Patience. It’s something largely missing in modern football, in many aspects, one of which seems to be ‘link a big club and then push for a pay rise’.
A trick which goes back decades, suggesting interest in a player, and then pushing for a better contract is a time tested tactic. Fans get behind it, worried they could lose a good player, and a lot of the time it doesn’t really matter if claims are true or not.
Simply creating the idea of interest in a player can create pressure and encourage a club to dish out a new contract sooner than they otherwise would have.
Whilst it can’t be certain that’s the case with Rodrigo Moreno and Manchester City this week, it certainly looks like it.
In their October 8th edition, Valencia regional newspaper Super Deporte ‘revealed’ a €35m offer for Rodrigo had been made during the summer transfer window… by Manchester City.
It didn’t make sense. Rodrigo had a poor season last time around, doesn’t have the career to date to back up Pep Guardiola interest, and €35m (even including bonuses) would have been over the odds anyway.
Well, Valencia turned it down, with manager Marcelino keen to keep the forward. A better start to this season has been the reward, and now comes the talk of a new contract.
Just a couple of days after the Manchester City claim, Super Deporte published an article questioning what Valencia now plan to do with Rodrigo.
It’s pointed out that with a contract ending in June 2019, a recent Spain call-up, and interest (hello Manchester City), Valencia need to rush a renewal.
Whilst there’s said to be calm from Rodrigo’s side, with the player’s father not wanting to rush things, Super Deporte are doing that for them… insisting Valencia need to tie the player down.
And, suddenly, the reasoning behind the Manchester City claim seems to become much clearer.
Perhaps more patience was needed.
