Transfer windows bring with them excitement alongside a glimpse into the business side of the game.
Lionel Messi's emotional departure from
FC Barcelona and
Manchester City's record signing of
Jack Grealish as they still pursue their courtship of
Harry Kane are the moments that this transfer window has seen where drama was at its zenith.
FC Barcelona struggling to find a way to work around La Liga's regulations and afford Messi's proposed reduced wages contrasts perfectly with City's 'money is no object' attitude towards their targets.
The UEFA Financial Fair Play (FFP) Regulations came into effect from the 2011-12 season, and aim to help clubs balance their books by deterring them from spending more than they earn. The regulations have been contested on different grounds over the years, including cases from Daniel Striani, a Belgian agent, and the Turkish club
Galatasaray.
No challenges have been successful. In March 2021, UEFA was reportedly toying with the idea of scrapping the regulations in light of the pandemic.
La Liga goes one step further from the regulations set by UEFA and gives each club a squad cost limit for them to work with each season based upon their earnings. This cap on the amount clubs can spend is a major reason why Lionel Messi has had to walk away from Camp Nou— a place he called home for 21 years.
La Liga's proffered aim for their policy is that they are trying to help clubs to take a more long-term approach and to help them export talent. Suffice to say, neither club nor Messi himself wanted his 'talent exported'.
The FFP regulations do not aim to bridge the gap between smaller and bigger clubs, they simply aim to prevent football debt. Clubs like City and
Chelsea have benefitted and continue to benefit greatly because of financial injections from their rich owners.
While UEFA has investigated and cracked down on infringements, such as those committed by City itself or PSG, it is very difficult to see any actual tangible benefits, especially after the pandemic has brought with it new financial challenges. With games not being played or being played behind closed doors, most football clubs suffered, with clubs like
Arsenal even taking out loans.
Even after 10 years of these regulations being in place, most football clubs are still
in debt.
In my opinion, the FFP regulations take football further away from its identity as a community sport. Each year, for example, it becomes harder and harder for smaller teams to win or move up the table in the Premier League.
Clubs such as City and Chelsea, with great squad depth, enjoy this advantage due to their ability to dominate the transfer market. These teams also dominate the league. With their ability to buy players they need to win the game, they reduce the competitiveness of the sport.
As the years have gone by, football, while still enjoyed by people from all walks of life, has slowly become a game for rich people. The sport itself is enjoyed by all, but the football market and hence the sport have slowly become more and more pliant to capitalistic interests.
Earlier this year, fans vehemently spoke out against the idea of a European Super League, an idea pioneered by a few owners and executives of some of the biggest clubs in Europe. The competition was criticised for its elitism and for the way its format would profit only a small number of already big European clubs.
UEFA was lauded for cracking down on the competition immediately upon its announcement. However, it is becoming increasingly transparent that organisations such as UEFA and FIFA, alongside the owners of clubs, are shifting towards a more money-chasing attitude with respect to governing the game.
The FFP regulations, as they stand, continue to benefit bigger clubs with richer owners, making things more difficult for smaller clubs.
In an ideal world, the FFP Regulations would help prevent the exacerbation of the gap between bigger and smaller clubs, allowing for more shock wins such as
Leicester City's Premier League title in the 2015/16 season.
They would help in keeping the sport accessible— both to fans wanting to support their teams as well as to aspiring and existing talent.
