I know that NUFC isn't a widely followed club around here, but I've found their offseason to date to be odd and interesting and illustrative of some larger trends within the game. Here's who's come in and out so far, with transfer fees:
Players Out: Elliott Anderson, MF (to Forest for 41M); Yankuba Mintah, RW (to Forest for 33M)
Players In: Lloyd Kelly, CB (Free); John Ruddy, GK (Free)
Also out: Dan Ashworth, Sporting Director (to Man U for 10M), Amanda Stavely, part owner (who the hell knows).
So, despite the ownership having more money than just about any other entity you care to name, not a dime has been spent on transfer fees. They've also sold a local kid who played over 1,000 minutes for them last year, one of their higher-upside other youngsters, and the sporting director who found that youngster. They've also lost the "friendly" English face of the ownership group. To me, that signals that (1) the current iteration of the financial fair play rules actually seem to be affecting club behavior in the way that the old ones did not and will do a pretty good job of insulating the clubs currently at the top of the global heap from future challengers, and (2) it is very unclear who is making the decisions at this club. They did just get a new sporting director in, which may lead to more moves once the summer tournaments are over. But right now it sure seems like they are staring at the new rules and wondering what the f--k to do from here.
Players Out: Elliott Anderson, MF (to Forest for 41M); Yankuba Mintah, RW (to Forest for 33M)
Players In: Lloyd Kelly, CB (Free); John Ruddy, GK (Free)
Also out: Dan Ashworth, Sporting Director (to Man U for 10M), Amanda Stavely, part owner (who the hell knows).
So, despite the ownership having more money than just about any other entity you care to name, not a dime has been spent on transfer fees. They've also sold a local kid who played over 1,000 minutes for them last year, one of their higher-upside other youngsters, and the sporting director who found that youngster. They've also lost the "friendly" English face of the ownership group. To me, that signals that (1) the current iteration of the financial fair play rules actually seem to be affecting club behavior in the way that the old ones did not and will do a pretty good job of insulating the clubs currently at the top of the global heap from future challengers, and (2) it is very unclear who is making the decisions at this club. They did just get a new sporting director in, which may lead to more moves once the summer tournaments are over. But right now it sure seems like they are staring at the new rules and wondering what the f--k to do from here.