Id guess its possible to use a players potential bias towards staying with your club, to offer a lesser amount than what another is offering but come closer to it than what theyre currently on.
Not to say we should have done that with Nolan, or that hed have taken it.
But people said the same when Carroll left. Theres no reason to believe you need to match the contract. Wham had to offer a silly amount to get attention due to their current status.