Undisclosed transfer fees.....why

[lawrieleslie]

Looking at the transfers in Jan published on BBC footie site the vast majority of permanent transfers have undisclosed fees. Is this some kind of FFP scam/ tax dodge or something because I've never seen so many?

[JetBlack]

I agree. I thought that Clubs have to have more transparency aswell....

[djduncanjames]

maybe the player himself has a say?

[norman conquest]

well that will play holy fuck with the sky sports totalizer

[santy]

Jan 30, 2016 9:14:23 GMT lawrieleslie said:

Looking at the transfers in Jan published on BBC footie site the vast majority of permanent transfers have undisclosed fees. Is this some kind of FFP scam/ tax dodge or something because I've never seen so many?

The usual reasons are down to the ways in which current transfer clauses can have an impact upon things further down the line. An awful lot of transfer deals now are becoming increasingly modular and clause based with future sell on fees and such. It can be perceived as putting a club at a disadvantage if a sell on clause is disclosed in advance in full. A lower league team who everyone knows will get a cut of £1m or so of the next transfer Player Z makes might find everyone asking for a bit more money and it puts them in a difficult position.

Transfer fees are also dealt with as being annual amounts paid across the course of a players contract, so irrespective of what was actually paid out on the accounts a £10m transfer fee for a player on a 5 year contract will show as £2m per season and if the player signs a new contract it then gets recalculated from the point of the new contract being signed. It all gets very confusing, like the season a couple years back when Bet365 had to cover £30m losses on our accounts despite the fact the clubs bank balance rose as it was decided that year (I think it was just before FFP was brought in) there would be a big write down in player values and the club would absorb that 'loss' of money before FFP could possibly be used in anyway.

[stokiejoe]

There is a great example of confusion about fees in our own club. Despite our keep saying Bojan fee was around £500k, the usual £3m gets quoted. The whole thing is confused with bonuses and sign on fees, there ought to be a disclosure in the accounts which declares the overall cost of a players transfer.

[werrington]

It's often used to shaft clubs who have a sell on fee percentage

[baystokie]

Jan 30, 2016 11:17:34 GMT norman conquest said:

well that will play holy fuck with the sky sports totalizer

Very perceptive!

TBH, not sure if I am worried about what's paid I can't influence it in any way and it would not stop me going to games because of it. If PC and Co are happy with the details of the deal, how can I, knowing sfa about those details, take issue. Maybe the club are spending money that would otherwise go to the taxman?

That won't stop fans having their say, nor should it.