[Locke]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Pretty sad state the sport is in, when a team can use their public negotiating, media tactics and teammates in the way Barca did to lower the price.
They turned the whole thing into a distracting soap opera and even trying to sell Cesc elsewhere for market value was not a possibility.
They actually destroyed any market value he would have had.

I know I sound like a bitter Gooner, but this sort of things happens way too much in the sport, and is quite embarrassing.

Rivalries and affiliations aside, I agree completely.

We're going to see the entire sport become entirely top-heavy. The top clubs are going to be the only ones that can afford the top players and they're going to use their reputations to lure them away and not pay the developing club a fair price.