What Effect would Rio Leaving Have on Our Ability to Sign New Players?

Sort of continuining my other thread this morning (Timing of LBO to Affect Transfers?), I started wondering what Rio's leaving would do for the club's image (in the eyes of prospective players).

Rio wants a ridiculous wage - no question - and United are really in a no-win situation. If we sign Rio, we're paying nearly 100,000 pounds a week for him - which means we have a lot less each week to pay for other players. if we don't sign Rio, we lose our best defender.

Here's my question: If we do not sign Rio to a new deal, will we lose a little bit of prestige?

If you only look on the surface of the matter, I think you would be swayed to say quot;Yes, united loses a bit of prestige.quot; The Glazier takeover combined with the SU negative press has shown the world how United will not be able to spend the cash to support the top players.

If you dig deeper though, Rio is a ********ing defender - his wage demands are outrageous! He wants double want Ronaldo wants (120k/wk compared to 55k/wk according to some reports). You can talk about how United don't have money but if the pay Rio 100k/wk, they'll certainly not have the money. That would be like the Texas Rangers signing Alex Rodrigues (USA's Major League Baseball) several years ago. The Rangers gave him $25million a year but the entire rest of their staff earned about $20million. Of course, the team tanked and still have not recovered 5+ years later.

I say let the ********er go...

i feel that heinze is our best defender...
there have been many times this season that rio simply looks bored, kinda like he's phoning it in.  if he doesn't want to be here--get the effff out.

100 a week is ridiculous.
I'd be willing to let Rio go... not for free of course, but only if we got Chivu at the same time... ie, we sell Rio for 30M to Chelsea or whomever and then buy Chivu for 15 and buy Andrade for 8-10 and then we come out winners...
It's a tough one - I'd have to disagree with the Heinze comment.  Rio is by far our strongest defender, and besides his pace and consistency, he is also a fantastic defensive leader.  He runs our back line, and he is the reason we've had so many clean sheets.  Then again, 100K a week is completely mental.  So I don't know guys - whats more important?
I like Rio but I think he could be more than adequately replaced if he was sold for 30MM.  Plus, the player(s) purchased with the money would have a smaller wage bill than Rio's current demands.

If Rio is truly seeking 100,000+/week then he has (along with his agent), completely over-valued himself.  He's not the best defender in the world, or in Europe and cases can be made that he's not the best defender in the EPL or the best English defender.  If he really wants those wages then sell him.
The reports I've read are that he wants 120,000+/week - I was accoutning for a little negotiation to get it down to 100k+/week!
I dont think the Galacticos make 100k+ a week in wages. I read he was asking for 125k a weeek. No one will pay 30 million for him if theyre still going to have to pay 100k a week wages, and he is definately no beckham who will make all of that money back through merchandising etc. Youre gonna have to offload him lightly with those kind of wage demands, or he will end up leaving on a bosman.
If he is demanding 120k per, see ya. Sell him for 30 mil and move on, no one player is bigger than the club (see David Spice). The defense can still be solid without him and with that transfer fee a good keeper could be had for sure, plus some other players.
IMO, if he keeps on pushing for such an obscene wage, he can go ******** himself. Did he somehow forget he managed to get paid for an entire eight months without having to do shite, for a mistake he made? He's fantastic (most of the time), and I'd love to keep him in the squad but 100,000 a week?

We can use the money to bring in some desperately needed replacements instead of dipping more into Redbeard's pot of debt.
Here's the evaluation of Terry by Mourinho:quot;If John Terry is the best central defender in the world - and for me he is - and he was on the market, he would cost a minimum of £50 million.quot; Mourinho indicated. If every 10 years we produce a John Terry, the work of the academy is done. It is better to produce one John Terry than 20 ordinary players.quot;

Terry better than Rio? He certainly has had better results over the past two seasons. Is Terry worth $70k/week? No ********ing way...