West Brom in transfer dilemma as income source dries up – Finance Expert
West Brom face a tough financial transfer dilemma this summer, according to finance expert Kieron O’Connor.
Writing on his website The Swiss Ramble on Thursday (July 18), O’Connor reported that the Baggies have relied heavily on player sales for income, raking in £67million over the last five years.
However, with fewer valuable players sold last season, the club’s income has dwindled and last term, the only player sold for any “decent money” was Taylor Gardner-Hickman.
Now, it is understood that West Brom must choose between selling players to balance their books or keeping their squad strong to push for promotion.
O’Connor said: “It will be interesting to see whether Albion try to balance the books by making money from player sales this summer or decide to hang on to their talent to boost their chances of promotion.”
West Brom are in a tough financial spot
West Brom are in a real bind right now. Their recent accounts show an £11million loss, a big hit compared to the profits of the last couple of years [Express and Star, April 3].
With Championship clubs allowed a maximum loss of £39million over three years, the Baggies have little room for more financial mistakes. Their turnover dropped by nearly £10million, and with parachute payments from the Premier League ending, it’s going to get even tighter.
Player sales haven’t been great either, bringing in less than in previous years. And, despite recent departures and loans, it’s unlikely to have been enough to balance out the costs.
Staff costs have gone up too, thanks to new arrivals and the sacking of Steve Bruce for Carlos Corberan. A lot of players are also out of contract this summer, so there’s a chance to trim costs, but it might leave the squad thin.
With new owner Shilen Patel taking on the club’s debts, there’s hope things might improve. But, without a return to the Premier League and its financial perks, West Brom face a tough road ahead.
Balancing the books while staying competitive is going to be a real challenge, and the club’s future might hinge on their performance in the upcoming season and whether they can secure that much-needed promotion.
In other West Brom news, Goodman has named the Albion player who is now worth “a heck of a lot more” than he was when arriving.
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