By Joe Donnohue
Of all 98 clubs in Europe’s top five leagues this season, 87 of them (incl. the other 19 Premier League sides) have broken their transfer record more recently than Newcastle United.
Seven clubs in the 2018/19 Premier League have a lower record transfer fee than Newcastle.
However, Newcastle have spent more Premier League seasons in the top flight (23), than the other seven clubs combined (18).
Six of those seven clubs broke their record as recently as 2017 or 2018.
17 of the 20 Premier League clubs contesting the 2018/19 season have broken their transfer record in the last 25 months.
Newcastle last broke theirs 155 months ago (August 2005).
Of the ten European clubs to have not broken their record since before Newcastle, six won a major trophy two seasons prior to/after breaking their transfer record.
(*Note*: Roma are expected to break their transfer record should they sign Malcom (€40m) from Bordeaux in the coming days.)
1998 • Inter • ?
1998 • Lazio • ? ?
1999 • Lazio • ? ?
1999 • Parma • ?
2000 • Lazio • ? ? ?
2001 • Nantes • ?
2001 • Strasbourg • ?
2001 • Roma • ?
2002 • Roma • ?
2002 • Parma • ?(6/9) pic.twitter.com/55gkFQKl5p
— Joe Donnohue (@JoeDonnohue) July 22, 2018
The point here being; clubs who were very successful during this period (1998-2002) had increased spending power. Therefore the likelihood of them breaking their current record in recent years is lessened because of the premium fees paid at the time of their success.
The transfer records still held by Real Betis, Internazionale and Lazio were all world record transfers at the time they were made.
- 1998 – Denílson – Real Betis – €31m
- 1999 – Vieri • Internazionale -€49m
- 2000 – Crespo – Lazio – €55m
Another transfer window appears to be coming and going with Newcastle stuttering through their transfer business.
This is the 26th (!) transfer window in a row where Newcastle United have failed to purchase a player for more than the €25m paid for Michael Owen in 2005.
Just want to make a point. The fees negotiated for Mbemba and Mitrovic would be higher if Mike Ashley wasn’t playing silly buggers with the transfer kitty. Everybody knows Rafa has to sell before he can buy, and buying clubs clearly are now taking advantage of the urgency of the situation.
Point 2. Rafa knows full well that his agreement of a new contract with the club holds the key to the kind of money Mike Ashley wants to sell the club for. Ashley knows this hence his attempt to blackmail Rafa into signing a new deal by withholding transfer funds in the meantime. Personally I think Rafa will eventually sign a new deal, but will only do so at the end of the 2018/19 season when big Mike will have no option but to give Rafa EXACTLY what he wants. 😀 😀 😀 In the meantime, it just means that we all have to hope that Rafa’s miracle-working with a non-existent budget can keep us in the Premier League for another season. Fingers crossed. Howay the Lads. In Rafa We Trust.
BennyTheMag(Quote)