11 Sep 2025 00:15:33
I have to say, it's very interesting for someone like me to read the opinions about players that eventually leave for free. Here, free agency is so common that you sort of expect the top performers to work their way to it as soon as they can. In sports with salary caps it tends to even out, we expect players to want to test free agency. It's fascinating to see how different it is elsewhere.
11 Sep 2025 02:33:59
dbav - I think footballers are catching on to this as a means to keep the ball in their court.
11 Sep 2025 07:17:51
Agreed mate. The 8 year contract madness that Chelsea brought in a few years ago doesn’t seem so wild now.
{Ed001's Note - I don't understand why it doesn't seem so wild. They are stuck with players they want rid of for years to come, such as Raheem Sterling. It is idiotic. Far better to lose them on a free after 5 than be stuck with them for 8. The likelihood is that they have helped you to win things, so what it the issue with them leaving on a free after 5? It is lunacy to have players tied up for 8, it is against EU regs for starters. There is no way it would stand up in court if a player wants to challenge it.}
11 Sep 2025 08:56:29
Ed, could that be the reason why the loophole to have the 8 year contracts option has been closed?
Cos I agree with you that having 8 year contracts is insane. And Chelsea (as much as many of their fans like to flex on these players they signed on these Suge Knight like contracts) will be stuck with some severe player inventory that no one knows how they are going to deal with cos that time will definitely come. Wild, indeed.
{Ed001's Note - the loophole hasn't been closed, just that they can't spread the transfer fee over any longer than 5 years.
Chelsea are already stuck with too many players - they even maxed out their loans so can't loan anyone else out.}
11 Sep 2025 10:38:00
Time will tell. But I can see all clubs doing it in the future.
Obviously don’t give Dross like Raheem Sterling 8 year contracts but Erling Haaland for instance on that massive 9 year contract, he’s a guarantee
It’s going to happen as football evolves further into this mess.
11 Sep 2025 11:34:12
Chelsea's model makes no sporting sense at all.
Yes, they sell a lot of players for good fees, but we are completely forgetting the cost of transfers outside the fee - eg agent fees, third parties etc. Doing that much business adds up!
They have implemented a different wage structure that reflects a younger group on these crazy long deals. However, it is not clear what the ceiling of that wage structure will be. Will they pay the salaries to keep Cole Palmer and Estevao happy for their careers or is the model to cash in on them at some point?
The fact that they won a couple of trophies while operating this way makes it all the more ridiculous to me.
11 Sep 2025 11:59:43
The players agent was on sly news recently, Andrew Sky (i think ) n he was saying it is bad agents who aren't looking after the players but themselves . He said they'll sign long term contracts but when the agent has been paid say half way through. then the agent will instigate a move because if the player stays beyond that or doesn't get an improvement on his contract, then the agent isn't getting paid anymore.
11 Sep 2025 13:30:12
I don’t think Mykhailo Mudryk on an 8 year contract is a particularly good idea.
11 Sep 2025 15:11:04
There’s nothing wrong with the way Liverpool are doing it.
How many player have 8 years at the top?
Very very few.
Van Dijk, Salah are absolutely exceptional players.
Most have 3 years at their peak and another couple at a high level.
All you have to do as a club is make sure you succession plan, bring through some young guns and don’t let all your good players leave at once, stagger their contract expiry dates.
{Ed001's Note - exactly Ron.}
11 Sep 2025 21:21:07
you have to have the right kind of player accept that kind of deal too, which means you have a player who doesn't have their head screwed on.
12 Sep 2025 06:08:21
The 8 year contracts only work out if the player improves or sustains a high standard. If you end up with a Jordan Ibe or a Dele Ali, the club would end up paying excessive wages for years for a player no-one wants to take off their hands. Stirling is in this stalemate position now as Chelsea don't want him but no-one is going to fork out his huge wages. Correct me if Im wrong but i think i read that scenario could carry on for the next 2-3 years.