Barton with £4million price tag?

Just read this FWIW and it has the dreaded word "sources" in it:

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11678_7006490,00.html

Wonder if they'd let Barton stay and sit through the run out of his contract. Then what? He walks...
I'm sure most of us fans would like to see Joey stay.

 

Newcastle have now moved to play down those rumours, insisting that they have no plans to part with Barton.

The Magpies are believed to have placed a £4million price tag on Barton to his interested suitors.

So contradicting...

 

If he had a longer contract he'd call for more than 4 million.

 

That articles actually ridiculous.

I mean seriously. 'Claimed', 'understood', 'believed'. All a load of nothing. How does it get printed on SSN?!

 

That's what struck me too - he's not for sale but we'll let him o for £4million. Eh?

 

Because absolutely nothing is happening in football - there biggest money maker.

 

There's lazy journalism and there's pure ****ness (yes I just invented that word and I like it)

This is a concoction of both.

 

So what does come out of this: most likely this is being run for our
benefit? We're just being 'conditioned' to see a sale for £4million.
The actual figure will no doubt be known via all the interested
parties and agents etc anyhow.

Is this the damning with faint praise way to oust a player under
contract the way managers usually get the chop after having the
ringing 'endorsement' of the chairman?

 

I doubt anyone will pay that much for him bearing in mind he'll be a free agent this time next year.

 

If this was true, I think £4mill would be a decent price, considering it is the last year of his contract.

 

That's the worst article I've ever had the displeasure of reading.

 

This plus the fact it was written at 9pm on a flipping Sunday... Obviously the footballing world is a hive of activity this late on a weekend....

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I'm starting to question why everyone gets to hung up on contract length remaining? I understand for an owning club if there's only 1 year left, they should have the fear of losing him for nothing in return but 1 year's service on the pitch. But what does the contract length matter for the buying club? Because they'll almost certainly write up a new contract when the player and them meet to determine personal terms. Basically, for the buying club it's the price for the right to negotiate with the player and it shouldn't matter how many years are left?

 

Newcastle have rejected suggestions that Joey Barton will be offloaded for as little as £1 million.

It had been reported that the unsettled midfielder - out of contract next summer - would be moved on in a bargain deal after announcing that he would not be renewing his contract at the club.

Barton has frequently voiced his concerns at the lack of new terms being offered at St James' Park, and at the sale of key team-mates.

The midfielder has made it clear that his preference would have been to stay on Tyneside, where he has rebuilt his career.

But the 28-year-old is under no illusion that the Magpies probably have it mind to sell him on this summer while they can recoup a fee for him.

It had previously been suggested that Barton was available in a cut-price deal and that Newcastle would listen to any offers.

No bids were received and Newcastle have now played down rumours that they would be willing to part with the ex-England international.

They have placed a £4million price tag on Barton to reinforce this point.

 

Already posted yesterday

 

If Barton is available for only £4 million; does he have a Sports Direct discount label attached to him?

 

I can imagine him doing a press conference with a huge "70% off" label on his forehead.