Already, the money that has turned European soccer into a worldwide cultural phenomenon is starting to dry up. We cannot yet know quite how severe the fallout of the pandemic will be, not least because we do not yet know quite how long the pandemic will last. Soccer does not exist in isolation, though; it is just as vulnerable to the economic tides as any industry. And then you take a glimpse at the transfer market, and it is as if nothing has changed. The clubs of Europe’s five major leagues have spent the best part of $2.5 billion in transfer fees alone already this summer; player salaries and agents’ fees are on top of that.

Source: New York Times September 11, 2020 12:56 UTC