But that's how the market is these days. Clubs are buying more for potential than for finished articles because it's easier and the ceiling on those players is... potentially... much higher. These are educated gambles and they're played out constantly each transfer window.
These finished articles also tend to have their eyes set on specific clubs/managers, which shuts down negotiations at the enquiry stage whereas the other types are more open to moves and balance out their fee with a lower, incentive-based wage.
The selling clubs would be fools to sell their prized assets for anything but the most exorbitant fee they can get, so it's going to be an everpresent fixture in the modern transfer window.
Yes, passive is probably the word that comes to mind for me too. He looks tidy and decent enough, but not like a player who is going to do everything in his power to put his mark on a game or affect it when things aren't going well for his team. Maybe that's to do with his age, or maybe it's his personality or mentality, whatever it is, it makes me think we should be scouring the market for alternatives at the touted prices.
He looks like £25m or so player with the potential to be maybe £10m better than that, imo. He needs more thrust and impetus, or better perhaps, an incentive-based contract where if he meets the outlined standards, Valencia get their add-ons. Don't know where that would leave us, mind, because he plays in a key position we don't have the time or supplemental quality to nuture from - we can't carry anyone in a starting position and if he's not currently good enough to claim a start, will he get the playing time needed to develop in a season where Jose and the club will be desperate to make an impression?
