This thing with lingard sums up our problems last 4 years and why we are miles from the top now fourth season in a row.
It is nice to have money. Great. I am muppet and i enjoy when we spend it. And i am happy when we can offer more then any club. I still remember how we lose hazard or toure because we didn't pay enough.
But you must spend it wisely and i can't believe that we are doing the same mistake again and again.
If you are giving huge contract to squad rotation player you are facing domino effect. Other players who are better than lingard will want improved contracts. Like it is in barca.
Also there is a problem with new signings.
Players and their agents know our salaries so they will want huge salaries.
And at last, you can't sell them. Young and fellaini are here because they have huge contracts.
Schweinie, nani, rvp, cleverley, were sold for peanuts because we gave them huge contracts. Lingard is a mid table player. It is matter of time when jose will learn that. So will wba or palace give him 70k,80k,100k? No. They will offer him maybe 40.
Will jesse take 40k or be bench warmer for 100?
I hoped that all clubs learned their lesson from city. Remember ? They gave huge salaries to average players like adebayor, santa cruz, barry, bellamy.... so they could not sell them. They were on loans until the end of contracts .
My point is that you must have some criteria. With key players be a bully, pay him 200k,300k, 350k, i don't have problem with that.
But 100k for a squad player is ridiculous.