Jere Markus
Jul 12 2002, 06:56 AM
By Richard Gibson, The Journal
Arsene Wenger yesterday said European football had hit a financial brick wall. On the day the Arsenal manager made his first signing of the summer - a Ģ2.4m swoop for fellow Frenchman Pascal Cygan - he suggested a quiet transfer market is the sign that clubs are becoming more realistic in their spending.
Spiralling transfer fees are seemingly a thing of the past on current evidence and players' wages could soon start decreasing if the evidence of Italy and Spain is anything to go by.
"We all thought the car was going into the wall and the accident was about to happen - but the car has already hit the wall," said Wenger, who points to less deals in general this year. "The transfer market is a bit cyclical and at the moment we are in a depression. It could go up again, but now it is down.
"I put that down to a disastrous financial situation in football in Europe. I have been offered players that haven't been paid for five, six, seven months. Not in England, but from foreign countries. Once you stop paying the players any more there is a deep problem."
In what countries you think players donīt get paid (Russia coal miners?)? Maybe Greece, France or even Spain?!!! Germany come to mind too - they have some serious trouble with the wages there.
The Frenchman believes the way Arsenal balance the books is the way to prosper. "We spent a lot of money last year, yes, but we sold a lot of players in the years before," he said. "Our financial situation is good and we never spend crazy money."
Arsenal chairman David Dein said: "I think there is a realignment now within football and it's no secret salaries have gone through the roof. "Clubs now realise that they have to balance the books. "The players and their agents have got to realise that we don't have money trees in the back garden."
Do you think the transfer prices or salaries can drop? I guess if they donīt - there will not be that much signings or trades.
Arsene Wenger yesterday said European football had hit a financial brick wall. On the day the Arsenal manager made his first signing of the summer - a Ģ2.4m swoop for fellow Frenchman Pascal Cygan - he suggested a quiet transfer market is the sign that clubs are becoming more realistic in their spending.
Spiralling transfer fees are seemingly a thing of the past on current evidence and players' wages could soon start decreasing if the evidence of Italy and Spain is anything to go by.
"We all thought the car was going into the wall and the accident was about to happen - but the car has already hit the wall," said Wenger, who points to less deals in general this year. "The transfer market is a bit cyclical and at the moment we are in a depression. It could go up again, but now it is down.
"I put that down to a disastrous financial situation in football in Europe. I have been offered players that haven't been paid for five, six, seven months. Not in England, but from foreign countries. Once you stop paying the players any more there is a deep problem."
In what countries you think players donīt get paid (Russia coal miners?)? Maybe Greece, France or even Spain?!!! Germany come to mind too - they have some serious trouble with the wages there.
The Frenchman believes the way Arsenal balance the books is the way to prosper. "We spent a lot of money last year, yes, but we sold a lot of players in the years before," he said. "Our financial situation is good and we never spend crazy money."
Arsenal chairman David Dein said: "I think there is a realignment now within football and it's no secret salaries have gone through the roof. "Clubs now realise that they have to balance the books. "The players and their agents have got to realise that we don't have money trees in the back garden."
Do you think the transfer prices or salaries can drop? I guess if they donīt - there will not be that much signings or trades.