This article is a re-post and merge of my now defunct OurFootballBlog football writing blog from 2010 – 2011.
You’d be forgiven for thinking this is the start of another rant, however it’s not. I want to tackle the common misconception (I’ll not say naivety) that when a player (or manager for that matter) signs a new 4 year contract, it doesn’t actually mean they’ll be at the club in 4 years time.
Four More Years of Cesc
The spark for this post has been renewed speculation this evening about the future of Cesc Fabregas. Earlier this year he signed a new 4 year deal at Arsenal which effectively put an end to talk linking him with Barcelona at the time, but there was a bitter taste in the mouth still. A couple of months back Peter Hill-Wood announced that Barcelona had agreed not to pursue Fabregas in the short term and even went as far to state that he’d probably not even get into the side at present, I thought that was a very odd thing to say about your star player – unless of course a deal has already been done, you’re bitter about it and this is your subtle parting shot. With new speculation tonight the usual array of pundits are lining up to show their disgust about player power and lack of commitment, but they’ve missed the whole point of the new contract, it wasn’t to secure Cesc for 4 more years at all, it was a bargaining tool to get the best deal possible and it works for everyone. Barcelona will expect to pay in excess of £30 million for a player of this quality, Arsenal can now almost guarantee they will get that as the only way Barcelona will secure him is buy paying that fee not picking him up cheaper or potentially free as the contract runs out – Chamakh is a great example of Arsenal showing this in action, not want to pay £11 mill for him? Ok hold out 6 months and take him for free! Furthermore Cesc benefits, he’ll be on a larger wage with the contract extension and Barcelona will have to better this – again something they’ll have expected to do, so they don’t feel particularly sore about the contract either.
Six… SIX!?! More Years of Reina
Classic case – Liverpool goalkeeper Reina signs a massive 6 year contract extension on the back of the worst season since he joined the club and with speculation about the managers future rife – the only reason most of the Spanish players are there. Are you seriously believing that this is about commitment to the club in these circumstances? Here again I believe a deal is already in the making and I believe it’s one crafted by all parties involved. Let’s say the hierarchy know where Benitez is off to next and everyone’s open about that, Reina is a highly rated goalkeeper and Benitez will obviously be interested in his services, Liverpool could certainly do with the cash, so lets do a deal – Reina signs a new contract, any club who wants him now must pay a premium, Benitez will move somewhere with some cash to spend, Reina joins Benitez at new club for somewhere around £15-£20 million and the Americans get paid – everyone’s happy (apart from that fans but that’s a whole different topic!).
So They Aren’t Staying?
The irony here is that these long contracts for big players in suspicious circumstances don’t and haven’t dispelled speculation about the players future – all it’s done is secure the owning clubs position in the matter by ensuring they can command the largest fee possible and the increased wages allow the player to secure an even better contract at his new club. Unfortunately for English football and its fans, Fabregas wont be with us in 2014 and Reina wont be here in 2016, because they’re both leaving as soon as circumstances suit all parties. Neither contract was about about securing the players future and it’s not about poor player loyalty; it’s business, plain and simple.
