Friday Ramble: The Inside Story of Deadline Day
Late deals for Kyra Cooney-Cross and Melvine Malard added some spice to what otherwise would have been a quiet day for most...
That was certainly a Deadline Day.
In the end, it wasn't really any busier than any other in the past, with only five teams doing business, and Manchester United the most active.
But because of the nature of two big deals coming relatively out of the blue that would go down to the wire, this was in many ways different to previous final days of the window.
While Tottenham's move for Martha Thomas and United's own moves for Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Irene Guerrero and Gabby George were known at least a day in advance, their loan move for Lyon's Melvine Malard and Arsenal's powerplay for Kyra Cooney-Cross were not.
The whole transfer window is about knowing who your best contacts are. If Manchester United are doing something, who is your best contact there? Once you know the player, who is your best contact for them? Or their club? Or even just the country?
All journalists have various different contacts and relationships, hence why you will see some people regularly break news for certain clubs and other journalists for other clubs.
It's also about knowledge. While nothing was expected to happen with Cooney-Cross this window as of Wednesday afternoon, I continued to follow up with people I knew would be closely involved if something did materialise, and that led me to getting the scoop on Arsenal's late bid.
As of 3:25pm on Wednesday, I received a message saying nothing was likely to happen and Hammarby's demands were too high for a player with three months left on her deal.
At 9pm, I got a message from the same person saying she was coming to the WSL.
I didn't know the team, but again, knowledge. Man City weren't active, Chelsea I'd been told had pulled out of the race some weeks ago and United had moved on to Guerrero. That left Arsenal, who were also known to be desperate for a midfielder, so you start nudging and nudging to push to get it out there.
People are always retiscent to name clubs when providing information, but I always tell them - to their surprise - that if I don't write it, someone else will be chasing the same story.
That was proven to be right when Arsenal writer Tim Stillman also got whiff of the deal in the morning, and we agreed to write a joint story, which we hastily had to push after it became clear the deal was also leaking in Sweden.
Quelle surprise.
But on Deadline Day you have to be across everything. I also knew Brighton were trying to bring in both Nicky Evrard and Sophie Baggaley, with the latter relying on Tullis-Joyce joining United, and that deal went through later than it should have.
Then there was the final plot twist. I set my alarm for 7am on Thursday to get up and get some bits done before the day really kicked into action, only to receive a message at 6:57am saying United were going for Malard.
I don't know her agent, but fortunately I knew an agency with close contacts in France, and I also text somebody I knew at Lyon who confirmed the discussions were happening. Two sources, at both ends of the deal?
Time to tweet.
I'm always very careful never to say it's done, because until the player is on Twitter holding up a shirt, it never is. But we can inform, like when I got told Cooney-Cross had landed in London at 9:30am.
I didn't get a chance in the chaos to provide all the detail, but Arsenal made multiple bids in the last few days, as many as five, before a fee was agreed on Wednesday evening, with her agent in Sweden for over 48 hours negotiating between the two parties.
I understand the fee was significantly higher than the £140,000 rumoured, but it was a price Arsenal were prepared to pay for a player to avoid an auction in three months, safe in the knowledge their big money bid for Mary Earps would fall on deaf ears, so remaining budget when towards the Australian.
At that point, it's a waiting game. Malard's deal materialised even later than Cooney-Cross's, with the player also flying in on Thursday morning. Malard had made it clear she was looking for game time, and fortunately for her a prominent agency in France was working with United on the Tullis-Joyce deal, and hooked the two parties up.
Malard needed games, United wanted a versatile forward. It became a quick perfect match, but with the clock against them to get it done.
At 12:30pm, I got confirmation Malard was having a medical, so time to catch up on other bits. At 1pm, I got a message to say Tottenham would be done after Thomas was announced, and then it was all quiet for a few hours as I got on with othe things.
At 5:21pm, I got a message to say Cooney-Cross was having her medical, and then it was all quiet with everyone involved rushing to do the deals rather than be pestered by a pesky journalist!
Then came the uncertainty, which lasted right up to the deadline. As a writer who had broken both stories, it's a nervy time. You know everything you've said until now has been factually true, but it never looks good if neither deal goes through.
At 7:40pm, I got a voice note suggesting Malard would go close to the deadline, as would Tullis-Joyce as United ironed out final details with both clubs, including an option to buy in Malard's deal with Lyon.
At 8:30pm, Cooney-Cross was finalising personal terms, but all the paperwork had to be drafted, signed and sent to various parties, same with Malard.
Fans possibly don't appreciate the amount of paperwork involved in transfers, with both clubs, agents and players having to sign everything off before it's sent to both federations for approval, as well as into the FIFA Transfer Market System.
Clubs don't have the staff of men's clubs on a deadline day, and unlike in the Premier League there are no deal sheets, meaning clubs can't get a two-hour extension.
The reason for that is unknown to many.
At 9:55pm, I was alerted to their being issues with the Cooney-Cross paperwork and the deal would go close, while Malard was in a similar position. At 10:20pm, confirmation came of Tullis-Joyce, which meant Baggaley - who had been in Brighton all day and done all her media - could be confirmed by the Seagulls, who had around half an hour until the 11pm deadline.
At that point, I left it, knowing everyone involved was too busy, too rushed and too stressed to talk to me. At 10:59pm, I had no idea if either deal had gone through, and had serious doubts either would.
Hence, stress.
At 11:04pm, I got the final message Cooney-Cross was done and had been sorted three minutes before the deadline, and not until 00:23am got a similar message about Malard, which had gone to around a minute before the deadline, but both had been done.
Hence, relief, and tiredness - after being told Arsenal would actually announce Cooney-Cross that night.
Cheers, Arsenal!
Check out over 100 more unique stories in WFC’s Premium section, available for just £45 for 12 months, paid in one go, or a £6 a month rolling subscription.
All subscriptions come with a 7-day free trial to allow you to explore our full archive.
Plus, guarantee you everything that is to come over the next 12 months…
Answering your Questions
@natalie_17
Why did United not go big for KCC?
They certainly explored it, but it was a lot of money, especially for a player whose market value would be heading south in three months time, and conversations were had.
Everyone has a budget, and United were also accutely aware of their need to strengthen other areas, and a big money move off the back of Geyse would have hampered them in getting Tullis-Joyce, George, Guerrero etc, and that's before you start thinking about all their wages, and Miyazawa too.
Will Kerolin join in January?
United have done the groundwork, which is generally important to players. Kerolin knows how much United want her, her national team teammate and friend has gone there, which I'm sure will play a part, especially if Geyse has good things to say.
But, she's in demand, and will be more so in January, so United may have to enter a free for all, so there's zero guarantee right now.
Who's going to win the league and will United get into the groups of the UWCL?
I still think Chelsea. I know it's boring, but they're the strongest, they've recruited well and have that winning experience. I do believe all three of City, United and Arsenal can push them if the circumstances allow though, so hopefully it's close.
Re: UWCL. It will be tough, having drawn PSG, but probably better than Wolfsburg. Katoto is still injured and they’ve been in a bit of disarray lately, so who knows? But it will be tough.
@KELS_SWAN
Do you think that United's deals will be enough for champions league? I'm worried that a big turnover will mean it'll take a while for the team to gel together and may impact early performances (or will the quality of the signings smooth that over?) Two questions in one sorry!
There is always that worry. United have a tough start, similar to City last year and it can be hard to catch up on. No teams have had a huge amount of pre-season time to get going, but Villa too at least have had players away, so they too have been affecte across the off-season, as too obviously have Arsenal who is United's second game.
I think the style of play will change, which may take some time to get used to, with an attack now comprising of different styles and profiles like Geyse, Miyazawa, Malard etc, so it will be interesting. I certainly think in the long-term it will make United stronger though.
@Thundercats_UK
Okay, what is your feelings, should managers if they can't be trusted to look after their respective players health (both mental & physical) have that taken out of their hands, and a rule or law be put in place, that players can't play in competitive games after a major tournament?
I wrote about this last week and don't see why clubs should be punished for success. This isn't just about one team, there were various sides affected in the UWCL by having players at the World Cup and having qualifiers 18 days after a major final is ludicrous.
Clubs shouldn't be put in that position, there needs to be more care between FIFA, UEFA and all the federations to not just look after their own agendas, because they're the first to then come out and speak about player welfare when they're doing little to help.
There's plenty of room in the calendar and the first round of qualifiers could have easily been a week or two later with some common sense.
What you’ve missed
Please consider a paid subscription to get FULL access to the whole site and keep supporting this level of unique women’s football content.
This Substack is fully dependent on the WFC community, that's how this works, and the more people who pay, the better this can become and hopefully I can continue to provide you, the readers, with genuinely unique and in-depth women's football content.
It takes time and effort to put together content on here every week and what’s still to come, and it can’t be done without your support!