04-01-2015, 12:52
Both the rumours regarding Westwood & Lees are the opening salvos in a possible transfer saga.
Usually, someone is testing the water. It could be Liverpool/Hull, Wednesday or the player's agent but it works better for us price wise if it goes this way rather than like the Antonio transfer where we offer him up to one club at a price. At least here, we start an auction.
We need someone to come out next week & say that Liverpool's offer of £2m is derisory as Liverpool paid £9m for Mingolet and Westwood is a better keeper than him. We won't get £9m because of Westwood's age but it ups the benchmark price for Westwood up to £4 - 5m. All we need then is for another club to get involved and we get a decent price.
Lees appears to be more speculative. Westwood is an easy cash in for us because we know his value drops to zero in 18 months. Lees has greater real value over the long term but any decision to sell depends on the price we might get. Again, an auction suits us but Hull might be prepared to give us £2m plus Harry Maguire, which gives us money plus a ready made replacement.
Say we get a combined £7m plus Maguire. Even if MM takes £3m to cover debts, we are well placed in invest seriously next summer to make an assault on promotion next season.
Everyone apart from the top handful of clubs is a selling club now, the key is getting the best price to re-build. To get £7m plus Maguire for two players we picked up for free last summer surely has to be good business.
Usually, someone is testing the water. It could be Liverpool/Hull, Wednesday or the player's agent but it works better for us price wise if it goes this way rather than like the Antonio transfer where we offer him up to one club at a price. At least here, we start an auction.
We need someone to come out next week & say that Liverpool's offer of £2m is derisory as Liverpool paid £9m for Mingolet and Westwood is a better keeper than him. We won't get £9m because of Westwood's age but it ups the benchmark price for Westwood up to £4 - 5m. All we need then is for another club to get involved and we get a decent price.
Lees appears to be more speculative. Westwood is an easy cash in for us because we know his value drops to zero in 18 months. Lees has greater real value over the long term but any decision to sell depends on the price we might get. Again, an auction suits us but Hull might be prepared to give us £2m plus Harry Maguire, which gives us money plus a ready made replacement.
Say we get a combined £7m plus Maguire. Even if MM takes £3m to cover debts, we are well placed in invest seriously next summer to make an assault on promotion next season.
Everyone apart from the top handful of clubs is a selling club now, the key is getting the best price to re-build. To get £7m plus Maguire for two players we picked up for free last summer surely has to be good business.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.