22 Aug 2026 18:19:57
Question for any of the eds
The past few years we have seen this massive rise in players fees, agent fees and wages, just the past few days savinho to Tottenham for 81 million or something.
I just don't see how this can possibly be sustainable for the longterm large price tags are too be expected, but it seems nowadays that the prices are so over inflated for average players.
So I guess my general question is how long do folks predict until the bubble will burst. And if anybody has any idea on how to stop this from going out of control.
{Ed001's Note - I doubt it will burst. More likely just shorter contracts and free transfers become more &more common.
22 Aug 2026 20:06:25.
I remember people saying "the game has gone nuts" when Malcolm MacDonald moved from Luton Town to Newcastle Utd in 1971 for £180,000.
Never did I imagine £150m.
22 Aug 2026 20:53:23
It will never burst. It just keeps going. 'Football inflation' happens at a rate 3-4 times that of economic inflation, and so, every few years, things seem to become wildly disproportionate, and they are, to us petty commonfolk anyway, but in the world of football, things are very much operating as normal.
Sure, things like tournament hype, mega deals, a lack of talent, and overvaluations can hyperinflate things, like this summer, but then it essentially just becomes the new normal, just like the damn price of RAM. Really regretting putting off that PC I was going to build last year.
22 Aug 2026 20:33:38
How much would malcolm macdonald cost today haha,
I would have to agree ed it would appear that seems to be the growing trend with players
22 Aug 2026 22:41:15
I can remember the first £100, 000 pound transfer in 1961, Denis Law to Turin £110, 000.
you old tw@t..
22 Aug 2026 23:33:52
Anyone remember Warren Barton breaking the transfer record? I still remember Collymore, was it 8.5 mil?
23 Aug 2026 08:20:19
@ScouserInFrance,
Malcolm MacDonald is 76 years old, so my guess would be he's worth less than a Big Mac.
...................Sorry.
23 Aug 2026 14:37:36
Haha, very good, Clay.