Chelsea squad worth €1.4bn. Rest of Conference League combined? €1.5bn! October 3, 2024 Favourites for the Europa Conference League Chelsea have a squad value of €1.4bn, just €100m less than the other 35 teams combined. The research by TransferRoom also shows the Londoners to be valued at over €1bn more than their closest rivals, Fiorentina. Enzo Maresca’s side are the overwhelming favourites to win the title. The calculations [...]
The new Bosman? Why the Diarra ruling could change football forever October 3, 2024 The biggest changes to the football transfer market since the Bosman ruling could be unleashed on Friday at the European Court of Justice, potentially making it easier for players to walk away from their contracts at will. That is when the ECJ is due to deliver its verdict in a long-running dispute between world governing [...]
FC Barcelona lose £76m after investors default on payments October 1, 2024 Barcelona suffered a £76m loss last year after investors defaulted on payments due for shares in the club’s media spin-off Barca Vision. The Spanish club was forced to write off £117m in the accounts for 2023-24 as a result of the dispute with investors including German fund Libero. Barcelona also lost out on an estimated [...]
FA Cup to increase prize money to offset lack of replays September 30, 2024 Nearly £2.5m extra will be handed out in prize money for this season’s FA Cup in the first year without replays. The Football Association announced last season that the 2024-25 edition of the competition would scrap replays from the first round onwards, causing outrage among many football league clubs who gained financially out of the [...]
Architect of Premier League calls for it to be cut to 18 teams September 29, 2024 The Premier League should be trimmed to just 18 teams in order to tackle the player workload row dividing the game, says former chief David Dein. Europe’s 20-team domestic leagues are coming under increasing pressure to slim down as clubs juggle additional European games and the imminent expanded Club World Cup. France’s Ligue 1 joined [...]
Three charts which show why Manchester United want a new stadium September 27, 2024 Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made renovating Old Trafford or building a brand new stadium one of his top priorities since investing in Manchester United. Ratcliffe wants the club’s home to be a modern, 100,000-seater stadium and has assembled a task force that includes Lord Coe and Gary Neville to shape the plans. The project is [...]
Premier League fantasy football partner Sorare charged by Gambling Commission September 26, 2024 Cryptocurrency based fantasy football game Sorare, an official Premier League partner, has been ordered to appear in court next week on the charge of providing unlicensed gambling facilities to British consumers. The charges have been brought by the Gambling Commission, which first opened an investigation into Sorare in October 2021, and could lead to unlimited [...]
Premier League spent over £45m on legal costs in 2023-24 season September 26, 2024 The Premier League spent more than £45m on legal costs over the 2023-24 football season in an effort to fight alleged rule breakers. The body that runs England’s top flight is currently in ongoing disputes having also concluded proceedings on a number of matters across last season. Everton were hit with two separate points deductions [...]
Ed Warner: A player power reckoning is coming for football and cricket September 26, 2024 Whether or not Rodri truly believes over-worked footballers are close to taking strike action, his comments have certainly had cut-through. Athlete strikes are not without precedent, in football and elsewhere. Think of the four strikes in the NFL’s history plus its owner lockouts, and Argentina’s football strike of 2017. Back in 2001, English footballers voted [...]
Wimbledon fundraiser hits £100,000 after pitch sinkhole September 25, 2024 The fundraiser to help AFC Wimbledon after sinkholes appeared at their stadium following flooding breached the £100,000 barrier yesterday. A £15,000 donation from Newcastle United, who Wimbledon were set to host at the Cherry Red Records Stadium on Wednesday in the Carabao Cup, led the generosity while other donations, including a child’s pocket money, helped [...]