register to 888sport
888sport time:

Featured Sport News

Player power on the rise

Author: Brandon Barker
Date: 03/08/2009

It is often an adage that contracts mean nothing in modern-day football. The ability of players and agents to manipulate their clubs in a bid to manufacture transfers is greater than ever, as demonstrated at the summit of the Premier League this summer.

But is 2009 the summer that player power finally reigns supreme?

Cristiano Ronaldo has epitomised the notion of player power. The Portuguese superstar has finally forced his way out of online favourites for the Premier League title Manchester United, 12 months after Sir Alex Ferguson begged him to stay.

Real Madrid's £80million man tried to engineer an exit from Old Trafford last season, but was temporarily prevented from doing so by the Red Devils boss.

Despite residing at a club that has won everything the sport has to offer, Ronaldo could not wait to get out of Manchester and appeared to have an agreement in place with Ferguson to go this summer.

The move seemed to be agreed months in advance, as the winger registered the trademark 'CR9', his initials followed by his new squad number, at the Bernabeu. It is a sign of changing times when a single player is able to influence the decision-making at a club as large as the size of United.

And the situation down the East Lancs road is not too dissimilar, as Xabi Alonso is thought to be close to securing a transfer away from Liverpool to join Ronaldo at Madrid.

A summer of whispers and nudges has culminated in Alonso handing in a transfer request and could be presented in a white shirt within days.

Rafael Benitez is one of the most independent, outspoken and defiant managers in the business, but is thought to be powerless in his attempts to keep the play-maker on Merseyside once his valuation of the player he so desperately wants to keep is met.

Who will recover better from the summer departures? - Latest Football Betting

The arrivals at Manchester City could be considered as products of player power, in particular Gareth Barry and Roque Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz overpowered Blackburn Rovers by leaving Ewood Park. A good first term was quickly forgotten by an inconsistent second season with Rovers, though the Parguay international has not opted to repay the faith shown in him by the Lancastrians.

And Barry was allowed to leave Villa as they did could not offer Champions League football. It's a strange decision, since the Citizens cannot, either.

Barry has claimed he left Villa Park for footballing reasons, but turned down the chance to join title-chasers Liverpool. Money talks, and so do Premier League players.

online betting