As we noted yesterday, it has been a subdued transfer window. Final analysis figures but careful work by accountants Grant Thornton based on figures up to Friday show that transfers have been cut in half by value. This basic picture is unlikely to change much in a flurry of last minute activity.
As we noted yesterday, it has been a subdued transfer window. Final analysis figures but careful work by accountants Grant Thornton based on figures up to Friday show that transfers have been cut in half by value. This basic picture is unlikely to change much in a flurry of last minute activity.
As a result, Championship clubs have taken a big financial hit. They made a net surplus of £61m in the equivalent window in 2009, but this has fallen back to £9m in the current window.
These developments have attracted quite a lot of interest and Radio 5 asked me to do a slot on them this morning, but I was on my way to Washington DC where, among other things, I hope to meet the founder of the Albion Road website for whom we write a monthly summary on business and football in the UK.
The thriftier approach by Premiership clubs has been put down to a number of factors such as the general financial situation, the withdrawal of bank finance and the more assertive stance being taken by Revenue and Customs. However, I think the new squad rule of 25 players (excluding under 21s) has had quite a profound effect on transfer activity in this window.