1) In terms of the level of impact they'd have on our squad, they're similar. In respect of the fact they'd both play in CM for us, they're similar.
2) McCarthy plays in midfield and has a pulse. I'm surprised Spurs haven't already bought him, given their antics so far this summer.
3) How do you KNOW he has no interest in Diame? In fact, how do you KNOW he has any interest in McCarthy? I've seen no official activity re either of them on our part, just lots of speculation on tw@tter and fuming on here.
I don't dislike McCarthy, I just don't see anything to him that makes me think he's worth three times as much as Diame. Given our money situation and our squad requirements, Diame's the better purchase for us UNLESS McCarthy's price comes down below £10m.
As I said earlier, Diame + Moses + one of Ba or Lukaku for a total of £15m is orders of magnitude better than McCarthy for £15m, even if Diame's the only permanent transfer. If you think that's a load of rubbish, that's fine. You have your opinion and I have mine, but I don't think you've taken the maths fully into account.
1.) No, they're totally different players. Comparing them as players as such isn't fruitful. Comparing them as transfers is different, but then if McCarthy is the one at the heart of Martinez' system who's to say he won't be a very important transfer?
2.) Spurs have signed a lot of midfielders, but only good/very good ones -- that's my point. They're letting the likes of Parker and Huddlestone leave, to sign top class CMs like Capoue and Paulinho.
3.) Call it a hunch. Just really think he'd have signed him by now knowing how much we need a DM, knowing his release clause and knowing the player better than you or I ever will.
Saying player X is/isn't work 3 of player Y is silly, because transfer fees have a dozen factors. The player's ability is just one; their importance to their current team, their potential new team, their age, their nationality, their position -- all key factors. Comparing Diame to McCarthy is therefore pointless. Equally I could say he's not worth 7 Mikel Artetas, or he is worth 1 Joe Allen or 40% of an Andy Carroll -- you can do that all day. It'll get you nowhere.
And whilst I agree that £15m could go further, your specific example stinks of Football Manager addiction. Who the hell says they want to loan those players/they want to come here/we could afford their wages etc? I haven't taken your maths into account because football transfers aren't simple maths, and your maths, a bit like your line of thinking is just that: simple.
However, I accept your sentiment. And this is why I've said I'd really rather not pay upwards of £10m for McCarthy. We need to make money go far and if we spend £15m we'll have probably used up nearly all of the Fellaini fee after sell on clauses, agent fees etc, and we clearly need additions right now without losing Marouane.