Transfer market ‘dead’ as Chelsea in league of their own

THE transfer market is “dead” because no Barclays Premiership club truly believes it is capable of overhauling Chelsea, according to leading football business analyst Professor Tom Cannon.

This summer Jose Mourinho has already spent £8million on left-back Asier del Horno, £21million on England winger Shaun Wright-Phillips and the Chelsea boss is still haggling with Lyon over Michael Essien's proposed £30million move.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has complained that every club has to wait for Chelsea to act before they can enter the transfer market and bid for a player.

But Cannon believes the real truth is that Wenger and Alex Ferguson recognise their respective sides have weaknesses but feel there is no purpose in spending big money because Chelsea will win the title anyway.

"The issue is: 'How much do you spend to stay where you are?"' Cannon explained.

"No-one in the Premiership can see a way of changing the power blocks. Most assume that Chelsea will win the championship next year because no-one can spend enough to catch them up.

"Every team at the top of the Premiership has a fundamental weakness that in previous seasons they would address and spend money on.

"But why should they spend at the moment, because neither Arsenal nor Manchester United see any threat from below or an any opportunity above."

Manchester United have been cautious in the transfer market signing Park Ji-Sung and goalkeepers Ben Foster and Edwin van der Sar while Arsenal are in the red after selling Patrick Vieira for £13.7million and signing Alexander Hleb from Stuttgart.

Liverpool have been busiest of the leading sides, forking out on Peter Crouch and goalkeeper Jose Reina but they have something real to play for fourth place and the profits of Champions League qualification.

"If you take the clubs below like Everton, Newcastle and Middlesbrough, none of them can see any way of getting into the top bracket of teams," said Cannon.

"One area where things might change is in the bottom three places where teams are battling against relegation."

Charlton boss Alan Curbishley has been busier than most in the transfer market but even he has complained that the "domino effect" which usually exists has been absent because there is so little movement at the top end of the market.

If the big guns can feel their top-three position is suitably threatened they may be jolted into entering the transfer market.

"A good run for Tottenham, who are building a handy squad, Everton or Liverpool and suddenly the teams behind Chelsea in second and third become extremely vulnerable and the cost structures of Arsenal and Manchester United demand Champions League football," said Cannon.

"Both teams have weaknesses and if a team like Liverpool can come close at Christmas you will find the position changes.