In search of a gold mine: The Great Football Migration

June 25: It's the beginning of the buying season. And they come with a huge price tag. They are tough and strong and can make a lot of difference as they step on the football pitch and play for their respective clubs. The latest buzz in the world of professional football clubs is who buys whom? Which club benefits the most from a whopping transfer deal is what matters to the club managers.The new season is all set to start, but before that the football enthusiasts can hope to catch a lot of action off the pitch with their famous footballers moving from one club to another. The 2007-2008 transfer window has already kicked off in style and the transfer fever is in full swing.
The famed football migration happens every year where renowned footballers embark on one of their crucial journeys of their career and importantly caught up with a dilemma. Should I stay or should I go?
The Brazilian forward Kaka commands so much of power in his foot that if he were to migrate from his current Italian side to the preying Real Madrid, he would have dethroned the former French King, Zinedine Zidane as the costliest ever transfer in the history of professional club football. A whopping and impossible $127 million was offered for the steal. But Silvio Berlusconi is too smart to let go off the most priced jewel of his club. Zidane's transfer shocked the world when Juventus was paid $92.8 million and the record still stands. Nevertheless, Zidane definitely can't Bend it like Beckham.
The most popular footballer on the face of the earth, David Beckham was reportedly offered a mind-numbing $250 million in salary for a five year contract when the England midfielder recently moved from Real Madrid to the American club, Los Angeles Galaxy. This move almost amounts to Beckham getting $1 million a week, an extraordinary fee.
Even if Real Madrid could have succeeded in getting playmaker Kaka for $127 million, the European club could not have matched the financial standards of the offer made by LA Galaxy to Beckham.
Beckham has been on a roller coaster of a performance last year. After a poor showing during the 2006 World Cup, Beckham lost his place in his national team. But Beckham wouldn't quit. After a superb display at Real, he was recalled to the England squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers. And he proved that his crosses are still the best.
So what is it that makes him so popular?
His popularity actually comes in from his star status. And that is what makes the club owning him go gaga over 'Beckham'. The footballer lives a life of a celebrity, thanks to his wife Victoria Adams, popularly known as Posh Spice of the 'Spice Girls' fame. Importantly, Beckham sells. Beckham endorses a wide range of products. His image has given him the status of a fashion icon. In fact, his off-the pitch appearances are essentially used to sell the club's image. On his recent debut for LA Galaxy on July 21 in California, Beckham came on as a substitute in the 78th minute of the exhibition match against Chelsea. Interestingly, the channel relaying the match specifically allocated one camera, out of the 19 cameras used, to track the American club's high-profile signing.
In June 2003, Real Madrid bought him from Manchester United for $41 million. Considering that Beckham's performance had declined since his signing, what actually made the club buy him? It was his magical foot but more importantly the money he would bring in to the club. With big brands like Adidas and Pepsi pouring money on him to endorse their products, the club's income almost doubled from $260 million in 2002 to $515 million in 2004-2005.
Back in India such whopping transfers remain a castle in the air for Indian footballers. For Indian footballers and clubs, crores or millions (1 crore = 10 million) may still seem extraordinary sums of money. Indian footballers are transferred from one club to the other with single or double figures in lakhs of rupees offered to the players. In a country where cricket is religion and big commerce, it will be a long way when football players make it big.
With Beckham and Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid early this year, the Spanish club must be desperate to bring back its lost charm. The club has already signed former Barcelona striker Javier Saviola for a four-year contract.
Former Arsenal striker, Thierry Henry has signed a four-year contract with Barcelona for a transfer fee of $32.29 million. And former Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres has signed a six-year deal at Liverpool for a club record of $ 40.30 million.
Throwing huge transfer money to players has been the preserve only of clubs with deep pockets and whose proprietors are willing to spend. With more moolah flowing in, it looks like the most beautiful game in the world is turning out to be the most expensive one as well. And footballers have undoubtedly become the new rich sporting sensations.
All eyes will be set on who becomes the highest paid footballer in the summer of 2007. Kaka is almost out of contention. But the clubs will continue to hunt for new cubs. And the costliest transfer might be on its way as the migration window closes on August 31.