Liverpool have, according to the latest reports, submitted a final “take it or leave it” offer of £25 million for Adam Lallana.
While most supporters agree that Lallana, the 26-year-old England international, would be a good addition at Anfield, the potential cost is one that has divided opinion.
Yes, £25 million does seem quite exorbitant at first glance, but look a little deeper and you can see why it can be justified.
First off, take the increased Premier League TV revenue last season which saw even the bottom placed team in the league, Cardiff City, earn £62.1m – more than the title winners the year before.
It’s quite clear that this increased amount of money in England’s top flight is going to inflate the transfer market this summer. The market is effectively a new one, comparing deals and prices now with ones even a year ago isn’t relative.
Secondly, those qualifying for the Champions League next season (in 2014/15), and thus in Europe’s elite competition for 2015/16, will earn more than DOUBLE the TV revenue due to BT Sport’s purchase of TV rights.
Quite clearly then, the importance of qualifying for the Champions League next season is huge. You cannot put a price on it.
The worst case for Liverpool would be to throw away this opportunity after having regained their place in the competition after five years away, in one season. Missing out on the huge TV revenue subsequently.
That TV revenue increase for Champions League participants, you would think, will create a bigger divide between those in the competition and those not. It will make qualifying even more important than it is currently.
Liverpool, therefore, MUST strengthen their squad this summer in order to be competitive next season and thus qualify for the Champions League again.
£25 million on a player the manager sees as an important addition to achieve his aims, will pale into insignificance in the bigger picture.
You cannot compare the deal to that of Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing, or indeed any other transfer. As explained, the market is now a new one due to the increased TV revenue.
Furthermore, Rodgers is clearly keen to get business done before the World Cup, allowing for a quicker transition after the tournament. Spending a little more to get that massive benefit is justified.
Anyway, since when did all football fans become financial advisors and experts in football transfers? Isn’t it about enjoying the game?
FSG get criticised for not spending big money, and when they are prepared to back the manager and spend relatively big money, there’s still some who aren’t happy.
This isn’t the wasteful spending of a previous era, it’s calculated, speculating to accumulate. We have a superb manager who has identified a player he sees as a key player for the club.
Enjoy it.
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