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Vidar Örn Kjartansson (left) is ready for Vålerenga, and coach Dag-Eilev Fagermo is also hoping to land his former Odd student Rafik Zekhnini. On the right Henrik Bjørdal, which is interesting for Vålerenga. Photo: NTB Scanpix
VALLE (VG) Vålerenga went through heavy layoffs this spring, with coach Dag-Eilev Fagermo saying the club was “broke, so it will last” this summer. Now they are showing strength in the transition market.
How can the club afford it? VG challenged general manager Erik Espeseth on the seemingly good morning in Valle, where Icelandic Vidar Örn Kjartansson (30) received a new 3.5-year contract on Friday.
Rafik Zekhnini trains with the club, and the intention is for the Fiorentina player to sign permanently or on loan, and sporting director Jørgen Ingebrigtsen tells VG that they may also be interested in Zulte Waregem pro Henrik Bjørdal ( 23), something both Dagbladet and Eurosport have mentioned. .
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– I understand that some who do not have the perception that we have, may think that it may seem a bit strange. There are good reasons why we can do what we do, Espeseth answers the question of whether there is a disharmony between the player signings and the layoffs that were made earlier this year.
– We have done what we think is right so far. We are a company that pays taxes and fees, and we, like all other companies, must seize the opportunities that are presented to us as a result of the pandemic when the base of work is lost, explains and admits the manager of Vålerenga:
– During the spring and into the summer, we had a shortage in the economy. In June, with vacation pay, it was difficult. But we managed to implement it, says Espeseth.
The most important move that has secured room for maneuver in Valle this summer is that negotiations with Genk over the resale of millions of the Sander Berge transfer of Sheffield United led to progress.
VG has previously written that Vålerenga could expect between NOK 25 and 30 million for the transition, which was between NOK 200 and 250 million. This reflects the resale percentage of around 12, entered when Berge was sold to Belgium in the winter of 2017.
Espeseth does not confirm the sums, but says:
– Releases a series of funds that have meant that we have recovered all permanent employees (from layoffs) as of August 1. We have cut operating costs where we could and have also improved liquidity.
– Did you have to say about yourself money that you really were entitled to as a result of Genk giving you everything now, or were they fine and gave you everything?
– It’s probably not the case that someone is exclusively decent and gives away money without further ado. But the total calculation gave funds upfront immediately and the euro exchange rate was favorable for us. We don’t know if it will be in 2021, 2022 or 2023. I would say both parties agreed to the deal, Espeseth says.
– Aren’t you afraid that this will bite you in the future?
– Absolutely not, replies Espeseth.
HEAD OF VIF: Erik Espeseth. Photo: Gisle Oddstad
Sporting director Jørgen Ingebrigtsen is aware that the signing of Kjartansson will take place without external financial support. And both he and Espeseth emphasize that they don’t blow the salary budget to hijack the coveted tip.
At the press conference on the artificial turf of the Intility Arena, Kjartansson simply answered “yes” if he had better financial offers elsewhere.
– On average, we have sold players for around 20 million in the last five seasons, says Jørgen Ingebrigtsen, who puts the signing of Kjartansson in line with the return of Mohammed Abdellaou in 2015 on the biggest deformation of the club in the transfer market in the last years.
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He refers to Espeseth around the question of why Vålerenga could go from firing on a large scale to showing muscle in the player market, but still says:
– We have clear budget prerequisites to work in sports. So some player logistics has worked in our favor. I think the whole of Norway experiences that the situation is a little different today than it was three months ago, says the Vålerenga sporting director.
– For a company as large as Vålerenga, it would be almost stupid not to use the tool that the state gives us to survive. Nobody wants to be fired, but I understand they used the tool. Standing may be different half a year later, I don’t think it’s that pleasant, thinks Jørgen Ingebrigtsen.
P.S! Vålerenga will earn even more millions of resale during this transfer window, after Chidera Ejuke switched clubs from Heerenveen to CSKA Moscow on Friday.
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