Well rejecting and deciding to stay would be against the club's wishes if they've agreed that 48m is the fee where they'd be willing to sell.
I'm sure they don't want to get rid, but every player has his price and the whole point of a release clause is to ensure that price is high. If someone matches it then I really can't see him stopping it - I don't know of any other time a clause has been matched and the player has turned it down. Looking at the history of Atletico they're a club who often sell their best players for good money. As much as they'd rather keep him, if someone comes in with 48m (or whatever the figure), an offer both parties agreed was one they couldn't refuse, he's unlikely to turn it down.
Haha yeah I know. Gotta love muppet season. In all fairness we'd never get Koke. More chance of Cesc in my opinion.
This is a good point, though I think right now we're in a similar position with Cleverley, Fellaini, an ageing Carrick and a knackered Fletcher.
Except he's not a number 10 at all, and is very capable of playing as a central midfielder. He is nothing like Mata too. Do you actually watch him play?
I do take your point but regardless of circumstances they can't turn the bid down either way. It would defeat the point of a release clause if the club influenced the player into rejecting any bid.
That's actually not true in the slightest... His main position is a central midfielder, played as a defensive midfielder at times and plays as an attacking midfielder at times. This season he played mostly as a wide midfielder on either the right flank or left flank, and it's his versatility that is a big quality that works great for Atletico. Him being a very hard worker along with being a quality player means he can play anywhere in midfield without a problem. He would be perfect for us as the box to box player in a 4-3-3 if Van Gaal does choose to play like that, but being so versatile he can also play on the wing, further up or further back and you won't see much of a drop in quality.
I think he's still a proper CM and his performances out wide are just testament to his versatility. He's an efficient passer, is physically strong and has a tireless work rate, which suits a central role. I share your concern with regard s to overloading with number 10s but I don't think that's an issue in this case, as he's a cracking centre mid rather than a 10.
I imagine them all standing around a huge machine that chugs away and spits out a slip, as soon as they get it, they all scatter off to their publications.
In the matches i've seen he never played as DM. Not even as a CM. And against Chelsea at Stmford he played exactly the free roaming number 10 role. As he did in group matches in CL, against Zenit at home and Porto away.
To be fair bro, you have come out with a few "oh we will definitely sign this player and that player" comments. Not really in the best position to judge
I am assuming so. In the last 10 days, we have been linked to 10 different players, a new player cropping up every morning, and then the story dies down at the end of the day. And if that wasn't it, they have also thrown a couple of managers into the mix.
Like your "friend".
To be fair bro, you have come out with a few "oh we will definitely sign this player and that player" comments. Not really in the best position to judge
He did not play at CM against Chelsea, he did not play there against Barcelona in La Liga final day, he did not play there in any CL matches i've seen. And that's three group matches, both Milan ones, 1-1 with Barca (0-0 i did not watch, i knew it will be like that), both Chelsea and final.
