#transfer-strategy

#transfer-strategy

As unrealistic as Kane's transfer may seem presently, the same could've been said in the months prior to the last time Barcelona attempted to whisk one of the best strikers in the world away from Bayern Munich. In the end, the pipe dream became a reality, as Lewandowski left Bavaria for Catalonia. Kane's situation is simply too similar to ignore.

I say this at the same time every year, but we always seem to forget it: Most January transfers don't matter. There has rarely been a signing across the Big Five leagues that genuinely made a difference for an eventual title-winning team. More specifically, via analysis from the consultancy Twenty First Group: "net transfer spend in January has just a 5% positive correlation with change in points per game, and that €20 million in net spending has delivered on average just a 0.03 increase in points per game in the big five leagues since 2015".

We are delighted to confirm Martha, who has built a long and successful career as America's leading homemaking and lifestyle expert, has followed Snoop and Luka Modric in becoming a minority owner of our football club. We are very excited to welcome Martha on board, and we know experiencing Friday night's game in-person has only increased her own enthusiasm and anticipation for being part of Swansea City.

West Ham won't solve the problems in their squad. They want a striker for about 20m, good luck. Doesn't everyone? They need a top striker who will score them goals, they won't get one for that price. It's typical West Ham, the way the board there operate, they want to solve a problem but they want to do it as cheaply as they can.

Inter and AC Milan will contest the first derby of the season at San Siro tonight, and it will be a battle worth over one billion. As Corriere dello Sport reports, the difference in value of the Inter and Milan's squads is €222m, according to Transfermarkt's data. The difference in cost between the two, however, is €97m. The paradox is that it is Inter's squad that is worth more, but they cost less to assemble.

Once Eric Garcia finalizes his extension, Deco is said to plan to open talks with Torres about a new deal that would keep him at the club well beyond his current 2027 contract. The 25-year-old forward has become a key piece for Hansi Flick, leading the line during Robert Lewandowski's injury absence, until Torres himself was injured. The potential renewal signals a clear intent from Barcelona to continue building with players already in the system.

One of the burning debates following last weekend's derby was why Manchester United did not sign goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the summer.

Chelsea tried to cancel the loan over the weekend after Liam Delap's injury against Fulham, but the striker refused to return to London as his agent and Bayern worked desperately to schmooze the Blues. Agent Ali Barat vowed to 'fight with everything I have' to get the move over the line, and eventually Chelsea caved in and let him go, two years after he joined for £32m.

Plenty of factors go into determining a transfer fee: wages, length of contract, age, position, whether a club has a need to acquire a player or has a need to offload, what the budget is, and how far along the player is in his development. Galleni says there's a premium for upside: an exceedingly athletic player might be able to improve technically and therefore be worth the investment. (The opposite -- a very technically gifted player who becomes a better athlete -- is far rarer.)

Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham lifted their first silverware since 2008, winning the Europa League, but they sit precariously at 17th in the Premier League.