THE PERILS OF PLAYER POWER

REFLECTS ON A SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW THAT CAUSED CHAOS AND CONTROVERSY...

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THE summer transfer window set new parameters.

The spending of the Premier League elite topped £3bn for the first time and the British transfer record was smashed twice by Liverpool over the course of a few weeks. The champions spent north of £400m on reinforcing their squad.

Everyone trying to close the gap on Arne Slot's squad also lavished the cash on new players. Even the newly promoted sides got in on the act with Sunderland recruiting 16 new players alone.

For once, it appears unlikely that all the newly promoted sides will be relegated back to the Championship.

The transfer activity was captivating with clubs prepared to pay fortunes to enhance their chances of success. Other players were hastily shown the door to improve the culture of the dressing room or to comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

Rather unfortunately, there was a sinister side to the deals, too - with players prepared to do almost anything to secure moves. Player power is nothing new, especially with the explosion in wages, but it struck new heights this summer. Influenced by agents or not, the behaviour of Alexander Isak and Yoane Wissa was disrespectful to their employers and those supporters who idolised wages.

In forcing their moves to Liverpool and Newcastle respectively, they basically threw their toys firmly out of their prams. The advice offered by their advisors may not have helped them act properly, but these were not impressionable young kids.

They knew exactly what was conjured up to make sure the transfers went through before the 7pm deadline.

Both forwards technically went on strike.

They failed to report for training with Isak returning to his former club Real Sociedad to work on his preseason fitness. Newcastle and their manager Eddie Howe were left firmly in the dark by his actions.