In this most unusual of years, there has been much speculation on how football’s transfer market – one of the most criticised aspects of the modern game – would respond to the financial constraints imposed by Covid-19.

In a world of unprecedented health crisis, economic downturn and rising unemployment, we might expect the wealthy clubs of European football to be mindful of a potential public backlash if they spend tens of millions on a rising 18-year-old starlet. Perhaps the bigger question is whether those clubs can afford to burn through precious cash piles as profits plummet, even accounting for the ability to pay in tranches and a likely reprieve on FFP. As this shorter-than-usual transfer window nears its close, we look into a topic that might become more of a concern for clubs whose ability to spend freely in the player market has been constrained by revenue losses and reduced cash flows: value for money.