Non-Chelsea Transfer Pub

[shrenshah 186]

Hope we have a clear plan for summer with couple of signings completed when we reach there...else we as fans should start the "Marina Out" campaign

[Jase 43,479]

 

[Vesper 30,185]

2 hours ago, Jason said:

 

well, that just made Grealish's cost just go up to over £70m if Villa stays up (I do not know what happens if they go down other than he is much more likely to leave)

[Vesper 30,185]

On 4/6/2019 at 5:43 PM, Vesper said:

CHELSEA AGREE DEAL TO SIGN SWEDISH TEENAGER EDWIN ANDERSSON

https://readchelsea.com/2019/04/06/chelsea-agree-deal-to-sign-swedish-teenager-edwin-andersson/

Chelsea have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Swedish teenager Edwin Andersson when he turns 16, according to his father, Mikael, the Daily Express report.

Andersson currently plays for Swedish side IFK Gothenburg and has attracted interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs over the past six months.

The reported move appears to be extremely ironic, as the Blues have been handed a two-window transfer ban after their recruitment of foreign minors, however, Chelsea have since appealed the ban, with a verdict expected from FIFA on Thursday.

And talking to Swedish outlet Expressen, Mikael revealed there has been plenty of interest over his son and admitted he has chosen to head to London when he turns 16.

There have been an incredible number of clubs from virtually all countries that have been interested in him.

But he has chosen to go to Chelsea when it’s time.

According to the rules he must be 16 first and then it is up to the clubs to agree.

There’s still some details, but the day it’s time he has decided that it’ll be Chelsea.

Mikael then went on to reveal his son’s style of play, and despite many seeing the similarities between the Swede and Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo, Andersson Sr compared his son to current Chelsea starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi.

 

snip

https://www.expressen.se/gt/sport/fotboll/allsvenskan/svenske-jattetalangen-skriver-pa-for-chelsea/

 

Chelsea agree fee for IFK Gothenburg winger Edwin Andersson - who had a trial with Manchester United in 2018

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7970085/Chelsea-agree-fee-IFK-Gothenburg-winger-Edwin-Andersson.html

Swedish winger Edwin Andersson, 16, will join Chelsea with immediate effect
The IFK Gothenburg youngster had a trail with Manchester United
Chelsea are also interested in Lille goalkeeper Mike Maignan 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7970085/Chelsea-agree-fee-IFK-Gothenburg-winger-Edwin-Andersson.html

[Vesper 30,185]

Paper Talk: Man Utd slash Pogba price as star makes clear exit plan

https://www.teamtalk.com/news/transfer-gossip-paul-pogba-price-slashed-as-star-makes-exit-plan

PAUL POGBA MAKES CLEAR HIS INTENTIONS TO QUIT MAN UTD

Paul Pogba has told his Manchester United teammates he fully intends to quit Old Trafford at the end of the season.

The troubled midfielder has managed just six appearances for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side this season due to a persistent ankle injury, with question marks being raised about his commitment to the cause.

The World Cup winner tried to engineer a route out of the club last summer when he said he was tempted to take up a fresh challenge elsewhere, and this season’s increased match action has only furthered claims that he will be allowed to move on.

And now according to the Manchester Evening News, Pogba is determined to end his time with the Red Devils and has his heart set on a return to Juventus, with Real Madrid also firmly in the running to sign him.

Dressing room sources have told the MEN that Pogba’s ‘head is not currently at the club’ and the majority of players believe it is in United’s best interests he moves on. Pogba remains a very popular figure among friends and teammates, who understand his stance.

And with the midfielder still recovering from an ankle injury, there is a growing belief that the player may not even play again for the Red Devils, with his agent Mino Raiola also doing his bit to engineer Pogba a route out of the club.

United value Pogba at £180million, but with the player currently having just 18 months left on his deal – though United do have an option to extend that by 12 months – and due to his huge inactivity thanks to his ankle issue, it’s believed the club will now accept just £120million for the player, with his value dropping by a third.

Pogba has had his cast removed from his ankle, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says it’s unlikely he’ll be considered for their next game at Chelsea on February 17, while he has also been left behind for their warm-weather training camp to Marbella.

snip

[Vesper 30,185]

This striker needed a club, Manchester United and Chelsea needed a striker. But he thought they weren’t good enough

https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/transfers/epl-transfer-news-manchester-united-chelsea-edinson-cavani-atletico-madrid-gossip-rumours-david-beckham-inter-miami/news-story/cf9afd48a494ac994dfe05ded0fbfb95

Edinson Cavani would have joined Chelsea or Manchester United in January if he was driven by money, according to the Paris Saint-Germain forward's mother.

The 32-year-old, who has only six months left on his contract at the French champions, had been expected to move on in January amid interest from a host of clubs.

Chelsea and United were among the clubs credited with an interest, along with Atletico Madrid and David Beckham's newly-formed MLS franchise Inter Miami.

But Cavani's mother, Berta Gomez, insists a big-money move to the Premier League was never considered by her son.

"Edinson didn't want money to be the reason, because if it was about money, he would have gone to Manchester United, Chelsea or Inter Miami, who made a big offer for him," Gomez told Spanish newspaper AS.

Instead, Gomez suggested Cavani did "everything" possible to secure a move to Atletico and disputed claims made by the Spanish club's president, Enrique Cerezo, that the deal collapsed due to "greed".

"It's not impossible that Edinson goes to Atletico Madrid in the summer, if and when the president takes back what he said," she said.

"We don't understand why the president said such nonsense. It was out of place and it hurt us a lot. It is absolutely false to say that Walter (his brother and agent) asked for a fee from the signing.

"He should have told the fans why Cavani really didn't go to Atletico. It's because, firstly, PSG didn't want him to leave and secondly, Atletico never reached the amount PSG wanted when they negotiated.

"My son did everything he could to go to Atletico. He put pressure on by not playing at PSG and told his brother that he was willing to drop his wages to sign with Atletico.

"He wanted to play with Cholo (Diego Simeone) and he showed that at every turn."

[Vesper 30,185]

A back 4 of

CB Caglar Söyüncü

CB Declan Rice

LB Theo Hernández -- not Chilwell

RB Reece James

is eventually good enough to win the league

[Vesper 30,185]

the new Ben White?

Chelsea amongst the Premier League sides eyeing Welsh centre-back

https://www.caughtoffside.com/2020/02/05/chelsea-amongst-the-premier-league-sides-eyeing-welsh-centre-back/

According to the MailOnline, Chelsea are amongst one of several Premier League sides to be keeping a close eye on Swansea City defender Joe Rodon.

The Blues’ rivals – Manchester City and Chelsea have also cast an eye over the 22-year-old, as well as top-flight sides Bournemouth, Everton and Leicester.

Chelsea could certainly do with strengthening their defence, the west London outfit have conceded the most goals (34) of any side in the top eight of the Premier League this season.

The Mail claim that Man City are hoping to sign two central-defenders this summer, the Manchester outfit may be Chelsea’s biggest competition for Rodon’s signature.

Rodon has made 42 Championship appearances since breaking into the Swans’ side last season. Rodon’s impressive performances have led to him winning four caps for Ryan Giggs’ Wales side.

The Mail claim that Rodon is comfortable on the ball for a centre-back, this would make the ace an attractive signing to Chelsea – who attempt to build from the defence under Frank Lampard.

Rodon stands at 6ft 4in tall as well, the Welshman would add some height to Chelsea’s backline – whilst also being confident on the ball.

Chelsea may not even have to enlist their scouts to attempt to get the inside track on the defender, the Blues could just ask for information from aces Conor Gallagher and Marc Guehi, who are currently on loan at Swansea.

Guehi actually partnered Rodon in the heart of Swansea’s defence during their last Championship clash against Preston.

 

snip

 

 

[Vesper 30,185]

Man City 'made to wait' for Leroy Sane's transfer decision amid Bayern Munich interest

Sane enters the final year of his contract in the summer and will reportedly be unable to hold negotiations with City until April after changing representatives

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/man-city-made-wait-leroy-21440458

Manchester City will reportedly have to wait to discover Leroy Sane's future with the club amid continued interest from Bayern Munich.

Sane was understood to be Bayern's top target last summer and the German giants are expected to renew their interest in the 24-year-old after the current campaign.

The Germany international is set to enter the final year of his current deal at the end of the season and is yet to agree to fresh terms.

Although City are understood to be keen for Sane to sign a new contract, The Telegraph and BILD report that the club will not be able to hold further negotiations with the winger until April after he switched representatives.

The former Schalke star ended his arrangement with David Beckham's agency DB Ventures Limited at the turn of the year to join Malta-based LIAN Sports, who also work with Bayern defender Jerome Boateng.

According to the publications, LIAN will not be able to start officially representing Sane until April 1 due to a three-month notice clause in his previous agreement with DB Ventures and are yet to list the 24-year-old on their website.

[Vesper 30,185]

CIES Football Observatory

n°283 - 10/02/2020

Values

From Chelsea to Real Madrid: net transfer spending

https://football-observatory.com/IMG/sites/b5wp/2019/wp283/en/

Issue number 283 of the CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the financial balance for transfers carried out by clubs worldwide during the last two transfer windows. Real Madrid recorded the most negative balance (- €181 million) ahead of Aston Villa (- €169 m) and Barcelona (- €166 m). At the opposite end of the table are Chelsea (+ €205 m), Benfica (+ €167) and Ajax (+ €137 m).

The seven fee paying transfers concluded by Real Madrid during the summer 2019 and winter 2020 transfer windows had a total estimated cost of €330 m (add-ons included). During the same period, the incomes generated by the Spanish team for the release of seven other players were €149 m. On its side, Chelsea earned €250 by transferring 16 footballers, while it only spent €45 m to reinforce its squad (Mateo Kovačić).

At the level of the five major European leagues, the net balance for transfer operations range from - €844 million for the English Premier League and + €106 m for the French Ligue 1. Negative balances were also recorded in the Spanish Liga (- € 418 m), the Italian Serie A (- € 407 m) and the German Bundesliga (- € 263 m).

Most positive transfer balances, € Million

Summer 2019 and winter 2020 transfer windows

Most negative transfer balances, € Million

Summer 2019 and winter 2020 transfer windows

[Vesper 30,185]

Next Big Thing: Radical proposals for the transfer market – salary caps, luxury tax and removing trading windows

https://theathletic.com/1596690/2020/02/11/transfer-window-radical-salary-cap/

Three years ago, football fan Craig Tennant took to the website Change.org and launched a petition. Accompanied by the hashtag #HateFootballLoveBarnsley, the disgruntled Tykes fan appealed to FIFA to abolish the winter transfer window.

His argument centred on the feeling that lower-placed clubs can be easy prey in January, as successful and wealthy outfits first destabilise and then cherry-pick talent, often throwing the player’s club — in this case Tennant’s Barnsley — into mid-season disarray.

Tennant wrote: “A football club should be able (to) assemble a squad in one summer window and if the recruitment isn’t good enough, or they don’t give youth the chance, they should not have the power or opportunity to destroy smaller clubs’ seasons. This isn’t good for the fans. It is isn’t good for the smaller clubs. The only people it benefits are the greedy footballers themselves and the playboy owners. Ban the window.”

The petition was ‘signed’ just 200 times but Tennant is far from alone in his thinking. There are plenty at Tottenham Hotspur who feel the uncertainty surrounding Christian Eriksen loomed menacingly over the first half of their campaign, while former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger echoed such thoughts during his ill-fated attempts to keep Alexis Sanchez in January 2018.

Speaking in September 2017, Wenger said: “The players who do not play or the players who are tapped up in October, they already start again to think, ‘Where do I go in January?’ That’s not a way to be on board with a football club. I believe that we have to bring some decency to the game.

“We all complain today that (football) has become too much of a business, but we can do something about it. We have that responsibility in the game. The ideal situation would be to have a transfer period that is closed 48 hours before the first game of the championship and to close it completely until after the season.”

Wenger’s grand reformation never did come to fruition and, even in his new guise as a FIFA bureaucrat, we should not expect this particular proposal to gain too much traction. Yet as football seeks to reconcile stable finances with entertainment, governing bodies such like FIFA and UEFA, clubs and agents are constantly seeking to innovate and reform.

Most recently, the Premier League sought to end the instability that pockmarked the beginning of the campaign by shutting the English transfer window before the first weekend of the top-flight season. Yet, as the rest of Europe did not align, Premier League clubs became concerned that their own players were still for sale, or even able to agitate for a sale, despite England’s own buying capacity to sign replacements being voided.

As such, the Premier League last week voted unanimously to revert to the former model. Future changes, therefore, will need to be measured carefully.

Over recent weeks, The Athletic has spoken with leading figures within football and inside other sports to hear suggestions as to what could be done to improve the transfer window. The answers, from salary caps to luxury taxes, could lead football into a very different future…

Remove trading windows altogether

The most extreme change would be the “reverse Wenger” with deals taking place all year round. Sports lawyer Jake Cohen explains: “The idea of placing restrictions on when somebody is able to change jobs would be unimaginable in most fields. For example, if I could only move from one law firm or company to another in the month of January or during the summer, I would feel very strongly against that.

“If you removed the short windows, it would give clubs more breathing room for greater strategy and planning. A moratorium on player movement could be imposed during the latter half of the season to ensure squad stability in the run-up to the end of the season and the culmination of the domestic and continental tournaments, similar to the ‘trade deadline’ employed in most US professional sports.”

Cynics would argue that a more liberalised trading system could trigger greater uncertainty during the campaign. Yet it may also be that an absence of defined windows allows clubs to adopt clearer strategies and they could be less inclined to bring in “bodies” in panic as a deadline looms. This would also remove much of the pantomime that has come to dominate the final day of transfer windows.

Greater regulation of agents

Within the boardroom, concerns centre less on the period where transfers can take place and more on tweaks that can be made to protect the security of clubs. It is no secret that clubs would like to see greater regulation over agents and a clearer way to establish who to trust when attempting to sign a player.

Cohen explains: “To be an NBA agent, the application process is fairly intensive. Applicants must pass a written exam and successfully pass a background check. In order to have certification renewed by the players’ association, agents must complete seminars designed to ensure agents remain up-to-date on relevant issues and must also have acted for at least one player in a contract negotiation.

“NFL agents must also not only possess an undergraduate degree, but also a master’s or law degree. These are serious requirements most people do not meet. This is in stark contrast to football, where just about anyone with £500 can become an FA registered intermediary.

“The deregulation, which was implemented at the FIFA level, has opened the door for unscrupulous actors to try and con players, clubs and reputable agents. I have acted on deals for players, agents and clubs, and I have seen cases where several agents have tried to claim a fee by purporting that he or she was the agent of the player involved. Unfortunately, it is also a regular occurrence in the industry to come across individuals who claim they act for a certain player, when basic follow-up will show that they are misrepresenting themselves.”

Stop big clubs stockpiling talent

There is concern that the talent base within football is becoming ever more constrained within a select few clubs. A recent report by the European Clubs’ Association noted that 96 per cent of the 250 most valuable players are concentrated in Europe’s top five leagues across only 50 clubs. If this direction of travel continues, the doomsday fears of a European Super League become credible.

All the modern evidence suggests extreme polarisation and, as the ESPN journalist Gabriele Marcotti recently noted: “The top 30 clubs [in Europe] make nearly as much as the rest of the continent combined and the top one per cent of clubs earn 20 per cent of the club game’s total revenue.” Measures have already been taken, most notably through Financial Fair Play restrictions, but there may be a need not only to redistribute resources, but also talent itself.

As top-tier clubs increasingly desire two high-quality players per position, the stockpiling of elite talent is increasingly restricted. Marcotti’s suggestion is to reduce the number of senior players, outside of those developed by the club’s youth system, that can be registered in a first-team squad. This, he argues, would limit hoarding and encourage opportunities for young players.

Introduce a salary cap

Another way forward, albeit one which would surely met by huge resistance, could be a salary cap. Valencia president Anil Murthy tells The Athletic: “FIFA and UEFA have been looking at the agents’ issue for a long time, as well as commissions and salary caps.

“The passionate part of football for a long time has been to see these big stars. Can you imagine Barcelona without Lionel Messi, for example? So, it would obviously have to be a global salary cap. There would be different formulas. Maybe you tell a team they have only two players earning a certain amount of money? I don’t know whether football is ready for that yet. Eventually if things get out of hand…”

But PSG signed Neymar from Barcelona for a fee reported to be £200 million. Is this not out of hand? Murthy laughs. “I imagine at some point in time there will be some kind of rule to limit the number of really expensive players in each team. But what’s funny about football, is that some clubs have spent billions and still cannot win the Champions League.

“It is, however, an issue in terms of inflation for all clubs because you are pushing people’s expectations when a 15-year-old player can ask for a £15 million transfer. We have seen a goalkeeper move for £80 million. When did that start happening? That creates problems. Eventually it has to adjust. If people stop going crazy and running after the idea that, ‘I have to sign this 15-year-old, maybe I can let him go and get someone else for £2 million’ it can be better.“

In rugby union, the Premiership employs a salary cap and the league believes this produces more even contests. Privately, they speak of hoping for final scorelines that do not have a points difference greater than seven, therefore ensuring competitive and absorbing sport.

In practice, it means clubs can spend up to £7 million as a basic cap, excluding the salaries of two players. Clubs also receive £600,000 in “academy credits” for players aged below 24 who joined the club before their 18th birthday. The Premiership recently doled out a landmark punishment against champions Saracen, who were heavily fined and will be relegated to the second tier following breaches of the salary cap.

Senior sources within rugby union told The Athletic that other sports have contacted the Premiership for advice about establishing salary caps. One director explains: ”We have other leagues looking at us and contacting us. We know they have been paying attention very keenly to the verdict on Saracens. We hear from American sports, too.

“Another factor to take into account from rugby, is that the national federation has a stipulation that to play for England, you must also play in England. This means it is easier for training camps and collaboration over fitness and nutritional regimes. There could of course be challenges to this in the future but the current coach Eddie Jones is so pragmatic he almost discards those players who go abroad. His idea is that if you want the No 8 shirt off a player, go and play against him in England and prove you are better than you opponent.”

In the case of football, it would seem both undesirable and counter-productive to limit a player’s freedom to play abroad in this way. Certainly, the cosmopolitanism of the Premier League has been behind its market-leading success. Yet the appeal of a salary cap remains to some, and not only in the men’s game. In women’s football, the Football Association has imposed a salary cap but there is opposition.

Sports lawyer Cohen explains: “In the Women’s Super League in England, there is the rule about salaries accounting for no more than 40 per cent of a club’s “operating costs.” In practice however, this 40 per cent figure is basically whatever each club wants it to be, so it is not really a cap on player wages and each club decides how much it wants to spend. The current 40 per cent rule seems nebulous, particularly as it is hard to quantify incomings, as women’s teams are often a subsidiary of a broader organisation, such as the men’s football club or its foundation.

“The FA has advocated for a salary cap. I would take the view that a hard salary cap would do considerably more hard than good, and the Professional Footballers’ Association and even some clubs, most notably Chelsea, have been opposed to restricting the ability of clubs to heavily invest in the women’s game.”

A luxury tax

If a firm salary cap is open to manipulation, could football learn from Major League Baseball or the NBA through a luxury tax? This would allow clubs with greater resources to outspend a salary cap but they would be taxed on their excess payment and the money could be redistributed to poorer clubs.

In the Premier League, for example, money is already distributed through the huge broadcasting rights deals but a luxury tax could provide a secondary tier of redistribution to encourage both sound finances and provide greater solidarity down the ladder. The challenge, of course, would be persuading football’s powerhouses to sign up.

Cohen explains: “A luxury tax system imposes a spending threshold and, while clubs are free to spend above that threshold, they are “taxed” for every pound spent above it.

“As a hypothetical, if the luxury tax threshold is set at £10 million, a club spending over that could be taxed at a rate of 25 per cent of any amount spent over £10 million and below £15 million. Any amount spent over £15 million and below £20 million could be taxed at 50 per cent, and any amount spent over £20 million could be taxed at 100 per cent. The tax collected goes into a pot to be redistributed on an annual basis to the clubs who didn’t pay the tax that year.

“The tax revenue collected by one of the smaller clubs could not only ensure they remain financially viable, but also provide the revenue needed to re-sign a top player they might otherwise lose to a bigger club. It also ensures that clubs will continue to invest, but not massively overspend.”

Too radical for football? Let’s see.

[King Kante 1,643]

10 hours ago, Vesper said:

Next Big Thing: Radical proposals for the transfer market – salary caps, luxury tax and removing trading windows

https://theathletic.com/1596690/2020/02/11/transfer-window-radical-salary-cap/

Three years ago, football fan Craig Tennant took to the website Change.org and launched a petition. Accompanied by the hashtag #HateFootballLoveBarnsley, the disgruntled Tykes fan appealed to FIFA to abolish the winter transfer window.

His argument centred on the feeling that lower-placed clubs can be easy prey in January, as successful and wealthy outfits first destabilise and then cherry-pick talent, often throwing the player’s club — in this case Tennant’s Barnsley — into mid-season disarray.

Tennant wrote: “A football club should be able (to) assemble a squad in one summer window and if the recruitment isn’t good enough, or they don’t give youth the chance, they should not have the power or opportunity to destroy smaller clubs’ seasons. This isn’t good for the fans. It is isn’t good for the smaller clubs. The only people it benefits are the greedy footballers themselves and the playboy owners. Ban the window.”

The petition was ‘signed’ just 200 times but Tennant is far from alone in his thinking. There are plenty at Tottenham Hotspur who feel the uncertainty surrounding Christian Eriksen loomed menacingly over the first half of their campaign, while former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger echoed such thoughts during his ill-fated attempts to keep Alexis Sanchez in January 2018.

Speaking in September 2017, Wenger said: “The players who do not play or the players who are tapped up in October, they already start again to think, ‘Where do I go in January?’ That’s not a way to be on board with a football club. I believe that we have to bring some decency to the game.

“We all complain today that (football) has become too much of a business, but we can do something about it. We have that responsibility in the game. The ideal situation would be to have a transfer period that is closed 48 hours before the first game of the championship and to close it completely until after the season.”

Wenger’s grand reformation never did come to fruition and, even in his new guise as a FIFA bureaucrat, we should not expect this particular proposal to gain too much traction. Yet as football seeks to reconcile stable finances with entertainment, governing bodies such like FIFA and UEFA, clubs and agents are constantly seeking to innovate and reform.

Most recently, the Premier League sought to end the instability that pockmarked the beginning of the campaign by shutting the English transfer window before the first weekend of the top-flight season. Yet, as the rest of Europe did not align, Premier League clubs became concerned that their own players were still for sale, or even able to agitate for a sale, despite England’s own buying capacity to sign replacements being voided.

As such, the Premier League last week voted unanimously to revert to the former model. Future changes, therefore, will need to be measured carefully.

Over recent weeks, The Athletic has spoken with leading figures within football and inside other sports to hear suggestions as to what could be done to improve the transfer window. The answers, from salary caps to luxury taxes, could lead football into a very different future…

Remove trading windows altogether

The most extreme change would be the “reverse Wenger” with deals taking place all year round. Sports lawyer Jake Cohen explains: “The idea of placing restrictions on when somebody is able to change jobs would be unimaginable in most fields. For example, if I could only move from one law firm or company to another in the month of January or during the summer, I would feel very strongly against that.

“If you removed the short windows, it would give clubs more breathing room for greater strategy and planning. A moratorium on player movement could be imposed during the latter half of the season to ensure squad stability in the run-up to the end of the season and the culmination of the domestic and continental tournaments, similar to the ‘trade deadline’ employed in most US professional sports.”

Cynics would argue that a more liberalised trading system could trigger greater uncertainty during the campaign. Yet it may also be that an absence of defined windows allows clubs to adopt clearer strategies and they could be less inclined to bring in “bodies” in panic as a deadline looms. This would also remove much of the pantomime that has come to dominate the final day of transfer windows.

Greater regulation of agents

Within the boardroom, concerns centre less on the period where transfers can take place and more on tweaks that can be made to protect the security of clubs. It is no secret that clubs would like to see greater regulation over agents and a clearer way to establish who to trust when attempting to sign a player.

Cohen explains: “To be an NBA agent, the application process is fairly intensive. Applicants must pass a written exam and successfully pass a background check. In order to have certification renewed by the players’ association, agents must complete seminars designed to ensure agents remain up-to-date on relevant issues and must also have acted for at least one player in a contract negotiation.

“NFL agents must also not only possess an undergraduate degree, but also a master’s or law degree. These are serious requirements most people do not meet. This is in stark contrast to football, where just about anyone with £500 can become an FA registered intermediary.

“The deregulation, which was implemented at the FIFA level, has opened the door for unscrupulous actors to try and con players, clubs and reputable agents. I have acted on deals for players, agents and clubs, and I have seen cases where several agents have tried to claim a fee by purporting that he or she was the agent of the player involved. Unfortunately, it is also a regular occurrence in the industry to come across individuals who claim they act for a certain player, when basic follow-up will show that they are misrepresenting themselves.”

Stop big clubs stockpiling talent

There is concern that the talent base within football is becoming ever more constrained within a select few clubs. A recent report by the European Clubs’ Association noted that 96 per cent of the 250 most valuable players are concentrated in Europe’s top five leagues across only 50 clubs. If this direction of travel continues, the doomsday fears of a European Super League become credible.

All the modern evidence suggests extreme polarisation and, as the ESPN journalist Gabriele Marcotti recently noted: “The top 30 clubs [in Europe] make nearly as much as the rest of the continent combined and the top one per cent of clubs earn 20 per cent of the club game’s total revenue.” Measures have already been taken, most notably through Financial Fair Play restrictions, but there may be a need not only to redistribute resources, but also talent itself.

As top-tier clubs increasingly desire two high-quality players per position, the stockpiling of elite talent is increasingly restricted. Marcotti’s suggestion is to reduce the number of senior players, outside of those developed by the club’s youth system, that can be registered in a first-team squad. This, he argues, would limit hoarding and encourage opportunities for young players.

Introduce a salary cap

Another way forward, albeit one which would surely met by huge resistance, could be a salary cap. Valencia president Anil Murthy tells The Athletic: “FIFA and UEFA have been looking at the agents’ issue for a long time, as well as commissions and salary caps.

“The passionate part of football for a long time has been to see these big stars. Can you imagine Barcelona without Lionel Messi, for example? So, it would obviously have to be a global salary cap. There would be different formulas. Maybe you tell a team they have only two players earning a certain amount of money? I don’t know whether football is ready for that yet. Eventually if things get out of hand…”

But PSG signed Neymar from Barcelona for a fee reported to be £200 million. Is this not out of hand? Murthy laughs. “I imagine at some point in time there will be some kind of rule to limit the number of really expensive players in each team. But what’s funny about football, is that some clubs have spent billions and still cannot win the Champions League.

“It is, however, an issue in terms of inflation for all clubs because you are pushing people’s expectations when a 15-year-old player can ask for a £15 million transfer. We have seen a goalkeeper move for £80 million. When did that start happening? That creates problems. Eventually it has to adjust. If people stop going crazy and running after the idea that, ‘I have to sign this 15-year-old, maybe I can let him go and get someone else for £2 million’ it can be better.“

In rugby union, the Premiership employs a salary cap and the league believes this produces more even contests. Privately, they speak of hoping for final scorelines that do not have a points difference greater than seven, therefore ensuring competitive and absorbing sport.

In practice, it means clubs can spend up to £7 million as a basic cap, excluding the salaries of two players. Clubs also receive £600,000 in “academy credits” for players aged below 24 who joined the club before their 18th birthday. The Premiership recently doled out a landmark punishment against champions Saracen, who were heavily fined and will be relegated to the second tier following breaches of the salary cap.

Senior sources within rugby union told The Athletic that other sports have contacted the Premiership for advice about establishing salary caps. One director explains: ”We have other leagues looking at us and contacting us. We know they have been paying attention very keenly to the verdict on Saracens. We hear from American sports, too.

“Another factor to take into account from rugby, is that the national federation has a stipulation that to play for England, you must also play in England. This means it is easier for training camps and collaboration over fitness and nutritional regimes. There could of course be challenges to this in the future but the current coach Eddie Jones is so pragmatic he almost discards those players who go abroad. His idea is that if you want the No 8 shirt off a player, go and play against him in England and prove you are better than you opponent.”

In the case of football, it would seem both undesirable and counter-productive to limit a player’s freedom to play abroad in this way. Certainly, the cosmopolitanism of the Premier League has been behind its market-leading success. Yet the appeal of a salary cap remains to some, and not only in the men’s game. In women’s football, the Football Association has imposed a salary cap but there is opposition.

Sports lawyer Cohen explains: “In the Women’s Super League in England, there is the rule about salaries accounting for no more than 40 per cent of a club’s “operating costs.” In practice however, this 40 per cent figure is basically whatever each club wants it to be, so it is not really a cap on player wages and each club decides how much it wants to spend. The current 40 per cent rule seems nebulous, particularly as it is hard to quantify incomings, as women’s teams are often a subsidiary of a broader organisation, such as the men’s football club or its foundation.

“The FA has advocated for a salary cap. I would take the view that a hard salary cap would do considerably more hard than good, and the Professional Footballers’ Association and even some clubs, most notably Chelsea, have been opposed to restricting the ability of clubs to heavily invest in the women’s game.”

A luxury tax

If a firm salary cap is open to manipulation, could football learn from Major League Baseball or the NBA through a luxury tax? This would allow clubs with greater resources to outspend a salary cap but they would be taxed on their excess payment and the money could be redistributed to poorer clubs.

In the Premier League, for example, money is already distributed through the huge broadcasting rights deals but a luxury tax could provide a secondary tier of redistribution to encourage both sound finances and provide greater solidarity down the ladder. The challenge, of course, would be persuading football’s powerhouses to sign up.

Cohen explains: “A luxury tax system imposes a spending threshold and, while clubs are free to spend above that threshold, they are “taxed” for every pound spent above it.

“As a hypothetical, if the luxury tax threshold is set at £10 million, a club spending over that could be taxed at a rate of 25 per cent of any amount spent over £10 million and below £15 million. Any amount spent over £15 million and below £20 million could be taxed at 50 per cent, and any amount spent over £20 million could be taxed at 100 per cent. The tax collected goes into a pot to be redistributed on an annual basis to the clubs who didn’t pay the tax that year.

“The tax revenue collected by one of the smaller clubs could not only ensure they remain financially viable, but also provide the revenue needed to re-sign a top player they might otherwise lose to a bigger club. It also ensures that clubs will continue to invest, but not massively overspend.”

Too radical for football? Let’s see.

A lot of this would not work in football. Most of the examples come from niche sports or sports where there is only one or two elite leagues. Salary caps and luxury taxes are impossible to impliment as they would come up against all sorts of legal issues in various countries. The only two that are maybe possible are the capping of agent fees and adjusting the transfer window (s.)

[ZAPHOD2319 4,819]

Man City two year ban from CL for 2 years and €30M fine. Good luck attracting and keeping WC players.

[whats happening 1,615]

time to lure kdb back with champions league football 

[NikkiCFC 8,324]

Cheeky bid for Aguero? 

[killer1257 3,282]

Cheeky bid for Aguero? [emoji185]

If he leaves, I guess he would go to Barcelona

Gesendet von meinem SM-G920F mit Tapatalk

[!Hazard! 3,394]

Ajax seem to have found their Ziyech replacement and are ready to break their transfer record for this Brazilian kid. At 30 million euros this is a massive investment by Ajax

 

[Vesper 30,185]

On 15/02/2020 at 4:57 PM, !Hazard! said:

Ajax seem to have found their Ziyech replacement and are ready to break their transfer record for this Brazilian kid. At 30 million euros this is a massive investment by Ajax

 

Marco van Basten blasts Ajax over signing of Antony

https://en.onefootball.com/marco-van-basten-blasts-ajax-over-signing-of-antony/

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

13 hours ago, Vesper said:

Marco van Basten blasts Ajax over signing of Antony

https://en.onefootball.com/marco-van-basten-blasts-ajax-over-signing-of-antony/

All these clubs, even the likes of Ajax, have to adapt at somepoint and keep up by investing in youngsters from other clubs that may be seen as someone with outstanding talent as opposed to usual traditions. Their academy is brilliant, no doubts, but for someone like van Basten to slam Ajax over one signing it seems like bitterness more than anything. I mean its hardly as if theyve shut ther academy for this guy is it? Or shunned someone from it for this guy? Ziyech was arguably the key to their team, sometimes you cant replace that with an academy player and get the same results straight away.

As I expect we will see at Man City when David Silva goes at the end of the season and Pep either uses Bernardo Silva in that position, shunning Phil Foden as his successor as he keeps calling him or signs another 8/10 and keeps Silva outwide, again shunning Foden. 

Again would Ajax have spent 30m euros if they had a player of that quality in that position in their academy? I doubt it really. Because the nature of how they are run is they buy/promote players and make a profit off them I wouldnt be surprised if this guy is maybe someone who could be a replacement for Neres who has been talked about a lot the past 18 months or even Ryan Babel who is there on loan more as opposed to Ziyech as well. Also if your at a club who loses de Ligt, de Jong and Ziyech in 2 seasons I think you can be entitled to spending a bit more on one or two players and not be criticised for it..

[Vesper 30,185]

16 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

All these clubs, even the likes of Ajax, have to adapt at somepoint and keep up by investing in youngsters from other clubs that may be seen as someone with outstanding talent as opposed to usual traditions. Their academy is brilliant, no doubts, but for someone like van Basten to slam Ajax over one signing it seems like bitterness more than anything. I mean its hardly as if theyve shut ther academy for this guy is it? Or shunned someone from it for this guy? Ziyech was arguably the key to their team, sometimes you cant replace that with an academy player and get the same results straight away.

As I expect we will see at Man City when David Silva goes at the end of the season and Pep either uses Bernardo Silva in that position, shunning Phil Foden as his successor as he keeps calling him or signs another 8/10 and keeps Silva outwide, again shunning Foden. 

Again would Ajax have spent 30m euros if they had a player of that quality in that position in their academy? I doubt it really. Because the nature of how they are run is they buy/promote players and make a profit off them I wouldnt be surprised if this guy is maybe someone who could be a replacement for Neres who has been talked about a lot the past 18 months or even Ryan Babel who is there on loan more as opposed to Ziyech as well. Also if your at a club who loses de Ligt, de Jong and Ziyech in 2 seasons I think you can be entitled to spending a bit more on one or two players and not be criticised for it..

And it is only £16.7m up front! £25m MAX if he hits every bonus.

So stupid. Obviously Ajax have scouted the hell out of him too.