Lescott, at last

At least it's over. We've spent the last few months waiting for this transfer to go through; it's been dull, drawn out, and damaging to our reputation in the game. But it all finished this evening, and I suppose that we've won.

It's certainly good news for Hughes. To have taken one of the prized assets of another team who finished ahead of us last season is a real achievement. To be a sufficiently attractive prospect that top players of top six clubs are willing to force moves to City is not only good news in the present, but points to a potential future - presuming we continue to progress - when the world's elite players, who have thus far rejected City, may be enticed to come to Eastlands.

And, of course, it's good news for our defence. Lescott may not be John Terry but he's also not Richard Dunne. Hughes has long identified a left-sided centre half as a top priority and, ultimately, we have to defer to him on these issues. Lescott has the top six Premier League experience of which Hughes has made such a fetish this summer. In his three seasons at Goodison Park Everton finished sixth and then fifth and then fifth. He's powerful, quick, good in the air and can play at left back too. I've no doubt that City will be a better team with him in.

But there are other reasons which make me less than enthusiastic about this deal. Apart from anything else, the fee is ridiculous. Of all the purchases we have made this summer, this is the price least proportionate to market value that we have paid. 150% of market value is one thing, but 200% is quite another. I'm not worrying about this particular few million pounds, but it is a simple fact of the marketplace that if we get a reputation for paying 200% of market value then we will get asked to pay as much in future. This is a cycle which can get out of hand if left unchecked. Next time we go for David Villa what is to stop Valencia asking for €100m, given that they almost got €50m from Real and Barcelona this summer? It's not healthy.

And then there's Everton. Let's not forget that they finished thirteen points ahead of us last season. Since then we've certainly improved, and they've lost their second best centre back. But David Moyes now has £24m to invest in the playing squad. This is the man that picked up Mikel Arteta for £2m, Tim Cahill for £1.5m, Phil Jagielka for £4m and Lescott himself for the same fee. He's already spent some of the money on Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, and is set to move for City legend Sylvain Distin to replace Lescott. Should Moyes succeed in bringing in four or five good players who bed into the squad well (as most Moyes signings do), we can have little complaint if they give us a real battle for the Europa League spots.

And what of Nedum Onuoha? One of my main reasons for supporting the purchase of Sylvain Distin rather than Lescott was that a 31 year old would retard the progress of Onuoha less than a 27 year old. As well as Lescott on a five year deal, we have Kolo Touré signed on until 2013. How exactly Nedum Onuha, the great hope of the Academy, fits into our future plans lies unclear. If we make Europe this season then he can perform the third centre-back role Jonny Evans has United - playing fifteen or so games each year depending on injuries and rotation. But it's neither what he needs nor what he deserves.

A key part of being a mature football fan is the acknowledgement of the gulf of knowledge and understanding between the supporters and the management. Hughes and his team know so much more about these issues than I do that my quibbling is essentially irrelevant. If Hughes says that Lescott is a good buy and good business, then he has to be respected. But I can't pretend I'm not rather ambivalent about this one.