Will other Premier League clubs refuse to do business with us?

[Andy1981_2]

Here's the thing...

1) This was an entirely predictable headline (I have floated this idea on another thread weeks ago, in fact);
2) It's also relatively meaningless. It only impacts us if A) we actually WANT to buy players from within the league and the selling clubs are in a legitimate position to stop us.

Let's assume A is the case, for now. Is B possible? The answer is 'not really'. They could make it difficult short-term, without a doubt. But long-term it's an absolutely idiotic business practice and pretty much impossible in practice.

I've seen it floated on Twitter that NUFC could launch another CAT case to stop this sort of thing, but I'm pretty sure that would go nowhere. No club is obliged to sell us its players, and if they can be obliged then the notion of player contracts would be utterly meaningless. It's not anti-competitive: it's literally part of the nature of a competitive league that a club should be allowed to protect its assets from its rivals.

Where there'd likely be more traction legally is from the perspective of the players themselves. When we were part of the EU, it would potentially be a legal problem for clubs to unreasonably reject demonstrably reasonable transfer approaches - this is partially what led to the Bosman ruling. However, it would be a long and dragged out litigation process to secure players as a result of this sort of challenge, and would be almost entirely pointless from our perspective to rely on it since any current targets would likely be out of contract by the time it was resolved (and, also, I think it would ultimately fail for the same reason as above, not to mention BREXIT).

The main issue is that clubs refusing to do business are cutting off their nose to spite their face: if the players want to move, they simply won't renew their existing contracts, and the clubs will ultimately lose out on a transfer fee (even if the player doesn't ultimately come to us). Telling a player they're not going to be allowed to get a big money move is likely to be massively counter-productive, and player loyalty is more often to other players than it is to a club these days. They're likely to create enormous disharmony within their squad with this approach. So, bring it the **** on, I say. Other teams doing worse over the next few seasons while we slowly build will actually HELP us, rather than harm us.

The other issue is that missing the chance to ship assets at a premium is likely to lead to all sorts of financial difficulties down the line for most clubs. Given FFP, when there's a chance to sell someone who is a squad player (e.g. Donny Van de Beek, Anthony Martial, and these other PL players we've been linked with) for an over-inflated value, it'd be foolish to refuse to do so when you need to continually reinvest in your squad. Very few buying clubs are ever going to be in the position we're in right now i.e. the richest club in the world, in desperate trouble in the league, and also not in any danger of breaching FFP by over-paying for players. This is literally the one time these clubs are likely to have the upper hand in terms of the power dynamic between buyer and seller. If they don't take it, they're going to lose most of these assets to the same club in 6 months' time anyway. If we don't get relegated, we then have a stronger squad and an increased capacity in the transfer market because we didn't pay £25m for a player with 6 months left on his contract.

So, I'm not too worried. I don't think clubs will do business with us, but I also think that'll come back to haunt them.

[bix01]

Cracking post Andy - I’d add that, as wrong as it is generally within the game, there are some powerful agents out there and when they miss out on their cut from a player moving to us, it’s going to bite the club on the ârse. If a player doesn't run their contract down they’ll need to be rewarded for their ‘loyalty’ which is economic madness from the clubs point of view. The type of agents affected won’t take this lying down and it’ll cost the clubs more in the long term when their revenge is exacted.

[Sclox]

....if we've learned anything about the PL and its members, high moral fabric doesn't exist. Money talks.

Posturing bollox.

[Geordie_Jacko]

I really don't think we will have a problem snapping up players from other Prem clubs. Money talks in football no matter who you are. Some clubs may be stubborn but I honestly don't think we will have to many issues. Look at manure for instance you've got the likes of Van De Beek, Lingard and Martial all sat on there bench week in week out earning silly money. Do you really think them yanks that own them would try there best to keep hold of them if we slung some money at them? Would they Fu(k and that's just one example.

[Scott Kirkland]

Clubs rejecting our offers will only end up having to give their players fat new contracts, They only end up hurting their own businesses,

[NZtoon]

This would be concerning if British players were the best, and not over valued.

However, as there are better players on the continent who will be cheaper I fail to see the threat. Especially when teams like Barca basically have to sell to balance the books somewhat - and any of there players will be a massive upgrade on our squad!