Kevin De Bruyne’s groundbreaking use of data to negotiate his contract renewal with Manchester City in 2021 has changed the game for football players. By leveraging the finer details of his performance data, De Bruyne set a new standard for player power, showing how players at the top of their game can use data to improve their bank accounts as well as their reputation within their clubs. What makes the Manchester City star’s case unique is that he negotiated without the help of a traditional football agent, instead relying on two respected lawyers and a team of leading football analytics service providers, including Analytics FC, who provided him with their signature service. This groundbreaking use of data analysis helped solidify his value to the club he has helped make the current Premier League, European, and world champions. 🇧🇪📊 When De Bruyne was negotiating a contract in 2021 with Man City, he decided to use several football analytics softwares to provide his own stats.He presented his own data to the club, without an agent, to show his value which earned him the deal, reports @TheAthleticFC. pic.twitter.com/bf0zYpe1E6— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) January 3, 2024 As the January transfer window opens and club representatives return to the negotiating table, we can expect similar conversations to follow this month. With more and more high-profile players in the Premier League approaching the end of their contracts, negotiations are becoming more complex and drawn-out. One reason for this complexity is the growing number of clauses being inserted into contracts, while another is the increasing number of players becoming free agents. Running down a contract and moving to a new club without the need for an expensive transfer fee is appealing to both players and their representatives, as it boosts their chances of larger wages and increased negotiable fees. In mid-2023, several high-profile free transfers were completed, with Ilkay Gundogan’s switch from Manchester City to Barcelona being the pick of the bunch. Elsewhere, Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha chose Galatasaray as his favoured option as a free agent despite having multiple other offers to consider. Players such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, N’Golo Kante, Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and James Milner all left their clubs after their contracts ended. ##NAJAVA_MECA_7778201##Departments in Premier League clubs are now increasingly focused on data analytics, with specialists bringing insights to the table. Senior figures responsible for contract renewals have seen a spike in how data is presented to them through player agents and representatives, although most of it is already publicly available. Players are using stats more often when deciding on their next move or to show why they’re worth signing. Greater access to data suppliers and platforms such as Opta, StatsBomb, Wyscout, and FBref gives players much more knowledge about their individual performance and how it compares to others. When Martin Odegaard recently became the highest-paid player at Arsenal after extending his contract until 2028, it was easy to highlight his importance in the team through goals, assists, and a clear outperforming of another metric: his goals minus xG, which showed a figure of plus five in the 2022/23 season. Similarly, Marcus Rashford had no trouble identifying the key strengths he offered Manchester United on the back of his brilliant season last year. During the period that negotiations over a new contract were progressing, Rashford had scored more winning goals than any other player in the Premier League and ended the 2022/23 season with 30 goals in all competitions – the most by a United player since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down as manager in 2013. Senegalese midfield sensation is the one to keep: Pape signs new long-term dealOllie Watkins at Aston Villa and Hwang Hee-chan at Wolves also used their impressive performance data as bargaining chips in their contract negotiations. As the use of data continues to grow in football, we can expect to see more and more players using it to their advantage. It’s an exciting time for the sport, with players and clubs alike leveraging data to secure better deals and achieve greater success on the pitch.
