This was my thinking. I think it's probably a bit of shock treatment to prove that the club won't offer more than they're offering now and it really is take it or leave it. I think he probably will sign on too in the end.

I guess its part of the process of shedding the clubs previous image as a haven for players who want big money for mediocrity and I also feel he might end up signing on the original terms being offered.

It seems though the agent might not be willing to accept this stance.

If Taylor was arrogant enough to turn down our final offer then it was inevitable we'd try to sell him when we need money, at the point he turned that down then that should have been acknowledgement he'd be listed I don't think in this instance it needs to come from the horses mouth. He has tried to act bigger than the club and they are simply showing him he's not.

I would still like to keep him as he's not a bad player but he certainly isn't worth breaking the bank to keep especially when his first team place would have been in doubt anyway.

He's certainly not irreplacable and I'd say probably worth £35-40k/week. If he's turned down an offer in that region then so be it. Adios Steven. He's far from being the model professional, nor has he proven he's actually that good. It's been clear for a number of years that he thinks he's better than he actually is.

Arrogant enough? We don't know what he was offered. If he thinks he can get a better deal from a club in a stronger position, then that's his right. If another team offers just a thousand quid a week more, it is still hardly chump change over the course of a year - a good deal more than most on this board earn every year, I'd guess. The fact is that a number of clubs probably will be willing to offer a good pay rise considering the negligible transfer payment that'll be involved.

Yeah im sure he is really worried that should no bids come in he will run down his contract and leave for nowt thus probably getting a bumper contract somewhere.

You are talking as if nobody would be interested in him so he is going to sign for us at the sheer fear of not being able to get another contract at another Premier League team

If that is the boards thinking then they are fucking stupider than i thought.

Its all very well saying Williamson is better (dont get me wrong i like him but id say Taylor was the better player) but like I said in my original post you need plenty of choices at the back, Colo and Williamson will surely not play every game without at least 1 of injury, suspension, loss of form or tiredness striking one or both of them at some point so you really need at least 4 decent centre halves.

With our resources I just dont see how we would replace him with anyone near as good as him so I think it would be in our interests to try and find a compromise.

Also think its quite petty the club coming out and basically saying he is being too greedy, bit of pot kettle and black when the club get pissed off with his Dad moaning in the press etc.

Have the club said he is being too greedy? I thought they said "we've transfer listed him", and nothing more. Obviously we'll have to bring in someone else if he goes though although we could probably cope until January.

He may also be more concerned about keeping a good team spirit, like last season with the Taylor-Carroll incident

Yep

What the General said