City still keen on Lescott

Hughes not yet ready to walk away from deal for Everton defender

Last updated: 21st August 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

City still keen on Lescott

Lescott: City drop interest

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Manchester City boss Mark Hughes insists he has not yet ended his interest in signing Everton defender Joleon Lescott after clarifying comments that suggested he was ready to walk away from a deal.

Lescott has been courted by City in recent weeks, with Everton rejecting offers of £15million and £18million from their Premier League rivals.

The centre-half recently handed in a transfer request, which was also turned down, but has since been dropped from the Toffees squad by David Moyes.

The Everton manager was unhappy with the England international's attitude and Lescott was forced to watch his side's 4-0 Europa League win over Sigma Olomouc on Thursday night from the stands.

Hughes admits there has been no progress on any deal for the 27-year-old this week, with City having been in Spain to play Barcelona in a friendly.

No update

"I think we have discussed this at length for probably the past three weeks and it's just going over old ground," said Hughes on Sky Sports News.

"I've said time and time again that we've made bids for Joleon Lescott and they've been rejected by Everton, who are very much within their rights to do that.

"I respect that decision, that's the top and bottom of that.

"There hasn't been any update since we came back from Barcelona, so that's where we are. There hasn't been any opportunity to progress it because people have been busy."

When pushed on whether there comes a time to turn to other targets, Hughes confirmed that he has taken that stance in the past, but is yet to do so with Lescott.

He added: "I've said time and time again it comes to a point where sometimes you think it's not going to happen and you walk away from situations, and that's what we've done."

But regarding Lescott, he continued: "We are not at that point at this moment.

"When we feel there is nowhere else to go and it is not going to happen, then we will walk away.

"We do not think we are quite at point as yet. Only time will tell."

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Comments (32)

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Peter Griffith (Liverpool fan) says...

I think Lescott is a great defender, I do however think that there is more to this with the transfer request put in and with Mark Hughes not letting the issue drop (despite Moyes blatently telling him to get lost), maybe something has been relayed to Lescott from Hughes / City. I don't begrudge City fans getting the money to do better, after all they have had their fair share of support when they went down and almost very nearly out! I do however feel they will get a lot further with a different manager, Hughes at this moment is like a manager who cheats on the Football Manager game (buying whoever her can not caring what he's already got). Hughes, show some class, drop the subject and admit Moyes will not let Lescott go without a HUGE fight.. ultimately it might just not be worth it!

Posted 22:19 21st August 2009

Tom Smith (Everton fan) says...

Sell him; he doesn't want to play, and I'm sure Moyes can find a replacement for a fraction of that money, and someone who is just as good as Lescott. I like the fact we are linked with Taylor, and think if he has the heart, Moyes will get the best out of him. Use the rest of the money on a bit of spark and vision that we are lacking in the midfield. We cannot rely solely on Arteta - for one he is injured, and he cannot possibly be expected to be our creative force every match. We were not the same at the end of last season without him. Get a bid in for Boro's Johnson for a bit more direct running, and put in a couple of cheeky bids for Sneijder and Van der vaart - don't seem to be needed at the moment by Real - Wages could be a problem though. Loan???

Posted 21:44 21st August 2009

Graeme Andrews (Walsall fan) says...

That is what is all wrong in football today David Johnson saying "If city walk away from this deal then everton will be left with a player who will resent the fact that moyes has blocked maybe the only oppotunity he will ever get in his career to double his wages and play in a team that doesn't have to scrape together loose change to buy third rate players" WHERE WAS CITY LAST SEASON? Who is in the UEFA CUP!! That is why every football fan will hate City how arrogant

Posted 21:06 21st August 2009

Bryden Irvine (Everton fan) says...

David Moyes is an exceptional manager who has the right to decide when the time is right to sell players and it is good to see he has the respect and backing of his board and is not being bullied into selling any of his players. If he sells Lescott you can have no doubt he will have a replacement who will be willing to prove he is worthy of pulling on the Everton jersey

Posted 21:00 21st August 2009

Bobby Graham (Everton fan) says...

I think moyes again deserves credit for handling this situation trying to fend off such offers for a player not only one of his best but a crucial defender which we are dangerously short of at the moment. You cant expect moyes to just roll over and let him go for the first offer made, this is a sport which has, sadly, become a big money business after all, which ironically moyes is not actually operating in, instead, being shrewd and making profits from his own deals and "investments" unlike most of his free spending rivals at the top echelon, good on ya davey keep up the hard work and sweat you put in and the peoples club EFC will prevail!!

Posted 20:50 21st August 2009

Alan Lee (Manchester City fan) says...

Everone is guessing that city are doubling Lescott's money, there as been no contact between Lescott and City so where is the information comming from it sells newspapers. City have offered in my opinion 8m more then Lescott is worth, David Moyes bullied Wolves into selling, kettle and pan springs to mind, Moyes will sell in the end. People should realise that City are a big club and always have been, with the spending power City have when they start looking at players no matter who they play for, City will always get their man. If they do get Lescott i still think there will be two more signings before the window closes, another defender and a creative midfielder, and maybe one big name.

Posted 20:34 21st August 2009

Matt W (Manchester United fan) says...

Firstly, if this was a non-English centre back we were talking about, there wouldn't be half the inflated figure that City are offering. Lescott is good, decent at best but that's where I draw the line. It's the same with Glen Johnson being sold for £18m, Ben Foster being praised as if he is the best keeper in the world!! If these players weren't English, we wouldn't even be having the conversation!! City should look elsewhere and Lescott should be content with being a decent player at what is a very decent hard-working club, one that befits him... I wouldn't waste time calling him greedy, he just sees a financial opportunity, but if this deal goes through, City will be the biggest losers as they will have a. spent twice the price on an average player and set yet another precedent that has plagued United whereby every price we pay is inflated! b. looked like playground bullies with no class and no respect for other clubs' wishes, whereby no means no!! Here's to an interesting season nonetheless!

Posted 19:48 21st August 2009

Gavin Morgan (Everton fan) says...

It makes me sick how Man City now think they're a big club just cos they have loadsa cash. I should think these were the same city fans that slagged off Chelsea when Abramovich took over at first, and say "United buy the league titles they have". It makes me laugh at the fact it all changes when money lands in their laps. Also for them to say Evertons players were scrapped together with loose change, it's called good business when you buy a player for £5 million and sell for possibly £20+ million. And for a team thats finished 5th for the last 2 years running, perhaps City should learn from Moyes. The thing is Moyes is quality, can spot class players at bargain money, and turn a championship player that was going nowhere fast, into a player that now represents his country and DID play in europe . Aswhere as Man City and Sparky tap up and upset settled players or buy players for huge amounts of money that aren't even worth it. Hughes is the ring master at the Man City circus, and the trouble is when it all goes wrong he'll soon be the head clown instead. Hughes is a poor manager and will be the first sacked this year as he won't bring sucess. As for Lescott, your a joke son, you need to remember who gave you the oppertunity to be where you are now, and who's the manager thats made you such a good player, Davey Moyes thats who. I hope you get the transfer as i'd rather see the money spent on other players, than see you in a Everton shirt, as your a money hungry fool, just like all City's other over paid deluded souls.

Posted 19:18 21st August 2009

Karl Mercer (Everton fan) says...

These constant references to Lescott wanting to 'better himself' are not just false, but ludicrous. Everton have top notch training facilities, excellent coaching and training staff and, god forbid anything should happen to a player they are usually packaged off to the best surgeon the same evening to be treated. With Everton Lescott has got a regular place in the England squad and has every opportunity to carry on and possibly go to South Africa for the World Cup with England; and he has a versatile nature having the ability to play centrally or as a full-back. A full back position, incidentally, that David Moyes trusted him with, despite his lack of experience, and a position in which he had a flurry of attacking prowess and got a better goal return in a season than some defenders get in their careers. Lest we forget that Everton took a gamble on Lescott due to an underlying health problem (knee if I remember correctly) a problem which had thwarted moves to other premier league clubs. Lescott can get nothing at city but more money, because when all is said an done when City do start to achieve any kind of success players like Barry and Lescott will soon be replaced by continental mercenaries.

Posted 19:15 21st August 2009

Stephen Mccavana (Everton fan) says...

I have lost respect for Mark Hughes due to the manner he has conducted himself in the persuit of Lescott. Fair play they have the finances to attract bigger players - that's what most teams pray for when they read of a potential takeover nowadays. City fans have went through harder days in recent years than Everton have, thankfully, but for their determination to stand by their team through such hard times I believe they deserve the opportunity to see their team with such lucrative finances. As regards David Johnson's comment of "third rate players", Everton have been on par with Man City in recent years in finances, and I believe Moyes has done a much better job at scraping signings than any of City's previous managers have. Evertonians look at Arteta, Cahill and Jagielka and laugh at this jibe of "third rate signings".

Posted 18:57 21st August 2009

Martin Hughes (Everton fan) says...

I admire Moyesey's stance, good on him! he has shown over the years what he can do with little money, also I think he is resentul of City's position and is thinking why should I sell to a team who could replace us. On the other hand if lescott was that good of a player wouldnt one of the top four be after him? Arsenal have Toure maybe he could be their replacementt, once steven taylor signs I reckon lescott will go with Alaves Jo being the makeweight! Up the blues

Posted 18:42 21st August 2009

Joe Crawford (Everton fan) says...

Lescott without a doubt has been a great player for us. He's a competent defender and he's also scored his fair share of goals, but does he really think he's gonna get any better football at City? At Everton he's started every game he's been fit for, even when he's been off his game for a week or two. If he moves to City and has an off-spell, he'll be benched and replaced by one of their freshly bought overpaid all-stars, and bang goes your England place Joleon. That said, it makes me dog-sick that Lescott who already earns 40 grand a week playing for a team with as much Heart and soul as we have can get a titty-lip on because he's being expected to honour his contract with the club and manager who have made him what he is. Greed before Loyalty...sad, very sad.

Posted 17:38 21st August 2009

Derek Waine (Manchester City fan) says...

I am beginning to worry about how City are being percieved lately. Before we became so wealthy we were always considered to be a nice family club, with great supporters, who had had their fair share of bad times. Now we seem to have become this mega rich monster that is bulldozing it's way through other clubs, trying to steal their best players. Suddenly we are no longer the family club with great supporters, we are the monster that needs to be hated. I suppose that it was inevitable that this would happen at some stage. Therefore, if that is how we are now percieved then screw it! let's give Everton what they want for Lescott and move on to the next target. i am now at the point where i don't care if we are liked any more, i just want to win things and be successful for the first time in a long time. i just hope that other fans can see that it is not the club that has changed, it is just our circumstances. Regardless, we are not going away, so get used to it.

Posted 17:38 21st August 2009

Barry Gray (Everton fan) says...

Liverpool paid £18m for Johnson. If you accept that 80% of that was for his defensive abilities, that suggests £13.5m was for his worth as a fullback. I don't think many people would argue against Lescott is a better defender than Johnson, so he must be worth £13.5m as a fullback. However Lescott is also a good centreback - not good enough to dispose Ferdinand or Terry in the England back line, but at least as good as Toure, for whom City paid £16m. So Lescott is worth at least £16m as a centreback. What City fans need to understand is that if EFC lose Lescott we lose TWO players and to replace them for similar quality we'd need to spend at least £30m. Spending anything less than that will ultimately undermine the balance and quality of a squad that has made the top 5 for the last two seasons and broken into the "top 4" cartel in recent seasons (a feat no other club can claim). Moyes is not being greedy. He tried to dampen down the interest by rejecting two sizeable bids. In the end he's had to drop the player. Come 1st September, Lescott will have no choice but to get his head down and play well for use - especially if he wants to make the World Cup squad. City have 10 days to decide whether Lescott is the player to help secure their ambitions to break into the top 4 this year. If he is and they achieve that, the £30m will be more than recovered in Champions League revenue...

Posted 17:20 21st August 2009

Paul Sheldon (Manchester City fan) says...

A Middlesbrough fan, commenting on Man City and Everton, eh????? Hughes doesn't do the deals, so why would he phone anyone at Everton to speak about the player? Cooke et al do the business. The fee will be 20million. Personally, I think this is too much. but hey.... Moyes and Everton know he has no future at there and are playing hard ball until the 31 August. Moyes has messed this up for himself. His selfishness and stubbornness cost Everton the chance of buying a decent replacement before the start of the season and a poor start to the Prem season.

Posted 16:56 21st August 2009

Avid Gooner (Arsenal fan) says...

Lescot should stay at Everton, they will finish 6th just behind Spurs and City will finish 7th or 8th depending on how Villa bounce back. City may have spent millions but mark hughes is not the right man for the job....after all with the Money Chelsea had if ''the special one'' hadnt been at chelsea i doubt they would have seen the success they have. They have had 5 other managers whom between them cannot show one premiership title but instead just a couple of fa cups. Lescot is a good defender but is he worth £22 million...i dont really think so. Everton are mugging City who have more money then brains and I PROMISE you all they will not have won anything by the end of this season.

Posted 16:55 21st August 2009

Dave Howson (Leeds United fan) says...

David Moyes has worked hard with limited funds to build a squad that should qualify for Europe on a regular basis. He is a bright young British manager and he's done well so far. Now the Man City money puts Everton in a no win situation, The player has seen the £s on offer, Slaps in a transfer request and is sidelined. Only Man City will offer the amount in question, They will now just sit back until Everton accept that its pointless to keep a player who clearly wants the big bucks. Sidelined he's of NO VALUE to Everton. Contracts appear worthless, Agents use the media to achieve the movements which line their pockets. Its a disgrace. Even the biggest clubs are at it - look at Real and Ronaldo, and for all their bleating, Man Utd and the Berbatov affair. I also remember Liverpool and the Harry Kewell affair, Leeds could do little to keep the player and got nothing when he went. Smaller clubs invest in their academies and the big clubs nick the results - Sadly its now just down to money.

Posted 16:38 21st August 2009

Paul Crompton (Manchester City fan) says...

Whilst i admire Moyes as a manager, he seems to have lost it over this one. Managers should manage, and leave negotiations to the money men. Hughes says who he wants, and the money men make the offer, the only discussion Moyes should have is not with Hughes but his own board. Also for Moyes to say he is disgusted that another club should come for one of his players 2 weeks before the season starts is a joke, the transfer window is open until September 1, you can bet Moyes is still making moves to replace Lescott ! City have acted correctly get over it

Posted 16:33 21st August 2009

Jeff Tomlinson says...

How is it that some Man City fans feel that Lescott would improve as a player joining their bank rolled revolution ? From what Moyes has done with players from the lower leagues together with the numerous startlets coming through our academy it suggests to me that Everton Football Club are the ones with the scouting and academy in place to ensure these players fulfill their potential. you will also note that many unknown Moyes targets are signed by other clubs ie Arshavin which again suggests his eye and our scouting network is way beyond anything that can be bankrolled.

Posted 16:26 21st August 2009

Dave Hastie (Manchester City fan) says...

I think Everton have every right to reject City's bids no matter who made it public. I would be agrieved if the reverse were to happen to City and indeed it has happened to City in the past. SWP springs to mind. In my opinion City should walk away now, not to leave Everton with a disillusioned player, but because he is not worth more than has already been offered. City have defenders already and Lescott would not make the kind of difference that ¿25m - ¿30m should make.

Posted 15:18 21st August 2009
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