January 30, 2004

Ask Spofi: Football loans - when a player is loaned to another team (a concept that escapes me with my North American sporting familiarity) who is paying his wages - the team he is under contract for or the team he is loaned to?

posted by gspm to navel gazing at 09:19 AM - 5 comments

I can see the benefit of a player going out on loan in that he can get some playing time with a new team that he isn't getting with his own team. But who benefits from a money standpoint? I was wondering this to myself yet again after reading an interview with Ashley Cole where he responded to a question about potentially plundering Leeds players and well:

Are there any Leeds players you wouldn't mind Arsenal smashing and grabbing? Alan Smith is a great player. A lot of sides would love to have him on their team. Paul Robinson is another one, and recalling Pennant [Jermaine, Arsenal player out on loan] would be good. But if I had to pick one, it would be Alan Smith.
So what with Leeds in dire financial straits at this time - who is paying Pennant?

posted by gspm at 09:21 AM on January 30, 2004

It depends - sometimes the club recieving the player will pay the wages, but often, especially when its a premier league club loaning out a youngster to get expereince at a lowere league club, the premier club will still pay his wages. Leeds, as far as I know, were paying the wages of the players they'd got in on loan - Roque Junior earnt £1 million in his 5 months there - so i assume they were paying Pennant, too.

posted by dng at 10:47 AM on January 30, 2004

My assumption was that Leeds were paying Pennant too. Sometimes the two clubs agree to split the wages. These loan arrangements tend to be very ad hoc depending on the circumstances of the two clubs and what the clubs want from the loan. For instance, some players go on season-long loan from which the loan agreement states they can't be recalled. Others can be recalled at a moments notice. Some clubs insist that their loan players can't play against them, others allow them to play. I'm not sure there are many rules involved. It's very much what the two clubs agree on.

posted by squealy at 11:50 AM on January 30, 2004

Hmmm. Thanks.

posted by gspm at 06:45 AM on January 31, 2004

According to the Welsh midget and porn magnate, David Sullivan, there is always a fee involved when a player comes to Blues on loan.

posted by Fat Buddha at 05:02 PM on February 01, 2004

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