++ [ originally posted by Erkka ] ++
It's called business. Big clubs always snap up these promising youngsters by co-ownership, first option etc. etc. Because there's a small chance that they might hit the numbers at the top too. It's not likely that they'll succeed, but sometimes when they do the clubs make hell of a lot of profit. Balzaretti and Gladstone knew what they'd have when they came to this club. Sadly Balzaretti is haunted by injuries and Gladstone remains quite a mystery.
