Moyes disquiet at third party transfers

Sep 5 2007 by Paul Walker, Liverpool Daily Post

Manuel Fernandes (158)

DAVID MOYES has expressed his dislike of third-party transfers in the wake of Everton’s failure to land Manuel Fernandes in the transfer window.

The Portuguese midfielder, who had been on loan at Goodison Park last season, opted at the last moment to join Valencia despite having a medical at Everton and assuring chairman Bill Kenwright he would be joining the club from Benfica.

Everton had offered £6million for a 50% stake in the player, who was owned by a third party company, and then they upped that offer to £12million for a complete buyout.

But Valencia offered £10million for 50% at the last minute, and Fernandes moved to the Mestalla with his third party owners still retaining their half share and rights to further deals.

Now Moyes has revealed his personal dislike of the sort of deal that got West Ham into so much trouble over their signings of Carlos Tevez and Javier Masche-rano last season. He said: “I do not think many people are very keen on third-party ownership. We want money to be in the game and go through the clubs, not outside the game.”

Third-party deals are not forbidden in the English game – although clauses in the West Ham contracts allowing third-party control over transfers are outlawed – and many Premier League clubs have players under such deals.

Moyes has been a reluctant participant in such negotiations, insisting that if Everton shun them they will be missing out on talent others will buy.

He said: “We are disappointed the Manuel Fernandes move did not work out. I do not think we are at a disadvantage because of the way third-party deals work in other countries. But I believe we have a very good system here and maybe we should make sure we abide by it very strongly.

“There are very few people in football who would want other people to be owning players. It is very big in South America but something we do not do here. If that is the case, we should all stick to the rules.”