RvP/Ibra: if you could wind back the clock

Busby

No idea, maybe it was just Suarez's contract that had no legal obligation. I kind of remember Henry saying the whole 'release fee' in football in general was a load of nonsense though.

Just checked, this is all he said.

"Arsenal offered £40m and one pound for him and triggered his buy-out clause. Since apparently these contracts don't seem to hold, we took the position we're just not selling."

The full quote, looks like his last bit went well.

"And he had a buy-out clause - I don't know what degree I should go into this - but he had a buy-out clause of £40million - more than 60 million (US) dollars. So Arsenal, one of our prime rivals this year... they offered £40million and one pound for him and triggered his buy-out clause.

"But what we've found over the years is that contracts don't seem to mean a lot in England - actually not in England, in world football. It doesn't matter how long a player's contract is, he can decide he's leaving.
"We sold Fernando Torres for £50million. We didn't want to sell but we were forced to.

"For the first time (with Suarez) we took the position that we weren't selling.

"Since apparently these contracts don't seem to hold, we took the position we're just not selling and it's been great for Luis, it's been great for us, and what will happen at the end of year... I think we"re going to make Champions League and we have a small chance of winning the Premier League this year.

"We have three gentlemen up front: Suarez, (Raheem) Sterling and (Daniel) Sturridge. Those three are young, and I think Luis and those three could be together for a long time."

This guy seems to know a bit about the finer details between release clauses and outright buy-out clauses.

http://www.danielgeey.com/buy-out-release-clauses-in-football-the-basics/

Could be that Fergie thought Ibra was basically Berba v.2 and didn't think him worth the fuss.

I think he signed RvP the same window he sold Berbs.

Nah, I've never really got the Berba/Zlatan comparison.

I'd class Berba as an artist, a very lazy one whose a bit of an introvert. Zlatan is a pure athlete who dedicates his time to become the greatest possible human specimen he thinks he can be and has a massive ego.

Just think he saw what RVP had done in the PL and he has a history of buying from domestic rivals to weaken them as well.

RVP was red hot when we signed him. Really, it was a no brainer at the time. Proven in the PL etc.

Honestly, I don't get the Berba / Ibra comparisons either. They both have great technique but that's about it. Ibra relies far more on his strength, agression and physicality. Berba didn't use his strength enough imo, considering he is a big bloke. He is possibly one of the least aggressive players I've ever seen! If he had a bit more fight he could have been world class.

Ibra's evolved his game a lot though. He used to play with a lot more flair. He's also gained in consistency whereas years ago he had a habit of being anonymous in some games.

As for ego, agree that they're not quite comparable, but wasn't it Berba who revealed an undershirt after scoring his first Fulham goal that read "Keep calm and pass me the ball"?

"Keep calm and pass me the ball"?
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I for one wish our players had more often followed Berba's advice.

He hardly ever lost possession and could control any pass, in any situation. Shame our players never worked this out...As a result, we never used Berba properly.

RVP was red hot when we signed him. Really, it was a no brainer at the time. Proven in the PL etc.
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Not questioning the decision to sign him at the time (notwithstanding his injury record), just asking whether you'd act differently knowing what you know now.

You'd have to put in the balance the PL you won with him and the FA Cup won under LvG, but also the PL and CL failings, versus the potential risk/reward of signing Ibra back then instead.

But I still think their flair was different, Zlatan's was based largely on his physique where as Berba's was based on insane technique and his style always reminded me more of someone like Zidane, were it looks a little unorthodox and lazy yet they are in full control.