I wasn't commenting on FDJ specifically but their transfer approach in general. Unless Utd believe x is going to be the ultimate answer then they should avoid signing them unless they're absolutely desperate to make up the numbers in their squad. Because of the wages Utd pay, signing stop gaps or 2nd choice targets is very dangerous and could hurt them more in the long term than going without for 6-12 months - if that player flops, no club that would want him could afford him and signing the right replacement will be impacted as a result.
Summer Transfer Window 22/23
- Thread starter robfosters
- Start date
True, trouble is, in recent years that's also been the case with the no.1 targets
Whilst I agree that if the player(s) we wan't isn't available then we shouldn't buy, but I'm still sure there must be better players out there that we do want? I guess they might not be available etc.
It'll be interesting to see if ETH can work his magic and get us firing going forward, there have been glimpses of the possible at times. Pre-VVD Liverpool levels, not so great at the back, better going forward.
Striving to be as good as Liverpool were (not even as good as they are). Bad times
Soldato
True, trouble is, in recent years that's also been the case with the no.1 targets
Whilst I agree that if the player(s) we wan't isn't available then we shouldn't buy, but I'm still sure there must be better players out there that we do want? I guess they might not be available etc.
It'll be interesting to see if ETH can work his magic and get us firing going forward, there have been glimpses of the possible at times. Pre-VVD Liverpool levels, not so great at the back, better going forward.
Striving to be as good as Liverpool were (not even as good as they are). Bad times
Progress is seen as "bad times" now...
You know things have to take time to change? It's been like 12 weeks since united got a new manager. Behave yourself
I think you'll find it's been 10 years and over £1billion spent... That's not progress.
Caporegime
Blimey ETH has been here 10 years already?
Yeah, he's spent a billion
Soldato
Also, I don't think anyone's in doubt that things chance...he loves barca and it was his dream club. Fallouts happen, things change. At this point I'm banking on ETH having spoken with FDJ. If it falls a part and he stays...it wouldn't surprise me that united have been incompetent yet again.
Caporegime
Incompetent because they will not buckle into Barcelona's demands? Barcelona are the ones in a financial mess so they are in no position to bargain. They were backing on getting a pretty penny for FDJ to help pay for the players they have bought this season. United would be wise to just stick it out and walk away unless they get it on their terms.
Xavi played him at CB the other day so it is obvious they want him gone. At this point id rather they give James Garner a run in the team which could potentially save United millions if he turns out good. He was a key part of Forest last season and seems ready to make his step up to the big time.
My understanding (reading what various people are saying) is that -
- Barca and Xavi have told Frenkie he's got to leave as they can't afford him and need to free up the wage bill
- If he stays, there's no opportunities for him in midfield so he's being played as a makeshift centre back
- He can stay if he writes off the £17m~ debt and accepts a 50% pay cut
Surely they can't force the pay cut and write off?
They can't. So legally he can just sit there and they have to pay him. That's his current stance - but they're trying to force him out.
He voluntarily deferred his wages (presumably all checked by his agent/legal team) due to COVID and Barca struggling. Not sure of the details of that.
I think he'd be prepared to leave if they pay him the £17m.
Caporegime
This is why I hope he stays and takes them to the cleaners. The way Barcelona is run in these times is a prime example of how a lot of people live their lives. They are basically loan sharking on pay day loans. They have sold off their future just to try and grasp onto today for a little longer. It is only going to get worse for them.
Caporegime
They can't force anything. They have a ridiculous contract with him that averages out to €22m/year + bonuses for the next 4 years. If he wants to play hard ball they have 2 options. Pay him enough of the deferred salary so he is happy to be sold or somehow persuade him to sign another new contract at much lower wages and lose a fortune.
Frenkie can choose to do a Bale and just sit tight and collect his wages for the next 4 years if he wants.
Might be a silly question, but can’t he instruct his lawyers to start court proceedings over the debt?
I'm not sure, it depends on what was agreed when the wages were deferred.
They planned to pay him this deferred money on top of his usual salary over the next few years. As long as they do that, I don't see an issue.
Caporegime
No, because legally he doesn't have a leg to stand on. He's agreed to lower his wages for a period in exchange for raising them after. I'm assuming he's been badly advised by his agent because now all Barca have to do is shift him and they don't have to pay the increased wages. It's a royal mess and unfortunately this is why the transfer is taking so long. Barca have to sell him and De Jong just has to stay put until they give in and offer him a compromise (I saw some journalist say they've offered him a small amount but I don't know how reliable they are)
Soldato
Incompetent for not actually teeing up Frankie. I am assuming they have spoken to FDJ and know he will come, pending him having his finances sorted with Barca, rather than "assuming" he will come because Barca don't want him.
Caporegime
By all accounts there is no debt.
All that happened is that during COVID, FdJ agreed to sign a new contract that reduced his wages to €3m/year and pushed the wages that he would have earned onto the subsequent years of his contract. He isn't owed anything. This is the issue.
Barca can't force him to leave but legally they owe him nothing if he is sold. They want to sell him.
FdJ doesn't want to leave but seems open to leaving but he doesn't want to lose out on those deferred wages. He can sit tight and collect those wages if he wants.
Barca and FdJ need to come to an agreement on how much he will accept of those deferred wages in order to agree to leave. If Barca can't do that and they can't get him to sign a new contract on lower wages he will be legally entitled to the agreed wages as he fulfils the remainder of his contract.
If it was a legal issue then ironically it would be far simpler.
Caporegime
I'm not convinced that hes been badly advised. There was nothing to suggest he would be sold, he was happy there and fundamentally he can't be sold without them making him happy with the conditions.
There is no actual difference between the contract saying "you must pay all outstanding deferred wages to sell him" and FdJ saying "I won't agree to leave unless you pay me all outstanding wages".
Lets be fair here. Even if his contract had that clause, Barca would be doing exactly the same thing in trying to reduce the payout. I'm not sure how it makes any difference in the real world but I might have missed something.
Caporegime
Of course there is a difference. If he left now he'd get 0 of the money he agreed to defer to help out Barca. If he had agreed terms on how the money deferred would be paid (even if it's over the same period of time but just applicable whether he is there or not) then he could have left by now and still been paid.
You have to remember that footballers have a limited career time. Sure he can stay there for 4 years sitting in the reserves and get his money but then his career is probably over at the highest level.
You have to remember that footballers have a limited career time. Sure he can stay there for 4 years sitting in the reserves and get his money but then his career is probably over at the highest level.