Brendan Rodgers

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

It is kind of irrelevant. Chelsea would have blown us out water anyway

With hindsight, but nobody knew Chelsea were going to come in did they, I think Rodgers has every right to feel a bit let down. If we're willing to pay £25m+ on him and we've spent less than Norwich this year and BR wants the play/feels he's key. I can see why he and some fans would be disappointed they didn't do that little extra to back their man.

[Sarb]

With hindsight, but nobody knew Chelsea were going to come in did they, I think Rodgers has every right to feel a bit let down. If we're willing to pay £25m+ on him and we've spent less than Norwich this year and BR wants the play/feels he's key. I can see why he and some fans would be disappointed they didn't do that little extra to back their man.

I agree with the general point about him being let down, but it's something like £8m - £10m extra.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Especially when FSG are still reeling from spending 27+3+5 pounds on Carroll and 12+6+2 pounds on Downing.

They need to move on from that, this is a new manager who's last 2 acquisitions have looked very astute, I'd completely understand if it was the same people running transfers but its not. Yes spend wisely but if your already prepared to pay close to the fee why not back him with the extra few £££.

EDIT: Sorry I was referring to Sturridge and Coutinho completely ignored everyone else this summer Aspas and Toure look good value too though, Mignolet has big shoes to fill and Alberto is still an unknown.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

I agree with the general point about him being let down, but it's something like £8m - £10m extra.

Is that from the Chelsea figure or the one to match the original Spurs bid? I just think it was a chance to a) get Rodgers a player he must really want b) get one over on spurs c) prove to the fans we're being ambitious and not just talking.

I'm not saying they're bad owners or slagging them off, I just think this was a situation I think they could have pushed the boat out. £8m is hardly a crippling amount.

[Imy]

willian isnt worth 37+5m euros.

In reality no player's worth >£10m or more than £25k a week.

But this is footiecomics and a player is worth whatever the buying club is willing to pay.

[Neil Young]

They need to move on from that, this is a new manager who's last 2 acquisitions have looked very astute, I'd completely understand if it was the same people running transfers but its not. Yes spend wisely but if your already prepared to pay close to the fee why not back him with the extra few £££.

Because there's a limit!

This discussion is getting absolutely nowhere.

[Neil Young]

In reality no player's worth >£10m or more than £25k a week.

But this is footiecomics and a player is worth whatever the buying club is willing to pay.

Worth? You mean a player costs whatever the buying club is willing to pay.

There's a difference between price and value.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Because there's a limit!

This discussion is getting absolutely nowhere.

I agree there is a limit I really do, but I think there has to be times when you can be flexible. Unless we have other irons in the fire then I think this is one of those situations, Rodgers seems frustrated which to me means Willian is someone he really wanted. Guess work, yes.

[el matador]

i dont think its fsg themselves who pull the plug because they dont know the true value of the football transfer market. Its more likely that the transfer committee have said that willian has a value between 27-30m and no more.

If the bidding goes to 35 then they're out. I cant for one second imagine john henry and tom werner debating willian's pros and cons because theyve probably never heard of the player.

but it does show whether right or wrong that the manager's opinion isnt the most important one anymore.

[EwarWoo]

I cant for one second imagine john henry and tom werner debating willian's pros and cons because theyve probably never heard of the player.

I can't imagine they place the valuation either but I could well imagine they have the say on where to stop if it goes above that value.

[MrMichael]

True.

At the same time, Suarez has worked out on the field and his value has appreciated by £20m or so. Sometimes you have to spend money to make it..

That appreciation only actually counts when we make like Spurs and sell him though surely?

When you think it looks like Willian is going to be sold for pretty much what Arsenal (and Suarez' agent) thought we'd have to sell Luis for, even though we didn't want to sell and Anzhi are very openly trying to sell Willian... well. Does anyone think this guy is as good as (or worth as much as) Suarez?

[MrMichael]

i dont think its fsg themselves who pull the plug because they dont know the true value of the football transfer market. Its more likely that the transfer committee have said that willian has a value between 27-30m and no more.

If the bidding goes to 35 then they're out. I cant for one second imagine john henry and tom werner debating willian's pros and cons because theyve probably never heard of the player.

but it does show whether right or wrong that the manager's opinion isnt the most important one anymore.

Agreed, that's logical and likely correct.

I don't think that is at all unique to us though, in fact Rodgers looks like he has a decent amount of influence at least on who the targets are if not the finances, many clubs it hardly even looks like that.

[Sarb]

You have to be flexible within limits though. He's something like 26, only has 2 international caps and doesn't score much. He was probably worth £25m max. It's what we bid. Spurs came in with a higher bid. Last night, Chelsea bid 37m Euros straight. Spurs still haggling over some £5m that needs to be paid back

I'm not sure how much of the perfect fit he was for Rodgers though. I think Rodgers also wanted to pay £15m for Williams but has been vetoed by the Committee and FSG. That is this summer too. FSG are going to show faith in the committee they appointed as well. Just a fact

I agree that they need to get away from thinking that every deal is comparable to what happened with Downing and Carroll etc. I think they have done also highlighted by the bids they've submitted this summer. It just boils down to the fact, they player wasn't seen to be worth the asking price!

[Neil Young]

I agree there is a limit I really do, but I think there has to be times when you can be flexible. Unless we have other irons in the fire then I think this is one of those situations, Rodgers seems frustrated which to me means Willian is someone he really wanted. Guess work, yes.

Ok, but I don't think FSG should relax that limit to make one of their employees feel better.

So he's frustrated, I can understand that and I think we all feel a bit the same. That's it really. The valuation is the valuation. If he's thought to be worth more to the club than the club's valuation has it then the club's valuation is too low. But that's a definition of the valuation - it's a judgment about how much he'd be worth to us.

Ultimately the idea he's worth more than he's worth is a contradiction in terms.

And that's why this discussion is going round in circles.

[Muddled]

Going by the tibits in the media and taking just the headline figures, we offered £27m, Spurs £30m and Chelsea £32m for Willian. That's an increase of £5m in the space of 24 hours.

Five *million* pounds. Call it £100,000 a week and that's a years wages for two players on £50K p/w (ish).

Can we afford to just throw that little bit extra at a deal, or are we right to have a ceiling figure?