United - Milner Transfer War?

I might irritate a few out here by my statement but for me going to City doesn't mean he is going for money,whether anyone likes it or not City have done pretty well and with a huge transfer budget again,this year they will be even more stronger and I do believe that they will get that CL position pretty soon.The only way they will destroy it is by doing a Real Madrid and trying to get instant success rather than going with continuity.

JM is another player who would be a pretty good signing for us.Like Rodwell,he too has all the qualities that would make SAF take notice of him.To tell u the truth,Milner,Rodwell,Silva,Ireland,Modric all of these would be good signings for us in my opinion and I hope its from this group but in SAF we have a manager who can always spring a surprise and buy someone unknown.

Maybe I havent watched enough of James Milner but, everyone is always describing him as promising. At 24 how much of an improvement are we expecting? Carrick was 6 months older when we signed him than milner is now. Carrick has done well for us, but his improvement was hardly drastic - why should milner be any different. I would have james milner over carrick based on this seasons performances, but if we only sign one player - I'd rather it was someone better than milner - especially at the prices quoted for him.

Playing and career wise Milner would be MUCH better off either joining United or staying at Villa, but obviously financially to join Citeh. People have only used part of Randy Lerner's 'sell to buy' speach. Villa do not want or need to sell Milner, and the only way they would consider it is with a stupid large offer well in excess of what he is actually worth. Can United afford that? We know Citeh can.

Would want him here if we get rid of at least one of Carrick or Gibson.

And I'm sure if Citeh offers 100k a week, he'll have no problems in choosing the blue side of Manchester. After all, if Mancini does spend the reported 70-80 million on players, they've got a hell of a chance to go for the league title. He might get CL football with you for a season- What else? A history book free with his contract?

JT, I'll try to explain what I mean. Lets use Ribery as an example. If he decides he wants to move after the world cup, bayern will struggle to keep him - but in the end nobody wants an unhappy player so they will probably listen to offers. Now they have already said they think he is worth £50m. If madrid have already bought Silva, Barca have Hazard, Chelsea have Di Maria and City have Ozil - who is going to pay £50m for Ribery? No one. They will have to lower their price, keep an unhappy player or lose him for nothing in the future. Players are worth what people will pay for them. If the guys with the money have all the players they want, the values of players still to be sold has to be adjusted to the prices everyone else can afford to pay. We might not buy anyone, but you're silly to think that clubs will be demanding £30m for average players if the clubs with the big money to spend dont want to buy them.

Right, you're assuming that clubs like Real Madrid and Citeh will be content with just a player? Barca have bought Villa, yet Marca comes up with a 70 million Torres link and a 50 million Fabregas link, not to mention a 24 million Hazard link and an occasional 22 million Ashley Young link. So obviously, according to your argument, Bayern will look at Citeh, Real Madrid, Chelsea buy players and give an almighty sigh and say that - "Oh, they've all bought players. Nobody will want Ribery" and sell him for a lesser price?? The problem is, why was Villa's valuation suddenly raised to 50 million euros last year when Chelsea enquired? That was directly due to The 80mill Ronaldo, 56 mill Kaka, 65 mill Ibramovic effect. Valencia didn't want to sell because they knew, that in this current climate where silly money is thrown, it would be idiotic to sell their star forward at a more realistic price of 30 million. Your argument of an unhappy player is flawed because if a club did have an unhappy player, and if they are looking to sell, why on earth will they price the player out of the move?? Bayern weren't looking to sell last season, Arsenal are not looking to sell this season. I never said that this applies for average players- we're looking at the top boys here. Look at Benfica- They've slapped a incredible 50 million euros price tag on David Luiz, an equally staggering 45 million euros on Di Maria. You think they'll lower their valuation when nobody buys? You brought up that unhappy player scenario, I was talking generally.

Elvido, I don't get it- "prospect of success as opposed to guaranteed titles more often than not sways it towards us"-- Surely you don't doubt that Citeh can mount a decent title challenge next season? There is talk of spending 70-80 million on players this summer- As much as I can say that money does not garuntee success, obscene amounts just might do it.. Tell me, a chance to be a part of history by achieving something big for the first time in the club's history + insane amounts of cash? Or a significantly lower salary in a settled, illustrious club where you will be just one out of generations of trophy winners? Think like a non-United, neutral fan who doesn't give a flying fart about the Manchester rivalry. Add to it lofty promises of League titles+CL within the next 5 years, who wouldnt? I can't think of any reason why he would come to United. I was afraid Citeh will make these kind of signings, talented partial mercenaries who'll improve their squad tremendously.

Right Elvido, you lot will never do a Leeds. Too high a profile, too loved by the world. The worst we can hope for is that your next owners will be as crappy as the glazers.. lol :)

JT_daniel, I really cant see why you are struggling so much with this concept. Im fully aware that the big spenders will buy more than one player, but equally they cant buy everyone. In my example, I mentioned players that operate in the the same area of the pitch for a reason. My point was to make clear that even if the big four all buy one or more attacking midfielders, there will still be lots of other top attacking midfielders available.

If there are 15 top attacking midfielders available this summer they will not all be sold for £45m because thats what madrid pay for di maria. At some point during the window, clubs will adjust their prices based on what those who bid for them can afford to pay. An example would be douglas costa. Gremio put a £20m price tag on him when it became clear United were interested. When United declined, Gremio were left with a player who wanted to move to europe and no rich clubs to buy him. So they lowered their price and sold him to shaktar for £6m. Last year madrid wanted to sell robben for £30m but had to sell him for £22m when none of the clubs who could afford £30m wanted to buy him for that price. Whether the big spenders buy 1 player or 10 players this summer there will still be players who they do not try to buy. Those players wont be sold at bargain prices just because the big spenders arent interested, but neither will they be sold at ridiculous premiums if the clubs who can afford to pay those sums dont show an interest.

No club needs to announce that they have finished spending in the transfer market. It becomes obvious when you see who they have bought and who they bid on. For example, Im confident United and Chelsea wont bid on a left back this summer. Man City will probably buy one and spurs might too. Any left backs that become available will command a high price because man city are in the market. If spurs and city go for the same left back spurs will have to match the prices paid by city. If spurs go for a different left back, that club will want to keep prices high. It then becomes a waiting game. Once City have bought their left back, the other club have a choice to make. Maintain their asking price and risk spurs walking away completely, making their player unhappy about being priced out of a move. Or they lower their price (even just a little) to tempt spurs into buying. A lot of clubs will be stubborn and maintain the higher price. But equally their will be clubs who cannot really afford not to sell. If it so happens that there are a few young left backs available with similar talent level, spurs will shop around until they find a price that suits them. Whilst the big spenders are in the market for a player in a particular position its obviously a sellers market. Once they have those positions covered, it will become a buyers market.

I dont think anything I've said is so far beyond the realms of reality that you could fail to understand it. In fact, you're probably just being difficult.

""But equally their will be clubs who cannot really afford not to sell. If it so happens that there are a few young left backs available with similar talent level, spurs will shop around until they find a price that suits them. Whilst the big spenders are in the market for a player in a particular position its obviously a sellers market. Once they have those positions covered, it will become a buyers market.""---- I thought the discussion was about top players, the ones who have already shown dazzling potential to be the very best, not the "future talents" bracket. I was talking only about the top bracket. Benfica can really wait and sell Di Maria for 45 million next season if they don't find any suitors than ManYoo, who'll offer them on;y 25 million. Wolfsberg did the same with Edin Dzeko too, even though Milan were the only club interested, they told them to feck off when they did not meet their valuation. Your concept of clubs who can't afford NOT to sell doesn't usally come when we are talking ab0out top players. Definitely all the 15 top attacking midfielder's clubs will not be desperate to sell them, neither are all the 15 midfielders unhappy.

Can we just stop this debate, please? My head hurts. I'm posting this 3 hours after my previous post and just reading through all of the above comments makes my head spin.

You signed Berbatov who didn't particularly want to play for you, you ended up paying "massive transfer fees and massive wages". I find that generalisation of "Chelsea and City" a little funny.

Jeez, this is one of the most theoretical arguments without any definite conclusions i have read in a long time. A lesson in how to use the language to inform and confuse!!!