The Impact of Covid 19 on Football Transfers
2540
It is agreed that we are still some way off seeing the resumption of the major professional football leagues in Europe. With lockdown restrictions still in place across the likes of Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom at the time of writing, it could be another couple of months until we see the leagues return.
Therefore, it is possible leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Serie A will be played throughout the summer months and could end as late as August. This in turn will have an impact on the summer transfer market as players will still be playing for clubs in the summer. There is even a possibility that those who would have been out of contract at the end of June will continue to play for their current club until the season is completed.
However, the suspension of professional football due to the impact of Covid 19 could have a long lasting impact on the transfer market. Many media outlets such as newspapers continue to link players with big moves in the summer but how likely are these to happen considering the current circumstances?
Every professional football club which in a country where the game has been suspended is losing money. While many of the smaller clubs are fearful for their future, even the biggest clubs around Europe are counting the cost of football being suspended. You cannot underestimate the amount of money a football club, such as Manchester United for example, makes on a home match day. Not only are there significant gate receipts from ticket sales but also the sale of merchandise, food, drinks and other items in and around the stadium.
Then we come to perhaps the biggest possible loss of funds for professional football teams, especially those in the top European leagues and that is television money. For example, it has been reported by The Athletic that the sum Premier League clubs would have to repay in television money should this season remain unfinished is £762 million. Teams in the Premier League have already taken steps to reduce their financial burden by asking players to take wage deferrals and pay cuts. Therefore, it seems staggering that media reports continue to link teams with big money moves for players in the summer.
If this money is not available now to pay their current players, where is it going to come from in a few months’ time to pay another team £80 million for a player?
Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a member of the European Parliament, said the economic crash expected due to the coronavirus pandemic could impact football transfers. "Tomorrow, Mbappe will cost €35-40 million tops, not €200 million," Cohn-Bendit told French outlet Ouest-France.
Experts have also suggested that £1.8 billion has been slashed off the value of Premier League players due to Covid 19. There is also Financial Fair Play to consider and there have been discussions about FFP rules being relaxed for a few years to help football clubs get back on track.
The question is, will the football transfer market recover and if not, what is going to happen to the value of players around the world?
Home
Football 
Basketball
Hockey
American Football
Baseball
Rugby
Volleyball
Handball
Esoccer
