This might not prove to be a high profile capture (either in the moment or the future) but some Tottenham Hotspur fans are certainly unhappy that Manchester City seem to have stolen a march on talented young goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu.
The Irish Sun have reported that City have gazumped Spurs for the young 16-year-old goalkeeper and agreed a fee of 400,000 Euros when we thought we had him in the bag for 200,000 Euros.
The Shamrock Rovers starlet has reportedly already been given the full Etihad treatment and met with Pep Guardiola according to the report and once he’s capable of signing a professional deal they say he’ll pen an agreed four-year contract – if nothing else changes.
He has only made six senior appearances for Shamrock, but to be fair that isn’t bad for a 16-year-old and in those games he kept four clean sheets which is a damn good start to life as a professional goalkeeper, winning their July Player of the Month Award in the process.
Injury set him back following his breakthrough but he was tracked by plenty apparently, so we’ll have to see if this is a boy who grows into a man that we all regret missing out on, but these fans feel we missed a trick.
The deal isn’t inked yet so we can improve our offer if we see fit, but after our summer it seems to be another blow that Daniel Levy gets the flack for.
Sure he'll have a wonderful career at Girona.
— Kidiaba's ponytail (@KidiabaPonyTail) August 21, 2018
Sums it all up really, doesn't it?
— Charles COYS (@charlesrich82) August 21, 2018
Even at that level money talks…
— Jill Lewis (@jilllewis33) August 21, 2018
Course they have. Into their world domination web he goes. The money in football is spoiling it all and making us hate our own club for not being rich enough to spend on that level.
— Jane Walker (@Janelid) August 21, 2018
What do you propose, a bidding war with oil money for a 16 yr old keeper?
— Sam Abrahams (@SamAbrhms) August 21, 2018
Haha typical and never will be seen again
— Dean (@DeanCliff) August 21, 2018
Oh well, always a silver lining. 200000 more for Levy's yearly bonus
— Allan Nielsen(Levy serial basher) (@smileberg) August 21, 2018
My own opinion, I think it’s horrific and proves why the game is wrong. The lad is making his way, these aren’t sums of money that should even be spoken about when it comes to a player unable to yet sign a professional deal, let alone potentially left school.
If this is really where we are at – with some fans wanting a bidding war as the above comment points out – then football is dead, or at least almost there, I think. This is not the game I fell in love with as a kid – what 16-year-old should have a 400,000 pressure hanging around their head when they haven’t even attempted A-Levels as a challenge?
Maybe I’m just getting old?