A theme has been developing in recent transfer windows. Whilst there have still been the big money moves, the back pages of newspapers have been dominated by numerous stories of transfer sagas. Clubs across England have had to face unhappy stars looking for moves or potential deals that have dragged on and on. Whilst Cesc Fabregas continues to redefine the term with his now tedious transfer tug of war between Arsenal and Barcelona, Arsene Wenger is not the only manager having to deal with the headache these transfer sagas can cause.
Pre-season is best used as a time to plan, build and strengthen your team ahead of the new season. But all this can be thrown off course when your star player announces they desire to move on before the new campaign. If these wantaway players are not moved on quickly then their continued presence can become destructive ahead of the new season.
Some of the biggest transfers of this summer are still in the pipeline even though the start of the season is under a week away. The biggest of these as I mentioned previously is Fabregas and Barcelona. Arsenal’s Spanish captain clearly wants to make the move back to the Camp Nou but the London side’s resistance (and a inability by both clubs to agree a fee) has meant that this potential move has dragged on for years. Once again it has cast a shadow over Wenger’s pre-season plans and the inevitable move continues to be destructive around the Emirates.
Arsenal’s London rivals Tottenham face a similar dilemma with their star midfielder Luka Modric. Modric has publicly stated his desire to move to Chelsea but so far Spurs have rejected Chelsea’s approaches for the playmaker. You could say that chairman Daniel Levy is right to hold firm when it comes to his best players but with no big names arriving at White Hart Lane this summer, Tottenham’s pre-season has been dominated by talk of Modric’s desire to leave. The effect on the dressing room is questionable but it will be hard for Modric’s focus not to falter as his own transfer saga drags on with no clear conclusion in sight.
The continued presence of Carlos Tevez at Manchester City has also become a saga but in this case both club and player seem willing for a deal to be done (at the right price). For now Tevez remains with City but questions and doubts still remain for Roberto Mancini about the role he could play this season.
But what options do these managers have? The clear choice would be to get rid of their wantaway stars. If the hierarchy of the club can agree then all three could slip away to their new clubs, leaving a healthy bonus in a club’s bank balance (though possibly less than the club’s would want if they really pushed for a quick deal) and a more settled squad focused solely on looking forward to the new season.
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Arguably Liverpool avoided a potential transfer saga by selling Fernando Torres to Chelsea in January rather than holding on to their obviously unhappy star. The Reds’ cashed in on the striker at the right time before it became a saga and potentially affected their revival under Kenny Dalglish (the sale also freed up funds for the captures of direct replacements Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez).
The other option would be to keep hold of the players and resist any possibility of a move. Fabregas’ transfer to Barca has been on the cards for years yet he has continued to play for the club with reasonable success. These footballers are also professionals and whilst their heads may get turned, it is unlikely they would choose to sit on the sidelines for a whole season if a move doesn’t materialise. But this is a risky move for any club and manager as players with one eye on the exit door can easily become a destructive liability on the pitch and in the dressing room.
Whilst the idea of selling their key players may not be a manager’s ideal plan for pre-season, managers like Harry Redknapp and Wenger may be better off letting these players leave now in their search for stability and success over the next ten months.
Should Arsenal and Spurs sell their wantaway stars before the start of the new season? If you want to read more of my bite size, 140 character views and thoughts follow me on Twitter @jennyk5