City open the summer market by ending one saga

The Independent’s football newsletter [View in browser]( [The Independent]( May 13, 2022 [The Independent]( Miguel Delaney's Reading the Game Written by Miguel Delaney   City open the summer market by ending one saga   A small fee for a player of huge talent - and then some Since Erling Haaland’s transfer to Manchester City was confirmed, taking away one of the summer’s biggest potential sagas, there’s been one big question. How exactly did they get him for so cheap? Or, really, how did Borussia Dortmund agree to a clause that left them losing one of the brightest talents of the game for so little when this should have been a transfer bonanza. It is really quite simple. This was the only way Dortmund got him in the first place. It is one reason why Manchester United balked in that January of 2020. The late Mino Raiola constructed a deal so there would always be a huge agents fee. It is the price of doing business. It is also why the wages and agent fees have been so frequently mentioned in coverage of this transfer, since they are so sizeable. It is why the transfer paid is cheap - but the deal isn’t. A gap yet to be overcome on an outgoing As regards knock-on consequences of that, City are hoping for £60m for Gabriel Jesus. Arsenal want it closer to £40m. No one thinks it will cause the deal to collapse - in fact, quite the opposite, in that everyone believes it’s “done” - but there may yet be some negotiations. City are once again willing to offload a number of players, just as they were last summer, and Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling are again players who they would at least be prepared to listen to offers for. It is where the talk of Tottenham's interest in Sterling has come from. If the England star were to move, he would prefer Spain. Another Ajax face unclear on Old Trafford As first reported by this very newsletter back in November, Barcelona have offered Frenkie de Jong to Manchester United, and the Old Trafford hierarchy are interested. It may require Erik ten Hag’s personal intervention with his former midfielder, though, because De Jong is currently unsure about the benefits of such a move. United looking to more changes than just with the team There have already been headlines about figures from behind the scenes leaving Old Trafford, and it fits into a lot of talk that there is going to be a club-wide clear-out. A fair few people in positions near the first team may have to consider their futures, as the United hierarchy are now willing to assess absolutely everything about the club, from logistics to recruitment to little details around the players. Or, at least, almost everything. As many insist, they are unlikely to assess the biggest issue of all - which is that every major decision has to go through Florida. A call to decide Chelsea's season? It’s remarkable how quickly things turn. Little over a week ago, Romelu Lukaku was heavily considering his future at Chelsea, and there was talk among the rest of the squad over irreconcilable differences with Thomas Tuchel. Now, after some good performances, the Belgian is feeling much more content. He is also convincing the manager to start him on Saturday in the FA Cup final against Liverpool. It is perhaps the biggest selection decision of Chelsea’s season, as they hope to rescue it with silverware. It may also dictate the striker’s future. An issue is that Lukaku and those around him find Tuchel almost impossible to read with these things. A key detail in one of the next big sagas Declan Rice badly wants to play Champions League football and take his game to the next level, which is why there has been some surprise that he is suddenly considering a new deal at West Ham United. That all may be dependent on one key detail, though. A point of negotiation is going to be any release clause, in the way Jack Grealish had, and potentially around a similar-sized bid of £100m. It doesn't help the midfielder that he finds himself wanting a change at a curious point in the market. His main suitors all to have make bigger decisions - United on the make-up of the squad, Chelsea on what next - which means they can't be as certain on him as they were. This actually offers some clarity for all parties. If you want him, this is what it takes. Image rights could yet dictate Madrid's marquee buy As regards another major transfer saga, Kylian Mbappe’s future remains in the balance. Nothing is signed, nothing is settled. Some close to the situation do believe that Real Madrid may have erred, though, by insisting on 50% of the media rights in the way they do with every player. Mbappe’s camp are reticent about giving that up. It could yet be another issue that sees him stay at Paris Saint-Germain, as the French champions throw absolutely everything at him. The top four to become a top five? Some major European figures weren’t all that impressed with the decision on the extra Champions League places. They think it just reinforces England’s power. Given how two places are based on the performance of domestic leagues, and how the Premier League’s wealth is now seeing the competition dominate the latter stages of the Champions League - and, increasingly, the other tournaments - it is viewed as an inevitability that it will just make the “top four” a “top five”. That is what will happen. It could also influence this summer, since clubs are likelier to see more probable return on investment.   Top stories [Aston Villa sign Philippe Coutinho for £17m from Barcelona]( [Antonio Conte urges Mikel Arteta to stop complaining and focus on Arsenal](   Miguel's Dispatches Quite a scene to get used to at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Some high-priced tickets mean that supporters can watch the post-game press conferences. They become part of the show, which is quite a disconcerting experience for the journalists present!   Quote of the day "I use things that resonate with me … there are historical figures, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, presidents like John F Kennedy." Jesse Marsch evokes some famous pacifists, before another red card, as Leeds United look like they will go down fighting.   Reading the game quiz Since the FA Cup final moved to the new Wembley stadium in 2007, there have been 12 players who played in a final, scored for the winners on that day, but have never won the Premier League. Name them. (Something new from this week: [You can find out the answers here](. The answer page will be updated weekly and contains answers from the last two newsletters, too)     [The new Independent app](     [The new Independent app](     Essential reading Chelsea vs Liverpool has every ingredient to be an all-time Wembley classic](   [Sam Kerr aims to elevate another Women’s FA Cup final as Chelsea meet Manchester City](   If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. 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