It's the financial rules driving that

Tielemans signed on a free so £35m profit. Manzambi on five year contract so only book £10m of fee thus a £25m profit for a younger player with more potential.

Struijk also free so similar maths.

Even if they hadn't been free and had just been there 3-5 years then the amortisation of their value would have made these deals still make sense.

Same Brighton selling van Hecke (whose amortised value near nil) and buying Vuskovic (who spurs also booked a good profit on, more than covering the first few years of VAN hecke's fee.

Posted By: Kangol Canary, Jul 18, 09:24:55