm his career if he'd realize we're not selling, by not putting a shift in all season long.
I'd say more than that, I reckon if he'll stay, he'll be our 2nd top goalscorer.

 

[6TimesaRed]

I don't think Streling would harm his career if he'd realize we're not selling, by not putting a shift in all season long.
I'd say more than that, I reckon if he'll stay, he'll be our 2nd top goalscorer.

Hes gone. if we get the fee we are looking for...

He doesn't need replacing.. as we have Origi, IBE & Markovic that can play in his position..

We need a player with some Flair and something about him with the money that we receive.. someone to replace the gaping hole Suarez left

Basically someone who can contribute with assists and actually know where the net is..

The fact the only striker we have bought so far is from a team who struggled to score goals last season.. does concerns me.. but its early days yet...

 

[Best Believe It]

Hes gone. if we get the fee we are looking for...

He doesn't need replacing.. as we have Origi, IBE & Markovic that can play in his position..

We need a player with some Flair and something about him with the money that we receive.. someone to replace the gaping hole Suarez left

Basically someone who can contribute with assists and actually know where the net is..

The fact the only striker we have bought so far is from a team who struggled to score goals last season.. does concerns me.. but its early days yet...

He absolutely does need replacing. Origi can play wide left, but he's pretty shit there. That leaves us with Ibe, Markovic and Lallana for two spots. I dunno about you, but I certainly wouldn't be confident with those options going into this season. We need a striker irrespective of whether Sterling stays or goes. And if Sterling goes we need a replacement for him.

 

[Nir.Barak]

Hes gone. if we get the fee we are looking for...

He doesn't need replacing.. as we have Origi, IBE & Markovic that can play in his position..

We need a player with some Flair and something about him with the money that we receive.. someone to replace the gaping hole Suarez left

Basically someone who can contribute with assists and actually know where the net is..

The fact the only striker we have bought so far is from a team who struggled to score goals last season.. does concerns me.. but its early days yet...

This is plainly lying to yourself.
Yeah we have Ibe, does that mean we have no need of Sterling? He's our best player at the moment and we need him BADLY.
I know he's probably gone, just think not selling him would be the much better option, I don't believe for one second he'd risk sitting out an entire season.
Suarez bit a guy to get out, we told him to stay put and got our dividends for that.
We sell Sterling, we fall further behind, history tells you that.
These men got fucking Balotelli after getting 75m for Suarez thinking that's a replacement, if that doesn't scare the shit out of you, I don't know what will.

 

[6TimesaRed]

He absolutely does need replacing. Origi can play wide left, but he's pretty shit there. That leaves us with Ibe, Markovic and Lallana for two spots. I dunno about you, but I certainly wouldn't be confident with those options going into this season. We need a striker irrespective of whether Sterling stays or goes. And if Sterling goes we need a replacement for him.

I just don't think replacing him is of that paramount importance given what we really need.. IBE looks the real deal.. Markovic is a worry, yes... but I hope he will come good... Origi is a pacey striker with similar striker attributes to that of Sterling

Sterling best position is behind the front two.. last season (13/14) he was immense in that position... (we have Coutinho and Lallana covering that position).. he is not great winger as his final ball is awful.. and as a striker he can't score for shit.. His game is heavily reliant on pace..

I guess some people could argue he is rough diamond, I can agree in parts with that. but imho.. I don't know what all this fuss is about..

 

[6TimesaRed]

He's our best player at the moment and we need him BADLY.

He hasn't been our best player for months...

Coutinho is arguably our best player, we should concentrate on building a team around his strengths and what he brings to the team..

 

[keniget]

Sterling best position is behind the front two.. last season (13/14) he was immense in that position... His game is heavily reliant on pace..

So he's an average pace merchant that is somehow able to play the no.10 role (of all roles) to the point of being "immense"?

How does that work?

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

He hasn't been our best player for months...

Wow.

 

[6TimesaRed]

So he's an average pace merchant that is somehow able to play the no.10 role (of all roles) to the point of being "immense"?

How does that work?

He has ability.. I don't doubt that... he is rough around the edges.. I just don't think it would pose too much of a problem going forward if we sold him...

I found it bizarre a position he excelled in last season was barely used the following season.. Though I guess the lack of options up front did not help..

The fact we had a forward line of Suarez and Sturridge the season before helped...

Wow.

For the last few months of the season he was well below his 'usual standards'

 

[6TimesaRed]

in an ideal world we keep him.. but I think bringing in that player with 'flair'.. is heavily reliant on selling him tbh...

 

[keniget]

He has ability.. I don't doubt that... he is rough around the edges.. I just don't think it would pose too much of a problem going forward if we sold him...

I found it bizarre a position he excelled in last season was barely used the following season.. Though I guess the lack of options up front did not help.'

Would it be a problem if we sold Ibe?

Do you think Ibe is the better player currently?

 

[Silver Sean]

Am I the only one desperate we won't sell our best player again?

We'd do a shit job replacing him with the fucked up transfer system we installed that's for sure.

Never fear. We have Ibe.

 

[6TimesaRed]

Would it be a problem if we sold Ibe?

Do you think Ibe is the better player currently?

I am not going to even answer that..

 

[Dahuge]

sell him for 40mill and buy Firmino, pocket 20 million and spend 30 mill on a top striker.

Sorted.

 

[6TimesaRed]

sell him for 40mill and buy Firmino, pocket 20 million and spend 30 mill on a top striker.

Sorted.

This... though i would hold out for the 50.. or as close to as possible..

40 mill with addons..

 

[gkmacca]

I don't think it's certain Sterling's gone, It certainly shouldn't be. If we demand what it's claimed we're demanding, and City don't meet it, then he's priced out of the British market. That only leaves Real and maybe one other, and would they pay £50m? It's isn't that likely. So that would leave Sterling and his odious agent where they deserve to be: up shit creek thanks to their own insane behaviour. I don't think some get the enormity of this saga: we simply can't afford to be seen to be backing down.

 

[Red Astaire]

I don't think it's certain Sterling's gone, It certainly shouldn't be. If we demand what it's claimed we're demanding, and City don't meet it, then he's priced out of the British market. That only leaves Real and maybe one other, and would they pay £50m? It's isn't that likely. So that would leave Sterling and his odious agent where they deserve to be: up shit creek thanks to their own insane behaviour. I don't think some get the enormity of this saga: we simply can't afford to be seen to be backing down.

I agree with this however - Let me throw a question out there though. Does anyone think since his BBC interview that Sterling effectively did a 'Torres' and downed tools? As Red Ninja says (and I agree) his performances dipped dramatically towards the latter end of the season.

 

[gkmacca]

I don't think so. He still covered loads of ground, was probably the most active of the forward line and saw the most of the ball. He was awful, of course, but so were just about everyone in those final games. Also, as for next season, don't forget the England players will be playing for a place in the squad for next summer's European Championships, so he won't be able to afford messing about and sulking. And if he goes there and does as well as he thinks he can there, then we'd still get a decent amount for him from a foreign club without our domestic rivals benefiting.

 

[Red Astaire]

There is an argument to made that his BBC interview and subsequent wrangling over the contract had a direct effect on the team which was effectively built around him and Coutinho (who was about the only one who was not awful) - Of course we'll never know that but you could argue that point.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

For the last few months of the season he was well below his 'usual standards'

Obviously most people would agree with that. But you imply that he was our best player a few months ago, then he drops below his usual standards for a few months. So you think we should get rid.

Do you not think that's just a little bit knee-jerk? Or more aptly, a little insane?

 

[hmmmmm1]

Unless we recieve a silly off we should keep him


ith the euros next summer, I can't see how him dropping his form further as he will be dropped for theo/ox

 

[Red Astaire]

Obviously most people would agree with that. But you imply that he was our best player a few months ago, then he drops below his usual standards for a few months. So you think we should get rid.

Do you not think that's just a little bit knee-jerk? Or more aptly, a little insane?

I think the key issue is - Which I feel Red Ninja is trying to make. Sterling doesn't want to be here. His form dipped (on purpose possibly) to engineer a move away. Even after a good deal was offered to him. If we force him to stay and plays like he did in the last 3 months of the season - Where is that going to get us in a years time?

 

[Raz]

He will be sold! It will be for 35+
We will buy Benteke! Summer over.