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David Moyes thinking hard - Source: Reuters -
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I hate to be one of those people who says "I told you so", but well, I told you so and anyone who thought that Joleon Lescott would still be wearing the blue of Everton come the end of the transfer season is just plain daft.
City have finally got their man after the club confirmed on Monday that they had agreed a 22 million pound deal for the 27-year-old centre back - subject to the agreement of personal terms and a medical.
I knew he would be gone by the end of this week, and so, too, apparently did David Moyes.
Moyes had denied Lescott the million pound switch to Eastlands and clung desperately to his prized possession, rejecting Man City's advances and the England defender's transfer requests.
Lescott's 'poor attitude'
But it was clear just where Lescott's head was during the last few weeks as he was terrible against Arsenal during the side's 6-1 annihilation of Everton, leading him to be dropped from the side's win in the Europa Cup for what was described as a "poor attitude".
There is nothing worse than having a player on the pitch who does not want to be there (think Michael Owen Liverpool circa 2004) so unfortunately for Moyes his mind was made up for him as an official statement from the club pointed out:
"After the earlier bid, there was a change in the player's attitude.
"It was in the best interests of Everton if they allowed him to leave."
City meanwhile will be jubilant.
This has been one of the most ongoing and at times painful transfer sagas of the season, and after defending their right to throw millions of pounds worth of cash at anything that moves, Mark Hughes will now feel a sense of justification after landing the England defender.
The signing of Lescott also goes someway to completing Mark Hughes' "fantasy team" - almost.
After a great Premier League opening away win at Blackburn and defeating Barcelona, City fans will be happy at how their side have opened their new season campaign, although a tense home win against Wolves at the weekend highlighted just how fragile their defence is.
Hughes will be hoping that along with Toure and Dunne, Lescott will help to fill the gap as they bid for a top-five finish this season.
Lescott can now also be happy that he is able to join the likes of Adebayor, Roque Santa Cruz, Carlos Tevez and Gareth Barry - but I also wouldn't be surprised if there was a small niggle in the back of his mind reminding him the only reason he will now be playing in sky blue is because the Eastlands side failed to land Chelsea skipper John Terry.
And although Moyes was desperate to keep hold of the player, and is no doubt disappointed that Lescott has turned his back on the manager and club that essentially made him, it's not all bad for Everton.
Moyes knows he has lost a strong defender in Lescott - who had four years to run on his current Everton contract - but there is also no doubting he has also completed a shrewd move in selling a player he paid 5 million pounds for from Wolverhampton just three years ago.
Injury woes for Moyes
The problem for Moyes, whose team now sits at the bottom of the Premier League table, is that injuries have left the Scot with third choice defender Yobo as his only fit centre-back, as Phil Jagielka is still recovering from an injury he picked up during the side's FA Cup semi-final win over Man United last season.
But just like his fellow countryman and League rival Sir Alex Ferguson (pre-treble years), Moyes is known for doing a lot with a little, and with 22 million pounds in his back pocket and a week left of the summer transfer season I would not be surprised to see a few decent buys coming in for Everton before the window closes in a week's time.
No one can blame anyone for having their head turned by money or the chance to realise their aspirations to play for a "bigger club" because that is just how modern football is these days.
And in the Lescott football love-triangle, one could say that everyone has got what they wanted in the end.
City got their man, Lescott got his move and Moyes got his money.
BUT it is the way Hughes and co pursued Lescott and the amount
of money - over 100 million in three months and counting - spent by
this club that throws up questions about just where modern football
is heading, and to me, it is not heading anywhere good.
What do you think about the Lescott transfer? Can Everton
bounce back? Will the England defender be a success at Eastlands?
And are cashed-up City ruining football?
Have your say below!
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