Why Athletic Bilbao’s new transfer strategy could be bad news for the likes of Premier League trio Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea

Why Athletic Bilbao’s new transfer strategy could be bad news for the likes of Premier League trio Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea
Athletic Club have just extended the contracts of Mikel Balenziaga and Oscar De Marcos until 2021, and if youre a Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea or Bayern fan, you should be sitting up and paying attention. Or a fan of any European powerhouse, for that matter.One player is a 30-year-old left-back, the other a 29-year-old right-back, and neither looked likely to go elsewhere any time soon. So why is their extended stay in the Basque city of any significance? Its a reasonable question to ask. The answer can be found in the key detail of the deals they inked.5

Oscar De Marcos is one of a number of Athletic players who excluded a buyout clause in their new contract

The important point is that both chose to exclude a buyout clause from their contracts. Its the third time in less than a month an Athletic player has chosen to do so, following on from Iker Muniain, who extended his contract until 2024 in late November and eliminated the buyout option when doing so.For the last decade, the buyout clause has been the method used by Europes powerhouses to poach Athletics best players, much to the annoyance of their fans. The Basque-only policy at the La Liga side means a large part of their survival at the elite level relies on having a remarkably high success rate at taking footballers not quite considered strong enough for the big boys and turning them into the real deal.5

Kepa Arrizabalaga became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper when Chelsea paid his 71.6m release clause in the summer

But the omnipresence of buyout clauses means that quite often their hard work nurturing players into top class superstars benefits sides in the Premier League, Bundesliga or elsewhere before Athletic can reap the rewards.Athletic dont negotiate, but regardless, Manchester City were able to snap up Aymeric Laporte, Manchester United got Ander Herrera, Chelsea took Kepa and Bayern brought Javi Martinez to the Allianz. In all four cases, the Basque club could not stop them leaving, whether they wished to or not, because the buying clubs deposited fees with the Spanish football authorities that automatically released the players from their deals the clauses in their contracts made that route possible.5

Man City paid a club record 57m for Laporte in January 2018

Without the presence of those clauses, some of the transfers would have been far more expensive. Some may never have happened at all, with big consequences: Martinez for example was key in Bayerns treble under Jupp Heynckes. Laporte will be vital if Manchester City are finally going to succeed in sealing a Champions League title. You get the idea.Thats in the past and the past cannot be changed, but the future can be. If the three recent contract renewals are the sign of a broader change in strategy from Athletic, the knock-on effect will be to the detriment of bigger sides. Comments from Balenziaga upon his renewal suggest others may be considering following the lead: Iker (Munian) has opened up a positive path for the club and for the players. Considering Athletics philosophy, it could be a good way forward in the future.5

Iker Muniain extended his contract in November and eliminated the buyout option when doing so

The real test will be if younger, more appetising players in the market decide to follow the lead of Balenziaga, De Marcos and Muniain. If someone like 24-year-old forward Iaki Williams were to sign a new buyout clause-free deal, then it would really be time to sit up and pay attention. His most recent extension from January 2018 included a record 80m release clause, showing what Athletic think he is worth.Another development the European powerhouses will be keeping an eye on is the upcoming presidential elections at Athletic. The three recent extensions were signed under Josu Urrutia, who leaves his job this month and will not stand for re-election. Will his successor continue down the same road?5

Williams extended his contract in January, but it includes a record 80m release clause

One of the two men competing to take his place, Alberto Uribe-Echevarria, has suggested he would follow Urrutias change of direction, noting that contracts without buyout clauses are a huge advantage and mean that de facto, its practically impossible for an exodus of players to happen.Its a very interesting route that should be developed, he added.The irony is that even if Athletic do move towards eliminating the buyout option from the deals they sign their players to, they will be hoping other clubs in La Liga dont follow suit. The Basque giants are in solid financial condition, and pay excellent salaries to their best players that are closer to the level of teams who make regular European appearances like Valencia or Sevilla, than the other mid-table teams they generally compete with. That makes the San Mams a very attractive option for players who fit the Basque-only conditions and are looking for a move up the pay ladder. Such was the case with Iigo Martnez, who Athletic brought in from arch rivals Real Sociedad to replace Laporte last January. How did they make it happen? By paying his buyout clause, of course.

---

Crystal Palace flop Jairo Riedewald linked with Turkish giants Fenerbahce The 22-year-old is yet to make an Eagles appearance in the Premier League this season By talkSPORT
Jairo Riedewald #44 News, Stats, Photos - Crystal Palace

---

Must Read Liverpool 4-3 Crystal Palace player ratings: Mohamed Salah saves the day but James Milner sees red in scrappy victory » GodGoBless
Mohamed Salah saves the day but James Milner sees red in
sportsalert.org/2019/01/19/mohamed-salah-saves-the-day-but-james-milner-sees-red-in-scrappy-victory/
Mohamed Salah saves the day but James Milner sees red in scrappy victory by an excellent Crystal Palace to secure a 4-3 victory at Anfield. com's Liverpool
Crystal Palace 0-2 Liverpool player ratings: Naby Keita

---

Liverpool news: Joe Gomez returns to training after three

---

Championship round-up: Norwich back on top with Bolton win

---

Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira will serve a three-match suspension after the club's appeal to the Football Association over his red card against Tottenham was rejected, Press Associa
Football news - Lucas Torreira to serve three-game ban after

---

PREVIOUS POST Previous post: Christian Pulisic backs Chelsea to 'work things out' as Blues slump to four successive away defeats
Dubai Fountain: The story behind its dancing waters - Gist

---

'I dreamed to play in the Champions League and one day win it': Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is fulfilling a vision laid out by chairman Daniel Levy in his pyjamas
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino reveals all on BIZARRE

---

West Ham news: Former manager Slaven Bilic says London

---

"Winning will change his life, it will change all their lives. People around the world knew who Jordan Henderson and all the Liverpool players were, but millions more will know about them now
How Jordan Henderson became Liverpool's leader culminating in

---

Arsenal vs Napoli FREE live stream: How to watch without

---

Peter Crouch has been forced to clarify to fans that his new baby boy has not been named after Liverpool striker Divock Origi. Crouch and his wife Abbey Clancy welcomed their fourth child into the
Peter Crouch reveals his baby boy has NOT been named after

---

Why Chelsea shouldn't offer superstar Willian a new deal The Sun has revealed that Chelsea star Willian is unhappy with the deal that has been offered to him by the club, with the winger wanting a
Willian angry with one-year contract deal from Chelsea

---

Transfer news and football gossip: Liverpool forward to

---

I still back Paul Pogba to shine on the big stage - no Manchester United midfielder can hurt you like him. Paul Pogba can have a major impact if he features against Liverpool at Anfield
Paul Pogba : I'm happy at Man Utd, says midfielder - YouTube

---

Alexis Sanchez turns attention away from football to make acting debut in film Trouble Aston Villa could face points deduction in Premier League Man United transfer news live: Rooney wants
Andre Gray makes club-record switch to Watford - Football
footballnote.com/andre-gray-makes-club-record-switch-to-watford/
Manchester United news: Alexis Sanchez turns attention away from football to make acting debut in film Sharing is caring!FacebookTwitterGoogle+PinterestManchester United news: Alexis Sanchez turns attention away from football to make acting debut in film filmstar The Chile international will be hoping […]
Photo: Alexis Sanchez sends personal message to Man United

---

manchester barcelona champions league live streaming
spanish premier league live streaming
football live streaming brazil
football live streaming websites free
champions league live streaming espn
saurashtra premier league live streaming
uefa champions league live streaming youtube
champions league final live streaming espn
uk premier league live streaming
football live streaming app for android
tamil nadu premier league 2018 live match streaming
live streaming champions league napoli vs liverpool
champions league live stream south africa
ajax aek champions league live streaming
watch premier league live stream hd
uefa champions league live streaming free online
champions league semi final live streaming
premier league live streaming free ipad
ten sports champions league live streaming
psl premier league live streaming
nonton premier league live streaming
premier league live stream espn
champions league live stream xbox
football live streaming barcelona vs real madrid
champions league live streaming sites
barclays premier league live stream reddit
champions league live stream juventus vs manchester united
football live streaming arabic
champions league live streaming real madrid vs bayern munich
football live streaming juventus vs genoa
juventus vs manchester united champions league live streaming
darts premier league live streaming
uefa champions league quarter final draw 2017 18 live streaming
free english premier league live streaming - live football online
champions league live streaming websites
football live streaming juventus vs sassuolo
t20 champions league live streaming
football live streaming crichd
tamil nadu premier league live streaming hotstar
champions league live stream juventus vs barcelona
afghanistan premier league 2018 live streaming in india
premier league live stream iphone
football live streaming in english
live streaming premier league rcti
champions league live streaming android
premier league live stream zorro
uefa champions league live streaming youtube uk
premier league live stream manchester united vs southampton
premier league live streaming xfinity
football live streaming mamahd
premier league live stream manchester united
live cricket streaming tamil nadu premier league
caribbean premier league live streaming sony six
football live streaming hd
football l
premier league live streaming ronaldo 7
concacaf champions league live streaming free
champions league final live stream greece
watch english premier league live streaming
shorti i champions league live streaming
kpl premier league live streaming
champions league live stream juventus vs atletico madrid
isl premier league live streaming free
premier league live stream first row
premier league live stream chelsea vs liverpool
football live streaming malaysia
football live streaming mobile free
real madrid vs juventus champions league live streaming
canada premier league live streaming in india
malaysia premier league live streaming
football live streaming japan
english premier league live streaming totalsportek
champions league live stream vip
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online india
champions league live streaming youtube
premier league live stream man city
premier league live stream germany
english premier league live streaming manchester united
#messi #foxsports #Like4Like #Rooney #football #skysports #barcelona #footy #telemundodeportes #ChampionsLeague #salah #manchestercity #championsleague #goals #BayernMunchen #oshawa #laliga #Barcelona #bundesliga #LeoMessi #foxdeportes #footballmemes #durhamregion #likes4likes #juventus #Ronaldo #ronaldo #nike #amrabat #zinedinezidane #sanchez #Futbol #espndeportes #Bale #univisiondeportes #liverpool #beinsports #likeforlikes #Soccer #UCL #realmadrid #europaleague #courtois #fifa #degea #ajaxamsterdam #news #mufc #likeforlike #navas #premierleague #Casillas #amsterdam #meme #transfers #united #433 #beinsportsusa #manchesterunited #futbol #Neymar #hakimziyech #realmadrid #manutd #soccer #england #pickering #CristianoRonaldo #ucl #sports #Ronaldo #toronto #pogba #ajax #fcbarcelona #Football #Messi #futbolmexicano