Clubs have taken up more player trading debt amidst pandemic

Buying and selling players in instalments has been an important part of the transfer market for years, and with clubs being interconnected through these obligations to each other, the consequences of potential defaults are huge.

Moreover, there is an increasing trend of clubs tending towards alternative transfer solutions that do not require large upfront fees. 

Paris Saint-Germain have bought in top-tier players on free transfers, leaving wages as the main financial burden, while Juventus has utilized loans for several seasons now, delaying the ultimate transfer payment.

We have taken a deeper look at the development in transfer debt for 81 European clubs.