Petr Cech’s move to Arsenal has been portrayed as something of a psychological blow for Chelsea, a shift in the centre of gravity of London football across the capital from west to north. However, this article reckons that the deal makes good financial sense – for Arsenal as well as for Chelsea.
Petr Cech’s move to Arsenal has been portrayed as something of a psychological blow for Chelsea, a shift in the centre of gravity of London football across the capital from west to north. However, this article reckons that the deal makes good financial sense – for Arsenal as well as for Chelsea.
Chelsea have secured the biggest ever transfer fee for a player over 32 and the 6th highest for a goalkeeper. They save on Cech’s £100k a week wages. Moreover, because of the way that financial fair play rules work, they can leverage the fee into a larger amount of spending on players.
A broader question that arises is whether goalkeepers are under valued, given that a match can turn on their skills. However, people often remember the saves that weren’t made rather than those that went well. For a youngster being put in goal can be interpreted as a sign that you are not good enough to be an outfield player.