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Wellington Phoenix demand $2.13 million for star striker Nathan BurnsSAM WORTHINGTON
Last updated 07:58, January 21 2015|
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MONEY TO BURN: The Wellington Phoenix are reportedly demanding more than $2 million from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua to release star striker Nathan Burns from his A-League contract.
The Wellington Phoenix have placed an A$2 million (NZ$2.13 million) asking price on star striker Nathan Burns' head as they play hard ball with his cashed-up Chinese suitors Shanghai Shenhua.
SBS's The World Game website reported that the Phoenix's demands are shaping as a deal breaker, with a frustrated Shanghai only prepared to pay about A$1 million to prise away the A-League golden boot leader.
Shanghai is willing to pay Burns a whopping salary of A$2.5 million net per season and, understandably, the Socceroo is reportedly keen to take up the offer.
Burns is contracted to the Phoenix through to 2015-16 but reportedly has an out-clause that would allow him to leave at the end of this season for a small sum.
Australian agent Ante Alilovic is negotiating with the Phoenix on Shanghai's behalf and spoke to The World Game about the impasse.
"Shanghai has tabled a very substantial offer to Nathan Burns and the indications are he is happy to accept it," Alilovic said.
"But the situation is that Shanghai are not willing to match Wellington's asking price, which for a player soon to be out of contract they believe to be somewhat unrealistic. The figure will need to be in a far lower price than that."
Alilovic was also behind the proposed Shanghai deal for fellow Australia striker Tomi Juric, which fell through.
"[Shanghai] like Australian players because of their work ethic and industry but they can also quickly become turned off when you have players accepting deals and then rejecting them in the advice of others. They are currently questioning whether to stick with the Australian market because of this.
"They find it hard to fathom that you may have a player in Australia being paid A$200,000 to A$300,000 gross and being offered say A$1.5 million net only for negotiations to break down, perhaps believing the selling club sees those wages and then ups their asking price.
"The clubs look at the wages, rather than market value, and that's becoming a major issue. Clubs in China can go to France, Belgium or Germany and pick up quality players for the same price. Clubs in the A-League are trying to cash in but salary has nothing to do with a transfer fee. Clubs need to be a little more realistic in their expectations."
...and then...
http://www.stuff.co.nz/65300062/Wellington-Phoenix...
Wellington Phoenix expect to resolve Nathan Burns' future within daysSAM WORTHINGTON
Last updated 12:49 22/01/2015
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MONEY TO BURN: Star Phoenix striker Nathan Burns has been linked with Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua.
Wellington Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick expects Nathan Burns' future to be resolved within the next "two to three days" but has laughed off talk of a multi-million dollar move to Shanghai Shenhua.
Merrick, back in Wellington after a trip to watch the Oceania under-17 championships in Samoa, was refreshingly honest about the Burns situation during a Phoenix media session today.
He confirmed there was a real offer on the table from Shanghai for Burns but slammed a report saying the Phoenix were demanding NZ$2.13 million as "ridiculous."
"There is an offer on the table and it's being discussed and will be responded to, as these negotiations continue," Merrick told Stuff.
"They've really only gone for about seven or eight days and we've been quick to respond. It will hopefully be resolved within two or three days, one way or the other and I don't know which way it will go."
A report in Sydney's Daily Telegraph claimed Burns was being offered an annual net salary close to A$2.5 million while a story on SBS's The World Game website said Shanghai were only willing to part with a transfer fee of A$1 million.
"The idea that we would hold out for NZ$2.13 million is nonsense," Merrick said.
"If they had offered US$1.5 or US$1.6 million – they're gone. I tried to phone him [agent Ante Alilovic] yesterday saying he's yours, you can have him, you can have a couple of academy players and a set of steak knives."
Alilovic is reportedly negotiating with the Phoenix on Shanghai's behalf but Merrick said he had never heard of him.
"Sometimes these things happen to up prices or to make someone look bad. It's the most ridiculous thing. We'll keep the player informed and the board will make a decision on what's best for the club and the player. We've been dealing with Nathan Burns' agent who is Nick Mandic. Where this other guy [Alilovic] comes in I've got no idea and I've got no idea where the figures have come from."
Burns is in Brisbane preparing for Australia's Asian Cup quarterfinal against China tonight.
Merrick has been speaking with Burns and said the A-League's golden boot leader was staying cool, calm and collected as he focused on his Socceroos' duties.
Burns is in the first year of a two-year contract with the Phoenix but Merrick would not reveal whether he had a player option or buyout clause to leave at the end of the season.
"I've spoken to Nathan twice and he's really disappointed with the stories saying he's now free and keen to go, he's got an out-clause. He never said any of those things. Nathan is really keen to focus on winning the Asian Cup with the Socceroos and coming back and playing for the Phoenix."
It is understood that Shanghai's initial offer for Burns was $300,000 although that has now been bumped up after negotiations.
The Phoenix board have a tricky decision on their hands: whether to cash in or hold tight as the club sits second on the ladder with a real opportunity to claim its first A-League title.
"Our club should never be viewed as one that's holding on for silly money – when has that ever happened at this club? It's my job to give the board a recommendation on what is best for the team and they'll take that into consideration as well as the financial side of things," Merrick said.
Without Burns and second-leading goalscorer Roy Krishna, the Phoenix were still able to score six goals in their last two games before the A-League break.
If Burns does move to Shanghai in the January window, Merrick said he was unlikely to immediately replace him and had confidence in existing strikers Krishna, Tyler Boyd and Kenny Cunningham.
He had no desire to speculate on the likelihood of Burns moving on.
"I don't have a gut feeling – I'm trying to lose my gut."