Even after a Pogba sale, I see someone like Hernanes or Pereyra holding us back from buying a new midfielder. Given the quota, we would want to make sure we have space as the end of the transfer window approaches. For all we know, Hernanes and/or Pereyra may actually be the ones stalling the Pogba deal. Hernanes is getting paid very well 3.5m per year NET. He may struggle to get that wage elsewhere in Europe. I suspect that is the problem. He doesn't want to go to China and I doubt someone like Leverkusen wants to pay that salary. Its not about the transfer fee as I think the buyer and us would accept around 6-8m. Its his wages which is the problem.
Pereyra would be another issue. His wages are not that inflated but I think we want close to 18m for him.
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Even after a Pogba sale, I see someone like Hernanes or Pereyra holding us back from buying a new midfielder. Given the quota, we would want to make sure we have space as the end of the transfer window approaches. For all we know, Hernanes and/or Pereyra may actually be the ones stalling the Pogba deal. Hernanes is getting paid very well 3.5m per year NET. He may struggle to get that wage elsewhere in Europe. I suspect that is the problem. He doesn't want to go to China and I doubt someone like Leverkusen wants to pay that salary. Its not about the transfer fee as I think the buyer and us would accept around 6-8m. Its his wages which is the problem.
Pereyra would be another issue. His wages are not that inflated but I think we want close to 18m for him.
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Also to put Hernanes' cost into perspective here. Pjanic is costing us 15.5m a year (32m over 5 years + 9m gross salary). Hernanes is costing us 11m (12m over 3 years + 7m gross salary). Clearly, Hernanes is costing us too much for a player who is only to be used sparingly.