ONLY three Premier League clubs will be able to spend in transfer market this summer, claims ex-Liveprool chief Damien Comolli.
The former Liverpool and Tottenham director of football, has warned there is set to be a drastic decrease in transfer fees and activity this summer.
Ex-Liveprool chief Comolli has claimed only three Prem clubs will be able to spend in the transfer market this summerCredit: PA:Empics Sport
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Comolli was in charge of transfers in his role at both clubs and believes most sides will not have the cash to spend on new signings this summer following the coronavirus crisis.
As the killer virus continues to sweep across the nation there has been no official return date put on the Premier League and many clubs are already struggling to cope with the loss of matchday revenues and TV cash.
Comolli told Sky Sports News: “An agent was telling me the other day, that there are actually only three clubs in the Premier League will be able to spend money next summer in the transfer window,
“I don’t know if this is correct but usually when agents tell you things like this, they usually get intel.
“We might see very little transfer activity, we might see swaps, we might see loans and I think we are going to see a massive decrease in transfer fees and transfer activity, at least transfers involving money.
“The longer this crisis goes on, more clubs are going to be in a financially difficult situation. The first thing that will be impacted will be player remuneration, the second thing will be transfer fees.”
With most sides having nine or ten games remaining, clubs are desperate to finish the season to avoid repercussions with TV companies – that could see them collectively have to pay back a £750million fine.
Top flight clubs are still having to stump up the cash for players’ wages, which are their biggest costs, without receiving any income amid the coronavirus crisis.
According to the Daily Mirror an unnamed Premier League club is losing an eye-watering £9million-a-week and might have to take out a £100m bank loan to cover the potential losses.
A French politician astonishingly predicted that Kylian Mbappe’s transfer value will plummet to just £35million due to the affect the coronavirus pandemic will have on the market.
It comes after reports suggest transfer fees are set to drop with no more megabucks £90m-plus moves.
There is reportedly a ‘tentative’ plan for the Prem to resume in June behind closed doors which will be music to the ears of Prem clubs who are raking in zero income amid lockdown.
The FA is offering both Wembley and St Georges Park – which could potentially be used to stage up to four games a day to make a top flight return happen.
The UK seems to have passed its first coronavirus peak but further waves are expected so the Premier League will have to tread carefully when setting a return date – with the death toll currently at 16,060.
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Most sides are still split over how to restart the season.
Friday’s most recent meeting involving the 20 teams saw one Big Six executive call out the sides who proposed a June 30 cut-off point.
Comolli is an advocate for the season to resume behind closed doors as he believes football will lift peoples spirits amid lockdown.
He said: “There are millions of fans who cannot come into stadiums and will be happy to have something else – at night or during the day – to think about, away from the virus and all the issues they’ve got to think about,
“I think having football on TV would be a positive, personally. I wouldn’t be surprised if we can’t play without any fans until the end of 2020 – not just the end of this season.
“People say we shouldn’t be playing behind closed doors to finish this season, but what about next season.”
Schedules are set to be drawn up on how to complete the rest of the games, as well as the FA Cup, with Liverpool looking to finally claim their first top flight title since 1990.
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