Winter Transfer Rumors and Discussion Part I

[Bon Esprit]

Tomas Rincon (Genoa) to Juve until 2020. Fee is 8m€ plus extras.

source is "kicker"

 

[East Coast Bias]

I don't blame him. When you receive that much money (basically more than 3 times what Juventus offered) and you are not a future superstar you cannot say no. He is a good player but this is superstar money. He is basically the 8th highest paid player on the planet. Insanity.

Would he play a huge role at Juve though?

I understand taking the cash if you know you're just going to play sparingly at Juve. Haven't seen much of them this year to know though tbh.

 

[Burner Account]

But they DO make a living. They're already rich beyond what they could spend. What's the point of trying to get more instead of trying to move up the game ladder, trying to win something with a big team, trying to win something with your NT (and Belgium could do just that).
Trying to ACCOMPLISH something instead of raking up the € and nothing else.
A guy like him has already more money in a year than us in our life. What's the point of always more more more?
I'd be happy with a couple of millions.

But what you or I would be happy with is irrelevant to them. Some are trying to maximize their earning potential. And I've had a favorite player leave the world's best league for more money (see: Kovalchuk, Ilya) but I completely understand why they do it. Not all players are driven by the same thing.

 

[Jeffrey]

He showed his true desire when he first signed in Russia. Every situation is different but Witsel main motivation is money.

 

[Bon Esprit]

I'm on Evilo's side on the Witsel case. He's just 27 y/o. He's playing on one of the best NT in Europe and simply gives that up for money. Not very ambitious.

I'd understand the step, if he was 30 y/o or older, just like many player use to do.

 

[Jeffrey]

I'm on Evilo's side on the Witsel case. He's just 27 y/o. He's playing on one of the best NT in Europe and simply gives that up for money. Not very ambitious.

I'd understand the step, if he was 30 y/o or older, just like many player use to do.

Well Oscar is not very old either and he did the samething.

 

[chasespace]

But they DO make a living. They're already rich beyond what they could spend. What's the point of trying to get more instead of trying to move up the game ladder, trying to win something with a big team, trying to win something with your NT (and Belgium could do just that).
Trying to ACCOMPLISH something instead of raking up the € and nothing else.
A guy like him has already more money in a year than us in our life. What's the point of always more more more?
I'd be happy with a couple of millions.

The idea is sustaining their current lifestyles once they retire. They can do that on the money they get from Russia and China, not from what they could get at Juventus.

 

[Bon Esprit]

Well Oscar is not very old either and he did the samething.

Holger Badstuber from Bayern Munich is 27, too. He was one of the most promising CB in Germany. If he'd leave for China it would be okay with me. Why? Because he has a long history of very bad injuries, will never play for Bayern again and will probably end up on a mid-tier team in Germany if he's lucky.

Witsel and Oscar can do what they want, of course, but I rate that as not very ambious and an "I'm only doing it for the money" attitude.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Witsel and Oscar can do what they want, of course, but I rate that as not very ambious and an "I'm only doing it for the money" attitude.

And there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Savi]

Ethan Horvath to Club Brugge is done.

 

[Evilo]

But what you or I would be happy with is irrelevant to them. Some are trying to maximize their earning potential. And I've had a favorite player leave the world's best league for more money (see: Kovalchuk, Ilya) but I completely understand why they do it. Not all players are driven by the same thing.

Totally sad to not be passionate about the game.
I can't like a player whose main motivation is money.

 

[Evilo]

The idea is sustaining their current lifestyles once they retire. They can do that on the money they get from Russia and China, not from what they could get at Juventus.

Oh I believe that if he's not idiot, he can live pretty neatly once he retires.
Especially if he continues at the highest level, wins a CL with Juve or a WC with Belgium (endorsements), and finish his career in the US, China or Qatar.

 

[Jeffrey]

He is paid 18M euros a year for 3 years... That is the equivalent of 10 years as a very well paid player in a CL caliber team. He will be set for life and could probably find a nice club also when he will be 30 years old.

 

[Vipers31]

And there's nothing wrong with that.

I would say there's a bit wrong with that. Not necessarily inherently, but I'd say there's a correlation between "only being in it for the money" and not pushing yourself to the furthest. There's definitely "mercenaries" out there that have that professionalism about them, but I'd say that's more of an exception. A guy that's only in it for the money won't go home after a rough loss and use it as motivation, he won't try to additionally motivate his teammates, etc. You don't win much at the highest level with too many core guys like that, IMO.

 

[Burner Account]

Totally sad to not be passionate about the game.
I can't like a player whose main motivation is money.

I agree. They are much less fun to watch. Thankfully, they're going to a place where it's more difficult to watch them

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Totally sad to not be passionate about the game.
I can't like a player whose main motivation is money.

Guess you can't like most of today's players.

This is ironic coming from a PSG fan tbh.

 

[cgf]

But they DO make a living. They're already rich beyond what they could spend. What's the point of trying to get more instead of trying to move up the game ladder, trying to win something with a big team, trying to win something with your NT (and Belgium could do just that).
Trying to ACCOMPLISH something instead of raking up the € and nothing else.
A guy like him has already more money in a year than us in our life. What's the point of always more more more?
I'd be happy with a couple of millions.

Until you had a couple of millions. Then you'd be happy with a couple tens of millions. And so on. There's always ways to spend more money, even if you're just investing it to set up everyone in your family.

Oh I believe that if he's not idiot, he can live pretty neatly once he retires.
Especially if he continues at the highest level, wins a CL with Juve or a WC with Belgium (endorsements), and finish his career in the US, China or Qatar.

Living pretty neatly and maintaining the lifestyle of a professional athlete are two very different things.

 

[mmk786]

They are professional athletes. By definition they play for money. Nothing surprising then that they try to maximize their earnings.

If it was about the love of the game etc etc, all these Brazilian/S American greats would have spent their entire careers at their childhood clubs and not moved to europe.

 

[Savant]

There should be a separate thread to complain about the Chinese league.

 

[Vipers31]

They are professional athletes. By definition they play for money. Nothing surprising then that they try to maximize their earnings.

This isn't really about "playing for money", it's about playing for virtually nothing else. Everybody knows that it's a primary part of being a professional, but there's plenty of room beside it.

If it was about the love of the game etc etc, all these Brazilian/S American greats would have spent their entire careers at their childhood clubs and not moved to europe.

That's not really true. Even in early childhood and adolescence, the biggest idols are playing in Europe for the best teams in the world, and that is mirrored in their dreams growing up. Ten-year olds in Neymar shirts in Brazil don't usually have their dream career end where their idol's career just begun. That argument could maybe work for the very, very first generation of South American greats, but that has little bearing on today.

This is ironic coming from a PSG fan tbh.

He defends them when he sees fit - which admittedly is far more often than I see fit - but I can't really see him as a fan.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

That's not really true. Even in early childhood and adolescence, the biggest idols are playing in Europe for the best teams in the world, and that is mirrored in their dreams growing up. Ten-year olds in Neymar shirts in Brazil don't usually have their dream career end where their idol's career just begun. That argument could maybe work for the very, very first generation of South American greats, but that has little bearing on today.


He defends them when he sees fit - which admittedly is far more often than I see fit - but I can't really see him as a fan.

It is true. Clubs in SA are embedded into the culture of the cities. The only reason players like Tevez leave is for $$ nothing else.

He watches them on a regular basis and wants them to succeed. He's a fan whether he admits it to himself is another matter.

 

[Vipers31]

It is true. Clubs in SA are embedded into the culture of the cities. The only reason players like Tevez leave is for $$ nothing else.

I don't question that they are embedded in the culture of the regions. But do you really not believe the dreams of the kids out there involve one day leaving Santos/etc after winning them a couple titles to wear a Barca/Real shirt?

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I don't question that they are embedded in the culture of the regions. But do you really not believe the dreams of the kids out there involve one day leaving Santos/etc after winning them a couple titles to wear a Barca/Real shirt?

It differs from a case by case basis but the majority I believe dream of making it in their childhood teams and win something on their NT above all.

 

[Vipers31]

It differs from a case by case basis but the majority I believe dream of making it in their childhood teams and win something on their NT above all.

I wouldn't really argue with "above all". That's first on the list, anyway, and if they make it there, that's the biggest part of the dream. But from then on, I'd definitely say there's more than just money making them move towards playing for the best teams in the world.

 

[Evilo]

Guess you can't like most of today's players.

This is ironic coming from a PSG fan tbh.

Lol, if you think I'm a PSG fan, you still haven't got it.

As for most players I'd say most players care about playing competitive football AND making money over making more money and nothing else.