Mata

[IN_RAFA_WE_TRUST]

If only the Sheikh had seen sense and bought us.

[Lee]

well perhaps it's not bitching but so much questioning of our signings this early in the season is worrying! I mean it's a team game afterall I myself would have liked either or both but it's not happening probably for 2 main reasons and you get on with it

Take Aguero - he's cost City £35M probably upfront which is rare in football and he's on 200k per week over 5 years (not taking into consideration any contract renewals which no doubt will push him up to £250k or so when they take place) that is a HUGE amount of money to outlay also we're in the situation that we cannot offer CL football that in itself is also something that will atract players.

I suppose we've no idea if we were in for them or not and probably never will know, all we do know for sure is we'll be playing against them rather than in our team.

We've had a cracking summer for bringing in new players and we should feel pretty pleased with what we've managed to do.

That's cool mate and I see where you're coming from.

I think it's only natural though for people to question the fees etc (afterall, there's a lot of FM Managers here )

I suppose the bottom line is that nobody on this site knows what happens behind closed doors, the breakdown in salaries or how much each player ends up going for. Which is why there's a lot of speculation on these boards and naturally comments like "We paid the same for Carroll as City did for Aguero etc etc".

[Mostar]

I'm pretty pleased with our owners.

I only wish we spent some money on at least one player with flair and tons of creativity.

[Craig_H]

Well Mata's entire fee would be under £40m including his wages, which if true would be under £58k per week..Hardly big expense..

Juan Mata has signed for Chelsea, 5 year deal worth £3m a year, he'll go back to Valencia to say farewell

Not even £60k per week and the fee was around £23m i think. Easily would have been within our budget.

The last one we signed without any turned out to be a winner..

Carroll had PL experience, Aguero had none - now i'm not doing the 'we should have got Aguero instead' thing, because obviously the wages are vastly different - but the point is that PL experience is well and good, but a better player is still a better player and if they adjust (most top quality players do, barring the odd exception) then you've got a better signing.

One thing i'll acknowledge is the need for us to get top 4 THIS season and that sometimes, even top imports take a year or so to adjust, eg Ronaldo, Nani etc.

[RichC]

I'm pretty pleased with our owners.

I only wish we spent some money on at least one player with flair and tons of creativity.

I think Adam, Enrique and Downing come into the category of creativity, maybe not the flair so much but they'll create.

[Bender]

can we set up a suicide thread as there is alot of people here on the edge over us not signing mata,aguero and co .........

[red g]

Its a shame, but we HAVE to get back into the Champions league this year. I am pretty sure that signing Downing statistically would be a lot better alternative than Mata taking into account it might take 6 months for Mata to settle.

For the long term I am sure Chelsea have got one hell of a player, but there are to many ifs and buts for a foreign player in the premiership first season and we dont have the strengh in depth that Chelsea do, they can play him a few games and if he struggles they can rest him, we dont have that luxury.

[Kenneth]

Let it go guys, let it go.

[RichC]

That's cool mate and I see where you're coming from.

I think it's only natural though for people to question the fees etc (afterall, there's a lot of FM Managers here )

I suppose the bottom line is that nobody on this site knows what happens behind closed doors, the breakdown in salaries or how much each player ends up going for. Which is why there's a lot of speculation on these boards and naturally comments like "We paid the same for Carroll as City did for Aguero etc etc".

[Craig_H]

Its a shame, but we HAVE to get back into the Champions league this year. I am pretty sure that signing Downing statistically would be a lot better alternative than Mata taking into account it might take 6 months for Mata to settle.

For the long term I am sure Chelsea have got one hell of a player, but there are to many ifs and buts for a foreign player in the premiership first season and we dont have the strengh in depth that Chelsea do, they can play him a few games and if he struggles they can rest him, we dont have that luxury.

I can totally see that point

There's two sides to it though - possibly Downing was a better choice because he's PL adjusted and Mata may take time to settle. But possibly Mata will settle quickly, and possibly he's a better player - which, if true, begs the question whether inferior players may harm our chances of getting into the top 4 THIS year.

There's definitely two sides to the debate on this one.

[Mostar]

Not even £60k per week and the fee was around £23m i think. Easily would have been within our budget

I really hope we tried and he said no.

Otherwise pretty disappointing if we passed on him.

[Craig_H]

I really hope we tried and he said no.

Otherwise pretty disappointing if we passed on him.

Might've been reading too much into it, but all his tweeting about liking the Beatles and Liverpool etc, had made me think he would've come - Pepe would've been in his ear too. But then i suppose CL football is a big attraction and Traitor would've been in his ear from their side of it. I dunno.

Cant say he's gone for the sake of megabucks though.

[Mostar]

I think Adam, Enrique and Downing come into the category of creativity, maybe not the flair so much but they'll create.

I don't doubt they will but as Craig said Mata's fee + wages appears to be clearly within our budget and it's disappointing to see that Chavs signed him and we didn't.

[Mostar]

Might've been reading too much into it, but all his tweeting about liking the Beatles and Liverpool etc, had made me think he would've come - Pepe would've been in his ear too. But then i suppose CL football is a big attraction and Traitor would've been in his ear from their side of it. I dunno.

Cant say he's gone for the sake of megabucks though.

Evidently it wasn't about money but perhaps CL football was the deciding factor.

Shame really cause with him I'd really fancy our chances this year maybe for more than 4th spot..

[Reece]

Didn't his Dad say he wanted to join a team in the CL if he was to leave Valencia? So whatever the fee and wages, that kind of ruled us out from the off.