Les’ cough up the cash.
The ball is in Mark Hughes court. Is he prepared to draw a line in the sand with Joleon Lescott? I think what gets overlooked in all this is a manager’s ability to assess the true value of a player. Having loads of money can skew that. Maybe Moyes can stir up that “wait a minute” moment.
However, Lescott is certainly not £30m worth. Nemanja Vidic is £30 or more. Lescott is at tops £20m. Hughes might not want to go for him at that price as he seemed pretty satisfied with how the defense handled his former club. If he does, and many stranger things have happened, then Moyes is not just getting rid of a player who is souring the club with his attitude but also enriching his club beyond measure.
But this is a test for Lescott too. If City walks away from the deal, Moyes can take the player down a peg or two. It is an Adebayor sort of situation where it will ultimately be his performance and his interaction with fans that will decide his future at Everton.
At this point those who disparage Moyes should remember that this is the manager who put together an Everton squad at little cost but manages to challenge the big four every year. They have gotten off to a very bad start but if there is a manager who can make this hangover disappear it is Moyes. If Lescott goes, Moyes can target less pricey players, possibly Matthew Upson or Steven Taylor.