Aquilani - stay or go?

[Vermilion]

This is all well and good but what happens if he stays and sulks or performs **** etc..

Despite your belief to the contrary I'd say it is quite possible that he would underperform due to him being unhappy

We'd then be stuck paying large wages to another player

For me you can only stand firm when you hold ALL the cards

He wants to leave and therefore your stance has to weaken

Yeah but €6m Lec, that's a bitter pill to swallow, for that i'd rather make a stand and keep him, even if all he does is clean boots and put the cones out.

[Lecter]

We have all the cards as long as it is more than two years left on his contract. I have already said as you mention that he simply won't have a choice than to perform and give 100% because he wouldn't get a move back to Italy at a later date if he sulked.

I think Aquilani is clever enough to understand that. I also think he is clever enough to understand that we won't accept **** bids just because he is homesick. If he stays then it wouldn't be our fault. It would be the faults of the Italian clubs he want to move to that don't see him as important enough to pay an acceptable transfer fee. €15m is an acceptable fee. €6m simply isn't.

It would have been a different situation next summer when he only will have two years left on his contract.

"€15 million is an acceptable fee"

Acceptable to who?

Nobody will pay that

You think you'd be able to keep Aquilani (an already unhappy player) sweet by setting the bar so high

I appreciate the stance you are taking but you have to have a level of realism

IF the player is so unhappy you have to be flexible or otherwise you will DEFINITELY end up with an unhappy player

Look at Charlie Adam as a prime example. Blackpool tell him he has to stay in January his form dips dramatically

[Lecter]

Yeah but €6m Lec, that's a bitter pill to swallow, for that i'd rather make a stand and keep him, even if all he does is clean boots and put the cones out.

So you'd prefer to pay somebody £4 million to do that?

Do you come from the Purslow School of Football Business?

This is why I advocated the Fiorentina as not being a bad one because all the permanent deal were daft

That said I can still see the club going for this sort of deal because it would mean €6 million fee plus 4 million wages off the books (saving of circa €10 million)

[Mostar]

How can he reconsider when Aquilani has made it clear he doesnt want to be here

You and others keep making it out like it is Kenny forcing him out

Its the player wanting to go and the club now having a policy not to stand in the way of anyone who insists that they want to leave

I respect your sources and I do believe that you are correct in him wanting to leave but is it conceivable that the part of reason why he want to go back is cause he is not given any indications that he'll be seriously considered for the starting job and he's not a part of Kenny's short and long term plans...

I get that he's home sick but I'm not so sure that he wouldn't want to stay if he is to be given a fair chance to play regular footie (if he deserves it and given the pre-season he should be a starter imo).

[Lecter]

I respect your sources and I do believe that you are correct in him wanting to leave but is it conceivable that the part of reason why he want to go back is cause he is not given any indications that he'll be seriously considered for the starting job and he's not a part of Kenny's short and long term plans...

I get that he's home sick but I'm not so sure that he wouldn't want to stay if he is to be given a fair chance to play regular footie if he deserves and given the pre-season he should be a starter imo.

Its conceivable but its totally contrary to what I have been told

Hes homesick and wants out and no matter what is on offer in terms of reassurances / game time etc... he still wants out

He literally HATES the UK (Liverpool)

The club have accepted that and as such are doing their best to give him what he wants

[Neil Young]

We have all the cards as long as it is more than two years left on his contract. I have already said as you mention that he simply won't have a choice than to perform and give 100% because he wouldn't get a move back to Italy at a later date if he sulked.

I think Aquilani is clever enough to understand that. I also think he is clever enough to understand that we won't accept **** bids just because he is homesick. If he stays then it wouldn't be our fault. It would be the faults of the Italian clubs he want to move to that don't see him as important enough to pay an acceptable transfer fee. €15m is an acceptable fee. €6m simply isn't.

It would have been a different situation next summer when he only will have two years left on his contract.

That would definitely cure his homesickness.

It's a well known feature of human psychology that someone who is unhappy for some reason can always be talked out of it thanks to the ruthless application of logic.

It's even better if that logic is based on the idea other organisations think the individual in question isn't worth much.

[dom9]

"€15 million is an acceptable fee"

Acceptable to who?

Nobody will pay that

You think you'd be able to keep Aquilani (an already unhappy player) sweet by setting the bar so high

I appreciate the stance you are taking but you have to have a level of realism

IF the player is so unhappy you have to be flexible or otherwise you will DEFINITELY end up with an unhappy player

Look at Charlie Adam as a prime example. Blackpool tell him he has to stay in January his form dips dramatically

The opposite happened with Alonso in his final season with us.

[Arn]

So you'd prefer to pay somebody £4 million to do that?

Do you come from the Purslow School of Football Business?

This is why I advocated the Fiorentina as not being a bad one because all the permanent deal were daft

That said I can still see the club going for this sort of deal because it would mean €6 million fee plus 4 million wages off the books (saving of circa €10 million)

It is not only about the Aquilani deal if we accept a €6m transfer fee. Then it would be like accepting that more or less every player can do this against us and leave on the cheap.

The same situation will happen time after time if we accept to be bullied around.

As already been mentioned. Some time you must stand up and take a stand even if cost us a few millions the first time or even the second time.

Long term the club must show strength in the transfer market. If we do that then we will get better offers for our players. Maybe not this year or next year but for a long time after that.

[Neil Young]

The opposite happened with Alonso in his final season with us.

It's incredible the way different people respond differently to the same situation.

[Mostar]

milanello ac milan news
milan's bid for aquilani is a loan with forced option to buy next summer at €6m. The player will earn €3m a year. (via @francescalcio)

ffs...

[CJ]

i cant believe soo many constantly ignore the fact he hates living in the uk wants out and doesnt want to play in the PL

this may have some influence on why is is for sale and will probably not be here next season

[CJ]

It is not only about the Aquilani deal if we accept a €6m transfer fee. Then it would be like accepting that more or less every player can do this against us and leave on the cheap.

The same situation will happen time after time if we accept to be bullied around.

As already been mentioned. Some time you must stand up and take a stand even if cost us a few millions the first time or even the second time.

Long term the club must show strength in the transfer market. If we do that then we will get better offers for our players. Maybe not this year or next year but for a long time after that.

arn do you ever visit the real world?

[Arn]

The opposite happened with Alonso in his final season with us.

and Mascherano played excellent a full season even that he wasn't happy.

[Angryred]

I'm sure Milan will have players who we would gladly swap Aquilani for!

[Neil Young]

and Mascherano played excellent a full season even that he wasn't happy.

And? What does that prove?