Will we sign any one major?

[eaststand]

I just can't see it happening. Looking at it from a budgetary side we can afford, under UEFA rulings to make no more than a £60 million loss, which has to be showing a significant downward trend to around £35-40 million two years later. Last season we posted losses of over £120 million, however that included the significant outlays of Samir Nasri (25 mill) & Aguero (38 mill) as well. The telegraph reported our financial 'stats' as;

Turnover £130 million (not included CL TV money)
Loss £120-125 million
Annual Wage Bill £142 million.

On the assumption that Nasri (125k per week) and Aguero (180k per week) and Given (90k p/w) it will add £12 million to the annual wage bill. Despite the increase of probably £80 million in turnover (£25 million for winning the league + £55 million CL money) it's pretty clear why we haven't and probably won't move for any player until at least £12-13 million has been shift off of the wage bill. Even still i think it would be a push to be signing anyone on a massive wage; it's for this reason that i can see us letting De Jong go because i don't think there is any room for a player of his type to be paid over the 110k a week deal he's already apparently turned down.

In reality we, Hughes and now Mancini have been treated to some wonderful transfer window signings but the more i look at it the more i believe that balancing the books may get favoured over nit-picking our squad to perfection. Which means Mancini is going to have to take a real look at his options that he currently has within the squad and those coming back off of loan during the pre-season.

[trautmansdropkick]

I honestly don't think it's as bad a picture as you paint.

Other revenues have not yet been put into the equation stated by the TellyLaff (which has always been anti-City - remember the "City fans to disrespect the 50th Munich Anniversary", for example? For which they have NEVER apologised.
I think you'll find a couple of revenue streams that will come into this Financial Year's Trading Accounts - for example the massive DOUBLE sponsorship we get from Etihad and, in addition, for next season we also have the new major kit sponsorship deal.

We have also had Mansion, EA Sports, Jaguar and Malmaison (etc) all become "partners" since the Tellylaff extracted the above figures.

One thing my 66 years age has taught me is, 'never believe instantly ANYTHING written in a newspaper'. 45% of anytthing in a newspaper is based on the reporter's biased outlook - 45% is based on making stories that give good enough publicity to sell more papers and only 10% (at most) can be considered as truth. Usually the day and date at the top of the page and the share prices as released by the Stock Market with the occasional bit of truth that escapes the the notice of the marketing department of the newspaper.

[jrockblues]

This will (hopefully) be more of a selling window for us. Get shut of some of the dead weight signed on high wages if we can. Can't see us getting much in fees for the likes of Adebayor, Santa Cruz or Bridge but just to get rid would be nice

[blueangel]

Jul 2, 2012 10:03:57 GMT 1 jrockblues said:

This will (hopefully) be more of a selling window for us. Get shut of some of the dead weight signed on high wages if we can. Can't see us getting much in fees for the likes of Adebayor, Santa Cruz or Bridge but just to get rid would be nice

Ditto

[trautmansdropkick]

I think that's a double ditto from most of us. As we bought Adebayor and Bridge and Santa Cruz BEFORE our spending is going to be taken into account for FFP - I'd say just get rid to another club, for free if necessary. Just don't let them go as a free agent and ending up having to pay up a major slice of their remaining contracts.

[eaststand]

I didn't mean that the picture was really that bad. RE; the etihad deal it was set up in order to help balance the books in the long term but initially to pay for the new Etihad campus, the structure of which was £40 million a year for ten years so really we will only see that boost revenues and not actually be able to spend any of it for the first few years. More of my point was that should we sign RVP on a 200k a year deal we will then have the second highest paid squad in the world (annually), second only to Madrid who's mega wage outlay is due to the high percent of fees they take in image rights from highly marketable players like Ronaldo, Kaka and Ozil who earn them a fortune and practically pay their own wages, we however do not have such a structure in place as we don't really have a player, or one that has developed into a Ronaldo type in terms of marketability. Meaning we'd technically have the highest annually paid squad in the world.

I have no doubt in a lot of journo's ability to use certain permutations of opinions/conjecture to suggest whatever they want to the world; however, to 'twist' the financials of the club, of which are publicly assessable, to suggest a club is financially un-viable when the publicly available facts clearly state they are would be the easiest slander case in history. Those stories that are written on 'slow media days' are obvious to pick apart from the rest... Not all media outlets are out to get us, stories can be written based upon fact that do not always portray us in the best of lights.

The article which i was referring to i posted on the previous board taken from the Telegraph and the story itself was actually about clubs operating beyond their means and we were a passing mention under an image that displayed the Revenues, Losses/Profits, Wages Paid & (if any) club debt.

In a round-about way i was saying that this may be a summer to be a little more reserved in the market, go out there and try and find value in both wage out-lay and transfer. There are players out there around the ages of 18-21 that could offer an option initially potentially grow to do more than fill the small gaps in our squad out there that don't have the transfer value ridiculously inflated. On top of that the 18-21 age gap is where we are struggling the most at the moment in terms of youth players which is to be expected with the sudden increase in quality of the first team, so a few gamble signings like that may not be the worst idea. Add to what we've got sensibly with a couple of prospect players and clear out the dead wood.

[nkululekomloyi]

...i think the club needs a bit cream if its ever going to make it into the champions legue....with a lil bit of sacrifices im sure the rewards will be a handfull..

[trautmansdropkick]

I have a crazy feeling in my goolies that we MAY well see Fellaini of Everton on his way. He is the nearest in style to Yaya that I have ever seen