Strapped for Cash

Summer of player exchanges

With the current global economy suffering its worst decline in recent memory, this might just be the summer when football clubs look to player exchanges as a way of improving their squads without huge financial outlay.

Player trades are widespread in the US sporting community with some of the biggest transfers in basketball history involving the exchange of 5,6 7 or even 8 different players in a single deal. However, the notion of player trades has never quite caught on in the football world. The most high profile player swap deal occurred in summer 2006 when Ashley Cole traveled from Arsenal to Chelsea in exchange for then Blues defender William Gallas and £5 million. Three seasons later and its still unclear who got the better of that deal.

Footy Factor looks ahead to a defining 2009 summer and asks the question, what if…

Sign of the times?

…Arsenal’s Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott swap for AC Milan’s Kaka?

…Chelsea’s Jose Bosingwa, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda exchange for Manchester City’s Robinho?

…Real Madrid’s Arjen Robben, Sergio Ramos and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar trade for Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo?

…Manchester United’s Nani and Carlos Tevez switch for Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery?

…Barcelona’s Samuel Eto’o and Xavi trade for Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas?

…Juventus’ Gianluigi Buffon, David Trezeguet and Tiago swap for Atletico Madrid’s Sergio Aguero?

…Inter Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahimovich trades for Lyon’s Karim Benzema?