Dilemma!

Hi guys,

Got a bit of a dilemma...

I'm currently managing Torquay in the Championship, 6 seasons ago I signed a young Polish regen called Wojciech Skowron and every year he has been top scorer in whatever division he's played in, he's been League 1 Top Scorer once and Championship Top Scorer 5 times, scoring an impressive 222 league goals in 258 league games.N

Now here's the dilemma...

He's currently on £20k p/w and we've just entered the final year of his contract, so as anyone wanting to keep their star man, I offered a new contract, but he wants £59k p/w. I don't know what to do - do I keep him for the final year and then let him go on to bigger and better things or do I sell him? He's currently valued at around £4m, but I could probably get around £10m for him.

Any suggestions?

Sell of course but on the plus side, if you might be able to offer him the wage he wants in the summer.

My advice would be to sell him. If you can get 10M for a player in the last year of his contract that looks very unlikely to sign a new deal, then you should take it unless they're a very good player. Surely you'd be better off with 10M to invest in the squad than having one player around for an extra season. 10M can go a huge way for a Championship club.

Of course it all depends on your situation. If you think you will get promoted if you keep him, but not if you let him go (or similarly that you'll stay up with him, but might be relegated without him), then you might want to take the gamble and keep him for the final year. But if you do that and he gets a lengthy injury, then you've effectively robbed yourself of 10M.

If hes so good id keep him and hopefully when his contract is due to be renewed id make an offer as players usually accept less when they only got couple months left. Run the risk reap the rewards

Not sure why you let him get to the last year of contract before offering him a renewal. Think you're late with this. I tend to keep all my star players always re-signed up for a few years in advance.

Not sure why you let him get to the last year of contract before offering him a renewal. Think you're late with this. I tend to keep all my star players always re-signed up for a few years in advance.

I didn't, I offered him a new contract at the beginning of last season, but he wanted massive wages still. My wage budget is only £101k p/w as it is and he's on £20k p/w of it!

If he earns so much more than everyone else you need to sell him ASAP. The transfer money would help, but 20% of your wages could allow you to sign 3-4 good players who could really help your team. The £10m transfer fee added to the wage budget would allow even more good players if you sign mainly youngsters, players from small foreign leagues and free transfers.

I think I'm going to go with jackripper on this one.

He's just scored 4 goals in an 8-0 away win against Sheff Utd, taking his season total to 8 goals in 4 games, 6 league goals in 3 games. I can't bring myself to sell him, he's a machine!

Sadly, Wojciech Skowron has decided to agree personal terms with Livorno. Newcastle came in with a £10.75m bid on January 4th, but he chose to go Livorno

He's not leaving until the end of the season, so I'm hoping that he can fire me to promotion to the Premier League before he moves on.

The £10m+ would've been nice (it was the biggest offer over the two transfer windows), but getting his £20k p/w wages off the wage budget will do wonders in the summer.

248 league goals in 280 league games. Machine.