A beginner’s guide for dealing with transfer rumours

So it’s that time of the year again. Rumours fly about, and so do players, agents and our imaginations. The rumour mill gains momentum as the minds of “experts” work on overdrive analysing and interpreting every word managers say; sealing deals that the involved parties who would not have even started negotiating. And when this absolute uncertainty meets anonymity in the internet, the results are often absurd. Cristiano Ronaldo is sold to Wigan and Arsene Wenger splashes 30 million pounds on a new player every other day. Lionel Messi is bought by Manchester City almost every year and remains so until the next time he is spotted on the field in a Barcelona jersey, upon which the source informs us that the player could not agree upon personal terms with the club… Welcome to the transfer window.

The proverb “Say a lie often enough and it becomes the truth” must have had its origin in the football transfer market. Some self-proclaimed pundit of football starts off a rumor based on his twisted interpretation of what the managers/players say and it gets all over the media, much to the annoyance of the clueless manager.

The whole system could be a daunting one to understand for the uninitiated or for those making the switch from the IPL. So for those not accustomed to separating the wheat from the chaff, this is a guide to getting started; to find your way in the endless abyss of rumours.

1. Never EVER google the name of a player besides the name of your club. You will probably find a transfer rumour for just about any combination of player/club you choose. And I literally mean ANY.

Everyone goes everywhere on the Internet

2. Ignore the rumours that do not have/specify a source. Phrases like “An insider has claimed…” and “as per the source who wished to remain anonymous” are your hint to close the window and move on.

3. Not every source is reliable nor is every transfer news site trustworthy. I am not taking names here but those that speculate on transfers without any connection linking the player and the club. When neither side has said anything, it is best to ignore the “news”.

4. Even if the manager or the player’s agent does admit of interest in a certain deal, it does NOT guarantee that the deal is done. So if your club’s manager does reveal interest in a certain player, wait till the player is actually unveiled or you might end up like this:

Van Persie’s jersey reaches City before him

5. Do not tweet or post about signings until both the official club websites have confirmed it. It will save you from embarrassment.

This should get you off into the world of football transfers, for now and on the flip side, just sticking to these guidelines, you can conjure up believable rumours by yourself, that no one has the means to verify/disprove.