That is true, its a combination of both. If you want the best money, you go to City or PSG these days, but if its players who have the choice for the more ambitious clubs, you dont. For him I gather its a big combination of both, he wouldnt go to clubs that dont offer more then us sporting wise despite the huge salaries, and we can never compete with that at this point. But can atleast hold onto him longer, but the prestige/ambition part is something we pretty much cant do much of anything about unless we win CL, or sign some serious top players basically.
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I understand you, but your problem is you give too much importants to sentimental stuff that the players DONT. It would be lovely if it meant more, but its your attribution to it, not his, the shirt number doesnt mean anything except bigger profile. And he hasnt signed a new contract suddenly, nor has he ever said he will stay here for good or even for the forseeable future. He has been through his agent, direct about that he is willing to move on from us eventually (sooner then we like it). I dont like it either, but its what it is, its his career and his choice, and IMO its not disrespectful because what would be disrespectful is lying and giving false hope. He focuses on one season at a time and keeps his future open, these days you cant ask for more. If he made some pledge, promise or commitment that he will stay her for long time or until he retires whatever (which would be foolish, and what Vidal partly did), THEN you would have qualms about feeling betrayed. But like this? Nah, as I said, its little cold, but he is pretty direct about how open the possibility of him moving on is. And our management knows it, Marotta has been pimping him out for months.