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Rob Palmer / ESPN commentator
Malaga
Friday, 23 August 2024, 15:49
Long gone are the days of managers doing deals that were often concluded at a motorway service station.
The most prominent man at a football ... club is no longer the bloke in a tracksuit; it is the club accountant who balances figures like Messi balances a ball. Every club has a unique approach to profit and sustainability rules - and it is leaving the average fan perplexed.
Why did Barcelona allow İlkay Gündoğan to return to Manchester City after just a year?
On the face of things, Gündoğan going back looks odd. He signed a deal for several years in Catalonia and was one of the most prominent players in his debut season. A young team needs an old head like his.
Yet the interest from his old club was very welcome for Barça; they needed to free up space on the wage bill to allow Dani Olmo to be registered. He missed the opening weekend with an alleged injury, but Barça hadn't been allowed to complete his enrollment. Gündoğan's departure allows Olmo's wages to be factored in.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are giving players eight-year contracts. What is all of that about?
Well, amortisation is THE buzzword in football in 2024. At Stamford Bridge, the American owners think they have mastered the method. It's like buying a car you don't think you can afford. Footballers are becoming commodities to commodity brokers.
They will no doubt reason that the best players remain with a top club for up to eight years. By tying players to the club for the long-term, you negate the need for negotiations every couple of years and cut out the costly fees of unsettling agents. If you do sell them they still have value. In theory, this is a great idea.
In practice, it's a disaster at Chelsea. They effectively "traded" Conor Gallagher for João Félix. The fee for the former youth product is pure profit and helps to balance the books. The outlay for the Portuguese can be spread over several years.
Whilst the accountants will be cracking open the champagne, the coach has been tearing his hair out.
Atlético are the undoubted winners in this deal: they've finally offloaded a problem player and recruited an England international with his best years ahead of him.
The crazy transfer market just even got crazier.
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