The source of funding for Steven Gerrard’s transfer war-chest has today been questioned for the first time in the mainstream media.
With only Lee Wallace falling off the wage bill eight first team players have been added with £4m paid out in transfer fees, the bulk of that on Filip Helander
Scottish football appears to have no interest in Financial Fair Play allowing all sorts of strange accountancy tricks to keep the lights on and support a challenge to Celtic.
The £3m fee for Helander will probably be paid up over 24 months but adds further stress to a company who are almost wholly dependent on ticket money for survival.
Accounts for Gerrard’s first full season have still to be published but a loan from Close Brothers and denying Sports Direct the retail money will have to be paid one day, perhaps sooner than some think.
With no sign of any incoming transfer money the company seems to be at full stretch with a preview of the domestic battle producing one memorable and unanswered question from the Daily Record:
Meanwhile Rangers fans can have their love affair with Stevie G, the great redeemer for them after half a decade of absolute mediocrity and worse.
Their board are backing him to the tune of millions from God knows what magical money pot but if Celtic get to nine this year and can see the hallowed 10 glowing on the horizon? Wholly unacceptable. He may not survive it.
The magical money pot will be boosted this month by four home friendly matches and two Europa League ties, season ticket money is already starting to dwindle.
Making the group phase of the Europa League will take it to seven pay-days plus a £5m bonus from UEFA, if Gerrard fails to achieve that he may face the same fate as Ally McCoist in 2011 with Sports Direct and Close Brothers replacing HMRC asking awkward questions.
