Westwood is a very good back up lads but, I'd prefer Mig all day long. If he does go we have to play hardball and demand top dollar for him but, knowing Sunderland we'll bend over backwards for the buying team and get bottom dollar for him. We should as said above be keeping hold of our top players not selling them when they are in the limelight.
This is the thing tho Les, both Mig, and his agent, have recently stated he is not looking for a move yet, if he has another season like last, then we'd easily be looking at a £20million player, to sell him for £10million would be criminal. He's very young for a keeper, we should give him a 4 year deal, with some kind of clause allowing him to leave for a 'Champions League Club' for a pre-agreed fee (£15million plus..) after the first year. If the club then manages to perform, maybe we get to keep the lad long term. Westy IS a very good keeper, but he is not in the same league as Mig, they were on a par I felt before last season, Mig has improved beyond recognition in that year.
I don't want to stand in his way, not nice to block any player who wants and is good enough to compete for trophies but I've been thinking. We owe him nothing and he owes us big time. We brought him to the premiership when he wasn't really on anybody else's radar. We've played him and developed him. He's still got two years on his contract. I think out of a matter of respect he should sign a new contract so we get an optimum fee, and give us another season. If he had Pickford as a number 2 and not a very very capable Westwood then we owe him a lot but as it stands in my eyes, Mig definitely owes us for such a pivotal roll in his career development.
I don't buy that. What about AJ's winner against man city? AJ's Assists? Fletcher's goals? Sess' end of season form? Last time I looked it was a team game. Mig hasn't kept us in the league on his own mate. But he was signed as an unknown from a substanded team in a substanded league. We don't owe him anything, we play him and pay him and cheer his name from the stands. As a club we've more than earned some loyalty from him. I think he and his agent knows this too as they've both publicly stated they want to stay put for now.
We don't owe him anything. We took him as an unknown and distinctly average keeper (and he was distinctly average), played him and backed him early, and as such he's developed at a terrific rate and was the best goalkeeper in one of the top 3 leagues in Europe last season. Would he be at the level he is now had he gone elsewhere? I highly doubt it.
I was always under the impression that when we signed him, he was one of the most upcoming young keepers in Europe and it was another bit of good scouting by Bruce as to how we landed him. He got lucky with Gordon's persistent injury problems and got a hell of a lot of game time early on at Safc but he did make his mark. Do we owe him anything? Nah, he's been well paid, a lot more than the fans that turn up week in week out. I rate the lad highly but I also rate Westwood for his all round game..
Supposedly Bruce didn't scout him, be was told about him from some Dutch player he used to manage (forgot his name), and Bruce missed out on another player so thought 'what the hell, I fancy a trip to Belgium' and the rests history
If Mig wants to nail down the Belgium No1 spot then he should go to Arsenal not Liverpool for the Champions League exposure. That being said I can see Wenger dithering and missing out. I would prefer it if he stayed with us mind!!!
Wenger won't pay the money. liverpool have no money. Just sign up for another 3 years Mig and stay with us.
Judging from yesterday's game, Watford have an excellent keeper who will be staying in the Championship next season - Wenger should go for him
I will never forget the sight of Ronaldo's free kick from about 200 yards out floating past him at the near post
