Will we break our transfer record in the summer?

[LanguedocFox]

In among our talk about record-breaking transfers etc, it's worth reading this story about Southampton, from the BBC website: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26813363.

 

They're quite similar to City - same sized ground, rich owners who've invested a lot, relatively modest ambitions - and they've settled in the Prem reasonably well. I don't recall them blowing a load of money on players, but they will go into next season still owing 27 million - despite having already paid 21m this season. I just want us to keep our heads above water, and I would hate to see headlines like this about us in a year or two.

[CosbehFox]

I don't think anyone has mentioned Southampton yet. You could see them as a similar club to LCFC in status, size, finances and ownership.

If you look here you can see their transfer spend: http://www.transferleague.co.uk/football-transfers/southampton-transfers.html

Their spend in the last 3 seasons:

2011/2012 = £1.8m

2012/2013 = £32.7m

2013/2014 = £37.5m

Just shows what big money is available when you get to the premiership as they did in 2012. I think it also shows what is required to reach top half of premiership as they are now.

I think it is a good benchmark as to what is required by Leicester.

It was confirmed yesterday by their new chairman that they have financial gambled too much. They owe £32 million in transfer fees to other clubs.

[Corky]

Pearson and Walsh are exactly the sort of people you'd want to make signings, plenty of planning, plenty of research and no panic buys. Importantly, we could have up to 7 weeks to plan for next year on the play-off winners, which will hopefully be a big advantage and why the club will want to secure promotion asap.

 

I see us spending a healthy amount but nothing overboard. Quality over quantity.

[veezeeblue]

Whilst you dream, there is also a reality of it all going massively tits up.

 

There seems to be three groups of people on here, those who want to chuck shit loads of cash at it and sod the consequences. Those who only want to sign two players for fear of upsetting the apple cart, and those that think perhaps somewhere in between is the best way to go... the latter being the camp I am firmly in.

 

If you check my inital post I am there too, I suggested between 15 & 20M investment for next year. My latter posts were purely a releflect of the "reality" of what Premier teams have really spent which is closer to 35M and my desire to see a sustained push by the owners to keep us there, which will require continued investment of the same kind. 

 

We cant get into the owners mind but my "dream" is that they really do have the appetite to make us a top 10 team.  

[Captain...]

You see, here is the grand flaw in your plan... survival isn't guaranteed no matter what you spend. It's almost like the last 3/4 years haven't happened.

 

No that is the genius in the plan, you make all the funds you can available based on finishing bottom, you don't have to spend them, but you make them available, then if you do finish bottom you are still with in budget, and parachute payments will cover the wage bill (in theory) then if you finish above bottom, or get more than the minimum number of live games, then that extra prize money can go in as profit. But it seems perverse to jeopardise our chances of finishing higher up the table and making more money, by being stingy with what is an enormous sum of maoney at the start.

 

I know it doesn't guarantee success and I'm not saying I want NP to spend £63m, I'm just saying we have that to make available.

[veezeeblue]

Household name

To be honest, after Everton and Tottenham, I don't think that any teams are 'household names' in the Prem.

 

Nobody outside the UK knew who Man City were until a few years ago, now you have people all over the world wanting a Man City shirt.

 

Somebody asked me to bring them back one to Brazil (where I live) so I brought him an LCFC one instead ... haha!

[Captain...]

Teams going up often spend around the £30m mark, as I have already said. But again here is the problem, Saints even with the riches of the premier made a loss of £7.5m last year and still owe £27m in fees for players, that their board say will have to be paid next year.

 

People on here are clearing underestimating the running costs, and overestimating the money coming in if they think we're going to spunk £50m on transfers and that it will just come from the money we have coming in.

 

Sensible investment will happen without question, but for the first time in a long time we are debt free other than the stadium... do we really want to be going down that road again? Bolton were an "established team" and they are currently struggling with £150m + of debt... and that's after years and years of premier league money.

 

veezeeblue talks about it being big business in a rather condescending manner, well I wouldn't want my business spending money it can't afford, and I'd also want my business to plan for every eventual outcome and that includes relegation. Because coming down with bundles of players we can't afford losing money hand over fist is a possibility.

 

 

In among our talk about record-breaking transfers etc, it's worth reading this story about Southampton, from the BBC website: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26813363.

 

They're quite similar to City - same sized ground, rich owners who've invested a lot, relatively modest ambitions - and they've settled in the Prem reasonably well. I don't recall them blowing a load of money on players, but they will go into next season still owing 27 million - despite having already paid 21m this season. I just want us to keep our heads above water, and I would hate to see headlines like this about us in a year or two.

 

You still don't get it, there is a new TV deal, even if they finish in the same position as last year they will earn around £30-40m more this season.

 

The new deal sees the prize for finishing bottom jumping from around £30m to £63m, for finishing top it is going from around £60m, to over £100m.

 

This is why the promoted clubs have been able to spend so much this season, and clubs like Southampton could last season as they knew it was coming in. This is why we will have £63m to make available for squad building if we wanted to without jeopardising the club financially.

[Happy Fox]

The Thais other investors will be made known imo they did allude some while back that if we get promotion then other parties in the Far East will put some money in and with the Thai King's backing as well potentially we have lots of wonga!

[LanguedocFox]

You still don't get it, there is a new TV deal, even if they finish in the same position as last year they will earn around £30-40m more this season.

 

The new deal sees the prize for finishing bottom jumping from around £30m to £63m, for finishing top it is going from around £60m, to over £100m.

 

This is why the promoted clubs have been able to spend so much this season, and clubs like Southampton could last season as they knew it was coming in. This is why we will have £63m to make available for squad building if we wanted to without jeopardising the club financially.

 

 

Southampton got money last season, will get money this season and will get money next season: so why isn't that reflected in confident statements from the Southampton board?

 

I am sure that Pearson and his team will keep us on the level: I just don't want any headlines about us owing more than we earn. That is what I get.

[Corky]

I just hope we have contingency plans in place- relegation clauses such as wage deferrals to cope with loss of income, so we are in a stable position if we go straight back down.

 

The most important thing is being sensible and not risking potential fines and transfer embargos, we need to remain in line with FFP.

[MC Prussian]

I am happy for the owners to recoup some money without leaving us at a competitive disadvantage, we owe them everything!

 

I believe we'll spend between 12M - 20M and yes we will break our transfer record, I'd possibly be concerned if we didn't.

 

Thanks God the World Cup will take my attention away from transfers for a month, it's hell!

If we should spend that much in total, it will be spent wisely and for a couple of signings at once.

Even though the prices are inflated these days, I trust Walsh and the LCFC scouting committee to unearth some more gems for "cheap" outside of the UK.

[Frost]

Just thought, how about Tom Ince? 

 

Not sure how good he actually is, but he's impressed whenever I've seen him play.

[5waller5]

It's certainly going to be an interesting summer!!!

 

My guess is that we will spend big .... but within the NP team ethic template ..... and maybe only 5 players.

 

Mahrez at £450K ... I'd say he'd be spending 10 times this on average for a player.

 

If he can pull the same level of achievement with his purchases as he has this season then we're in for another treat next season.

 

It's flipping exciting!!!

[Captain...]

Southampton got money last season, will get money this season and will get money next season: so why isn't that reflected in confident statements from the Southampton board?

 

I am sure that Pearson and his team will keep us on the level: I just don't want any headlines about us owing more than we earn. That is what I get.

 

I don't know I'm not a Southampton fan, to be honest I know very little, all I know is that should we get promoted and finish bottom we will earn minimum £63 million, more than Man United earnt in prize money and TV deals for finishing top last season. More than double what QPR got for finishing bottom last season. That is a phenomenal amount of money, and it means we can go pretty fvcking crazy in the transfer market if we want to and still be financially sound. I hope we don't, but we will be loaded. If Nigel identifies a player that will keep us up (I know football isn't as simple as that) we have the funds to get him.

 

I just hope we have contingency plans in place- relegation clauses such as wage deferrals to cope with loss of income, so we are in a stable position if we go straight back down.

 

The most important thing is being sensible and not risking potential fines and transfer embargos, we need to remain in line with FFP.

 

This also, every contract should have a massive relegation clause written into it. With FFP in the Championship we don't want to get screwed over should it go tits up next season.

[5waller5]

I'd say that this season is a great time to go up .... FFP in place will mean that we'll have relegation clauses in contracts and have plenty of money available to invest in becoming a premier side .....

 

I'd predict now that we will be an established top ten side inside 3 years just like we were under MON.

 

To think some of you didn't rate NP.... Tsk.....  

 

   

[veezeeblue]

I'd say that this season is a great time to go up .... FFP in place will mean that we'll have relegation clauses in contracts and have plenty of money available to invest in becoming a premier side .....

 

I'd predict now that we will be an established top ten side inside 3 years just like we were under MON.

 

To think some of you didn't rate NP.... Tsk.....  

 

   

 

We have a dream ! good on ya !

[Captain...]

I'd say that this season is a great time to go up .... FFP in place will mean that we'll have relegation clauses in contracts and have plenty of money available to invest in becoming a premier side .....

I'd predict now that we will be an established top ten side inside 3 years just like we were under MON.

To think some of you didn't rate NP.... Tsk.....

Not to mention the bumper tv + prize money deal that will see us earn a guaranteed £63million next season even if we finish bottom, more than United got for winning it last season.

Not sure if I've mentioned this yet...