Among the incessant transfer tittle-tattle is an attempt at a scientific valuation of players from the Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) Football Observatory.
It has produced an algorithm that has been based from analysis of up to 2,000 previous transfers over the past seven years including the performance of both players and employer clubs, international status, contract, book value, contract terms, age and position. It claims that since 2013, its valuations have been 80% accurate, although admits difficulty factoring in subjectivity.
So here are a few relevant valuations published mid-June 2017:
Sanchez 95.9 euros – £84.4m
Mbappe 92.6 euros – £81.5m
Lemar 62 euros – £54.5m
Xhaka 50.7 euros – £44.6m
Bellerin 56.5 euros – £49.7m
Lacazette 55.6 euros – £48.9m
Mustafi 54.1 euros – £47.6m
Mahrez 51.8 euros – £45.5m
Ozil 51.1 euros – £44.9m
Fees for Alexis Sanchez have been widely quoted at £50m, £34m under the CIES valuation while Mbappe have gone over £100m, £15m plus more.
Of note is the valuation on Arsenal’s big purchases last season, with Shkodran Mustafi up £12.6m in a mixed season, and Granit Xhaka rising nearly £15m in an even more mixed season. Not sure how Aaron Ramsey would feel being valued at £17.39m.
Much is being made of Arsenal potentially busting the £7m/yr wage increase allowed under Premier League rules – if the club stumps up the current wage demands of Sanchez and Ozil. Some press go as far as saying nine players could leave. Considering the potential £7m difference can be made up by commercial activity and player sales, probably somewhat of an exaggeration.
Lee Dixon has an interesting point of view on potential Arsenal transfers, particularly as nearly all the focus has been on offensive players, as Wenger would say. Speaking on ITV, the former England international said: “I think centre-back with the new three-man system, that’s an area they need to strengthen. Whether Shkodran Mustafi is the answer I’m not so sure.
“A central midfield player, a holding central midfield player that is at the standard that will do that job. They haven’t got one of them at the club at the moment.”
Wenger meanwhile has concerns over VAR, not the region in Southern France, but Video Assisted Referees: Speaking on Arsenal Player, he said: “At the moment I would [use VAR] for offside and goals allowed or disallowed, but keep it as simple as possible.
“It would sometimes allow the linesmen to let the game go – they would be encouraged to be a bit less protective of the defenders if they knew that if a goal was scored you could come back to see if it was offside or not.
“The penalty decision I’m not 100 per cent convinced about because even if you watch it 10 times on video and have 10 specialists in the studio, five might say it’s a penalty and five might say it’s not.”
Back to Huddersfield, and the Yorkshire club’s decision to sell season tickets for just over £100, a pledge the chairman made seven years ago.
The offer is for fans who held season tickets throughout his chairmanship thought to number 4000. They have options – a £99 reduction on the season ticket, a £110 voucher for the club’s shop or a donation to the club’s charity topped up by the chairman. A breath of fresh Yorkshire air is sweeping through the Premier League.