The club is weird. Not sure if it's just about backing a manager as opposed to always seeking to get the supposed best deal or reasoned market price. I do get that to a large extent.
I just think that as responsible as the club is that our model seems to be one which is moving inexorably to player development and extending contracts (where possible)
How sustainable that is and how mucg success it can bring will come to a head in the next few weeks.
But we pay decent money now, are in London, are competitive and have a strong foundation with a new stadium soon to move into. Surely not every player we are after costs 50 million or is worse than what we have?
No One here, despite how much people like to think they do, knows how the transfer business is done at the club.
Logic suggests that, as a club on as budget, we ain't buying players with out the managers approval.(Even a no brainer like Van Der Vaart he contacted Redknapp to make sure. According to Redknapp)
Its fucking funny that some of the same people that think levy is a tight cunt that won't spend money are the same ones that think Sissoko and Llorente were panic buys. doesnt add up.
Whats more likely is that we approached their clubs, were told "not for sale", and asked to be kept informed if they did go on the market, and how much they would cost.
We also know they ain't being sold unless the manager says so. Thats what he said about Kyle Walker, so it stands to reason it applies across the board.
In the modern game, transfers aint the fiefdom of one person. Citeh got in Ferran Sorriano and Txkiki whatever his name is before they got Guardiola. That way they knew the people sorting their transfers would be on the same page. and citeh have a bottomless money pit.
whats most likely is, for us, there is a commitee of 3 or 4 people involved in transfers..Hitchen, Levy, Pochettino , and maybe the acadamy guy, Mcdermott (?). They will decide who we want, the maximum fee, wages etc etc
so that way, if a target becomes available late, Levy (or whoever) can sort it quick. (thats not say he doesnt like to negotiate..course he does. his job is to get the best deal for the club, after all)
so this summer? the only target we know about for a fact is Grealish. cos Steve Bruce flapped his gums about it.
we dont know if pochettino said no to paying XX Million for Seri. we dont know if he was a target.
but we have to remember its not just who you bring in, its who you get out. you cant force a player to go. you can pay him up, release him, but again..club on a budget.
revenue is about 300 million a year. about half goes on wages (paying out a players contract would come out of the non wages half so you pay a load of them up and effectively spunk your transfer budget on creating the squad gaps, and have nowt left to fill the holes with. leaves you very lite).then once you deduct all the other costs we have had over the last year...