Graham Potter is so firm in his stance about not discussing other teams’ players that his response to the well-trodden transfer window question has gone viral on social media.
Certainly, the West Ham manager is following football etiquette by not discussing transfer targets and unsettling players, but there is a bigger issue of ‘tapping up’ to be considered.
There is very little grey area in the FIFA, UEFA, and FA rules about unsettling and tapping up footballers contracted to other clubs… it’s not allowed.
The usual course of action is a leaked story to a chosen journalist, followed by a wink and a nudge to see if anyone can speak to the chosen player’s representatives via a third party.
Therefore, it was odd to hear Monaco’s technical director, Carlos Avina, openly discuss how much the club wanted to sign Edson Álvarez.
When C&H spoke to a top club insider about the approach in the transfer window, we were told, “That information hasn’t come from us, we want to keep the player.”
With that in mind, I’m surprised to hear the head of football from Monaco discussing their desire for Álvarez so openly.
“Edson is obviously a player I know very well from my time at América,” Avina said.
“It was an option that we were exploring and pushing. He is doing very well at West Ham, and I think it is no surprise that clubs like us and others want him.”
I don’t expect anything to happen, of course—it rarely does. But that is some pretty brazen twerking from the bloke in charge of transfers in the French principality.
£60million he’s yours lets see them twerk then
But don’t you see the irony here Gonzo? You talk about Graham consistently refusing to talk about other teams players. Then after Graham has attempted to stop leaks emerging from within the club. you go on to say:-
“When C&H spoke to a top club insider about the approach in the transfer window, we were told, “That information hasn’t come from us, we want to keep the player.”