Fazio and Berahino deals linked

Having written about transfer negotiations and then that the Federico Fazio to WBA stories were undoubtedly associated with the potential Berahino transfer, watching it unfold as it is is no surprise.

Berahino, Bolasie, Llorente, Rabiot - negotiation
Goodwill gesture to facilitate Berahino transfer

It seems the Berahino fee is all about the risk factor. Spurs say it is a risk if he achieves his potential, WBA are saying it isn't much of a risk. Both clubs have to put a figure on that risk and that will form the add-on part to the overall fee. The clubs disagree over that figure and there is plenty of posturing going on with media quotes we don't want to sell and the collapse of the Fazio deal.

Clearly Fazio was going to WBA for half price as a sweetener, a negotiating tactic to get WBA to agree to a large add-on portion of any overall fee. When WBA won't play ball on that the Fazio deal collapses, supposedly over personal terms, which is nonsense. A player doesn't have a medical for a side if he hasn't already agreed personal terms.

That is just a red herring thrown to the fans, these two transfers are clearly linked, the suggestion now is that Fazio may go to them on loan, even though we don't generally loan out first team squad players to other clubs, unless we are trying to sell them.

It's pretty clear WBA want a higher guaranteed element of the fee than we want to pay, they want to charge us a guaranteed sum for what he may or may not develop into and we want to have a larger element of that risk as an add-on so if he doesn't achieve what WBA think we don't have to pay. Lamela and Soldado demonstrate why we want as many add-ons as possible, failure reduces the fee payable.

When you look at the elements as part of an overall negotiation it's comical to watch and predictable, as you'll know if you read the two previous articles.

I doubt very much you will see Fazio at WBA unless Berahino comes to Spurs and one deal will not be concluded without an agreement on the other. WBA are not the only club interested in Fazio and he could yet return to Spain.

The elements of negotiation are clearly visible in this Berahino saga and it isn't finished yet.

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