Firmino was a free agent so we couldn't counsel him against taking up the offer but I'd like to think that as a club, we wouldn't enter into any talks with them for any of our players. I agree with saint though that the club will probably have a different outlook. I always hold out hope that there are some out there who will reject the tainted money. It's why I was so pleased that Son spoke out against a move there. We don't know how many have turned it down because not all transfer talk makes the headlines but I'd like to think Son isn't alone in his view.
no way the club would turn down £150m fora 32 year old player .The club is a business in a sport where morals have always seemed in short supply in my lifetime
We already have sponsorships from the likes of Standard Chartered, Carlsberg and Interwetten. It's all degrees of morals.
If LFC received that offer, absolutely they should accept. However, as Thiago, I wouldn't accept a transfer to Saudi Arabia. I'm sure LFC already has marketing deals and commercial interests all around the world, including SA. Maybe it's a little contradictory to be OK with the club accepting the money but not an individual, but it does feel different to me.
The same as if City, PSG, Real Madrid, or Roman-era Chelsea (or any club that got their money in ways I disapprove of) bid that much. If I were a player, I wouldn't want to play for those clubs, but I wouldn't be as disappointed in Thiago if he chose to play there compared directly to SA. Ultimately, Newcastle is owned by SA and that is a shame, but I think it's a step down in "badness" from actually playing in SA. The invested money is staying in democratic countries with human rights. The player is not relocating to a questionable country. It is not directly glorifying that regime. Let's face it, when City win a title, people aren't thinking "Way to go UAE!". Al Hilal suddenly becomes the world's top team... That's direct glorification of the Saud regime. I guess it goes along with my contradictory stance on Thiago to SA. I don't so much disapprove of accepting Saudi money as I do glorifying their regime. Taking their money is not propping them up... But playing for them is.
That's 3 of ours in 3 days. Anymore? Perhaps Saudi Arabia would just like to move the PL to Saudi Arabia
Population of Saudi Arabia is expected to be 10% higher by the end of summer than the beginning of the year.
For Thiago? Erm...yes. I'd take anything over £15m. Guy is toast, can't run anymore, would be the same for Newcastle as he is for us. Only way Thiago can get anything out of the last days of his career is to move to a slower league.
