Barcelona Wants My Striker

[Lurking Manager]

I recently took over as manager for Sevilla and we’re sitting pretty in first place in La Liga (winter break is 2 weeks away), second in our CL group (2nd and 3rd is separated by 1 point) and just started the Spanish Cup. After my striker notched a few goals, I started seeing articles about Barcelona wanting to buy my striker (Patrick Schick) for an impressive $181 million. In my last match against Barcelona we defeated them 3-0. They’re prospective player even bagged a brace against them. After the match I saw another message that Busquets was encouraging him to join them. It’s also been included in those reports that Schick is itching to leave us.

I was wondering how you guys handle situations like this? First off, I’m not opposed to selling him. The money we’ll get (for that public price) is enough to bring in some young dudes at key positions and keep them here for the long run. What I have hesitations about is selling him to a competitive rival. So far no offers from Barca have arrived despite the near daily reports of the coach watching my striker at our games. I went to transfer list him, but before I hit confirm I saw that his agent said his client wouldn’t be happy about this. 

His short term plans do show that he wants to join Barcelona or Real Madrid. I’m considering two options:

 

1. Wait for Barcelona to make their offer of $181 million, then raise it to $215 million to see if they’ll put their money where their mouth is. 
 

2. Transfer list him during the winter break and send him abroad, but not to Barca or Real Madrid. I don’t want to strengthen the competition. 
 

In the end I don’t want to keep a player who doesn’t want to play for us. How have you guys handled situations like this? Also, any advice on mine? 

[steakfaced]

For 181 million I'd sell almost any player and get a replacement in. That's so much money you can rebuild the entire team.

Now if you're a PSG, City or someone who doesn't need money just tell them to bugger off.

[Lurking Manager]

2 hours ago, steakfaced said:

For 181 million I'd sell almost any player and get a replacement in. That's so much money you can rebuild the entire team.

When I took over we had a transfer budget of $215 mil. Spent $120 mil on a midfielder that helped us win the league and the CCL the following year (CONCACAF Champions League). 
 

Gonna see if I can squeeze more if he’s intent on leaving. It’s gonna suck to lose him tho. Has 13 goals so far. With our 3 strikers following with 5 goals a piece. Gonna be hard to replace.

[Neotropolis]

Has the player come to speak to you about it? That's when you know that the player wants to leave. Much like real life, don't believe every news story you read. 
 

Also I've found that the figure quoted can change from one article to another. Often when it comes to the other team making an offer, they're never going to spend that much and even if they were to pay it in the end, it never comes from the first offer. 

 

Ultimately, you have to ask yourself would you be prepared to lose the player (it looks like you are) and would you realistically want to sell to a direct rival (this is the bit where you're hesitant). Once you've worked that out you need to think of the minimum amount that you'd be happy to let him go for and negotiate from there.

[Liamgannon]

Ride it out. I’ve had Haaland want to leave my team now for 3 seasons, RB Leipzig. He wanted to win the CL and play for a bigger team. Was down to his last 2 years on his contract, decided I’d risk it and get him to sign a deal, knew I needed to win the CL.  Luckily for me I did just that, 2 weeks after winning it he says he no longer wants to leave, ended up signing a new 5 year deal. Only problem I’ve got the same issue with Tonoli, hoping he only takes a little longer to come around. 

[Lurking Manager]

17 hours ago, Neotropolis said:

Has the player come to speak to you about it? That's when you know that the player wants to leave. Much like real life, don't believe every news story you read. 

No he hasn’t, so I take it that’s a good sign. It makes sense as to why his agent says he wouldn’t be happy about being transfer listed. 
 

15 hours ago, Liamgannon said:

Ride it out. I’ve had Haaland want to leave my team now for 3 seasons, RB Leipzig. He wanted to win the CL and play for a bigger team. Was down to his last 2 years on his contract, decided I’d risk it and get him to sign a deal, knew I needed to win the CL.  Luckily for me I did just that, 2 weeks after winning it he says he no longer wants to leave, ended up signing a new 5 year deal. Only problem I’ve got the same issue with Tonoli, hoping he only takes a little longer to come around. 

This gives me hope of him staying. I don’t expect to win the CL, but I feel good about winning the league and hopefully the domestic cup. I hope that’s enough to keep him with us.

[Things Could Get Messi]

I am having the same situation with my regen right winger Laurent Moulin. A news article similar to the one in the screenshot has appeared 4 times now with PSG wanting him for £103m. Here are some of my own observations:

1: Moulin has not made any effort to ask me about leaving the club or to discuss any other issue.

2: There is no hint on his profile about him wanting or thinking about moving. 

3: He is a supporter of the club and has me as favoured personnel. He wouldn't be "desperate" to move to PSG. 

4: My club is also more successful than PSG and has 5 star reputation. 

Everything that I can see is telling me that this news story is a load of rubbish. The media are just desperate for something to report and seem ignorant of the fact that I won't sell players to PSG. Even if they do bid then he won't be going there. 

[Lurking Manager]

37 minutes ago, Things Could Get Messi said:

I am having the same situation with my regen right winger Laurent Moulin. A news article similar to the one in the screenshot has appeared 4 times now with PSG wanting him for £103m. Here are some of my own observations:

1: Moulin has not made any effort to ask me about leaving the club or to discuss any other issue.

2: There is no hint on his profile about him wanting or thinking about moving. 

3: He is a supporter of the club and has me as favoured personnel. He wouldn't be "desperate" to move to PSG. 

4: My club is also more successful than PSG and has 5 star reputation. 

Everything that I can see is telling me that this news story is a load of rubbish. The media are just desperate for something to report and seem ignorant of the fact that I won't sell players to PSG. Even if they do bid then he won't be going there. 

I didn’t know the game did **** like this, create false (hopefully in my case) stories for the hell of it. It looks like you have more in your favor of him staying with you. 

[Hovis Dexter]

7 hours ago, Lurking Manager said:

I didn’t know the game did **** like this, create false (hopefully in my case) stories for the hell of it. It looks like you have more in your favor of him staying with you. 

Just like IRL