As I said in my first post, I now see there has been the usual ridicolous overblown melodrama over nothing (I like him like any of you do, but seriously, the frenzy is stupid), selling him makes total sense and is understandable, especially with the Poulsen angle. But despite his fine service, his age, injury prone history (we were bit lucky in a way, only last season injury ridden, he had a streak for it his whole career) and the fact what changed in last 18 months made him less needed, with Momo, Marchisio and now Melo making his presence more and more expendable.
Would have been a squad player who is backup at most, and in an age you start to decline in, physically and in overall (he got less and less mobile, was gaining fitness back from the injury, but still noticeably too slow) and 1 year contract that was hardly gonna be renewed, I understand why he is sold, and why Zanetti himself wants to go somewhere he can get the minutes he wants, especially finish off his career a bit in his home town club. I respect and understand that (Clubs are bussiness driven, but IMO we would HARDLY sold him if he didnt want to go, him wanting to gave them an option to ease the headaches a little). He would have gone on a bosman next summer, so its better he goes now, for both him and us, if it means no profit for us (positive write off in our accounts since he was free transfer, unlike a Poulsen sale), and him in a possible sitaution where he doesnt get much minutes as he would want.