City told to up Stelios offer

August 15, 2005

BID: Stelios

MANCHESTER City have been told they will have to increase their bid to more than £1million if they want to sign Stelios from Bolton.

Trotters boss Sam Allardyce is furious after Stuart Pearce launched the £1million bid at the weekend for the Euro 2004 star - and that the offer became public knowledge.

City have indicated they believe £1million is a fair offer, but Allardyce has hit back, saying they will have to up the stakes if they want to land the midfielder.

"£1million is not enough," he told BBC GMR. "If they want to negotiate some more, fair enough.

"Because this has come to light we will have a meeting with Stelios and talk to Manchester City. We will see where we go from there."

Pearce is desperate to add some midfield creativity to his team, having brought Barca legend Pep Guardiola in on trial and had repeated bids for Steed Malbranque turned down recently, and sees the Greek international as the man to do just that

Bolton are aware they may have to cash in on the player, who's contract expires in the summer, and who has so far refused to extend it.

Pearce said: "I think he will benefit our squad as everyone will be fighting for places.

"But the ball is in Bolton's court at the moment and we are waiting to hear from them."

How much should City pay for Stelios? Have your say.

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KTBF, New Moston (15/08/2005 at 09:34)

I'm glad Bolton are going to reject our bid of B#1m because it will save us from buying another player who is over 30 and will not benefit the team. Malbranque would have improved the team but Stelios wouldn't. Buying him would reduce young Lee Croft's chances further and he should be given a sustained run on the right to see if he can become Shaun's replacement before we look to buy in that position. After Saturday we should be looking at 3 key positions, a target man upfront so that Cole / Vassel / BWP can play off him as the are all too similar, a creative CENTRAL midfielder in the Malbranque mould (i.e young) and more accomplished full backs as neither Mills or Thatcher fill you with confidence or do they ever get past the half way line to support the midfield!

Chris, Manchester (15/08/2005 at 09:43)

He would improve the team, but he would not be of long term benefit, we would then have to fork out again to replace him before too long. However, I still think we should go for him, see us through this season, since I cant see these suggestions of getting SWP back on loan happeneing.

JimmyCity, Stuck in bolton (15/08/2005 at 09:43)

The fact is we need a midfielder (or 3) and Stelios is a great player, he'd have few problems settling and no doubt lives in the region. His age though does raise question marks and would spending over B#1 million be justified?

Stu, Glossop (15/08/2005 at 09:47)

I don't understand why we are after a right sided midfielder. We have Sinclair, Croft and Reyna that can play there. Yet on the left side we have only got Musampa (and he's only on loan). If we buy another right sided player then it may be wise to let young Lee Croft move to a central attacking midfield role that he used top play in. I dont want to see his progress halted. Same reason why Bradley should be given a few starts.

Lee, Manchester (15/08/2005 at 09:57)

Wouldn't pay 50p for a 31 year old out for one last payday. We've already got one on the right flank in Sinclair so why do we need another player the wrong side of 30? We need a youthful right winger, a creative midfielder and a decent striker - suggestions Keane/Ashton up front, Thomert/Sidwell in midfield and Croft or Doula on the right. Only B#2m of over B#30m spent so far so the money is there. 42,000 gate on saturday and total lack of atmosphere illustrated how pee'd off most City fans are with our lack of appropriate transfer activity since SWP was sold.

Giorgos, Greece (15/08/2005 at 10:02)

As i am from Greece,i watch him for about 10 years...He is a very good player and can help any team.He is a CREATIVE right midfielder.I think that we mustn't pay more than 1m or 1,3m because he has only 1 year left for his contract.He also has very good corners.As you see he executes the corners for Bolton.I think that KTBF is wrong because Stelios can play on the right but he is more offensive than Sinclair.I also believe that Sinclair can play in the centre.The only worst is that Croft will have less chances.

Freddie Pie, Manchester (15/08/2005 at 10:18)

Lee/Stu - did you not see 'Tricky' Trev's performance on Saturday - we are crying out for a new right-winger! If he couldn't get any slower he seems to have added a stone in weight (ok, maybe in muscle)! Croft can play anywhere across the middle so will get his chance. Saying that i can't get too excited about another 31 year old.

Brynteg, Texas (late of Failsworth) (15/08/2005 at 10:20)

It seems to me that as good as Stelios could be for us he perhaps is not the playmaker we seek, and at over 30 and probably wanting a longish contract, 1 mil' is enough to offer. Having said that, i would like to say to some other fans here that we do need a playmaker and if that reduces playing time for our other players in midfield then perhaps they need to improve their own skills.

Brian Moon, Timperley (15/08/2005 at 10:24)

Dean Ashton and Steed Malbranque.

Splash the cash Wardle and get the fans back in.

bluecity, north stand (15/08/2005 at 10:41)

I wouldn,t spend anymore tell big sam to get lost he,s 31 in 2yrs time his career at the top will be over can,t we get someone a bit younger like bentley he could play on the wing and we wouldn,t be wasting the cash

Shabbi, Shabbington (15/08/2005 at 10:52)

Forget Stelios. He's decent but no better than what we've got. If I were SP I'd go for Nakata, a very good playmaker and available on a loan deal. Now that would really upset Sam.

Harry H, SK (15/08/2005 at 10:54)

A decent player but would rather see the money in Fulhams or Malbranques pocket.

John, Stuck in lovely Manchester (15/08/2005 at 11:04)

Getting SWP back on loan?? What planet do you lot live on. Oh yeah the blue one. Well back in the real world you lot are no better than a dozen or so other clubs all chasing the top 4. If they come calling, your best player leaves. In fact given that you are so much in debt and are squatting in a council house with your umpteenth (unproven) manager.... if Stelios wants to join the massive, you are welcome to him.

Stu, Glossop (15/08/2005 at 11:07)

Yes Freddie I saw it, but if Pearce felt like that he should have sold Sinclair in the summer. At least we have cover on the right. If Musampa gets injured we have to play Bambierski on the left. Perhaps we should bid B#5m + Sinclair for Malbranque.

Mike, Stockport (15/08/2005 at 11:39)

I cannot understand for the life of me why SP wants to spend B#1m on Stelios. "I think he will benefit our squad as everyone will be fighting for places," says Pearce. Think? Only think? And in any case, everyone is fighting for places anyway. Please Sam, give Stelios what he wants so he doesn't come to us!

Windy Miller, Camberwick Green (15/08/2005 at 11:55)

Don't up the bid. S.A. has confirmed that City's bid has unsettled the player so sit tight and let Stelios do the work for us, as it seems he is pretty keen on the move. My guess is Bolton will let him go for 1m if he puts in a transfer request rather than lose him in 12 months for nothing.

Charles, Trafford Park (15/08/2005 at 11:57)

Stelios is OK but why don't we put some of the SWP money to good use and buy some players that are going to take the club forward. Nakata's proposed transfer to Bolton seems to be taking some time, maybe he is waiting for a bigger club to come in for him? (step forward man city) Also, for B#1million David Bentley is available from Arsenal who is a creative midfielder, which is what we are looking for and is young. Granted, he didn't set the world on fire at Norwich last season but I think even Ronaldinho would have struggled in that side. He would be a better gamble for the money than Stelios and he has age on his side. Also heard that Wigan were preparing a bid for Ashton with the Ellington money. He would be the answer to our target man problems and has proven that he can score in the premiership. It's a shame that Steven Ireland broke his wrist when he did as I think he may have had a run in the team at the minute as we need a midfielder to get forward and support Cole and Vassell which I think Ireland is capable of.

MG, Burnage (15/08/2005 at 12:01)

Age is a total irrelevance as Sheringham continues to prove. We shouldn't dismiss every potential signing over 30 as a dead loss on a last bumper payday. Book, Hutchinson, Bernarbia, Schmeichel and many others came to City at 30+ and gave great service. I think he'd improve the team and surely that is the point of any signing. CTID

rocco, gibratar (15/08/2005 at 12:11)

hang in there. he won't sign another contract and they'll see that 1 mill is a very fair offer. and if not, who cares? we don't get held to ransom by the dibnahs

Kev, Back on the M6 (15/08/2005 at 12:35)

Go for Bentley, forget Stelios. mind you, Arsenal may not play ball as rumour was they offered us Bentley plus cash for SWP but we preferred Russian Roubles

chizwipe, urmston (15/08/2005 at 12:41)

Peguy Liyundula on loan, pacey striker, and Phillipe Chrystanval on loan, quick defender.

Ollie, Guernsey (15/08/2005 at 12:45)

No more than B#1m please! We have to remember that any fee paid for this player will not be recovered and he will need to be replaced at the end of his two or three year contract. He may be able to do a job but will he improve the squad? I'm undecided at the moment. I would much prefer to see Crofty given a go or if a player is brought in they must be far better than what we have and preferrably in their twenties so that they can be regular for many years to come and sold on if required...I would be unhappy if SP's signings continue to be short term answers...what sort of message would this put out not only to other potential signings but the youngsters? We need three or four more players in the squad why not Christanval who is available for free from Marseille...he is 26, 6'1, a French international and can play anywhere across the back. After that we could do with a midfielder or two and an forward.

Blue Tiger, Virginia (15/08/2005 at 12:46)

I have to agree with Stu, and Bluemoon.
If CITY are to move forward we need better players,
The players so far Cole a very good signing, a squad player who can also help Bradley.
But Vassell as I have said before we should have put the cash together with some more for Andy Johnson or Ashton.
Vassell might have the pace, but a striker is supposed to score goals, he has been very goal shy for the last 2 seasons with Villa, now that we have Vassell I just hope that he improves and makes me wrong in my judgement of him.
Its going to take a lot to make Fulham let Malbranque go, because MCFC left it too late for Fulham to get a replacement, so because they want to keep him , skys the limit.

Shrewed dealings by S P , only by how much he paid for the two players.
Cole will help CITY, Vassell has got to improve, my hope is that Stuart Pearce is the man to do this.
Most players in the transfer market right now could cost more, simply because clubs don,t want to lose their best just before the window closes.
The team can only get better through Stuart Pearce and his hard work rubbing off onto his players.
Come on you BLUES!

bluecity, north stand (15/08/2005 at 12:49)

IN -ajax winger, daniel de ridder( he,s up for loan),bentley 1m,carlton cole 2m,gravesen 3m,guardiola 1yr contract

Chris, Chorley (15/08/2005 at 12:55)

I think Stelios at anything under B#2m would be a good addition - he would provide some forward momentum, but wouldn't be too much of an obstacle for Croft to progress. I can't see Croft being a 90 minute player yet. Would like to be proved wrong, but I don't think Tricky Trev has the class to be effective on the right.

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