How much is "potential" worth

So my scouts have spotted this defender at Schalke, he is 17 now and was first spotted 2 summers ago when he was still 15, My scouts rate him as potential of 4* for a center back. Which sounds great. He is Spanish,I manage Malaga it all sounds like he would be perfect for us, the only problem I am having is the negotiations with Schalke are not going well.

The player was worth 1mil 2 summers ago and they wouldnt sell for 20mil. Last summer he was worth about 2.5mil and they wouldnt sell for 30 and instead negotiated to 45mil, i thought no way. This summer he is worth 3.5mil and I have bid 35mil and they havnt even come back with a negotiation. surly potential can not be worth that much?

They're just not interested in selling him. Why would they negotiate a fair price if they want to keep hold of the player and don't need the money? I'd like to see clubs being even more reluctant in selling their youngsters, it's too easy to steal high potential kids for peanuts even from relatively big clubs.

They're just not interested in selling him. Why would they negotiate a fair price if they want to keep hold of the player and don't need the money? I'd like to see clubs being even more reluctant in selling their youngsters' date=' it's too easy to steal high potential kids for peanuts even from relatively big clubs.[/quote']

Exactly that, it is far too easy in FM to steal the best young players from any team, including the big ones, i would like to see more instances of this.

How much do you think Barca valued Messi when he was 15? Do you think they would have wanted to part with him for any amount of money?

Exactly that, it is far too easy in FM to steal the best young players from any team, including the big ones, i would like to see more instances of this.

How much do you think Barca valued Messi when he was 15? Do you think they would have wanted to part with him for any amount of money?

And Fabregas?

And Fabregas?

he asked to leave, and they asked him several times to change his mind, different situation.

he asked to leave, and they asked him several times to change his mind, different situation.

Yes, but they eventually let him go, so OP you know what to do. (unless it has already failed)

Wasn't there some kind of exploit in employment rules that was used to bring over players like Fabregas and Pique? In any case there are certainly examples where the potential of a youngster has been underrated. That doesn't mean it should be nearly as easy to steal higly rated youngsters from AI clubs in FM as it is at the moment. In FM11 for example I signed Will Keane from Man Utd for £1.5m for Notts County in the Championship. Granted, not the most high profile youngster at the club but they had him rated as a hot prospect and weren't trying to sell him. Why would they then agree to let him go for that kind of money? No top club should sell a young player they rate a good prospect for £1.5m. No top prospect should consider leaving a big club to join a Championship club on a permanent deal either.

As rich as I am at Malaga after having 2 chairmen leave and the third one being a Man City like sugar daddy, I still dont think 35mil+ would be a good investment, as even if he turned out to be the next Rio Ferdinand or Pique I would never get my money back when I have to offload him due to him complaining about not playing enough, which would happen when a new regen came around the corner who was just as good as him but younger therefore fitter.

Yes, but they eventually let him go, so OP you know what to do. (unless it has already failed)

Well unless you can ask the player to request a transfer there isnt much he can do, this player hasnt indicated he wants to leave, Fabregas did, that one thing completely changes the situation.

he asked to leave, and they asked him several times to change his mind, different situation.

IIRC Arsenal offered him pro term when Barcelona were prevented from doing so under Spanish law, the basis of your point still stands though.

agreed and ultimately it comes down to money. Why do you think so many players have been keen to join Man City

Well unless you can ask the player to request a transfer there isnt much he can do, this player hasnt indicated he wants to leave, Fabregas did, that one thing completely changes the situation.

Has the option to praise a player been removed from FM12? Is there no longer a way to possibly unsettle a player or get yourself on his favoured list?

I had a similar situation and found that I just needed to give the deal time (although, two years later, it seems it's been time enough)

I found an amazing young goal keeper in germany and tried to sign him but his team wouldnt budge from their 40+ million asking fee. i eventually gave up and looked elsewhere. A year later, I still hadnt found anyone nearly as good and went back for him. I managed to negotiate a pretty reasonable 16mil.

Wel 4* isn't that great for a start. The potential stars are based on your current players, not based on the best players in the world. So you've got to compare the potential stars (in this case 4), to the CURRENT ability of your current squad.

So if you're a 3rd division side, a 5* rating for you would be maybe a 1 or 2* rating for a top club.

So I imagine as Malaga, you'd be looking for a 5* rating to be spending that kind of money.

I think the OP hit the nail on the head when he said he was super rich at Malaga. If Man City came in for a talented youngster who didn't really want to leave the club, why wouldn't the club think 'I'll have some of that megadough if they're desperate for him?' Simple supply and demand!