Well, we've heard that "Since January, Liverpool have spent over £100m. They're obviously trying to buy success at any cost." I'm going to throw out some facts and figures to show why this summer has seen us do our best business for 6 years (or more) and how we still adhere to FFP rules. We'll start with expenditures, the players to have come in, many of us were initially shocked by some transfer prices, Henderson at £16m and Carroll at £35m the main ones, but the value of a player is determined by those who want them. Players in (since January) Suarez - 22.7m cost, reportedly on £92.4k a week. 5 year deal Carroll - £35m cost, reportedly on £70k a week. 5 year deal. Henderson - £14m cost, reportedly on £65k a week. 5 year deal. Charlie Adam - £7m cost, reportedly on £60k a week. 4 year deal. Downing - £18m cost, reportedly (disputed) on £80k a week. 4 year deal. Enrique - £6m cost, reportedly on £80k a week. 5 year deal. Doni - Free, Roughly reported to be near £40k a week, not reliable sourcing. 2 year deal. Coates - £7m cost, there are no reports on his wage bill, so I will say it's £50k as that's what I imagine he'll be on as he's relatively unproven. 5 year deal. Bellamy - Free, reportedly on £95k a week. 2 year deal. In wage terms, that means over the course of their contract we will have spent: £136.084m in their wages. Seems a lot doesn't it? Well, we'll see when we look at how much we've got rid of. Adding on transfers fees (£109.7m) the grand total comes to: Expenditure: £245.784m Players out (Since January) Torres: 110k a week, 2 years left on deal. £50m deal. Babel: 60k a week, 2 years left on deal. £6.5m deal. Insua: 15k a week, 1 year left on deal. Undisclosed. Aquilani: 85k a week, 1 year loan. Meireles: 30k a week, 3 years left on contract. £15m deal. Cole, Jovanovic, Konchesky, Poulson: 290k a week. 3 year contract (let's say..) Ayala: Negligible wages, 800k deal. Mavinga: Negligible wages, 1m deal. Ngog: 4m deal, 40k a week, 1 year left. In wages: £74.88m out In transfers: 77.3m in. Total gained: £152.18m That makes a grand net total spend (including wages) of: £93.6m Net total spend (excluding wages) of: £32.4m Seems like a lot? Well, it's not. Especially when you include wages, and to put it all into perspective I'll show you our previous 2 transfer windows so everyone is aware how much would need to be spent to catch up to the rest of the top 4: Last season we lost: 7.5m in transfers. The season before last we lost: 8.7m in transfers. This isn't including wages, but it puts into perspective why we needed to spend this season, also if we look at deals that may come in the future: Aquilani - Possible £9m deal. Cole - Possible £3m deal. Interesting fact: This season we spent a net total of £32.4m. In the 07/08 season, we spent a total of £39.9m. Another interesting fact: Our net total spend is less than the cost of Robinho (£32.5m).
i nthe end it comes to this, the robinho transfer example highlights the sensible approach taken. other than carrol at 35mil we've not done a bad deal and eve nthat one is only bad as if we ever sell him it will be a big loss... it was necessary at the time given a one day deadline to get someone. the wages are moot, nobody knows bellamy's some say he halves his wages so 95k is too much.... the fees i heard coming in were n: Andy Carroll: £35m Luis Suarez: £22m Stewart Downing: £20m Jordan Henderson: £16m Charlie Adam: £7m Sebastian Coates: £7m Jose Enrique: £6m Doni: £0m Bellamy: £0m ---------------------------------------£113m Out: Torres: £50m Meireles: £12m Babel: £6m Ngog: £4m Insua: £3.5m Konchesky: £1.5m Mavingwa: £1m Ayala: £800k Bruna: £400k Ince: £250k Nabil El Zhar: £0m Soto Kyrgiakos: £0m Phillip Degen: £0m Christian Poulsen £0m Milan Jovanovic: £0m thats about 86mil... so..... the story get even better.... quality business here
Great work. Hope you don't mind, ZL, but I've just sent your analysis over to a Bluenose mate of mine who lives in Rome; he's currently crying his eyes out over a treble espresso.... GKRK.
I feel with the additional funds from Meireles, we will have time and space (in the kitty) to buy a decent player in January. Eden Hazard anyone?
Great article Ze Out of interest where did you get the Bellemy wages from - I'm hearing he is on £80k.
An article I read, but it was before he signed suggesting that's what he'd be on. So you're more likely to be correct.
I guess the actual figures haven't been released yet. But 95k seems a bit excessive, although considering it is a 2 year contract you might be right. I've seen a couple of articles saying it more likely around the 80k mark, so who knows! Overall - a fantastic start from the new owners and management team. We have a squad that is very impressive for the value we're paying. The complete opposite to this time last year
next article should be the content of our 25 man squad.... any predictions as to the HG and forgein players and what numbers will be registered... I've see a number of about 20 regstered with the rest u21 that should be a good article for later
Ive read we have a net spend of £37m this summer,but have knocked £30m per season off the wage bill Dont know if thats good or bad.Shows we have got rid of dead wood, but you could argue the FSG havnt spent too much net cash The reduced wage bill , should help us fund transfers in Jan and next summer
Great article! not sure you can include the whole contract length in terms of wages though, as some of the contracts are just that long to ensure a good resale value when the time comes to sell on. Also players are often offered new contracts when there existing ones are about to expire. However using your numbers if you look at the total players out wages 630k pw vs total player in wages 632k pw you can see that the squad has been improved with no overall rise in the wage bill. Overall i think that this transfer window has been a massive success and I for one can't wait to see what the season brings.
According to reports on Sky text, Craig Bellamy has taken a 50% pay-cut to rejoin Liverpool so he's on £42.5k a week.
A few people are picking up that FSG haven't actually spent that much of their own money long term when you consider net transfer spend (32mill) and how much we're saving on the wage bill (around 30mill). I'm amazed that this seems to be seen as negative on them. They're businessmen so of course they want to keep costs down, BUT if they've managed to improve the squad so significantly whilst reducing the wage bill and having an overall net spend (roughly, all things included) of 2million, they're absolutely exeeding my expectations. I too had heard that bellamy had halved his wages, but I assume that's halved from his Man City wage although I have no idea what that was. I can't see him on 80k+ weekly given he's a 32 year old playing more of a backup role for us. Anyway, if we push europe this season, particularly the champ league, am I right in saying we'll be making a profit? How many other clubs can claim this. When we start making a healthy profit, I expect further - and more significant - investments in the club (read: next summer). FSG are taking us back in steps.
Its not that FSG want to cut costs down. Kenny was told by the owners that if he wished he could make as many signings as he liked...on one condition every player he signed is part of his plans. FSG do not want to pay players that aren't going to earn them. Its the same with any business. Have you also noticed FSG aren't paying the wages to new arrivals that Hicks and Gillett did? John Henry may and this is may allow Kenny to make a signing in January if he feels its necessary to freshen things up, as there is the space following the number of departures this summer. John Henry has said in his recent interview there will be annual investment in the playing staff. Possibly this is the only year there will be a revolution, from now on it will be an evolution. For example, it seems likely that possilby Fabio Aurelio and Maxi will depart, well neither owe anything, but they will need to be replaced in the squad. Carra isn't getting any younger, so there may be a need for another back-up centre-back. Well thats the squad sorted, to add some encouragement and motivation they may allow the signing of one or two big money signings.
but surely as a club we make a load of profit every season now we have no loan to repay. if these figures are true and including our reduced annual wage bill then we have spent just 9 million this summer and -1 in january thats a total of 8 million spent. so where are our excess profits going?
Pretty much nailed on there mate. I can see us freshening up in Jan if needed, especially if we have injuries etc. I don't see this net spend as an issue with the owners, looking at our squad they have done an excellent job.
