Yesterday the media took one of its easy shots at us, over the club turning down two bids for Kris Ajer because the player was apparently upset about it.
Those bids were in the £10 million range.
The club is holding out for more, as they are with Edouard.
The worst thing we could do right now is promote the idea that we are desperate and will take any offer for these players, and so we’re sticking to our valuations.
This isn’t the same, of course, as the report last week which suggested that we are charging Leicester a “Rodgers tax” on any attempt he makes to sign our players; that’s just stupid and posturing for the sake of it.
But these two footballers have price tags and we’re not in a position where we need to be propping them up in the bargain bin.
Both players want to leave, and we know that.
We know that clubs know that, so there’s a balancing act here, a fine line … but Celtic will make the ultimate decisions here, not these players and not their agents and not clubs trying to strike a bargain at our expense.
I am glad we haven’t just accepted the first bids that have come along; Celtic knows there is interest in these players from clubs across Europe and we know there’s a good chance of getting done the business we want; I’d like to see it done in a timely fashion, because I don’t want either player taking part in our Champions League run … but more important is that we get something close to their proper market value.
None of the bids has been too far away.
A little more effort from the buying clubs will get these deals over the line.
But importantly, we don’t come across as pushovers.
There might be new men at the helm but this club is as hard-nosed about outgoing transfer business as it ever was … and that’s a sign that some things aren’t going to change.