Premier League's Quietest Ever Transfer Window

[bosnian_red]

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It did feel as if it was a shockingly quiet transfer window, though I was half thinking it was just United being shit at making transfers. So why is it that at a time when the premier league has more money than ever, are teams struggling so hard to complete any transfers? I understand it being difficult for premier league teams to buy from other premier league teams, with every team being able to demand "feck off" fees for players if a team truly wants them because they never need to sell, but you would think it should make it much easier to sign players from the rest of Europe.

Looking around the premier league, look at the number of signings per club. Sheffield United and Villa made by far the most signings (5 & 10), Watford and West Ham on 4 signings each but the rest being 3 signings or fewer, for a total of 59 so far. Not sure where everything goes from here, but it's interesting none the less that with all the money the premier league was getting led to the mid table teams getting a lot stronger initially to now basically nobody being able to complete signings.

 

[BluesJr]

Too much money in the game. The system needs to change to allow players to move more freely if they wish.

 

[FootyGirl88]

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[Wumminator]

Based on RedCafe’s expert analysis I have concluded that Woodwood must work for every club simultaneously

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

There's normally more activity between PL clubs but they don't really need to sell now, except their dross - which other PL clubs don't want!

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

Also, we seem to be at an unusual point where most PL clubs are seemingly happy with their current situation and prospects, relative to their expectations

 

[bosnian_red]

Too much money in the game. The system needs to change to allow players to move more freely if they wish.

I feel like a lack of transfers to this extent isn't as common in other leagues. Don't think teams in Spain/Germany/Italy/France are having as tough of a team making signings, yet once a premier league team is involved everything seemingly hits a brick wall.

 

[AltiUn]

Probably cos PL clubs are getting rinsed for every player they go for. I actually think money has a lot to do with it, City have been one of the biggest spenders and their squad is essentially complete so don’t need many new additions, same with Liverpool. For the rest of the league, Chelsea aside due to the transfer ban, they may not be able to justify spending on upgrades that aren’t significant, the cost of improvement is currently through the roof and at some point you have to way up cost vs quality of improvement to the team. I imagine quite a lot of teams are fairly happy with their squads, despite Liverpool and City blowing the league away there are actually some very good teams knocking about.

If players want to start moving easily they should probably just demand release clauses, otherwise player transferring is going to be insane. As a small silver lining it might start forcing clubs to look at their academies for players.

 

[Wumminator]

One of the best things about this btw is how much prevalence youth football now has! Some great young players coming through at these clubs.

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

I would say it will end up being the one where most money is spent, next week it will move.

 

[Treble]

Still two weeks to go, many deals may happen in the last 10 days of the window. Might turn out to be a normal transfer summer.

 

[P-Nut]

You can basically rule out 3 sides immediately of making many transfers.

Liverpool and City plus Chelsea's ban.

Then you've got Spurs new stadium and Arsenal's money problems.

That's a quarter of the league that were always going to be low in the transfer department.

Factor in Brexit, the low pound and all of Europe knowing the premier league is loaded and you get uncertainty and teams demanding massive fees.

 

[roonster09]

Out of 76, 20 signing are made by promoted clubs. Villa alone made 10 signings.

So last year PL teams made 56 signings till now and looks like most clubs made maximum of 2-3 signings till now.

 

[AltiUn]

I would say it will end up being the one where most money is spent, next week it will move.

You never know, if papers are to be believed United and Tottenham are about to splash out £400m between them.

 

[The Cat]

The "lower" clubs are now also awash with cash and don't have to sell so much. They can afford decent wages and there is not as much desperation for a player to have to move purely on a monetary basis.

 

[Krits]

It could also be that the money men behind all the clubs have figured out we are on the brink of a bubble and have advised their bosses that maybe it makes more sense to invest next year in hopes that there is a crash in place prices. At least I hope there is cause some of the valuations on players have been insane.

 

[MikeUpNorth]

I think it’s largely a symptom of Brexit uncertainty. Businesses are postponing major investment decisions across the board, not just in football.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

There's time yet.

 

[adexkola]

Too much money in the game. The system needs to change to allow players to move more freely if they wish.

Players can sign shorter contracts.

 

[Josep Dowling]

I feel like a lack of transfers to this extent isn't as common in other leagues. Don't think teams in Spain/Germany/Italy/France are having as tough of a team making signings, yet once a premier league team is involved everything seemingly hits a brick wall.

This bit I really don't get. Premier League clubs are clearly being quoted much more than clubs in Europe. But money is still money so I'm not sure why European clubs keep rejecting ridiculous offers from England. It feels like they have all taken a stand.

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

You never know, if papers are to be believed United and Tottenham are about to splash out £400m between them.

I think United definitely have another £150m in them, Id say we have £50m depending on Mr Eriksen's future, maybe more.

 

[Tom Cato]

To summarize a complicated topic into one culprit: TV Deals. Clubs have so much money they dont have to sell, which has traditionally been the case.

A way to combat this would be to make FIFA introduce a transfer rule that says that clubs MUST sell if a player hands in a transfer request. The transfer means that a bidding club must meet the selling clubs valuation, which has to be based on comparable transfers and not "£400 million lol", or an arbitration panel that will determine the value of the player, preferably a panel consisting of representatives from, the selling and bidding clubs representatives forced to recuse themselves for obvious conflict of interest (local market).

There's huge problems with both of those suggestions, but unless we want a situation where the players themselves refuse to sign contracts longer than 2 years at a time, sometihng must give. Currently there are a lot of high profile targets being kept "prisoner" by their respective clubs even after seemingly wanting to move on. Paul Pogba being one. Granted he has a high market value and I don't belive that has been met yet, so it might not be the best suggestion.

Neymar is a good candidate though. Hates his club, the club is sick and tired of him, his valuation is astronomical. No one can afford to buy him. Everyone loses.

 

[AltiUn]

I think United definitely have another £150m in them, Id say we have £50m depending on Mr Eriksen's future, maybe more.

Honestly if we sign Maguire I think that'll be it for this window. What do you think about the Dybala to Spurs rumours?

 

[roonster09]

To summarize a complicated topic into one culprit: TV Deals. Clubs have so much money they dont have to sell, which has traditionally been the case.

A way to combat this would be to make FIFA introduce a transfer rule that says that clubs MUST sell if a player hands in a transfer request. The transfer means that a bidding club must meet the selling clubs valuation, which has to be based on comparable transfers and not "£400 million lol", or an arbitration panel that will determine the value of the player, preferably a panel consisting of representatives from, the selling and bidding clubs representatives forced to recuse themselves for obvious conflict of interest (local market).

There's huge problems with both of those suggestions, but unless we want a situation where the players themselves refuse to sign contracts longer than 2 years at a time, sometihng must give. Currently there are a lot of high profile targets being kept "prisoner" by their respective clubs even after seemingly wanting to move on. Paul Pogba being one. Granted he has a high market value and I don't belive that has been met yet, so it might not be the best suggestion.

Neymar is a good candidate though. Hates his club, the club is sick and tired of him, his valuation is astronomical. No one can afford to buy him. Everyone loses.

That would kill smaller clubs and no small club can ever grow onto achieve big things.

Solution would be players insisting on release clause, which will have impact on the wages they receive. Players who wants smaller release clause should risk it by asking for smaller wages, players who wants huge wages will risk it by getting bigger release clause.

 

[Someone]

It could be a sign of maturity. It's not a rule that clubs should always buy new players.

 

[adexkola]

To summarize a complicated topic into one culprit: TV Deals. Clubs have so much money they dont have to sell, which has traditionally been the case.

A way to combat this would be to make FIFA introduce a transfer rule that says that clubs MUST sell if a player hands in a transfer request. The transfer means that a bidding club must meet the selling clubs valuation, which has to be based on comparable transfers and not "£400 million lol", or an arbitration panel that will determine the value of the player, preferably a panel consisting of representatives from, the selling and bidding clubs representatives forced to recuse themselves for obvious conflict of interest (local market).

There's huge problems with both of those suggestions, but unless we want a situation where the players themselves refuse to sign contracts longer than 2 years at a time, sometihng must give. Currently there are a lot of high profile targets being kept "prisoner" by their respective clubs even after seemingly wanting to move on. Paul Pogba being one. Granted he has a high market value and I don't belive that has been met yet, so it might not be the best suggestion.

Neymar is a good candidate though. Hates his club, the club is sick and tired of him, his valuation is astronomical. No one can afford to buy him. Everyone loses.

Horrible idea.

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

Honestly if we sign Maguire I think that'll be it for this window. What do you think about the Dybala to Spurs rumours?

Depends on a lot of things, if Eriksen goes, if we can get him in for the same money we sell Eriksen for, if we can come to some sort of deal with his wages. I don't think we would be bidding for him if we didn't know we could offer him a contract he would accept, then again if PSG are interested we wouldn't be able to compete unless Dybala preferred us.

Too many variables but lets say I'm thinking more no than yes, but who knows. While im not sure about how he would get on in the PL it would be a massive signing for us.

 

[golden_blunder]

I think it’s largely a symptom of Brexit uncertainty. Businesses are postponing major investment decisions across the board, not just in football.

I think there may be something in that

 

[charlenefan]

I think it’s largely a symptom of Brexit uncertainty. Businesses are postponing major investment decisions across the board, not just in football.

As far as I can tell the only consequence Brexit might possibly have is the diminishing GBP to EUR so while yes that may be effecting overseas transfers it obviously doesn't explain why few players are moving within the PL

I think the real reasons are

A- the likes of Coutinho and Van Dijk have fecked the market. I dont even count Neymar tbh because when he moved to PSG we were talking about the 3rd best player on the planet being plucked from Barcelona no less and the fee paid was his release clause. What's really fecked the market is someone like Coutinho going for £150 (that then straight away dictates someone like Pogba's transfer fee) and a CB moving for £75m which then somehow dictates Harry Maguire's transfer fee

B- As others have said PL clubs a now all minted so for the lesser sides unless they get a fee they feel reflects market value they simply have the financial clout themselves now to just say no

I for one dont see the transfer market coming back from it's current state, we'll just start seeing more and more players leave on free transfers

 

[giorno]

Top clubs aren't making moves and it trickles down from there.

Add to that the fact most of the clubs at the bottom have been around for a while and realized they weren't signing potential world beaters and don't have the incentive from having to replace their own best players

 

[MikeUpNorth]

As far as I can tell the only consequence Brexit might possibly have is the diminishing GBP to EUR so while yes that may be effecting overseas transfers it obviously doesn't explain why few players are moving within the PL

FX movements are obviously a big part of it, but it’s more fundamental than that.

Brexit is such a big change, it could have wide reaching effects on all sorts of business and tax legislation, ability to refinance debt, immigration law etc. It also could cause a recession in the UK, and in Europe. This could impact various revenue streams over time. It’s causing huge uncertainties and business basically doesn’t know what to do other than sit and wait. Now really isn’t the time to spend hundreds of millions of pounds, if you can avoid it.

 

[Sir Scott McToMinay]

Is it possible that the prices of players will go down next year? Like an untold secret in the football industry, yet most who are in the know are aware it’s going to happen?

 

[Web of Bissaka]

What's the actual number?

"Projected" meaning calculated prediction right? Not the exact number.

There's still time.
But yes, I think it'll still be the quietest.
Many things to consider why. Mainly more EPL clubs are richer, and doesn't need nor force to sell. Players also less likely want to leave due to financial reasons. This likely explain why the graph showed slow declines from the past 4 seasons. Chelsea ban and financial situations of some of the other top 6 clubs will likely bring it down further.

 

[Tom Cato]

Horrible idea.

Well yes I did say that both suggestions have big problems. But you have to start the discussion somewhere and make revision until something workable sticks

 

[Offside]

Will be crazy in the final week I imagine.

 

[Tiber]

Too much money in the game. The system needs to change to allow players to move more freely if they wish.

Nobody forces them to sign long term contracts.

 

[romufc]

Nobody forces them to sign long term contracts.

You could argue that to get a pay rise you need a revised contract. So Maguire has a brilliant season and wants to be rewarded with a pay rise, the club will turn around and say we will give you one, but it is a 5 year contract.

 

[the hea]

The low pound and the uncertainty around Brexit is definitely part of it when it comes to signing players from abroad. Less players coming in from overseas drives up the prices of the domestic players even more from their already high valuation.

 

[roonster09]

You could argue that to get a pay rise you need a revised contract. So Maguire has a brilliant season and wants to be rewarded with a pay rise, the club will turn around and say we will give you one, but it is a 5 year contract.

It shouldn't be one way. If Maguire has shit season will he agree to take pay cut?

 

[Mindhunter]

The only viable solution to this under the current circumstances is to have legally binding release clauses in contracts. However, with a release clause, a club will be willing to pay much lesser in wages to the player depending on how likely the clause is going to be met. This may end up in reducing player wages which clearly won't happen.

So in effect, the regulatory body needs to make release clauses mandatory for all player contracts if they want to prioritize easy movement of players between clubs.