Wanyama £11m right price

TRANSFER TALK

The latest reports are that Tottenham are edging closer to an £11-million deal for Victor Wanyama, a figure the Southampton fans got all irate about when I suggested that should be the fee a few weeks ago.

It was an emotional response as opposed to a logical response. When will the masses learn that contract length dictates transfer value, not player ability. If you have three years left on a contract you are at maximum market value. Southampton deem that to be £25-million. WBA deemed that to be £25-million for Saido Berahino.

With two years left that should come down to between £18-million - £20-million and with a year left to the £10-million - £12-million figure. We will often target a player about to go into the last year of his contract, as does every club, to get a player as cheap as possible who raises in value as soon as you have signed him to a four-year contract.

After a season you then negotiate a contract extension to protect your asset value (transfer value) and if it is a young player you'll work them through your wage structure. What you don't want to be doing is immediately paying them top dollar wages as you then have no room for manoeuvre and have to raise your wag structure, which affects every player. You give one something and the rest will all want it.

A deal in principle has been agreed with Wanyama and his representatives. He has made it known he is leaving, Southampton have tried to keep him and get him to sign a new contract. he has refused and played out another year, this reducing his value.

For Southampton the equation is simple, £11-million or nothing. They can sell him now and get £11-million or they can wait a year and see him leave for nothing. Is that a good idea? Ask Marseille, they are in dire financial trouble and threatened with relegation. half a dozen players have left for free in the last couple of years and they are now having to look to survive on loans and free transfers.

The situation may not be as bad in the Premier League but everything is relative. Opponents will overtake you with that approach and that is not healthy. Tottenham fans know how Southampton  and West Ham fans feel, we have been the same stepping stone club that these two are now.

I's the law of nature, the strongest survive, one eats another and evolving to deal with a threat takes time.

---