The issue of transparency around transfers has been brought up on the agenda in Swedish elite football in various ways recently. Right now, two different processes are underway with the goal that financial details around player transfers will be presented openly in the future.
The one process has been raised by – and among – representatives of the clubs.
Hammarby’s chairman Mattias Fri says in an interview on Bajen’s website that the club has initiated a discussion within Swedish Elite Football (interest organization for the teams in the Allsvenskan and in the Super Eta) about increasing transparency around transfers. The green and whites want to see a common communication model that applies to all clubs in the two highest leagues.
– I think it is important that we find a form that applies to the entire league. It is a work that we are working on with Sef and the Sef clubs. Trying to find such a model, says Fri in the interview on the club’s website.
The Bajen base wants the clubs themselves to ensure that members and the outside world get a correct and fair picture of a deal.
– There is a lot of information circulating that a journalist says that a player was sold for so much and then it turns out to be a lot of truth. We believe there is value in increasing transparency around that.
Fri states that he feels that many other clubs see the same needs as Hammarby and he is thus hopeful of bringing about a change.
For the Football Channel, Hammarby’s chairman clarifies that what the club has so far put forward as an idea within the Sef collective is a system where, in the event of a sale, the transfer amount, agency costs and other deductions are made public so that members can take part in both gross and net amounts.
– It is about our members getting insight into what is happening in our association. I also think it is important that we find a consensus so that everyone does the same. Therefore, we have raised the issue with other Sef clubs, says Fri and continues:
– It will be more effective and fair if we can agree on a format for reporting transfers. What is raised initially are player sales, but that’s because you have to start somewhere.
Fri further explains in detail what he wants to be reported.
– It is partly about what you sell a player for, partly there are deductions in the form of resale compensation to other clubs, solidarity compensation, agent costs.
– When you have a player under contract, you record a contract value as an asset. If you then sell the player during the contract period, you expense the remaining value of the contract. It must also be taken into account before it is reported as the net income that lands in the accounts.
How far has the process progressed? Have you submitted a proposal within the Sef collective?
– We have not put forward any formal proposal, but we have discussed it with quite a few clubs and brought it up with various representatives. So quite far in the process, I think, says the Hammarby chairman.
Why do you want to see increased transparency regarding this?
– There are several aspects. Partly it is about the members having insight into how their association is run and what is happening, says Fri and continues:
– Then there is another part that deals with the reporting of upcoming and possible transfers where there is a huge amount of money. Some you recognize and others you don’t, but it creates an image of expectation that the clubs embarrass sums that may not have a basis in reality.
Free developer:
– Then it is good to state what the facts are. That way you don’t have to spend time explaining it. In general, it is important to be able to see where the money is going. The members should be able to know.
Bajen’s work has gone on in parallel with members of other associations talking to each other and acting on the same topic. Before Malmö FF’s annual meeting, for example, a motion has been received that reminds us of Fri’s position on the issue.
The petitioners want the MFF board to give the members a proposal on how a detailed account of player transfers and agent fees should be designed, and that the board should cooperate with other elite clubs within Sef and produce a national common requirement and framework for how all elite clubs should report player transfers and agent fees.
The soccer channel is also aware that similar motions have been submitted/will be submitted to future annual meetings for a larger number of associations in the Allsvenskan and Superettan. For example, a motion with more or less the same content has been submitted to AIK’s annual meeting, which can be seen on the club’s website.
Today, it is not common for clubs to spend either transfer fees or agent fees in connection with transfers.
Bajen has known about the membership initiative for a while.
– We have a dialogue with our supporter organizations and have seen that there will be similar motions in several other Allsvenskan clubs. So it’s no surprise. I understand, because we do the same basic analysis as those who write the motions about the need for increased transparency.
– Then the motions can address more aspects than what we have addressed so far, but that does not mean that we think it is wrong. But we have chosen to start at the end where we look at sales, because you have to start somewhere, says Mattias Fri.
