Charlie Christie – Difference in finances between border is huge
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With no live football to watch I always try to keep up to date with the transfer activity both north and south of the border.
The first thing that is apparent is the huge disparity in club budgets between Scotland and England.
Whilst newly promoted Fulham spend £17 million on Sporting Lisbon midfielder Palhinha, Rangers have been battling to complete the signing of Croatian forward Antonio Colak from PAOK in Greece with the stumbling block the reported fee of around £2 million.
This once again underlines the vast difference in transfer resources in Scotland’s top League in comparison with the English Premiership no matter the size of the club and is almost entirely due to the television revenues generated.
That’s not to say that some Scottish clubs haven’t done well so far in this window.
I was delighted for Aberdeen and 18-year-old full back Calvin Ramsay that a move to Liverpool was completed mid-June with the Dons reportedly pocketing an immediate £4 million with potential lucrative add-ons.
It was not just the fact that it presents a great opportunity for Ramsay.
But here is a Scottish club who have developed a local youngster through their youth ranks from primary school age, played him in the first team at age 17 and then reaped the rewards as they pocket the largest transfer fee in their history.
It leapfrogged the £3.5 million they received in 2020 for another academy graduate Scott Mackenna. That’s almost £8 million income in two years which more than pays for their impressive new Cormack Park training facility.
South of the border the most significant transfers to date have been Richarlison from Everton to Tottenham for £60 million, Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund along with Kalvin Philips from Leeds United to Manchester City for a combined fee of almost £100 million and the departure of Gabriel Jesus from City to join Arsenal for £45 million.
These are quite mind-boggling figures which suggests the pull and power of the English Premiership is not over just yet.
Elsewhere Paul Pogba and Cristiano Ronaldo look likely to depart the under achieving squad at OldTrafford and, if that is the case, there is no doubt that the Manchester United support will be looking for suitable replacements.
The very significant reduction in the wage bill at the club if the pair depart should allow new manager Erik Ten Haag the leeway to pursue the very best available talent.
Although the lack of Champions League football could present a significant problem.
