Gundogan £30m

I don't understand the transfer fee people quote. He's 25 years old and will enter the last year of his contract on July 1st this year. Surely he can buy himself out of his contract for 12 months wages?

Don't know what he's on but I'd be surprised if it were more than 5 or 6 Million Euros per year. So that's what we should be offering Dortmund. If they say no, he buys his contract out and we re-imburse him along as a hefty signing on fee (probably 10M euros).

He shouldn't be costing us anywhere near £30M.

Guess it's a public relation thing...keep them sweet and we could nick more of their rising stars. Piss them off and we'd never do business with them again.

You what the owners like...it's about the reputation of the club and he wouldn't want negative press.

I know what you mean though.

I don't mind pissing Dortmund off if the difference is £20M. That's a fair bit of money, even for City. That'll pay for one of Messi's legs...

I think it is more to do with the fact there are other clubs interested & if it secures the deal we will pay it rather than risk he signs for a rival.

I think we've all but signed him. I think his father said it's not 100%, but we are at 99.99%. Doesn't matter if someone else offer Dortmund more, he is coming to City. He can buy himself out on 1st July.

Will be a very shrewd signing.

Just need Pogba and our midfield will be fantastic again.

if someone offers more Dortmund have the right to accept & then it is up to Gundogan & the buying clubs negotiators to thrash out the details of a contract. I feel we offered more to ensure we were head of the queue come negotiation time.

From what I've read in the papers, negotiations have already concluded.

His father claims negotiations are 99.99% done.

What I was alluring to was the fact we cannot speak to the player unless we have permission from Dortmund which virtually means they have accepted our bid. Otherwise we could be fined for tapping up the player.

tapping up goes on all the time. no-one seems bothered any more.