Unhappy star players are a pain. HELP!

I've resigned to asking for help on this matter, because i really don't know what to do.

I posted this in the FML thread accidently aswell, so don't shoot me...

It's just come round to the january transfer window, and three of my 4 mf's have been unhappy since pre-season when they were unsettled by bigger clubs. They have actively declared interest in other clubs and have even handed in transfer requests.

They are giving mixed performances, one plays great while the other two are average at best most of the time. These guys are my star players, and if i was to give in then the replacements wouldn't be half as good.

I kept them on, hoping success this season would change their minds, but their unhappiness has made me play worse.

So anyways, the question i want to ask is, do i hold onto them and hope they get over it, or sell for a huge amount and get some mediocre replacements?

Any input is much appreciated as this has given me such a headache recently.

the age old question

i think untill you are that bigger club you have to accept that from time to time your gonna have to sell your best players. the timing of the sale is important. if a big club comes in at the end of the season or at the start i would sell. its when they come in for them around christmass that i have to really think about it.

how are you situated in the league, is there a possible replacement, how will it affect the squad. i recently signed a player for peanuts had him play regular first team football and in just 1 & 1/2 seasons he's my most important player. then a big club comes in at christmass unsettle's him and all of a sudden he wants to leave , hands in written transfer request and my form dips because of this.

because i dont have replacment , and because the money is too good to turn down i agree that he can leave at the end of the season, this gives me time to find someone else. and i can still get about 80% out of him for the remainder of the year. your problem if your not that bigger club and not winning things means your gonna have to let them go... just try and piuck the right moment and try and get someone in to replace.

Yeah, it's really annoying in this version. Players get angry at the drop of a hat. I've had players want to leave for a "bigger club" when the "bigger club" only finished 3 points ahead of us in the EPL.

I've got a player I spent 13 million on, who declared he had "achieved all he could" at the club, and wants to leave for "a bigger club", after playing 1 year on his 4 year contract (it's 2028, and his contract goes till 2031, and is worth 25k a week, which was the highest earner when he signed, and is equal 2nd highest now.

Of course, I'm not just going to let him waltz out of here for nothing, so I've stuck his asking price to 25 million.

Yeah, it's really annoying in this version. Players get angry at the drop of a hat. I've had players want to leave for a "bigger club" when the "bigger club" only finished 3 points ahead of us in the EPL.

I've got a player I spent 13 million on, who declared he had "achieved all he could" at the club, and wants to leave for "a bigger club", after playing 1 year on his 4 year contract (it's 2028, and his contract goes till 2031, and is worth 25k a week, which was the highest earner when he signed, and is equal 2nd highest now.

Of course, I'm not just going to let him waltz out of here for nothing, so I've stuck his asking price to 25 million.

I have exactly the same problem in League 1. Lots of quality players unhappy. I don't know what the answer is. I have managed to turn around "has lost confidence in managers ability", and have also been able to get people who didn't want to sign new contracts to sign at the end of the season, however, I have never succesfully remidied a player who wants out to bigger club.

I hope someone has the answer!

Thus far, the only thing I can find that helps is actually transfer listing them, but setting their asking price to a very high value, keep his squad status at indispensable or key player, don't put the auto-accept or auto-reject bids on, in my case I set the player to transfer listed, 25 million, and noticed a few months later a news report about him winning motm said "is on the transfer list, but has made it clear he would like to stay", saw he now said "Wants to remain at the club", and I got him on a new contract.

Seems like they get cold feet if you put them on the transfer list but nothing happens.

Thus far, the only thing I can find that helps is actually transfer listing them, but setting their asking price to a very high value, keep his squad status at indispensable or key player, don't put the auto-accept or auto-reject bids on, in my case I set the player to transfer listed, 25 million, and noticed a few months later a news report about him winning motm said "is on the transfer list, but has made it clear he would like to stay", saw he now said "Wants to remain at the club", and I got him on a new contract.

Seems like they get cold feet if you put them on the transfer list but nothing happens.

I just realised I had a player who was upset that I did not allow him to talk to a club when they made an offer - I rejected the offer - he now seems fine (after 6 decent results).

thanks guys, i guess ill hold onto them for the rest of the season and put up with the transfer speculation over the january window. I'll try putting them on the transfer list and see what happens when they dont sell

I was hoping they would get over it after a few games, but it's been half a season :/

I wouldnt mind, but they are the driving force for me whole team, and i cant just pluck 3 star midfielders out of nowhere to replace them.

Let him know who's boss. If he really wants to leave, sell him for profit effective at the end of the season. You can always find competent players. You must keep your authority and think of the club's best interest long term. Players always come and go, so don't get too caught up on someone. Maybe if he's been team captain for ten years you might listen to him, but otherwise I would remind him where he belongs. When you let the players run the show you're toast.

How would i do that exactly?

I wish there was a player interaction option to say "Shut up and get on with it, cos you're going nowhere"

You can say it when there's a transfer speculation news item.

You can say it when there's a transfer speculation news item.

Yeh, you can issue a hands off warning, but that's about it. Rarely does a player say they're staying put, and even when they do, the next week, they've already got their bags packed.

On another note, im happy to say that putting all of them on the transfer list with an asking price of £30 or more worked!

one player is now "happy to stay at the club", the other is "considering his options" but happy for now, and the third is still unhappy, but you cant win then all. He is set at £50, so if i get that, i dont mind selling.

Case Solved!

thanks guys

Have you tried offering them new contracts, that usually appeases them if they're still undecided (i.e. the considering options)

This is great, I've got a DC who had the "wants to move to bigger club" crap, so I let him go on the transfer list. At the end of the season he goes "Wants to stay at club, take off transfer list".. and I take him off.

Literally a week later he's gone back to the media saying he wants to move. Make up your damn mind.