Chelsea are the subject of numerous transfer rumours linking them with astronomical bids for different continental stars. Unfortunately, this is the new status quo.
The summer transfer window is a time when teams are consolidating themselves. More so, it is a time that every major club are making a statement through their signings. These clubs shell out massive amounts of money on players they presume are actually worth that much. With those sums come huge expectations for the season.
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This has been a strong transfer season for Chelsea. The Blues have made some good signings, and have done so by spending a reasonable amount of money. But with the transfer season still open for a month, the club is going after certain players whose transfer fees are rightly becoming a topic of debate and discussion.
The Paul Pogba transfer saga is not showing any signs of ending. All the talk surrounding his astronomical fee raises questions regarding a tendency to pay inflated transfer fees for players.
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In any absolute terms, the players bought are not worth the money the clubs are paying for them. However, inflated transfers are becoming the road to success. If one doesn’t go down that road, they will gradually get left behind.
Let’s be honest here. How many of us really care about bargain buys in a transfer season? A great example will be of Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez. A majority of the people didn’t know much about the player when the Foxes bought him for £500,000 from Ligue 2 side AC Le Havre.
One good season and his market value now stands somewhere around £30 million. He is being targeted by the big clubs and suddenly he is the centre of attraction for both the media and the fans.
Transfer seasons are marred by the news of big players making big money transfers to quality clubs. In fact, the way in which these ridiculous deals are highlighted by the press shows how much the game is dictated by mammoth bank accounts and nine-digit headlines.
The football world’s memory is short lived while the market is unstable. It does not take long for a player’s value to appreciate. It takes even less time to go the other way. The argument that one good season is not the correct evaluation for a price tag on a player is redundant.
When talking about big-money transfers, one must not only see the rational part of it and quote statistics as the sole argument. The player’s worth to the club and fans has to be considered as well. His performance might not be good on the charts but maybe he is a fan favourite or can have a massive influence in the dressing room. These qualities make him indispensable.
Passion for the game is good but it can only help you to a certain extent
Here, the Romelu Lukaku transfer can be a good example. He is young and Premier League-tested. His 19 goals last season are impressive, but that tally does not warrant an absurd £70 million plus price tag.
Everton are demanding such a fee because Lukaku is an integral player. His presence on the field is vital for both on-the-pitch activities and for motivating the fans. He dons the number 10 shirt for a reason – he is their talisman.
The prospect of Everton selling Lukaku is akin to Chelsea selling Eden Hazard. If Chelsea were to sell Hazard in this transfer window after a disappointing season, would the club let him go for a low fee? Or would they raise his price and sell him to the highest bidder? Little surprise that Everton are trying to hold Chelsea to ransom.
Leicester City last season showed that something lies beyond the fat pay checks, the hype and advertisement deals: passion. They proved that if a team can play with passion and believe in themselves, they can realise their potential and stand up to anyone. They showed us that real reason as to why we call football the beautiful game.
We termed Leicester’s win as a footballing miracle. Why did we use the word ‘miracle’? Because such phenomenon are rare in nature and happen only once in many years. As much I would love to see the Foxes defend the title, can they do it without their talismanic players?
The one-good-season syndrome has hit the club. Leicester City has already sold N’Golo Kante. Rumours surround their talisman Riyad Mahrez joining Arsenal. The footballing world witnessed a dream last season, but things are coming back to reality. Relatively small clubs are finding it hard to keep their players because they can not match the financial prowess of the big ones.
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Chelsea’s miserable title defence is also an example. They had a squad whose starting XI had immense quality. But Jose Mourinho used those eleven to such an extent that he brought on fatigue.
Chelsea’s main line needed reinforcements for the 2015/16 season. A lack of transfer activity led to the overuse of the same starting lineup. Combined with a lack of depth, they mounted the worst title challenge in the league’s history.
When Manchester United is willing to pay more than £112 million for one player, how can another club compete at the top level without spending and fielding mediocre players on the pitch against quality opposition?
Passion for the game is good but it can only help you to a certain extent. It may even lead to a Premier League title on the very rare occasion. But passion itself is not enough to sustain at the top level.
One needs financial backing and yes, as harsh and unfair it sounds, inflated transfers are the way to success. They bring in better players and better players help in winning titles. And we don’t like Chelsea coming in second place, do we?
Let’s end with a transfer truth. You would rather have an overpriced Lukaku banging in goals than a pocket-friendly Papy Djilobodji warming the bench. Argue against it in the comments.