The January Transfer Window - 2024

[FLiam]

Total spend by PL clubs this January was £96.2m whereas last January it was £815m.

Even though half of that was spent by Chelsea, that’s quite the come down.

[Colly]

I'm semi convinced everyone's just confused and terrified of the FFP/whatever its called rules.

[Hobo]

38 minutes ago, Colly said:

I'm semi convinced everyone's just confused and terrified of the FFP/whatever its called rules.

Probably true.

[Adam]

1 hour ago, Colly said:

I'm semi convinced everyone's just confused and terrified of the FFP/whatever its called rules.

Absolutely a huge factor in why this has happened.

Score another one for FFP, the alleged fair play model. Because all it has meant is all the lower level clubs in the Premier League being too scared to spend to try and compete. Gary O'Neil flat out said that if Wolves had made a move for Broja they would have been in breach of FFP.

The game is a complete mess.

[DavidMarrio]

When I see this lower league Prem club argument, I do just think well 14/20 teams need to agree to the rules and they hit that benchmark. Its obvious there's more of a crackdown cause the spotlight has been on the league and the threats of an independent regulator. 

Then I also think there's clubs who aren't necessarily big names but can run themselves in a sufficient manner and have improved over the seasons like Brighton. 

Wolves are 11th and only 2 points behind billion+ spending Chelsea. Spending money doesn't equate to success. I look at our game against Chelsea in midweek and think we've spent smart, they've thrown money at anyone and everyone.  Chelsea are gonna be screwed at some point with their books and are already being investigated over Abramovich. Especially with no European football money coming in as well. Fully expect them to breach in the summer.

Everton have been hit by a combo of building a new stadium, some misfortune in getting into bed with Usmanov who was the money man really then that being taken away cause of the war whilst also being run like shite, overspending on crap players both transfer fees and wages. I dont think they'll do another points deduction, I wouldn't be shocked if they go "okay call it 5 the first breach, 5 the second"

FFP is far from perfect but if it can stop clubs trying to ruin themselves. Maybe I'm not as angered by it because we've basically been run with FFP in mind and the owners are heavily onboard with it. 

 

[gunnar hendershow]

I'm starting to think them going after the lower level clubs for FFP is greasing the wheels for whatever they inevitably try to hit Man City with.

And I also think the PIF takeover of Newcastle wound up being the straw that broke the camel's back because suddenly the big clubs (who let's not kid ourselves are basically shadow operating the league) looked at the numbers and realized they couldn't add another City-level spender to their old boys club.

And lastly coming from an American familiar with salary caps and ownership collusion, "but FFP" is a very convenient way to start repressing transfer fees and player wages.

[Szumi]

Stuff like building a new stadium, improving the current one, upgrading youth/training facilities are all stuff that should be 100% not counted by FFP. I'm sure clubs would very quickly try to scam that and cheat, but would think it's something that should be easily identified if it's tried.

[The Lusophone]

2 hours ago, Adam said:

Score another one for FFP, the alleged fair play model. Because all it has meant is all the lower level clubs in the Premier League being too scared to spend to try and compete. Gary O'Neil flat out said that if Wolves had made a move for Broja they would have been in breach of FFP.

Wolves problems are much more "we gave lots of money to Jorge Mendes" and "Fosun International, despite profits of $1.2 billion in 2021 and $1.6 billion in 2022, won't put more money into the club" than anything else, though.

[Hobo]

4 hours ago, gunnar hendershow said:

I'm starting to think them going after the lower level clubs for FFP is greasing the wheels for whatever they inevitably try to hit Man City with.

There have been a few very interesting discussions about this stuff on The Anfield Wrap's subscriber feed with Rory Smith from the New York Times - and based on what I've heard in those I'd reckon so too.

However who knows how long it will take and the current charges against City are different.

[Szumi]

Reports are coming in that Mbappe is signing with Real Madrid this summer.

Let's see if it actually sticks this time.

[Gazz]

If every team violates FFP and gets 10pt deductions, then no one is any worse off.

This is not financial advice.

[Colly]

I still think Man City would have a fair shake starting every season with a -10 handicap.

[Hobo]

3 hours ago, Colly said:

I still think Man City would have a fair shake starting every season with a -10 handicap.

I honestly wish the podcasts I referred to above weren't paywalled because they're very interesting discussions about this. Every so Neil Atkinson from TAW just gets Rory Smith on and they talk about wider football-related topics (FFP, Saudi Arabia, the transfer window).  Sometimes he gets Ken Early in to do similar things but I find they're less engaging.

A hypothetical worst-case scenario floated in them was the Premier League expelling Man City resulting in them having to turn to the EFL or even the National League. Which would seem comparable to the kind of thing that has happened in Italy before.

[DavidMarrio]

 

 

[METALMAN]

I don't like his eyebrows or his beard.

[Colly]

Romano now so shit he's getting Community Note-d.

[King Ellis]

17 hours ago, METALMAN said:

I don't like his eyebrows or his beard.

I'm more concerned by how bright his earlobes are.

[Szumi]

The story of Duncan McGuire's transfer window is a wild one full of disappointment. Kid just turned 23 yesterday, only played 1 year professionally in MLS after getting drafted in the MLS SuperDraft last year in round one (the draft hardly ever produces any MLS starting players nowadays) after spending 4 years playing collegiate soccer. Kid is somehow an instant sensation and scores 13 goals in 29 league appearances, 15 in all competition. His salary is only around $75,000 a year.

Blackburn and Sheffield Wednesday both made bids for him this window. Blackburn had a permanent transfer accepted for a really low figure, around £3m plus 2m in add ons I believe. Kid leaves preseason in Mexico on a long flight to NYC, then England, to make the move official. Blackburn call Orlando while he's mid flight in the air and cancel the transfer because they couldn't afford it, despite just making the huge Adam Wharton transfer.

Duncan finds out once he's in England, but stays there waiting a new deal to be made, most likely with Sheffield Wednesday now. Fans even go to the hotel he's at and get autographs and pictures with him! Transfer deadline day, Blackburn finally approve another deal with Orlando, this time a loan of £550k and a purchase option of £5.5m plus £2m in add ons. However, Blackburn screwed McGuire over AGAIN because they didn't submit all of the paperwork in time. EFL rejected the first appeal today, and EFL Board will hear the second appeal on Thursday.

 

I know we got some Blackburn fans here, but holy crap this club is a mess. Will be awful if McGuire misses out on the transfer in some ways, but at this point he might be better off moving somewhere better in the summer.

[Lineker]

You know what to do, @R.W.

[METALMAN]

It's been nice having you around Szumi. Good luck in your future endeavours.