Really hard to believe this going by some of the comments of those that left.
No it makes sense.
Rodgers doesn't think Agger is a 1st team regular anymore. That is his decision as the coach, right or wrong. He says he wants Lovren 'cause he is the dog's bollocks.
TC says but we will have too many 1st choice CDs. So Rodgers says OK, he will be a backup. TC says 'on over 100k a week you're having a laugh. You want Lovren we sell Agger.'
Same with Pepe, more than the letter, it was we are not paying a wage that would still be in the top 3 or 4 keepers in the league for a backup.
It may also explain why he plays the shit out of Johnson, he was a high wage earner, who Rodgers' wanted to keep at the club, there was zero chance of that if he wasnt a nailed on regular, even then the TC, rightly in this case, offered a much lower wage with the new contract offer.
None of this is new, just our fucked up handling of it. I remember reading when Newcastle signed Beardsley back in the day, they lied to the chairman about his age otherwise he wouldn't have OKed the fee and wages.