Common Sense lost as Transfer Market goes a bit crazy

By: Rob | June 16th, 2009

So, looks like Glen Johnson is going to be back in the big four, as he’s about to sign for Liverpool. Good on him, he’s had a pretty good season for Portsmouth and a great game for England last week. I don’t have a problem with that.

How much is the move for? Well, £17m. This is the same Johnson who was sold from Chelsea for just £4 two years ago. So Liverpool could have bought him for that then, and didn’t. And now they’re paying four times that amount after a single decent season.

What a crazy world.

I suspect there are a couple of reasons for this madness. The first is obviously Kaká and Ronaldo. Everybody’s transfer value has risen now that the top players are worth so much more. Its going to filter all the way down, which will make Real Madrid either the most, or least popular club on earth depending on if you’re buying or selling.

With Portsmouth now a bit richer than they were a few months ago, they can demand a bigger fee, peversely. Of course now they can afford to turn down a smaller offer.

Then of course there is the fact that the pound isn’t what it once was.

But still. Though he’s had a decent season, and even though the above has to be taken into account there is absolutely no way his value has quadrupled in that time. Where will it end? To me it has been a bit surreal for a long time, but I always understood it in its own terms. Now I’m not even sure I grasp that.

I mean, I remember when Alan Shearer moved for a then world record £15m from Blackburn to Newcastle. A massive move for one of the best proven goalscorers in the world at that time. Now those prices apply to decent right-backs.

The teams this is bad news for are the ones just coming up. The managers at Burnley, Wolves and Brum are going to have to do even better jobs to buy the right players and stay up, because everyone is that much more pricey now.

	EPL Match Schedule			Discount Travel to England
	EPL Scores			English Stadium information & hotels

Category: Liverpool, Portsmouth

Tags: Chelsea, Glen Johnson, Kaka, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Ronaldo, Shearer

« 5 Reasons Why…Looking for Eric is the best Football Film Ever | Home | Open Thread: Who do you want your club to sign this summer? »

Subscribe   The Offside RSS Feeds

Print

Share

Comments  

• Lord Quas |  June 16th, 2009 at 3:56 pm

  
  
  

  for the shearer move, remember inflation isnt linear

  Posted from United States

  

• Jack |  June 16th, 2009 at 5:40 pm

  
  
  

  At least all sense isn’t lost; he’s not returning to Chelsea (thank God).

  Posted from United States

  

• MattyDub |  June 17th, 2009 at 3:08 am

  
  
  

  The reason he left chelsea for £4 mill is becuase they never hold out for a decent fee with Abramovich there. Just get some money off him. They seem to be changing that now though…

  Posted from United Kingdom

  

• steven. |  June 19th, 2009 at 4:23 pm

  
  
  

  …..and you honestly think Chelsea would have sold him to us? how many direct transfers have there been between the top clubs over the past few years? if you think they would of sold him to one of their closest rivals, i have a bridge in Brooklyn you might be interested in……

  Posted from Canada

  

• jacob |  July 29th, 2009 at 4:25 am

  
  
  

  He suooosed to come back to chelsea.

  Posted from Australia

  

• Jacob |  July 29th, 2009 at 4:29 am

  
  
  

  He suppose to come back to Chelsea.

  Posted from Australia

  

• Neil |  July 31st, 2009 at 5:16 am

  
  
  

  I agree that the price is a bit too high, but 2 things about this transfer:
  1) We actually only paid £7m and wiped off the £10m owed from Crouch (BBC figures, not mine!!)

  2) Signing GJ shows that Rafa is looking to go all out attack this season – Arbeloa was a good right back but not going forwards (look at the difference when Carra played right back and got forwards)

  Posted from United Kingdom

  

Comments are closed