At what stage does a bid for a player count?

[General]

There's talk of a bid being made for Mounie and also the talk of Kalas being mooted to go to Hull over us (although I have seen Kalas like a lot of instagram messages which fans post encouraging him to stay at Fulham)...


I also read an article recently regarding transfers put together by various football agents on the nature of a transfer and at one point they all commented that it was common place for a bid to be made three times in total, with 90% of first time bids being described as 'testing the waters' and falling short.

So, what I want to know, is how with this knowledge included do we go about deciphering news now regarding transfers and bids being put in? There is arguably no knowledge of what number bid we've put in for Mounie and if a player is only at first bid stage and it's made the news then how realistic is the traction on that and the hype that surrounds any bids?

It would explain why some seemingly take so long, especially if you consider that one bid going in, then a second and third wont happen instantly.. they'll require recallibration and updates and then either a simple email across or post that organising a time to meet the player around any existing commitments etc to then talk about terms and expectations and what can be offered.


Also - a semi relevant point - the whole hype around Hull and Kalas - I know it may seem naive but surely the players own interests are what matter more than anything else. If Kalas refuses to go to Hull, then any deal the owners may have becomes completely pointless. I would be suprised if, with Khan having been good with money in the transfer window, we couldn't afford what Kalas commands transfer fee wise.. after all we know he enjoys it here and is a guaranteed first team starter in a league where his prescence alone must cost/recoup a large chunk of that.

[toshes mate]

I do hope we win the battle over Kalas and any or all those we are contemplating as important to Fulham's future.  But it is also important to have a plan B, and, at times, a plan C.

Agents are just one variable in the many involved in the professional football player business, and each variable is a dynamic addition to every other variable.  The media rely largely upon  gossip, the conversations participated in, those overheard, the public relations POV, and comments made by the individuals closest to the action.  The clubs have both informal and formal lines of communication flavoured with relationships of a multifarious nature.  And all of this 'evidence' is conducted in words, written or spoken, involving many languages, many different  nuances, ambiguities and interpretations.  The whole mix of that and every other potential ingredient including the forgotten, misheard, or ignored makes it seem like a game only lunatics would play or watch with any hope of understanding and/or comprehending.

Perhaps that is why Fulham, and many other clubs, tend to be discreet about matters until there is something concrete to offer us.  After all who really wants to know the contents of an overheard snippet of a private conversation taken out of context in a pleasant restaurant between friends trying to have a good, relaxing time?     

[Woolly Mammoth]

Best not to alert other clubs to what our business or intentions are, wise to keep our powder dry, until such times as the target has been recruited. With the Tees 🏌️‍♀️crossed and the Eyes 👁 dotted.

[Andy S]

It's all far more complicated that the newspapers would have you believe
1 discus target
2 Approach Club
3 club puts you in touch with Agent
4 Agent already busy arranges to meet player
5 Agent speaks to player
6 It is long and drawn out with every step having to be discussed with all parties.
It is like buying a house it takes months. We only see what happens on the last day of the window when things might have being on going for months

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

Not forgetting that some players and their agents could be dealing with multiple offers.

[Carborundum]

The house buying analogy is a thought provoking one.  Have found that it's the number of parties involved that brings the complexity.  Two clubs plus player himself equals three parties.  Buying a house often involves three parties - buyer, seller, mortgage company.  Three parties = plenty of scope for confusion.  We did once buy a place from a divorcing couple which meant there were four separate parties and that made for, shall we say, interesting times during the negotiation phase. 

Based purely on house buying experiences, I can see why some players like to run down the contract and do a Bosman.  The house buying equivalent would be doing the deal without needing to be answerable to a mortgage provider.  A man can dream.....

[toshes mate]

Mmm, I didn't think houses had their own vocal/or hidden agendas, preferences and feelings.  Buying and selling a human being with a skill is more like headhunting or job swapping when the 'buying employer', 'selling employer' and 'player' have their own expectations of reward built up on either reliable or unreliable information.

[Logicalman]

It's all far more complicated that the newspapers would have you believe
1 discus target
2 Approach Club
3 club puts you in touch with Agent
4 Agent already busy arranges to meet player
5 Agent speaks to player
6 It is long and drawn out with every step having to be discussed with all parties.
It is like buying a house it takes months. We only see what happens on the last day of the window when things might have being on going for months

I agree with the general sentiment that it's more complicated than the papers make out, but I've disagreed with someone else on here before about the comparison to buying a house. It's like buying a house without the mortgage application, surveys or 90% of the legals. Which doesn't leave very much... something you could do in a few hours if both parties were motivated enough

I would suggest surveys = medicals. In the same way you shouldn't buy a house without a survey as to it's fitness, the same applies to players as to theirs perhaps?

[filham]

Yes it all sounds very complicated and fraught with risk and clubs to spend a lot of time tracking and interviewing agents.
I am therefore always amazes at those deals that see to take place , right out of the blue, on the last day of the window. The ill fated Fulham/Martin deal last August for instance.

[Nero]

it counts when it is accepted by the other club, otherwise it has no meaning

[bill taylors apprentice]

If the player doesn't want to move to a club he has the final say, all the various interests may put pressure on the player one way or another.

E.G. If Hull offer more and Chelsea and his agent insist its best he moves there it ain't gonna happen if he refuses to put pen to paper!

Having said all that Chelsea may threaten to keep him and make him train alone for the remainder of his contract.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

I would suggest surveys = medicals.

I'd suggest the opposite and that's the fundamental point i'm making

due diligence buying a player = medical = 1 hr
due diligence buying a property = endless... = 3 months

This is all very odd.

Remember how Mitroglu not being fit cost us dearly. Is a one hour medical in a multi-million pound investment undertaking due diligence? Bring back MAF's two day medicals.

Legal checks on the deeds and ownership, a survey, local authority checks and conveyancing can be completed in a matter of days if everything is in order. It doesn't require months.

Anyway this is irrelevant because the reason that most transfers at our level drag on and many are only completed near the deadline is because there are people involved: the owner and manager of the player's club, the owners and managers of competitor clubs, our owner and manager, the player's agent and the player, and they all have their agendas and aspirations and often only seem to make up their minds as the transfer deadline approaches.

[toshes mate]

Anything will take a long time if you bring those human elements into it.

The human element is the reason a transfer can take five minutes or five years, as in your magazine purchase example.  Nothing else makes the process more likely to be a smooth ride or a roller coaster or a scenic drive that adds miles and miles and miles to the journey.   Human beings are unreliable, indecisive, and doubting at least some of the time.  At others they are so very eager to get to the finish line they break records.