4 years into a save and something is bugged with transfers. Running Lobos BUAP in Mexico. Found some free agent newgens right at the start (day one generated) and poached more from South America. The kids played from almost day one, which means they develop well if they have the potential. And most of them have potential. Even managed to win the 2020 Club World Cup with a 3-1 win over Atletico Madrid (high point of the save). I sold two of the newgens for big money - rightback went to RB Leipzig for 24m (plus some clauses) after the first season and Dortmund triggered a 38m buyout clause for a striker after the 3rd season.
I'm pretty accepting of losing players in this save. Even with the club reputation near the top in Mexico, and Mexico having a pretty good reputation as a league, I'm not going to keep players when the biggest clubs in Europe are involved. Even the big three in Portugal are going to be appealing. And if these clubs pay up, sure, take the kids. I have some depth at this point, and while I have to prioritize Mexican-born players, there are some quality academies in Mexico that generate some great young players. And if I'm getting big money for players going out, I can poach those.
But starting in the winter 2021 window and continuing heavily in the summer 2021 window, something wonky has been happening. A MASSIVE volume of media stories linking clubs to my players and most of them are at about 10% above their player value. And these stories lead to bids. At barely above what their actual value is. I have German clubs, with 75m in transfer funds, offering 11m for 10m rated 19-year old striker/winger who just scored 30 goals in a season, is a full Mexican international, on a 5 year contract, no release clause, First Team status. Nothing there should suggest he would be a bargain rather than a massive cost - more than the previous two players sold when the club reputation was a step or two lower. And then several Portuguese clubs make the same offer. If I try to negotiate to something halfway reasonable - 20 or 25m - they walk. That particular had his value jump to 15m, and suddenly the offers were 16m. Its like they are stuck on a 10% markup. Also had Chelsea make an 8m offer for one of the only non-newgen players in my squad, a 25 defender who has no reason to be sold cheaply and is worth 10m. After I just reject that, another English club comes in offering 1m less.
What makes it feel really buggy is that amongst the barrage of laughable, derisory offers is a few valid ones. Got something like 60m from Monaco for an American DM and about 30m from Arsenal for my Bolivian GK. Also an Ecuadorian defender who has a Temperamental personality and I just don't wanna bother dealing with.
The interest and offers has unsettled a few players, but I've mostly fended it off by pointing out the squad harmony or having another player intervene. But at some point, that isn't going to work. I'm going to end up with a squad rebellion over a player thinking they HAVE to leave for a laughably low offer from Germany or Portugal or France.
I don't NEED massive fees for most of the players. If I got in almost 100m for those players... I'm not going to spend that much on replacements. Might not even buy replacements, as I have some players in house already. I will troll South America and snap up 4 and 5 star newgens that fit my style, but avoid the biggest clubs for cost reasons. More than enough in the bank to keep improving facilities. Want a new stadium but fall short of constantly selling out this one, so that can't happen yet. So in monetary terms, I could handle only getting 15m for these 10m rated players. But that just feels.... so wrong. If they, based on every measurable thing, be selling for 40m-plus, it just feels wrong to accept a third of that.
I'm only like 2 weeks into the summer window, but I've basically left off the save because of these offers. Just frustrating and constant to the point of not wanting to continue.
