The Political Economy of Football V2

The cost of Everton's new stadium to replace Goodison Park has escalated significantly. The club still hope to move in by the 2022-23 season, but the cost is likely to be much more than the originally envisaged £300m: New stadium The new stadium is essential if Everton are to re-establish themselves as a top team. They are confident that the cost can be recouped through a naming deal, sponsorship and increased attendances, although whether all these would yield even £300m is questionable. Arsenal found that a stadium move can inhibit investment in the team.

Chelsea had the lowest growth in income in 2017 compared with 2016 of teams have reported so far, figures provided by Kieran Maguire of ThePriceofFootball show. Their income went up just under 10 per cent from £329m to £363m. Leaving aside the special case of Hull City, Everton had the biggest increase from £122m to £171m or 41 per cent. They were followed by Stoke, up 31 per cent from £104m to £136m. But then Stoke's income is under a quarter of that of Manchester United at £581m, up 13 per cent. Manchester City grew by 21 per cent to £473m. Arsenal were up 20 per cent to £424m, £63m more than Chelsea. Chelsea can expect a big growth in income when they complete their stadium redevelopment.

James Gheerbant had an interesting article in The Times yesterday about the growing gap in quality between the top six clubs and rest of the Premier League. The top six are the two Manchester clubs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool. They thus represent just three cities in the country. Birmingham does not have a club in the top flight, despite its claims to 'Second City' status. The Manchester clubs have done a lot for the city's global profile. Gheerbant shows that the big six teams have had a win percentage of 73.6 per cent this season when facing clubs from the rest of the league. It was 64.9 per cent in 2014-15. There is an even starker contrast in terms of goal difference. In 2014-15 the average scoreline in a match between a big six team and a team from outside the big six was 1.86-0.93. This season it is 2.43-0.71. In just two seasons, the average goal difference in a match between a big team and a smaller team has more than doubled, from 0.75 to 1.72. ...

Charlton, owned by Belgian Roland Duchatelet are in talks with two consortiums about a takeover, one Australian and one described as 'British based': Takeover talks Australian interest in the club has been known about for some time. British based could mean a number of things, but most likely it would mean British front men (or possibly participants) with the real money coming from elsewhere, e.g., Kuwait.

Following criticism from fans, Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins has given a long interview to Wales Online: Interview In it he admits that since the American owners they have put no new money into the club, in particular for the player reinforcements needed at the bottom of the table club. The club has had to increase its overdraft. However, he hopes that their commercial contacts will boost commercial revenue. Swansea are not a very attractive proposition for sponsors when they are threatened with relegation.

That question is posed by the £75m signing of Virgil van Dijk by Liverpool from Southampton. It is believed that he will be paid £180,000 a week. Traditionally, it is strikers who have commanded the big transfer fees. To win matches you have to score goals. Moreover, in terms of attracting sponsors, a marquee signing of a striker gives a club a high profile. However, to win matches you also have to avoid conceding too many goals and defensive fragility has been Liverpool's problem. One player won't solve that, but he will provide much needed leadership. Southampton tend to end up selling their best players, usually at a good profit. That gives the club financial stability, even if it puts paid to any hopes of pushing on to the next level. The risk for a solid mid-table club is getting sucked into a relegation battle, and it is a risk that the Saints face at the moment. The price of defenders has been going up over time. In 1998 Jap Stam commanded £10.6m when he went ...

José Mourinho said that Manchester United would have to spend more money to build a team capable of winning the Premier League after yesterday's draw with Burnley. When it was put to him that he had spent nearly £300m on players since joining United at the start of last season, he said: 'It is not enough. City are buying full backs for the price of strikers.' Kieran Maguire of the PriceofFootball has dismissed Mourinho's claims as 'fake news'. He points out that United's spend on both players and wages has been ahead of City over the last five years. The wage bill went up by 12.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2017/18. In the first year of the Premier League in 1992 Manchester United and Arsenal had the same wage bills. Since then United have paid out £413m more and their wage bill has increased by 4,220 per cent. Tony Cascarino, writing in The Times takes a different view. He argues that United do not have many world class players: 'They ha...