Club Brugge is the richest club in Belgium, but the people of Bruges also live on the edge. They have to sell annually and reach the Champions League to make a profit. CEO Bob Madou spoke in the podcast The Clocks about the need for the current transfer system to continue. That is why they are concerned about this in Bruges and the surrounding area.
There has been a slight panic in football due to the ruling in the Lassana Diarra case. As a result, the transfer system will be scrutinized. Madou hopes that not too much will change, because that is crucial for Club Brugge.
Club Brugge is waiting anxiously
“The transfer model is very important not only for Club Brugge, but also for many large clubs. For Club Brugge this is essential in our model. If Club sells out its stadium and if we attract the very best sponsors in the country, and the turnover in terms of food and drink are good, and we play champions and play the Champions League, then Club Brugge still makes structural losses without transfers because you have to put together a core to be at the level in Europe and win the title in Belgium,” he revealed .
He hopes that there will be changes in the regulations. “Added value on transfers is a structural part of our club model. I hope that FIFA can adapt its regulations to bring it into line with European law.”
Closing a solid gap
Perhaps Spain can serve as an example. “If this system is completely thrown overboard, the entire football pyramid will collapse. I hope this will become clear soon. A fixed amount in the contracts? That is indeed possible, in Spain for example they do that. There has to be a solution.”
It is therefore clear that Club Brugge must close a gap of 40 million euros annually with income from transfers and European funds. That is a risk, because two or three bad years can quickly have major financial consequences. Just ask Anderlecht and Ajax, who previously had the same policy…
