Leveraging Off The Pitch for smarter player sales

Over the past three years, Aberdeen FC has integrated Off The Pitch’s analytics and financial tools into their decision-making process around player sales – particularly to validate buying clubs' ability and willingness to pay transfer fees at the level Aberdeen believes reflects a player’s value.

A key part of this process involves reviewing a potential buyer’s recent player trading history. Aberdeen uses Off The Pitch’s data to assess whether the club has recently acquired players at or above the valuation level they’re setting for their own talent. 

This not only helps confirm whether the club can reach the expected price point, but also reveals whether they’ve comfortably committed to similar deals before, including insight into the typical breakdown between guaranteed and contingent fees.
 

Balance sheet resilience

Beyond transfer data, Aberdeen uses Off The Pitch’s financial database to assess the overall financial strength and stability of interested clubs. 

This includes analysing balance sheet resilience, profitability trends, and financial sustainability to gauge both the club’s ability to pay and the reliability of any long-term payment structures. 

Ownership context is also factored in, helping Aberdeen judge the credibility behind the numbers and adjust their negotiating stance accordingly.
 

Have added real value

Ownership insight plays a critical role too. Even if a club’s financials appear weak on paper, knowing they’re backed by a credible and well-capitalised owner can provide Aberdeen with greater confidence in their ability to meet payment obligations. This assessment also shapes how Aberdeen approaches the structure of the deal.

"Off The Pitch has become an essential part of our decision-making process, providing the clarity and confidence we need when navigating key financial and sporting decisions. Their data and tools have added real value, and we see them continuing to play a critical role in the club’s success going forward," says
Kevin MacIver, Finance Director, Aberdeen FC.

This approach was applied most recently during the build-up to a high-profile outgoing transfer, where Aberdeen assessed several interested clubs from Spain and Italy. 

By using Off The Pitch’s data, they were able to base their decision-making on verified transfer behaviour and solid financial analysis rather than speculation or incomplete information.