If the story about Vazquez to Arsenal is true, transfers are in real trouble

By Tony Attwood

This is a continuation of our regular update on all the players tipped to be in the pipeline for an Arsenal signing but the tale behind one of them, Lucas Vazquez, has caused a little bit of interest among those who study such matters.  And this because if the story is right, then it could be affecting the whole fabric of the transfer system.

And I say “the whole system” because if it is true in relation to Arsenal, it is going to be true in relation to many other clubs as well, and it would suggest that a large number of transfer rumours can never result in actual transfers because of “do not sell” clauses.

So here is the story…

Arsenal are said to have put in an offer worth around £31m for Lucas Vazquez of Real Madrid.  This is one of those deals that the media is getting very excited about and AS in Spain say it could be pushed through in a matter of days.  In the UK, Football Talk and other blogs have also reported this tale.  Sky Sports, although an unreliable source, is a fractionally less whacky monger of rumours and they say we are engaged in talks.  Shoot among many others has carried the story adding that we are now in discussion with the player.

But – and this is the key point here – Sports Lens says that Tottenham have blocked Arsenal from making a move.  Apparently (according to the site) after Bale went to Real Mad a “do not sell anyone else to Arsenal” clause was added to the contract and so Real Mad can’t sell any players to Arsenal.  There may be a time limit on the clause – we don’t know – but it could be in place for as long as Bale stays at Real Mad, or indeed for 10 years.

But let us pause and consider this issue of Tottenham putting a “no player to Arsenal” clause in a sale contract.  It would be illegal if such a deal were signed between two clubs in England, because it would be classified as a restraint of trade clause, and that cannot be done.  Indeed I suspect it is illegal under EU law – but for this illegality to be established one of the two clubs involved (Real Mad or Tottenham H) would have to come clean about the deal.  And if the contractual clause does exist, neither is ever likely to do that.

And because they rarely get found out, restraint of trade clauses are not that unusual – for there is no case to answer unless the employee (or in this case another club) makes a complaint.  And in a case like this, the players may never know.  After all it is not their contract which contains the clause, but a contract between the buying and selling club.

Yet if this is something that has happened in the deal between Real Madrid and Tottenham, there are three issues arising.  First, how would Tottenham enforce it, if Real Mad decided to sell a player to Arsenal, second how many other such deals might now exist, and third how many other clubs are indulging in this sort of thing.  In short, could it be that a lot of the deals that Arsenal try to make are met with an absolute “no”, because the selling club has already reached a “no deal with Arsenal” arrangement with Tottenham, or indeed Liverpool, Man City, Man United or Chelsea.

Indeed it could be that many of the major clubs are doing such deals.   Real Madrid could quite possibly be putting “no deal with Barcelona” clauses in many contract of players they sell on.   Chelsea might be adding “no deal with Man City or Liverpool” and so on.

It would need someone within a contract department of a club who leaves with a grudge, and then retires from football, to spill the beans.   That is going to be a difficult combination to find, and I suspect we will never know.  But to me it looks exactly like the sort of thing some clubs would do.

As to what would happen if a club signed such a contract and then broke it (for example, Real Mad having agreed the “no deals with Arsenal” clause, and then selling a player to Arsenal) it is likely that no one would reveal the clause in the contract, but simply, Tottenham H would stop even talking to Real Mad.

But the rumours go on and on.  Football 365 say we could have Vazquez by next week.  Daily Star says Monday!  Team Talk says the talks are on!!  Talk Sport says this coming week.  Team Talk, Sports Mole and Sports Report all say the talks are ongoing.  The Daily Star quoting the “outlet” ABC (a likely tale!) say everything will be revealed on Tuesday.  Sports Mole have the talks as being very advanced.

And on and on and on.   Everyone has it.  But if it doesn’t happen, well, it might just be because of that agreement between Real Mad and Tottenham.

 

 

20 Replies to “If the story about Vazquez to Arsenal is true, transfers are in real trouble”

  1. That is a rubbish report, arsenal bought ozil after Tottenham sold Gareth bale to real Madrid, if there is a clause as u said the deal will not got through then

  2. I don’t know if there is such a clause but we got Özil one day after Bale went to Madrid.

  3. It is of course all speculation, and if there is such a clause in some contracts it may have come in as a result of us getting Ozil. The theory there is that Tottenham were outraged that as a result of their selling Bale (a weakening of their side of course) Arsenal were able to get Ozil (a strengthening of Arsenal’s side. Clearly both deals were negotiated by Real Madrid at the same time, and, the argument is, Tottenham want that sort of situation never to happen again to Arsenal’s benefit.
    Certainly at the time I think Tottenham supporters were in some dismay that their team was being weakened and Arsenal’s strengthened as part of the whole three way transfer arrangement.

  4. Who is Vasquez and in what way could he improve our team?

    Silly question, some might say, but surely the improvement of the team is the whole point.

    As aw said many times, he would not buy anyone who was no better than who already have.

    Another observation, in that we have heard absolutely nothing from or about ue since the Europa final.

  5. Vasquez? I hope its only a rumour.. Iwobi , Nelson are better.. you have ziyech, Fekir for less than 30..Wtf is wrong with this scouts that we have, and Emery also.. You blind? Stupid? I dont want to see anymore of this Vasquez shit!! And fucking sell Xhaka!!

  6. The other thing about this is that in relation to the Bale and Ozil transfers is that there is a certain amount of confidentiality in negotiations, (yes even in the modern 24 hour news age), and this would imply that before you bought or sold any player to any club, you’d have to have a list of who they were potentially buying and selling and who to. Can’t see that it would ever be that formal … on the other hand we all know certain clubs do deal with each other on a regular basis … Liverpool and Southampton spring to mind … but I suspect that’s probably more about personalities within the clubs and the way players are developed in common …

  7. Don’t blame Untold for these names – we’re just having a laugh at the media that report this nonsense. Remember on average only 3% of all transfer rumours come to fruition.

  8. Tony

    Back in 2001, Lazio signed Gaizka Mendieta for £28 million pounds from Valencia. There was a clause that Lazio must not sell Mendieta back to Spain in two years (practically, it was anti-Barcelona and anti-Real clause) or they’d have to pay additional £7.5m. Mendieta had been one of the best European midfielders for two years and people at Lazio didn’t think anything would possibly go wrong so they accepted the clause.

    However…

    Lazio got into a major financial trouble after their owner’s milk business started to collapse. To make things worse, Mendieta turned out to be (and to this date, I still see him that way) the worst pound for pound transfer ever made. So, they loaned him back to Spain after just one year, to Barcelona, with an option to buy so they could cut their losses. Valencia didn’t like it and insisted that Lazio would have to pay a £7.5m heavy penalty for returning Mendieta back to Spain within two years. Two clubs reached an agreement, however, so that Lazio could loan Mendieta to Barcelona. Barcelona didn’t use their option as Mendieta went to Middlesbrough on another loan before making a permanent move to Boro on a free transfer.

  9. Also, it was not a transfer but Liverpool inserted anti-Arsenal clause in Roberto Firmino’s contract as his release clause was set at £98m for all clubs but Arsenal.

  10. Really I think the technical team for arsenal is crazy, We they sign Fraser and Zayech are enough in the midfield why are they interested in Vasquez.

  11. GuunerB, although I would clearly put less faith in “reports” than you seem to, you sound like a top scout with your intimate knowledge of footballers and your informed observation of the apparent failure of Arsenal scouts. Albeit that your judgement of Arsenal’s scouts is based on flimsy rumours, I would nevertheless be intrigued to know which top clubs you’ve worked with thus enabling you to reach such conclusions about both our scouts and the players you mention.

  12. What a revelation to learn the anti-Arsenal drusade is not only limited to the PGMO and the media. But also extend to some of Arsenal 5 top PL rival club sides who apparently are doing everything in the books unlawfully that includes going into secret accord with other top League club sides locally and externally to stop Arsenal from signing any players at some local and external top League club sides who they want to sign and who have no direct link with any of Arsenal rivals 5 PL clubs. What a classic subversion and undermine of Arsenal by some of the 5 top PL club sides which us Gooners are witnessing to our disbelieves and amassements that’s obviously intended to stop Arsenal from winning the PL title again after they last won it in 2003-2004 season.

    Notwithstanding this wicked action against Arsenal, the current Arsenal hierarchy bosses must sit up to not accept this unlawful player signings ban act cleverly imposed on Arsenal restricting them to sign the players they want to sign by some of their top PL rival club sides. Notably by Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and possibly Man City. For, I think Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd are known to have carried out players transfer deals between themselves to the extent of even seen a swap transfer deal happened just a season and half ago between Arsenal and Man Utd. And a top PL club Chelsea did facilitate an Arsenal top quality player signing in Aubameyang from BVB to go through by signing Olivier Giroud from Arsenal. From the looks of things, Arsenal cannot take Gareth Bale on loan this summer if they want to take him because of the illegal accord between Real Madrid and Tottenham that will scuttle such a transfer loan deal.

    In the main time, why wouldn’t Arsenal if they want explore the possibility of another swap deal between Arsenal and Man Utd to happen this summer that will see our 22 PL goals scorer last season Aubameyang swapped for Romelu Lukaku of Man Utd in a 2 players swap plus cash deal paid to Arsenal by Man Utd if it’s true they want Auba’ this summer. But no payment by Arsenal should be paid by them to Man Utd because Aubameyang is currently ahead of Lukaku in regular League goals scoring and transfer market fee payable. Right now at this stage in the transfer market, I think Auba’ is worth £70m to sign which can go up to £80m around the transfer deadline day.

    Arsenal need more money in their summer transfer kitty in addition to the money they have in it to conclude their signings of Kieran Tierney, William Saliba, Wilfred Saha and still do a senior top quality striker signing this summer. Getting £20m plus Lukaku from Man Utd should help Arsenal moving close to sign the trio of Tierney, Saliba and Zaha after they might have gotten Lukaku plus cash on a transfer swap deal. I think with these four deals, if Arsenal conclude them this summer, they should be done in the transfer market for the incoming transfers this summer. What should remain for them to conclude as well this summer is the outgoing transfers from the club.

  13. What a revelation to learn the anti-Arsenal crusade us Gooners have been seen happening is not only limited to the PGMO and the media. But also extend to some of Arsenal 5 top PL rival club sides who apparently are doing everything in the books unlawfully that includes going into secret accord with other top League club sides locally and externally to stop Arsenal from signing any players at some local and external top League club sides who they want to sign and who have no direct link with any of Arsenal rivals 5 PL clubs. What a classic subversion and undermine of Arsenal by some of the 5 top PL club sides which us Gooners are witnessing to our disbelieves and amassements that’s obviously with the intention to stop Arsenal from winning the PL title again after they last won it in 2003-2004 season.

    Notwithstanding this wicked action against Arsenal, the current Arsenal hierarchy bosses must sit up to not accept this unlawful player signings ban act cleverly imposed on Arsenal restricting them from signing the players they want to sign by some of their top PL rival club sides. Notably by Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and possibly Man City. For, I think Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd are known to have carried out players transfer deals between themselves to the extent of even seen a swap transfer deal happened just a season and half ago between Arsenal and Man Utd. And a top PL club Chelsea did facilitate an Arsenal top quality player signing in Aubameyang from BVB to go through by signing Olivier Giroud from Arsenal. From the looks of things, Arsenal cannot take Gareth Bale on loan this summer if they want to take him because of the illegal accord between Real Madrid and Tottenham that will scuttle such a transfer loan deal.

    In the main time, why wouldn’t Arsenal if they want explore the possibility of another swap deal between Arsenal and Man Utd to happen this summer that will see our 22 PL goals scorer last season Aubameyang swapped for Romelu Lukaku of Man Utd in a 2 players swap plus cash deal paid to Arsenal by Man Utd if it’s true they want Auba’ this summer. But no payment by Arsenal should be paid by them to Man Utd because Aubameyang is currently ahead of Lukaku in regular League goals scoring and transfer market value fee payable. Right now at this stage in the transfer market, I think Auba’ is worth £70m to sign which can go up to £80m around the transfer deadline day dealings.

    Arsenal need to have more money in their summer transfer kitty in addition to the money they have in it to enabled them conclude their signings of Kieran Tierney, William Saliba, Wilfred Saha and still do a senior top quality striker signing this summer. Getting £20m plus Lukaku from Man Utd should help Arsenal to move close to the signings of the trio players: of Tierney, Saliba and Zaha after they might have gotten Lukaku plus cash on a transfer swap deal. I think with these four deals, if Arsenal conclude them this summer, they should be done in the transfer market for the incoming transfers this summer. What should remain for them to conclude as well this summer is the outgoing transfers from the club.

  14. @Samuel,
    At 4.32 and again at 7.09.
    The repetitive forwarding of your latest post is beginning to pall.
    I shall ask Tony to block your offerings should you persist.

  15. Let’s try translating SAA’s last paragraph into Swedish-ish:

    Arsenallen needden to havenn morenn monenny in deirren soommenr transfennr kittyttyen in additionnen to der monenny deyyen havenn in it to enablennd demmen conclooden deirren signingsngsen of kierannen tiernenny,’lliam saliba, vilfrend saha and stillllen do a seniorren toppen qualitytyen strikennr signingngen dissen soommenr. Gettingngen &poundnden;20m ploossen lookaku frommen mannen utd shouldlden helplpen arsenallen to movenn closenn to der signingsngsen of der trio playennrs: of tiernenny, saliba and zaha afterren deyyen mightghten havenn gottennn lookaku ploossen cashshen on a transfennr swappen deallen. I dinknken vidden desenn fourren dealslsen, if arsenallen conclooden demmen dissen soommenr, deyyen shouldlden be donenn in der transfennr markennt forren der incomingngen transfennrs dissen soommenr. Whatten shouldlden remainnen forren demmen to conclooden as vellllen dissen soommenr is der outgoingngen transfennrs frommen der cloobben.

    Or, perhaps Swedish-Chef (Bork! Bork! Bork):

    Ersenel need tu hefe-a mure-a muney in zeeur suommer truonsffer keetty in iddeetiun tu zee-a muney zeey hefe-a in it tu inebled zeem cuncluode-a zeeur signings ouff KEEeruon Tierney, Villeem Seleeba, Vilffred Seha und still du a seniur tup quoeleety striker signing zees suommer. Getting £20m pluos Luokekuo frum Muon Utd shuould help Irsenel tu mufe-a cluse-a tu zee-a signings ouff zee-a triu pleyers: ouff Tierney, Seleeba und Zeha iffter zeey meeght hefe-a guttee-a Luokekuo pluos cesh oun a truonsffer svep deel. I zeenk vit zeese-a fuour deels, iff Irsenel cuncluode-a zeem zees suommer, zeey shuould be-a dune-a in zee-a truonsffer merket fur zee-a incumeeng truonsffers zees suommer. Vhet shuould remeen fur zeem tu cuncluode-a is vell zees suommer is zee-a ououtguing truonsffers frum zee-a cluob. Bork Bork Bork!

  16. A very intriguing premise , if it be true . And even more audacious if it is fake. Someone has put a lot of thought in this one.
    Unlike some of the above posters , who have apparently not used their brains.

  17. A man kills a deer and takes it home to cook for dinner.
    Both he and his wife decide that they won’t tell the kids what kind of
    meat it is, but will give them a clue and let them guess.
    The kids were eager to know what the meat was on their plates, so they
    begged their dad for a clue.
    The dad said, “Well, it’s what mummy calls me sometimes.”

    The little girl screams to her brother, “Don’t eat it!
    It’s an ass hole!

  18. @Brickfield That was vintage and gave me my 7 chuckles. Refreshing diversion from the usual

    @Samuel If your posts weren’t so long in the first place, would go unnoticed. Better to add a line or two rather than 4 paragraphs

    If this stories were true, it certainly shows the how anti Arsenal a number of clubs are. Still, I’d rather go for Ziyech who seems keen on coming to Arsenal

  19. Or Tony, maybe Tottenham haven’t weren’t able to buy players last year because arsenal put anti-tottenham clause somewhere. No?

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