Crazy money starts

[Toronto Gooner]

We have all expressed out frustration at Arsenal not buying this player or paying this much for that player; and there is the thread about requiring a sugar daddy in order to compete.

However, there are two transfers that exemplify everything that is wrong with the system in England and that show the problems faced by Arsenal.

Andy Carroll for £35 million: that deal ranks as the 8th most expensive transfer of all time. It was higher than the fee Barcelona paid for David Villa, a player who (at the time) had 9 consecutive seasons of 20 goals or more, and had won the European Championship and World Cup. Carroll has never scored 20 goals in a season. [When Carroll's age, Villa had already had two seasons of 20 goals for Sporting Gijon.]

Jordan Henderson for £20 million: He is just 20 and has had one good season.

I have stated before that Arsenal need to make a statement signing, and will continue to say that. However, I do want them to be judicious with the signings.

I forgot to add:

Phil Jones for £16 million: A 19-year-old!!!!!!!!!!!

[Marc Overmars]

Newcastle knew Liverpool had 50m coming in for Torres, so they milked the Carroll Transfer, under normal circumstances I don't think he would have gone for that much.

But yeah we can't compete on the English tax level that's for sure.

[Kano]

when the bubble bursts in the game, and of course it will, it will be amazing to see what happens to every club.

just a matter of how far off it is

[Marc Overmars]

when the bubble bursts in the game, and of course it will, it will be amazing to see what happens to every club.

just a matter of how far off it is

Well when that time comes, you can bet we will still be there bottling it as usual.

[Kano]

wouldn't that be a good thing in that context, surely it would mean the reverse to everyone else?

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Of course £35m for Carroll is crazy money, but there were many factors, not least Torres going for £50m.

We don't even know the Henderson fee yet so I won't speculate. Especially if NGog goes the other way.

Interesting that SSN emphasising Henderson's rumoured price, and yet when United do the same it's suddenly a "highly rated English defender".

We don't have the golden carrot that is the Champions League anymore, so we have to pay over the odds in order to get the players that could easily phone up United and get a better deal in seconds.
I'd rather the pay over the odds on a player the managerial team wants, than settling for the seventh choice because they're cheap.

[Toronto Gooner]

Of course £35m for Carroll is crazy money, but there were many factors, not least Torres going for £50m.

We don't even know the Henderson fee yet so I won't speculate. Especially if NGog goes the other way.

Interesting that SSN emphasising Henderson's rumoured price, and yet when United do the same it's suddenly a "highly rated English defender".

We don't have the golden carrot that is the Champions League anymore, so we have to pay over the odds in order to get the players that could easily phone up United and get a better deal in seconds.
I'd rather the pay over the odds on a player the managerial team wants, than settling for the seventh choice because they're cheap.

I understand what you are saying but fact remains that Liverpool are still paying a huge amount of money for a player who has played just 61 games for Sunderland, and was booed by his fans in the second half of the season.

Interestingly, I came across this paragraph in a Liverpool blog. I have highlighted the part that caught my eye:
The capture represents a perfect example of the players Liverpool hope to bring in. They’re moving away from previous season’s signings of experienced men with little sell on value (Hodgson’s signings last season had an average age of 30, compared to 2011’s signings with an average of 22) to a nucleus of young talented signings with their futures spread out wildly in front of them. Of course it makes sense to implement these types of players, the question should be why has it taken this long for the club to move forward in this way? That’s a different issue though… http://www.thisisanfield.com/2011/06...s-royal-flush/

Anyone find that comment interesting and somewhat ironic in the Arsenal context?

[Rors]

Interesting that SSN emphasising Henderson's rumoured price, and yet when United do the same it's suddenly a "highly rated English defender".

Of course! Manchester United don't make "expensive mistakes". They're Manchester United! We reward them for their courage - it always pays off for them and us anyway! [/Murdoch]

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

I understand what you are saying but fact remains that Liverpool are still paying a huge amount of money for a player who has played just 61 games for Sunderland, and was booed by his fans in the second half of the season.

Interestingly, I came across this paragraph in a Liverpool blog. I have highlighted the part that caught my eye:
The capture represents a perfect example of the players Liverpool hope to bring in. They’re moving away from previous season’s signings of experienced men with little sell on value (Hodgson’s signings last season had an average age of 30, compared to 2011’s signings with an average of 22) to a nucleus of young talented signings with their futures spread out wildly in front of them. Of course it makes sense to implement these types of players, the question should be why has it taken this long for the club to move forward in this way? That’s a different issue though… http://www.thisisanfield.com/2011/06...s-royal-flush/

Anyone find that comment interesting and somewhat ironic in the Arsenal context?

As I say though, we don't know the fee. I'm not going to take any notice of a few boo-boys who will boo anyone for any reason.

I've heard the fee could be £13m + NGog. Which is an epic swindle.

It is probably going to be more than that but it's a transfer for the next 4/5 years. If we win the league in 2015 () with Henderson at the centre then it's a good deal. We will have some Gerrard-shaped boots to fill quite soon. Then again he could be let go for £5m after 3 years. I'd rather take the risk with youngsters, than see other clubs take them.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I understand that paying more for Carroll did than Barcelona did for David Villa seems ludricous but it is worth remembering Valencia were (and still are though not to the same extent) in debt, by a lot, as too are Barcelona. That's not even taking in to consideration as was mentioned previously how much more English players generally cost.