Leiweke's message to Defoe

[ensco]

^It's not like I reflexively believe Ol 'Arry either.

The market for players isn't that inefficient. If QPR took over Defoe's contract, that would still be more than Lambert was valued at, ie it would still be overpaying. That's what I think happened - QPR offered to take his contract but no transfer. TFC would have done that deal, and taken the loss on the transfer (which is why Bez broadcast the Defoe auction notice on the Saturday), but the league, or the board, went apeshit when they found out.

Leiweke showed what he really thought at Ryerson - he would have dumped Defoe at a loss and moved on. But as jloome has been saying, that can't have worked upstairs. The insouciance about other people's money wears thin fast.

[notthesun]

Lambert is on GBP 2M a year for 2-3 years (there are varying reports) and the transfer was GBP 4M. So the Liverpool commitment to him is 8-10M GBP total.

If QPR really did offer $11M for Defoe, they would be commiting that plus the $20M Defoe is still owed on his deal, or $31M (17M GBP total)

Defoe is not worth 2x Lambert. I don't really see how he's worth 1x, he didn't go to Brazil, he wasn't starting at Spurs, he's injury prone.

I consider the supposed QPR bid terms poppycock. Leiweke made that up because the truth makes what he paid for defoe look ridiculous. If QPR did make an offer, the total commitment was for vastly less than has been leaked.

Defoe's current deal would be ripped up if he moved, why are you assuming he'd have the same deal with QPR? He would probably take a pay cut.

You're in moon-landing-was-faked territory with this stuff. Sorry.

[MightyDM]

very debatable.

You are questioning whether Defoe gave his all, every game? How about, " He delivered"?

[ensco]

Defoe's current deal would be ripped up if he moved, why are you assuming he'd have the same deal with QPR? He would probably take a pay cut.

You're in moon-landing-was-faked territory with this stuff. Sorry.

Don't be sorry, I've heard worse.

You wait and see. I've had some far out thoeries, but this isn't one. This is close to what happened, it has to be.

[molenshtain]

You are questioning whether Defoe gave his all, every game? How about, " He delivered"?

I think he's easily more technically adept and intelligent off the ball than 99% of strikers in this league, which put him in lots of good positions and he delivered on a fair few of those. He was atrocious in the 2-2 chicago game though, just not doing anything at all productive. That's not the only time he's taken a game off either. He was in very good form and looked dedicated for the first 10-15 or so games, not so much after that.

[notthesun]

This is the same QPR that bought Christopher Samba for €12.5 million and paid him €100k a week, and Loic Remy for €8 million at €80k a week in January 2013 as part of a desperate bid to stay in the Premier League. Both players only stayed half a season. QPR will be fighting to avoid relegation come January. They'll spend as much as they can to do that. Don't be surprised to see them go after Defoe and then dump him off to some other team as soon as this season is over. It's what they do.

[wzhxvy]

I think you guys are over thinking this. I think there was a "record" offer from QPR that was declined for a reason yet to be determined/confirmed. I think the latest messaging from TL is more about him and his desire to define a "legacy". His biggest acquisition did not wait for him to leave and has the audacity to want to leave first. I am guessing a recent charm offensive by TL was not met with what he expected and he is scorned somehow. This is personal and not business. There is no rationale for those comments from a business stand point. You wouldn't do that to a person you fired or released, never mind an asset with market value.

[burlington Red]

I think he's easily more technically adept and intelligent off the ball than 99% of strikers in this league, which put him in lots of good positions and he delivered on a fair few of those. He was atrocious in the 2-2 chicago game though, just not doing anything at all productive. That's not the only time he's taken a game off either. He was in very good form and looked dedicated for the first 10-15 or so games, not so much after that.

that's the game but he and Caldwell were rushed back from injury to play in, both did not fare well. Could be agrued that it showed guts to play whilst injured.

[Areathrasher]

the reported would be £ 6 million, or $ 11 million - well in line with other strikers on offer in the BPL

Yup 6million sterling is nothing for a striker in the EPL any more. The team finishing bottom of the PL this year will pull in around 62m in tv fees and prize money.

Abel Hernandez 12m
Enner Valencia 12m
Shane Long 12m
Leandro Ulloa 8m
Ross McCormack 11m

And Ross McCormack went from Leeds to Fulham in the Champ.

Defoe is 100% affordable for any lower level PL team. He'd have a new contract with whatever team signed him so I wouldn't be using his deal here as a baraometer of that either.

[Brooker]

Shane Long for 12 million is hilarious. Good grief.

[ensco]

None of those guys is 31-32 years old. That is a completely different market. 90+% of those guys move on free transfers, Lambert and Defoe were rare exceptions

[burlington Red]

None of those guys is 31-32 years old. That is a completely different market. 90+% of those guys move on free transfers, Lambert and Defoe were rare exceptions

Lambert case is different,The rest of the strikers listed would generally be coming to those clubs to be the main striker.
Lambert will only be used by Liverpool in mickey mouse cup games and as a late sub or when Batotelli/Sturridge are injured, but at his age I guess the chance to play for his home team was too great.Also he wasn't looking to move from Soton, only reason he did was because his hometown club came calling.I know he asked for 50k pounds per week during his move, not sure if he got it, but that's pretty decent wages for a back up striker.

[brad]

None of those guys is 31-32 years old. That is a completely different market. 90+% of those guys move on free transfers, Lambert and Defoe were rare exceptions

When factoring value of a player, you have to take into account how much time a player has on his contract, as well as the willingness of the club to sell.

Less time left on the contract, lower the transfer fee. Less willing the club is to sell, the more they will have to play.

One of the reasons older players usually walk on a free is that they are usually on short contracts, or rolling year to year contracts, which makes it easier (and more profitable) for them to wait for it to expire before moving

Other X-factor here is Harry and his relationship with Defoe. Older mangers like him will often pay a premium for players they know.