...No, it's not often I've said that. But turning down over £6M for Sinclair is folly. OK, I accept that we may get more and Jenkins (as usual) will come up smelling of roses. Fantastic if it happens. But is Sinclair really worth more than that? A player I'd prefer to keep for sure, but one who doesn't want to be here and will go for nothing next year. He has to go doesn't he? His performances last season were patchy, the interest in him from the Champions is curious to say the least - but welcome. We don't actually need to sell him to get Hernandez apparently but it'll help and also lighten the wage bill. I thought we were trying to reduce the squad size? It's entirely possible that the Chairman knows something we don't about this but on the face of it we should have bitten their hands off. Thoughts? Link to the story here: http://bbc.in/SPTQR6
"It's entirely possible that the Chairman knows something we don't about this..." - This is exactly what I assumed when we turned down City's offer. There seems no other explanation. Liverpool, perhaps? Or he was linked with Fulham a while back? It wouldn't surprise me if Jenkins sold him to another club, apart from City, just to spite them for their lackadaisical approach to the transfer. There's nothing he hates more than a "big" club parading over their "smaller" competitors by dragging their heels or offering pittance for their players.
I do think there is something going on behind the scenes that we don't know. But it is being reported that man city might be after theo walcott, might just be paper talk or have they given up on sinclair, or do they want both!
If it's true that we turned down £6m then we are bonkers. I would expect that Man City are just trying to screw us a little though so HJ is digging his heels in.
I still fail to see where the swans have turned down £6.2m for Sinclair , there are no quotes from Jenkins that he has turned it down. Read the article itself where he actually quotes that no deal has been done as yet. And he criticising the way they are handling the transfer. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19393402
I can imagine Jenkins being happy to lose out rather than bow to the big boys, but not to the tune of 6 million. He'll know what he's doing and I wouldn't mind betting there is a back up plan even if it would be to take a lower offer from say Fulham with add ons. As has been mentioned, Huw will probably come out of it smelling of roses as always
Yep I agree, the way I see it is Man City are playing funny buggers and HAVEN'T come back with a firm offer. To me it looks like MC are waiting till last minute so they can make a low ball offer knowing we will have no time negotiate, hence all the quotes saying we wont sell unless our valuation is met etc etc to get them to make an offer now
For a player like Scott in his final year of his contract then i think 6.2 million is a fair price and should have been sold,I dont really care IF Huw knows or thinks there's another possibility of getting more from City or anyother club time is not on our side.. Another worry i have is that if he's not sold this transfer window then i wouldn't be surprised if Scott see's out his contract and leaves on a free knowing he'll get even better wages at his next club and who could blame him.. Sell,Sell,Sell now !!
Fulham has just become a more likely destination for Sinclair, what with them agreeing to sell their left sided player Dembele to Spurs for £15 million.
Huw Jenkins is probably a very good Poker player. He doesn't fold under pressure. On this occasion he is going to "see" Man City. As I said on a previous thread, I wouldn't be surprised to see another Pratley situation develop....Sinclair making the odd appearance here and there when it suits us to do so and allowing him to rot in the reserves for the most part. This would send out 2 messages. 1) to the players - if you try to **** us over in order to leave on a free and pick up more money at your new club...you do so at your own risk. A year in our reserves will do harm to your career (Pratley still hasn't recovered, made 1 appearance for Bolton this season, from the bench in the League Cup) and there is no guarantee that anyone will even be interested after a year of not playing competitive football. 2) to the bigger clubs - it's a waste of time trying to bully us into letting you take our players at reduced prices. Cough up or **** off. It has been obvious for a long time that Man City's strategy would be to make a last minute low bid. Sinclair needs his head read. It is clear that they are not fussed whether he joins or not, he is being signed purely with an eye to domestic player rules and financial fair play (needing to sign squad players on much lower wages so they can keep paying silly money to the 20 players they actually need).
I think maybe Man City have asked about Sinclair but haven't made an actual bid. So Huw is just annoyed that they seem to want him but won't make a bid. Like someone else said, maybe they are waiting until the last hour when they hope we will take any offer, as they know we want to sell. But Huw isn't stupid and I doubt he's turned down a good bid unless he has a plan b.
I agree that the Club haven't made a definitive statement to the effect that the bid was made or turned down, but it was reported in the media and not denied by the Club. This was then followed by Laudrup saying that Sinclair's valuation must be met. Therefore, it's by no means certain that a bid has been made and / or rejected but it looks that way. If it has, then I still say we should have taken it. If not and they come in last minute I hope he's sold to a different club if possible just for Citeh trying it on.
I think the problem we have is that no other club seem to have shown an interest. So our choice seems to be take what City have offered (if indeed they have offered anything), or keep the player. City could be think they have offered enough and if we don't want to sell then they'll let us keep him and think about the money we could have had.
This is going to be an interesting story if it all comes out. In general the whole thing makes no sense .... Man C wanting Sinclair for this sort of money, and us declining it .... perhaps ML and Mancini can see something we don't.
Can't see him going to MC as they are now very interested in Theo Walcott who also has refused to renew his contract. For me the only other club open to him is Fulham. They have just sold Dembele to Spurs. Although the squad is in disarray; they don't like their manager, Sinclair would fit in there. Also there would be plenty of shops to keep his girlie occupied. Liverpool aren't interested at all; br would have made an offer if he was. I don't even expect him to make a cheap and sneaky last minute bid. All the press speculation, not good enough for City, Girlfriends dumb tweets, refusal to sign a contract extension, has made Sinclair look a little soft or, not in control of his own destiny or easily lead. What he should do now is Man up, take the initiative away from his whispering entourage, sign an extension with us, stay another year and get his career back on track. He'd learn so much from ML in a year and he'd certainly become a better player.
