Player wants to move to a bigger team, so he doesn't want to sign the contract. What to do

He's a valuable player in the team, a key player. So, I'm in a dilemma: should I sell him in January for a good deal? Or wait till the end of the season to try to aproach him for a new contract? When he was available to sign, he wanted 17.000€ per week, a value that was very high to the team. The max that the board allowed me to give him was 14.000€.

Sell him. I would never ever keep a player who has openly stated that he wants to move, even if he was my absolute star player. I don't accept any form of disloyalty.

Yup sell him, unless you can up your team's rep by the end of the year, he's not likely would want to stay and you'll lose him in a free... and depending on what league you're playing in, raising rep significantly enough to get say a half star increase within one year is very very hard unless you win league and every cup games available to you so I wouldn't bet on being able to raise the team's rep to satisfy your star player need. Sell him while you still can

If you are managing a place where 17000 euros (where is the euro symbol!?) is a lot of money, chances are you can replace your key player jokingly easy.

The problem arises when that key player can only be replaced by players from Real Madrid, Manchester United, Barcelona and that kind of club... or not at all (he's the best). Even if you can't find any big-name players who are better and want to play for you, there should be thousands of unknown players or young supertalents who would - since you're likely a manager in a small league somewhere in Europe.

Another vote from me for 100% loyalty or get out.

Even if you shut him up now, he'll be whining again in a couple of months.

€ [ctrl-atl 4]

For me the decision to sell in January or let go on a free in the summer boils down to what his influence would be if I kept him & if I have a potential replacement lined up.

If I have someone to come in for an equal or lower fee & wage then I'll look to sell in January, if there is no replacement or the one I have chosen is a future prospect rather than ready made swap then I have to decide if letting the player go will make it that much harder to achieve our goal of survival/promotion/European qualification/league title.

If you really want to keep him then offer him the 14k a week and then lock it.He will then ask for other things,maybe he will ask for around 4k appearance fee or maybe/also a higher loyalty bonus.

I always start my main save from the very bottom of the lower league if I always let players go because they wanted to join a bigger club it would take me forever to come through the leagues,you have to try and keep your best player and tie them to longer contracts.

If he is very important to your team then negotiate with him.

Well, I read all the post so far and I have to say...

1. I'm managing Lincoln City in the Champioship (in the beggining Lincoln was in League 2) and I on the season 2016-17 (7th season and 5th in the Championship)

2. The problem now is that his agent says that he doesn't want to negociate

I'm still in Octobre so I'll be watching good and cheap strikers and I will try to sell him for a good price (he has a clause of 1,2m €)

Give it a month or 2 and then offer him a contract again,he is more than likely not wanting to talk to you at the moment because you could not agree a contract with him the first time.

Sell him ASAP. Get as much money as you can for him, not point risking him going on a free at the end of the season.

Sell him ASAP. Get as much money as you can for him, not point risking him going on a free at the end of the season.

He didn't say that his contract was running out.

Just to make sure this is clarified - if it is, you can't sell him in the January window. While it is possible, I have never experienced that offering to clubs a player whose contract has six months left will get you offers for him. Rather, they sign him to come for free in June/July. This is why these things must be planned 1,5 to 2 years before you actually sell him (ideally). Two years before a player's contract runs out, I make the decision whether or not to keep him, let him stay for one more season or sell him right away. In the former case, if his demands doesn't rise too much, I extend his contract at that moment. In the middle case, I get the most out of him because with a full year left on his contract, his value has not dropped yet - and loyalty bonuses are expensive so I try to sign as long contracts as possible.

He didn't say that his contract was running out.

Just to make sure this is clarified - if it is, you can't sell him in the January window. While it is possible, I have never experienced that offering to clubs a player whose contract has six months left will get you offers for him. Rather, they sign him to come for free in June/July. This is why these things must be planned 1,5 to 2 years before you actually sell him (ideally). Two years before a player's contract runs out, I make the decision whether or not to keep him, let him stay for one more season or sell him right away. In the former case, if his demands doesn't rise too much, I extend his contract at that moment. In the middle case, I get the most out of him because with a full year left on his contract, his value has not dropped yet - and loyalty bonuses are expensive so I try to sign as long contracts as possible.

The contract is running out...