It seems the Joleon Lescott soap opera is finally over, for this transfer window at least, following Bill Kenwright’s meeting with City officials. According to Sky Sports, the Everton chief told the Mancunian side that he had no desire to allow Lescott to leave the club, and especially not to a potential rival.
The Birmingham-born defender signed for Everton in 2006, for a fee of £5.5 million, having been named in the Championship Team of the Season in the previous campaign. Such was Lescott’s impact on the Everton team, he was voted Players’ Player of the Season in the next two consecutive years.
Despite a shaky start to the 2008/09 campaign, Lescott enjoyed another very good season, only this time, he was to be over-shadowed by the man next to him, Phil Jagielka. His passion, athleticism and general ability were what had endeared him to the Everton faithful, but lately, general opinion seemed to waver.
Opinion soon was split on Merseyside, as to whether or not Moyes should cash in on Lescott. Some saw him as a replaceable player, and someone who was definitely over-priced at £25 million. Then, there were those who questioned the 26-year-old’s commitment, and even berated him for wanting to go to Eastlands, regardless of the fact that all of this was sheer speculation.
Having a left-footed centre back, who can score up to ten goals a season, is always beneficial, especially when they can defend as well as Lescott can. And the England international, last year, forged a formidable partnership with Jagielka, at the heart of the Everton backline. The composed and assured manner of Lescott’s defensive work contrasts wonderfully with Jagielka’s gladiatorial nature.
To the purists, however, it was not about the player at all. Selling a star asset to a rival team would only consolidate Everton’s standing as a selling club. After last year’s solid league position and run in the FA Cup, Evertonians felt it was time the board reciprocated the collective ambition shown by both the manager, and the players. Allowing Lescott to move to a team who could easily rival the Toffees next year would not have emitted any such ambition.
Moyes’ defiance in the matter has been something admirable, as has his dignity in dealing with Manchester City. The two official bids, of £15 million and £18 million, were rather unethical, according to Moyes, given that he had already stated that no-one was for sale. The offers were merely used as a tactic to push Everton’s hand and unsettle Lescott.
With Phil Jagielka sidelined until November, Moyes only has two fit centre-halves available to him- Lescott and Yobo. The pursuit of Phillipe Senderos, earlier this month, had suggested that Moyes may have been willing to part with Lescott if the fee was right, but Moyes insisted Senderos was merely for reinforcements, given the centre-back crisis he found himself in.
Moyes’ would have been in somewhat of a desperate situation had Lescott wanted a move down the M62, as was widely reported to have happened in the meeting between the two. Moyes would have tried to be defiant and tell Lescott he wasn’t moving to City, but the Scot is a man who centres all of his management around team ethics. And having a player at the club, who doesn’t want to be there, is not good for morale.
However, if Sky Sports is to be believed, Moyes is not going to part with Lescott at any price, and Joleon is happy at Goodison, for the time being. It seems that Mark Hughes is starting to give up hope on Lescott, now, too, stating that “If we feel a certain deal has run it‘s course, we will look elsewhere”. He went on to add, “Whether we have reached that stage with Joleon, only time will tell.”
Lescott could not be blamed for wanting to move to Eastlands; he was not born on County Road, he could at least double his wages at City, and play at a club whose owners have no bottoms to their pockets. However, this is the clearest indication, in a long time, that the centre-back is happy where he is, and that he will not be going anywhere just yet. To turn such an offer down from City is something that will make him a fan favourite at Goodison during the following campaign.
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