By dixon9
January 1 2009
The Daily Mail is reporting that Wayne Bridge is “on the verge” of a £12m move to new rich kids on the block Manchester City in what could be the first of various moves for Mark Hughes side during this January transfer window. True or the usual rollocks? Well, we will find out soon enough.
The Daily Mail also report that Bridge “has taken some persuading to leave Chelsea” but that the lure of the ambitious project at City and regular first team football with the subsequent greater possibility of being considered for the England squad has clinched it.
28-year-old Bridge has 87 appearances for Chelsea and is supposed to be one of the most popular members of the squad.
A deal makes sense for both Bridge and Hughes, who has been looking for a left-back since his arrival at Eastlands, but does it make sense for Chelsea?
From a practical point of view, who would deputise for Ashley Cole if Bridge were to leave? Youth product Ryan Bertrand has just had his loan extended at Norwich so that would leave Paulo Ferreira who despite being a right-back at Chelsea, was selected as left-back by Scolari for Portugal.
The £12m transfer figure would represent an excellent return on a player that we paid £7m for in the summer of 2003 (even more when you consider Kenyon’s method of accounting player value by stepping down the original transfer fee over the length of original contract).
But what about future considerations with regard to the UEFA 6+4 rule? Some of the more powerful clubs in Europe still want to resist this recent initiative but Kenyon has already gone on record as accepting it and gearing up for it on player recruitment and in our efforts to eventually have our youth ready for first team football. Selling an English player like Bridge would depend on sufficient contingency already in place (or buy another English player during the current of a future transfer window).
My own view over the sale of Bridge is that I’d prefer to exhaust other options first; Alex is also supposed to be a City target and we are saturated with Centre-half talent at Chelsea. The slack of selling Alex could be taken up by Ivanovic but also give more future opportunity for Mancienne (or Magnay or Burma or Alcaedes…). We’d get a similar price for Alex (maybe even a little more if it was City buying). We’d also alleviate the stress of the UEFA 6+4 rule.
What is certain in my opinion is that if we sell anyone it must mean we are in the market for an incoming player – but no doubt we wouldn´t sell without having first wrapped up a deal for a new player.
Quote:Moonarmy
Your a disgrace to Football fans, you suggest hiking the price up if its Manchester City sigh.
Quote:carefree2008
I could`nt have said that better.
Quote:Moonarmy
Your a disgrace to Football fans, you suggest hiking the price up if its Manchester City sigh.
Quote:flying claretQuote:Moonarmy
Your a disgrace to Football fans, you suggest hiking the price up if its Manchester City sigh.
three words,,,,shaun wright phillips,,,

Quote:Since 66
SSN reckon the fee will be around £15m or more.
Bout time we HIKED any fees up
Happened to us loads of times

Quote:flying claret
would you miss him,,i no you have strengh in depth but you are loaning a lot out
Quote:flying claret
but you see my point,,you bring a loan in instead of giving your lads a chance,




