Fabian Delph - Signed for Manchester City

[exigo]

If there's any release clause at all, I would expect it to be '£8 million if Villa are relegated' seeing as how we were hurtling towards the bottom three at the time of him signing. Journalist gets hold of that figure, twists it into a story to fill column inches, sees it get picked up by every other media outlet, moves onto the next 800 words of bollocks.

For what it's worth, I think if there is/was a release clause it's more likely to be of that nature.

I was purely arguing about why we wouldn't have been in a position to stipulate a higher figure as Delph and his agent held all of the aces (and the Kings and least 3 Jacks and 2 Queens.)

Really not arguing with you mate. It's perfectly possible that there's two release clauses – £8m if relegated, £25m if not. But of course, the higher figure doesn't make such interesting headlines, which is where I think the lower figure has got twisted.

[Dave]

If there's any release clause at all, I would expect it to be '£8 million if Villa are relegated' seeing as how we were hurtling towards the bottom three at the time of him signing. Journalist gets hold of that figure, twists it into a story to fill column inches, sees it get picked up by every other media outlet, moves onto the next 800 words of bollocks.

For what it's worth, I think if there is/was a release clause it's more likely to be of that nature.

I was purely arguing about why we wouldn't have been in a position to stipulate a higher figure as Delph and his agent held all of the aces (and the Kings and least 3 Jacks and 2 Queens.)

Really not arguing with you mate. It's perfectly possible that there's two release clauses – £8m if relegated, £25m if not. But of course, the higher figure doesn't make such interesting headlines, which is where I think the lower figure has got twisted.

The reason that I think that there are clauses which basically mean he can leave on his terms is why wouldn't he and his agent ask for that?

If I were in his shoes last January, I would have asked for the clause of a free transfer in the event of our relegation (like Demba Ba had when he left West Ham) and a fairly accommodating release clause if a club with much better prospects than ours came in for him.

When the alternative is him leaving anyway for free, why not have make sure that they are there and from the club's perspective why wouldn't you agree to them?

Even if you plan to stay, you might as well have those options available rather than not.

[aev]

If there's any release clause at all, I would expect it to be '£8 million if Villa are relegated' seeing as how we were hurtling towards the bottom three at the time of him signing. Journalist gets hold of that figure, twists it into a story to fill column inches, sees it get picked up by every other media outlet, moves onto the next 800 words of bollocks.

For what it's worth, I think if there is/was a release clause it's more likely to be of that nature.

I was purely arguing about why we wouldn't have been in a position to stipulate a higher figure as Delph and his agent held all of the aces (and the Kings and least 3 Jacks and 2 Queens.)

Really not arguing with you mate. It's perfectly possible that there's two release clauses – £8m if relegated, £25m if not. But of course, the higher figure doesn't make such interesting headlines, which is where I think the lower figure has got twisted.

The reason that I think that there are clauses which basically mean he can leave on his terms is why wouldn't he and his agent ask for that?

If I were in his shoes last January, I would have asked for the clause of a free transfer in the event of our relegation (like Demba Ba had when he left West Ham) and a fairly accommodating release clause if a club with much better prospects than ours came in for him.

When the alternative is him leaving anyway for free, why not have make sure that they are there and from the club's perspective why wouldn't you agree to them?

Even if you plan to stay, you might as well have those options available rather than not.

Signing a contract also of course protects the player in the event of him picking up a career ending injury.

I don't really blame Delph, I just wish we hadn't  left it so long to get him re signed.

[Toronto Villa]

What I still don't get is this clause (if true) existed the minute he signed a new deal. You would think that his agent would have been on the phone to the likes of Man City, Chelsea etc the minute it was signed. Yet it has only been any kind of an issue since Nursey claimed an exclusive. And even then he's still a Villa player a couple of weeks on or whatever it has been. At £8 or £10m there is no way he should still be with us if his intention all along was to leave. Something about it just doesn't add up.

[kippaxvilla2]

Wasn't the idea that Fabian felt he owed Lerner from how he treated him in the first couple of years of his contract and that he couldn't just walk away on a free after that. So signing a new contract with a release clause that would be triggered with a bid of £xm being the solution.

That's fine. But the club getting £8m or even £10m is still a very low valuation. Why not £15m which would be more palatable and still below his value. But it's more all of the gushing love after he signed. It will be ring quite hollow if at the first bid meeting the buy out clause he leaves.

In January he held all the cards. Most players would have held out and walked for nothing; this way we get some money at least - probably half his true value, which is a compromise of sorts.

I actually think the club need a bit of praise.  Managing to persuade him to sign at all was an incredible feat, to garner a few million in value from a potential position of getting sweet fa for an England international is another great piece of business.

The only person that will come out of this with criticism if he goes is Delph himself.

[Ron Manager]

What I still don't get is this clause (if true) existed the minute he signed a new deal. You would think that his agent would have been on the phone to the likes of Man City, Chelsea etc the minute it was signed. Yet it has only been any kind of an issue since Nursey claimed an exclusive. And even then he's still a Villa player a couple of weeks on or whatever it has been. At £8 or £10m there is no way he should still be with us if his intention all along was to leave. Something about it just doesn't add up.

and I agree with you TV. I would suggest that if the new owners take over with the added bonus of a large financial input into he club Fabian may decide he doesn't want to become a bench warmer and his wages at B6 might suddenly skyrocket. It is quite possible we will have answers to many questions in the coming week.

[john2710]

Talk Shite (for what it's worth) were earlier quoting the club as saying they'd received no bids of any kind for Delph.

When all the talk was of Delph leaving for nothing, I was confident that he would not.

I have the same confidence that he won't leave us to sit in the bench at Man City. As good as he is for us, he's currently nowhere near good enough for that level.

[Toronto Villa]

Delph hasn't looked out of place at international level. He's a superb footballer and would only get better surrounded by higher standard players.

[Matt Collins]

Talk Shite (for what it's worth) were earlier quoting the club as saying they'd received no bids of any kind for Delph.

When all the talk was of Delph leaving for nothing, I was confident that he would not.

I have the same confidence that he won't leave us to sit in the bench at Man City. As good as he is for us, he's currently nowhere near good enough for that level.

Which two central midfielders would you play ahead of him, from within the current city squad

[Chris Smith]

This is what he said in January:

'I am a loyal person and committing my future will hopefully show everybody what type of guy I am.

'I feel like this is me - I love the club, I love being here and I want to put 100 per cent into everything I do here. This is my club and I want to be here. That's why I am committing my future.

'Hopefully it will give everyone a bit of a lift and show the fans that we are looking to do big things here and bring excitement back to the club.

'We want to get through this season, do well and I feel the up-and-coming years will be big. There was no way I was going to bail out. I am here for the long run.

'The fans have been the same. I am sure they will stick with us, help us get through this season and then looking into the future, it looks promising to me.'

Surely there is no way anyone with any integrity can then do the exact opposite 6 months later..

[kippaxvilla2]

Did anyone see his sky interview after he signed.  It was so good in terms of purported love for the club it prompted Jeff Stelling to say he was his new favourite player.

[PaulWinch again]

This is what he said in January:

'I am a loyal person and committing my future will hopefully show everybody what type of guy I am.

'I feel like this is me - I love the club, I love being here and I want to put 100 per cent into everything I do here. This is my club and I want to be here. That's why I am committing my future.

'Hopefully it will give everyone a bit of a lift and show the fans that we are looking to do big things here and bring excitement back to the club.

'We want to get through this season, do well and I feel the up-and-coming years will be big. There was no way I was going to bail out. I am here for the long run.

'The fans have been the same. I am sure they will stick with us, help us get through this season and then looking into the future, it looks promising to me.'

Surely there is no way anyone with any integrity can then do the exact opposite 6 months later..

This is the whole problem.

[silhillvilla]

Before we pass judgment , let's see if he goes back on those words.

[walsall villain]

Talk Shite (for what it's worth) were earlier quoting the club as saying they'd received no bids of any kind for Delph.

When all the talk was of Delph leaving for nothing, I was confident that he would not.

I have the same confidence that he won't leave us to sit in the bench at Man City. As good as he is for us, he's currently nowhere near good enough for that level.

Which two central midfielders would you play ahead of him, from within the current city squad

They are just about to start spending by all accounts so perhaps it's more about who else will they buy.

[Do u want 2bet against us]

I don't get this supposed low release clause.   With a quality player like Delph sure to be in demand, and his agent taking his %, why so low?