For the past few transfer windows Manchester United fans have unleashed our inner transfer muppet hoping that another huge name is brought into the club.
United’s team isn’t perfect and there are areas that need attention but even when we are linked with players we don’t need we salivate and rub our hands together only to be disappointed when we hear Sir Alex Ferguson say:
‘There is no value in the transfer market.’
I won’t lie, I for one have been disappointed at times when hearing this but after the madness of today’s deadline day action no one can deny that he is , as per usual, right.
Darren Bent going from Sunderland to Aston Villa for £18m rising to £24m was crazy in itself but then with Chelsea bidding £50m for Fernando Torres and Liverpool in turn looking to pay £35m for Andy Carroll you start to think these clubs should be kept as far away from the transfer market as possible.
There is no denying Fernando Torres is a fantastic player, we’ve experienced this numerous times but anyone that denies he isn’t the same player he was a year or two ago is in denial. He looks to me to have lost a yard of pace or so and coming off a less than spectacular season and summer showing at the World Cup a £50m bid seems more than excessive.
Chelsea are looking to flex their financial muscles and reaffirm that they are still a force to be reckoned with in the league but at the same time are allowing Liverpool to put them over the barrell and the fact that it was revealed that they had bid for Aguerro and Godin last week makes it seem that this is impulsive and desperate.
The Andy Carroll situation seems even worse.
£35m + add ons for the young striker seems crazy. Carroll has looked good in his début season in the Premier League and he does look like he will be a player but paying that much essentially for potential seems reckless. I have heard it said this is Liverpool signalling their intention to return to the big time but this smacks more of desperation than a signalling of intent. People pay for potential all the time, we have done it ourselves a few times but not at that price and whilst Newcastle fans may not want him to go Mike Ashley will be over the moon that he has forced Liverpool to pay so much!
Add to this a rumoured £14m for Blackpool midfielder and the situation becomes even more laughable!
This is a dangerous game being played here by clubs like Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool as they spunk excessive amounts of cash on players at a whim but it is also one that adds credence to Sir Alex’s utterances. Don’t look at this as a disgruntled United fan bitter because his team isn’t getting in on the act, a bit of perspective is necessary and when you look at the fact David Villa joined Barcelona in the summer for £34m the fees being thrown around look even worse.
The transfer window brings out the muppet in fans all across the country but it appears it does so even more for the people who are meant to be in charge at football clubs.
Good thing we have a man in charge who can keep his head when those around him are losing theirs!
