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Jagielka can be signed

Given how legal is the PL; I can?t believe the reasons that have been put forward for the wait-and-see game that Everton has to endure for the signature of Phil Jagielka.

So where does Sheffield United stand at this particular moment in time? Are they still in the Premiership and they are waiting to learn whether they will be playing Championship football next year? Or, are they already relegated and they are waiting to learn whether they will be reinstated in the Premiership?

The truth is they are relegated because they came 18th last season. The English Premier League has never stated otherwise. Sheffield United made an appeal to see if they can be reinstated to the Premiership at the expense of West Ham because they believe the sanction against West Ham is insufficient. However, if an accused makes an appeal it does not mean that he is out of jail until his appeal is decided.

So if they are relegated at this very moment, then the whatever clause that costs 4 million GBP in Jagielka?s contract is already on the trigger.

Hence, the crap that we are waiting to learn whether Sheffield United will be relegated before we can trigger the 4 million GBP escape clause in Jagielka?s contract should be stopped.

If anything, Sheffield United is committing another legal mistake.
Sur Jo, Florida Posted 24/06/2007 at 03:42:29

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Eric Myles
1 Posted 24/06/2007 at 08:40:28

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Or it could just be that the player is sticking to his principles and he won’t desert the ship until they are confirmed as sinking?

tom morris
2 Posted 24/06/2007 at 10:14:50

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Seems fairly clear cut to me. The player has a £4m clause in his contract that is activated only if his club remain outside the Premiership.

If there’s the slightest chance of them being reinstated, the clause becuase null and void and he’s sold to the highest bidder which may increase the fee by as much as £2m.

You can’t blame Utd for holding out under those circumstances.

Mike Byrne
3 Posted 24/06/2007 at 11:20:35

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Tom - sorry but I think you are wrong. It is highly unlikely that the clause will be ’ if they remain outside the Premiership’ - this would imply that some sort of appeal would have been anticipated at the time the contract was drawn up.

It is far more likely just to refer to them being relegated - in which case the original point stands - technically they are relegated until and unless any appeal is concluded. The clause (if it was ever there in the first place) is not null and void and can, and maybe should, be invoked.

tom morris
4 Posted 24/06/2007 at 11:39:31

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Mike - I wasn’t suggesting that the ’clause’ was worded in such a way but merely that if Sheffield Utd were relegated then any club offering a set amount (£4m being the widely suggested figure) was entitled to speak to Jagielka.

Yes, Sheffield Utd have been relegated but they clearly feel that there’s a chance - however slim - that they may be reinstated and Jagielka may have agreed to wait until the outcome of their appeal is known before invoking the clause.

What other explanation is there ? Other clubs are supposedly in for him, yet no-one has been given permission to speak to him.

Nick Whitham
5 Posted 24/06/2007 at 13:32:00

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I agree with Eric I think it is a good example of a player showing loyalty to a club that he has a great bond with. To often players will jump a sinking ship.