David Owen: Why Financial Fair Play is unlikely to chill the transfer market

What impact should we expect UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations to have on business conducted during player transfer windows such as the one that closes today?

You might think the break-even requirement enshrined in the rules would have a chilling effect, dissuading clubs from splashing the cash on these costly assets.

Actually though I think this will be far from the case. Why? Because of the lop-sided way player valuations are dealt with in corporate accounts, at least in England, where a high proportion of the world’s biggest clubs, measured by turnover, are based.

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