Pounds 4 million deal is too restrictive
DENNIS SHAW
28 November 1988
The Times
T
English
© 1988 Times Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved
Aston Villa yesterday reluctantly abandoned their negotiations to sign Gary Lineker from Barcelona as the transfer package approached Pounds 4 million. Three weeks of talks between Juan Gasparti, the Barcelona vice-president, and Doug Ellis, the Villa chairman, reached a stalemate as Villa decided the price was too high.
Ironically, Lineker redsicovered his best form yesterday, scoring two goals and making another as Barcelona moved into second place in the Spanish League with a 3-1 victory over Murcia. A decision to withdraw was reached between Ellis and his club's manager, Graham Taylor, after Taylor had spoken with Lineker and the England forward's agent.
Villa's overall bill would have included a Pounds 2.5 million transfer fee, Pounds 1 million for the four unexpired years of the player's contract, plus other costs.
Ellis said that Villa went close to finalizing a deal on Friday, but had then decided that the overall costs would restrict them financially in other plans.
