Big names prefer La Liga over Premier League

author: Mike Collett
source: Reuters
date: 1 September 2009
editing: fcbtransfers.blogspot.com





Premier League clubs spent 119 million pounds less on transfers this close season compared to last year, according to a report into their transfer dealings.

Geoff Mesher, head of the Forensic Sports Industry Team at accountants KPMG, told that Premier League clubs' net spending fell significantly from 210 million pounds in 2008 to 81 million pounds this year before the deadline closed on Tuesday.

"There are a number of reasons, but it is not just because of the world financial situation," he said. "Football clubs are very powerful, independent businesses but, apart from Manchester City in England and Real Madrid in Europe, most clubs have spent significantly less.

As far as English clubs are concerned there are a number of reasons, including the exchange rate between the pound and the euro and the tax situation in England. The lack of big name players arriving in the England might appear strange given the recent success of English clubs in Europe, but the reasons are purely financial."

Mesher said the struggle by Premier League clubs to attract or retain big name players reflected the attraction of Spain's La Liga to many players. "Our analysis of the recent transfer window has revealed a reduction in Premier League transfer funds paid to non-English clubs supporting the argument that teams have struggled to entice big names from overseas.

It is no coincidence that the majority of Manchester City's big summer signings were purchased from within the English top flight. For the time being in the international transfer market La Liga and, more specifically Real Madrid, appear to have the upper hand on the Premiership."

read the full and original article here


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Premier League Clubs Deep in Debt
Rome final will boost European economy
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Guardiola doping case reopened

British news agency Reuters reports that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola's acquittal over a 2001 drugs ban has been appealed by Italy's anti-doping prosecutor.

The Italian soccer federation said in May that Guardiola had won his appeal with its disciplinary body against a four-month ban for failing tests for nandrolone while playing for Brescia in 2001 (read more here). The country's Olympic Committee (CONI) has now explained in a statement on Friday that the anti-doping prosecutor had appealed against that decision with a hearing due on 15 September.

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Guardiola definitely absolved in doping case
Guardiola rejects renewal talks

No more age limit on players switching nations

author: Simon Evans
source: Reuters
date: 3 June 2009
editing: fcbtransfers.blogspot.com





Many players could get a new chance to play international football after FIFA's congress surprisingly voted last Wednesday to remove the age limit on changing national teams.

Under established rules players with dual nationality, who had already played for a country's national team at youth level, were only allowed to switch loyalties until the age of 21.

A motion from the Algerian Football Association, removing the reference to the age limit, was passed by the FIFA Congress, opening the way for many players to get a second chance in international football. The rule change does not affect any player who was played for the full national team as they are barred from switching nations.

The Algerian change was backed heavily by African countries - many of whom will now hope to 'regain' players who have played at youth level for European countries. Algeria could now for example have access to several players who have featured in France's youth teams.

read the full and original article here

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Europe could approve FIFA's foreign player's limit
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Meeting with Inter on Ibrahimovic: A reconstruction

Barcelona president Joan Laporta met last night in Barcelona with Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti. Although both presidents didn't want to confirm the issues discussed, it is believed that a possible transfer of Inter forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27) was the main reason for the meeting.

Nothing is certain but putting all pieces together, this blog can at least offer you this attempt to reconstruct the events.


(sources:
el mundo deportivo, la gazzetta dello sport, rac 1, sport, reuters)


On Thursday morning, Moratti met in Milan with Inter manager José Mourinho. The Portuguese gave the green light for the transfer of Ibrahimovic under the condition that Inter would get in return Barcelona forward Samuel Eto'o (28) and a serious sum of cash, which would be used to sign Chelsea players Carvalho and Deco.

After the meeting with Mourinho, Moratti talked with Mino Raiola, the agent of Ibrahimovic, to explain him what had been decided in the meeting that had taken place. Raiola talked by phone with Ibrahimovic, who is preparing international games with Sweden, to inform him about the latest events.

Moratti decided to fly in the afternoon to Barcelona with his private jet. Barcelona president Joan Laporta cancelled a dinner in the Catalan town of Igualada, sixty kilometres to the east of Barcelona, and both presidents met at the Majestic hotel in the heart of Barcelona before heading to the Via Veneto restaurant where the two men arrived around 9.30-10 pm. Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain possible joined them there.

Moratti would have opened discussions by putting his offer on the table: Eto'o plus 30 to 40 million euro° for Ibrahimovic. Laporta had to admit that the Cameroonian striker at this moment doesn't seem very willing to leave the club this summer and tried to come up with alternatives.

Barcelona offered to include Barcelona attacker Alexander Hleb (28), whom Inter tried to sign last summer, in the deal, but this was rejected. Barcelona offered 40 million euro° plus one player, but Moratti returned to his initial asking price of 70 million euro° cash.

Inter would only be willing to change their minds and lower the amount to be paid in cash if one of the following three players is offered in exchange: Eto'o, Barcelona attacking midfielder Xavi (28) or Barcelona defensive midfielder Yaya Touré (26). Somewhere down the line, Inter left back Maxwell also appeared upon the table (27).

When the two president left the restaurant after midnight, Laporta said it had only been a dinner between friends: "We didn't profoundly discuss any issue. We just had a first contact, nothing has been decided." Moratti confirmed this and added that a swap deal including Ibrahimovic and Eto'o probably won't go through: "I don't think that's possible. I like Ibrahimovic a lot and Laporta likes Eto'o a lot."

Moratti returned this morning to Milan, while Raiola closed the debates for now telling reporters today that Ibrahimovic would welcome a move to Barcelona: "I only know that if the two clubs find an agreement we would not have trouble agreeing with Barcelona."


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1 Ibrahimovic - 2 Forlan - 3 Villa - 4 Benzema
Inter Milan interested in Hleb
Maxwell could be included in Eto'o deal

Five Barcelona fans die in final night

In Martorell near Barcelona, a Barcelona fan died of a heart attack when he was watching the final of the Champions League with fellow Barcelona fans. UK news agency Reuters meanwhile reports that a Manchester United fan in Nigeria killed four people when he drove his minibus into a crowd of Barcelona supporters after his team lost the match against Barcelona.

The crowd in the town of Ogbo were celebrating Barcelona's victory after Wednesday night's match when the bus drove into them. A police spokeswoman said 10 people were injured and the driver was arrested. Both Champions League finalists are said to have large fan bases in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation.

Rome final will boost European economy

author: Antonella Ciancio
source: Reuters
date: 27 May 2009
editing: fcbtransfers.blogspot.com





The Champions League final will generate an increased boost of 310 million euro for the European economy this year, as more people are looking for fun amid the slowdown.

According to a study commissioned by MasterCard, one of the sponsors of the Champions League, a new community of supporters and organisations will enjoy their first dream final on Wednesday in Rome, contributing to the overall income.

"People are looking to divert tension away on such a special occasion," Simon Chadwick, professor of Sport Business Strategy and Marketing at Coventry University in England, who conducted the study, told Reuters. "What comes into play is a 'recession premium' worth around 25 million euro to the overall total from more people engaging as a result of the downturn." Last year's final between Manchester United and Chelsea in Moscow provided 267 million euros of total revenues.

The winner of Wednesday's final between United and Barcelona will also benefit by a windfall of more than 110 million euros through increased squad value, prize money, sponsorship deals, television rights and season ticket sales, the study said.The loser may also pocket at least 65 million euros. Following the final, the winning club's city will benefit by around 15 million euros through a longer-term enhanced city image, increased tourism and better consumer confidence.

"The UEFA Champions League final proves that sport's mega-events can overcome the downturn, thanks to their huge emotional appeal," Chadwick explained. With each team being allocated about 20,000 tickets, at least 50,000 paying supporters are expected in Rome for the sold-out showdown. Fans unwilling or unable to travel to Rome will generate economic activity at home. Manchester United and Barcelona have more than 80 million supporters across Europe, while in Italy almost half the population will show an interest in the event.

read the full and original article here


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Spanish football faces financial disaster

author: Iain Rogers
source: Reuters
date: 21 April 2009
editing: fcbtransfers.blogspot.com





A financial disaster could engulf Spanish professional soccer unless action is taken to prevent profligate clubs slipping deeper into debt, according to the president of Primera División club Osasuna.

Clubs that lack the vast earning power of Real Madrid and Barcelona have been living beyond their means for too long and the economic model they use is badly flawed, president Francisco Izco (picture) told Reuters in an interview.

"Unless there is sweeping change then I predict a genuine financial disaster," Izco said in e-mailed responses. "There has been a great deal of excess in building up squads, clubs have not kept their spending in check and the situation has spiralled out of control."

The comments by Izco, president of Pamplona-based Osasuna since 2002, come as many small and mid-sized clubs face the real prospect of bankruptcy and are struggling to cope with surging wage and transfer costs amid Spain's worst recession in at least half a century. Valencia, twice a Champions League finalist in the past decade, have admitted they may have to sell some of their best players and have been forced to delay the payment of wages and halt construction on a new stadium.

"The world of football is not immune to the general economic situation," Izco said. He predicted that the impact of the financial crisis would likely be clearer next season when clubs are forced to come to terms with dwindling revenue from ticket sales, sponsorship and television rights. "We have to have a period of adjustment to the new conditions," he added. "Spending must be controlled and brought in line with revenue."

The majority of Spain's professional clubs are run as so-called sociedades anonimas deportivas (SADs), or sporting limited companies, while a handful, like Osasuna, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, are still run as sports clubs, with thousands of members (socios) as owners rather than a small group of shareholders. Spanish government officials have criticised the SADs for what they say is abuse of insolvency laws, where clubs start bankruptcy proceedings to cut their debt level and then continue living beyond their means and slip back into the red.

Izco said the SAD model needed to be overhauled and urged soccer authorities to introduce financial controls to force clubs to rein in spending. "As a model, the SAD is sound but it has not worked for the clubs and has not achieved the objective it was meant to. Systems of financial safeguards must be established which genuinely control football and make it function properly."

read the full and original article here


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Shirt sponsorship deals affected by crisis

author: Antonella Ciancio
source: Reuters
date: 26 February 2009
editing: fcbtransfers.blogspot.com





Fifteen top European soccer clubs are under pressure to renew their shirt sponsorships by next season as their contracts expire amid the economic downturn.

Shirt sponsorships, the backbone of clubs' commercial revenues, have commonly been considered immune to the financial crisis because of their long duration and large media exposure.

However, analysts expect tough times ahead for clubs with troubled owners or smaller appeal as companies trim budgets. "In times of financial hardship, firms will naturally look for ways to cut costs, and sponsorship of sporting events, including football shirts, seems a natural and easy target," Chris Brooks, professor of finance and director of research at ICMA Centre, University of Reading, told Reuters.

Many experts consider it nevertheless unlikely that top clubs such as Manchester United will be unable to sign lucrative new deals. Several companies, including Malaysian budget airline AirAsia and Saudi Telecom, have been linked in the media to Premier League leaders United as potential sponsors, after U.S. insurance giant AIG said it would not extend its deal beyond 2010. Manchester City, whose 2.3-million-pound ($3.29-million) per year deal with Thomas Cook expires this season, were also in a position to clinch a valuable deal, analysts said.

But smaller clubs may have to accept lower income. "Outside the upper echelons of the game, clubs are in for a bumpy ride over the next 18 months and will have to adjust their expectations if they are to successfully secure shirt sponsorship deals," Simon Chadwick, professor of Sports Business Strategy and Marketing at Coventry University, told Reuters.

West Ham United -who played for three months without a shirt sponsor after holiday firm XL collapsed last year- signed an 18-month contract with online betting company SBOBET that has half the value of their previous deal. Their Premier League rivals West Bromwich Albion have not been able to agree a shirt deal this term, while six Primera Liga clubs started the season with no shirt sponsor.

Despite the slowdown, analysts expect finance and insurance groups to keep a central role in sponsorship, along with the betting industry. More than 30 financial or insurance companies are on the shirts of clubs across Europe's six top leagues -- only four fewer than last season, according to German sports consultancy group Sport+Markt.

Total shirt sponsorship revenue across the six biggest European leagues has fallen by about three percent to 393.2 million euros this season, according to Sport+Markt. The reasons for the decline were lower sums generated in Spain and England and the reduced strength of the British pound. However, the sector should stay afloat, experts said. "Once the pound recovers, numbers will look different again," said Harmut Zastrow, executive director at Sport+Markt.

read the full and original article here


Read more:
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Proposal to limit spending on transfers and salaries
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Proposal to limit spending on transfers and salaries

author: Darren Ennis
source: Reuters
date: 23 January 2009
editing: fcbtransfers.blogspot.com





Manchester City’s failed 100 million euros plus bid for AC Milan’s Kaka now begs the question: should there be a limit on the amount of money a club can pay for a player or should there be a salary cap?

Some of Europe’s top soccer clubs and the game’s European governing body UEFA seem to think so, with the news that they have started talks on curbing the amount of money that can be spent on player transfers or wages.

Sources familiar with the discussions have told Reuters that the European Club Association (ECA) — which represents the continent’s leading clubs such as Manchester United and AC Milan — has proposed clubs should only be allowed to spend around 51 percent of their revenue on transfers or salaries.

Under the ECA proposal, revenue would be determined as money received only from ticket sales, sponsorship, merchandise and television income. It would not include any financial investment by owners or major shareholders. Any money from shareholders, or billionaire owners, would be invested into the infrastructure of the club, such as building or renovating the stadium or investing in youth development such as an academy, the sources said.

But, there are concerns that smaller clubs who cannot accumulate large revenues from ticket and television sales may suffer from the ECA proposal. The English Premier League is likely to oppose such a move which would in effect take away a lot of the incentive for these rich owners to invest in a club.

read the full and original article here

read an opinion on the proposal: Radical proposal will just make rich men richer


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Japanese interest for Edmilson

British news agency Reuters claims that Japanese J-League club Júbilo Iwata is interested in Barcelona defensive midfielder José Edmílson (31), whose contract expires at the end of June and won't be renewed (read more here).

A Júbilo official told the news agency: "He's one of the players we have short-listed. The holding midfield role is a high priority position for us."

According to Japanese media, Júbilo are preparing to offer Edmílson, who is close to a transfer to Villareal (read more here), a multi-year deal worth around 1,5 million euro° a year.

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Manchester City admits Ronaldinho talks

Manchester City executive director Taweesuk Jack Srisumrid has confirmed in an interview with British news agency Reuters that Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho (28) is a transfer target of the English club: "We've had discussions with Ronaldinho but we'll see how that pans out."

The talks with Ronaldinho should be seen in a bigger plan of Manchester City to ensure Champions League football within the next two years and to enlarge the fan base both in England as in Asia: "What we will look to do in the summer is to further boost the squad, bring in top quality, internationally-recognised players. Superstars would help fill the stadium and help our global branding. We have the finance for an initial investment period, but we will need some returns at some point and that's where global branding comes in."


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