Brendan Rodgers wants Leicester City to end annual summer transfer tradition

[davieG]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/brendan-rodgers-wants-leicester-city-5207440?fbclid=IwAR29NEmPtYnq0jNCFuhXzE_h1YBgRT5wWmObKVU4m_m3N0BhGQdjIQ98Ec8

 

The Leicester City boss says that he 'can't see' the club selling any of their key players this summer, despite the significant losses caused in part by the pandemic

ByJordan Blackwell
22:30, 19 MAR 2021

Brendan Rodgers wants to make this the summer Leicester City do not sell a key player, even amid significant losses at the club.

City’s summer spending since their return to the Premier League has always been partly financed by the departure of a star name, with N’Golo Kante, Danny Drinkwater, Riyad Mahrez, Harry Maguire, and Ben Chilwell moving on in big-money deals over the past five summers.

City have reinvested that wisely to improve their squad and rise up the table.

The club will want to break that cycle, and Rodgers hopes it is this year, even though City have just announced losses of £67m for the 19-20 campaign.

New, improved contracts could be a solution to keeping players at the club, but that would cause wage payments to rise further. That may be a concern with the latest accounts showing a wage-to-turnover ratio of 105 per cent, City becoming the first Premier League side to exceed 100 per cent since QPR in 2013.

“You always plan and prepare to keep your players, but you always have to have that pipeline for the ‘what if?’ scenario,” Rodgers said.

“For this summer, as I sit here, I can’t see us losing anyone. But of course, I may have said that about Ben (Chilwell) and he’s gone.

“But certainly we don’t plan to lose anyone. I think as well if there’s a summer where you maybe wouldn’t be looking to lose your players, it would be this summer.

“Our idea is to get to the end of the season, finish as strong as we can, hopefully it will be a great season, keep the players we have, and add to it as opposed to moving any on. That would be the message as for now.

“There will be a level of spending. We’ve already been speaking about that over the past few months. We want to continue improving.

“It won’t be the same as pre-Covid. But there will be investment. We want to strengthen the squad and I’m pretty hopeful we’ll be able to do that.”

Rodgers also said that the investment from the club’s owners King Power into the training ground should ease the fears of any fans concerned about the level of the losses

.
“Like most clubs there is a huge impact with Covid, and the pandemic,” he said. “That will hit every club.

“It’s also shown the confidence the club have in managing the figures and the budget that they continue to invest. Looking around at the training ground, you can see the investment that is still ongoing as shown.

“That gives a great reassurance to supporters that despite the pandemic, the club are still pushing on with that long-term vision.

“Hopefully we'll get supporters back in next season and that figure comes down.”

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

Hopefully this might explain to people that it's not something the club proactively go and do. And also explain to people we're not skint.

[wattolcfc]

I think COVID can actually benefit a club like ours. With so many good, young players who will only improve given time and with nobody having £100m to spend on one player, we could keep hold of our best players for a few years and hopefully that will propel us into a consistently top 4 club.

[leicesterseddon]

54 minutes ago, wattolcfc said:

I think COVID can actually benefit a club like ours. With so many good, young players who will only improve given time and with nobody having £100m to spend on one player, we could keep hold of our best players for a few years and hopefully that will propel us into a consistently top 4 club.

Yes I’ve been wondering about this too. 
 

Obviously the pandemic has worsened our finances, like other clubs. 
 

But it might also check the previous rampant inflation in the transfer market that saw clubs bigger than us hoover up talent with £50m+ bids.

 

I think a lot more clubs will be swimming in the same financial pool, so to speak, when it comes to transfer fees this summer.

 

But a big difference of course remains with regard to salaries. 
 

At the moment we’re managing to punch above our weight by maxxing out wage spending relative to turnover. I’m a little concerned about it tbh, it’s been very high for a few years now.
 

The only way I can see it becoming sustainable is through a big increase in commercial revenue - the area where we really still are miles behind the Big/Rich Six

[King of Gipsy Lane]

It’s good reading of the market , no one has the big bucks this summer and next year your goods will get better rates ! 
 

rodgers is shrewd he actually one day could run a club top to bottom successfully 

 

 

[davieG]

5 minutes ago, leicesterseddon said:

The only way I can see it becoming sustainable is through a big increase in commercial revenue

......or qualifying for the CL consistently which would also increase our chance of increasing the commercial revenue. That's how the likes of Spurs have managed it. The danger is relying on it and then failing to qualify.

[Jobyfox]

I've been thinking for a while that a small, very targeted, summer transfer window might be the way forward in 2021. The caveat being that we keep those we already have at the club, which of course is made easier if we qualify for the Champions League. A striker, attacking midfielder, winger with maybe one of those on loan would be a good window for me IF we keep what we've got. 

 

The 105% on player wages is a worry as it simply isn't sustainable in the long term. That's the biggest gap between where we are and consistently competing against the rich six and why they can afford to cherry pick our best players. Closing that turnover gap will take time and patience. 

[leicesterseddon]

9 minutes ago, davieG said:

......or qualifying for the CL consistently which would also increase our chance of increasing the commercial revenue. That's how the likes of Spurs have managed it.

Indeed - that would certainly help! 
 

If we can stay around the top 4 consistently, then the decision to roll the dice with our big wage bill over the last few years will pay dividends 

 

There is obviously a cap on growth there atm though, with KPI holding the shirt and stadium sponsorship. Can’t see that changing atm but if we genuinely did become a force I wonder whether it would...

 

Man Utd have shown the way with their endless sponsorship deals and official underwear, cheese “partners” etc.

 

I don’t really like it myself, but it probably is the area where we need to grow to stay competitive financially unfortunately 

Edited 20 March 2021 by leicesterseddon

[Sol thewall Bamba]

Keep what we have and crucially keep them fit, and go for one crucial winger/striker singing. Done.

[urban.spaceman]

I said a while back that the time would be coming where we didn't have to make a big sale, very soon, and it does feel like it's here.

 

Time to make a statement that we're here to stay.

[st albans fox]

1 hour ago, wattolcfc said:

I think COVID can actually benefit a club like ours. With so many good, young players who will only improve given time and with nobody having £100m to spend on one player, we could keep hold of our best players for a few years and hopefully that will propel us into a consistently top 4 club.

I guess it will force prices down which won’t  help us.  No way did we want to accept 50m for chilly but we were left with little choice. the player wanted to go and we needed the money.  
 

whilst bigger clubs will lose larger sums ref gate receipts, they will be able to borrow whatever they need to based on further income.  If Leicester go to borrow £100 mill then there won’t be many institutions willing to lend of favourable terms because no one knows what the future holds for a club of our size

 

if one of the top six outfits wants to borrow £200m then there will be queue of takers because worst way,  the status quo is maintained  and best way, a euro league with increased incomes will be where they reside. 
 

Players will want to leave us ......there’s not much we can do about that because we can’t pay the wages .....ask Ben what he’s doing with the extra £5m in his back pocket this year ?? 

[Ric Flair]

How have the wages risen to 105% of turnover, I assume that's because turnover was significantly down on projections but the wage rises for 2019/20 don't seem to compute with the message of us trying to drive them down from previous years failures. 

 

We got rid of some high earners like Maguire, but maybe Silva and Slimani being on loan the wages are still counted as the contribution received from the other clubs might be classified as income and not offset. 

 

Rodgers doubled his salary, we signed Tielemans, Praet, Perez and Justin but lost Okazaki, Simpson, Maguire and possibly others.

 

It still doesn't add up.

[Jobyfox]

I guess all clubs have their issues. Manchester United have increased turnover by increasing prices and fleecing their supporters. A necessity to service the £450m debt the owners took out, originally to buy the club, but never got rid of it in its entirety. 

 

I do feel that Manchester United would be almost untouchable with decent owners whereas we're much closer to maximising what we could achieve to our relative size. 

Edited 20 March 2021 by Jobyfox

[HighPeakFox]

3 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

It still doesn't add up.

I suspect it does  

[davieG]

Morgan, Fuchs, Jakupović and James will be off the player wages this summer. 

 

[winteriscoming]

As much as I want our best players to stay here money talks. If 1 of the big boys offers 80m for your fridge you will take it. I still think 1 from our starting eleven will go in the summer. Not sure who but I think there will be 1. 

[VLC86]

41 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

How have the wages risen to 105% of turnover, I assume that's because turnover was significantly down on projections but the wage rises for 2019/20 don't seem to compute with the message of us trying to drive them down from previous years failures. 

 

We got rid of some high earners like Maguire, but maybe Silva and Slimani being on loan the wages are still counted as the contribution received from the other clubs might be classified as income and not offset. 

 

Rodgers doubled his salary, we signed Tielemans, Praet, Perez and Justin but lost Okazaki, Simpson, Maguire and possibly others.

 

It still doesn't add up.

I would say that the wages are spread quite evenly over the squad now rather than 3 or 4 high earners and the rest being lower.

 

Kasper, Evans, Soyuncu, Fofana, Vardy, Youri, Madders, Perez, Kelechi etc are all on well over £60k a week I suspect but before Okazaki and Simpson wouldn’t have been on much more than £40k I bet.

[Ric Flair]

Just now, Costock_Fox said:

I would say that the wages are spread quite evenly over the squad now rather than 3 or 4 high earners and the rest being lower.

 

Kasper, Evans, Soyuncu, Fofana, Vardy, Youri, Madders, Perez, Kelechi etc are all on well over £60k a week I suspect but before Okazaki and Simpson wouldn’t have been on much more than £40k I bet.

Our average wage is now 75k a week apparently though, bonkers!!

[fuchsntf]

55 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

Keep what we have and crucially keep them fit, and go for one crucial winger/striker singing. Done.

I Love a good song...

[coolhandfox]

48 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

How have the wages risen to 105% of turnover, I assume that's because turnover was significantly down on projections but the wage rises for 2019/20 don't seem to compute with the message of us trying to drive them down from previous years failures. 

 

We got rid of some high earners like Maguire, but maybe Silva and Slimani being on loan the wages are still counted as the contribution received from the other clubs might be classified as income and not offset. 

 

Rodgers doubled his salary, we signed Tielemans, Praet, Perez and Justin but lost Okazaki, Simpson, Maguire and possibly others.

 

It still doesn't add up.

This year wages were roughly 157m on a turnover of 150m down 28m on last year. 

 

Without that turnover drop our wages % would be about 88%

 

We lose Silva and Slimini wages next year which will help and Fuch and Morgan if they retire.

[st albans fox]

17 minutes ago, Costock_Fox said:

I would say that the wages are spread quite evenly over the squad now rather than 3 or 4 high earners and the rest being lower.

 

Kasper, Evans, Soyuncu, Fofana, Vardy, Youri, Madders, Perez, Kelechi etc are all on well over £60k a week I suspect but before Okazaki and Simpson wouldn’t have been on much more than £40k I bet.

I very much doubt cags is on more than 50k. 
 

that’s one of the reasons he is more likely to be sold if one player has to go .....

 

little wes will also not be on more than 50k at the moment 

 

younger players, especially coming from the continent are rarely on a big wage .

 

 

 

[SkidsFox]

33 minutes ago, winteriscoming said:

As much as I want our best players to stay here money talks. If 1 of the big boys offers 80m for your fridge you will take it. I still think 1 from our starting eleven will go in the summer. Not sure who but I think there will be 1. 

Injuries may mean fewer bids. Other clubs may hold back from making a bid for James or Barnes, until they are fully fit again. We have to keep Tielemans happy.

[Grebfromgrebland]

Need champions League and a better sponsorship deal. Surely Thailand can afford a bit more cash?

[Corky]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

How have the wages risen to 105% of turnover, I assume that's because turnover was significantly down on projections but the wage rises for 2019/20 don't seem to compute with the message of us trying to drive them down from previous years failures. 

 

We got rid of some high earners like Maguire, but maybe Silva and Slimani being on loan the wages are still counted as the contribution received from the other clubs might be classified as income and not offset. 

 

Rodgers doubled his salary, we signed Tielemans, Praet, Perez and Justin but lost Okazaki, Simpson, Maguire and possibly others.

 

It still doesn't add up.

Quite a few fringe players are off this summer, that will drag it down. I imagine we won't be so generous with the squad players in terms of wages and will boost the earnings of the key players instead.

 

With transfers, there may be some frees available and also taking players at a reduced rate with contracts running down. We also look to the Football League for signings and value could be found there.

[Buce]

44 minutes ago, winteriscoming said:

As much as I want our best players to stay here money talks. If 1 of the big boys offers 80m for your fridge you will take it. I still think 1 from our starting eleven will go in the summer. Not sure who but I think there will be 1. 

 

We already did...