JAStewart

Whenever I go to sign a big name player, he usually asks for a signing on fee of around £1.5-3 million.

I do not tolerate this. I will already by paying him millions over the coming years in wages, appearances fees and possible goal bonuses. So what do I do? I simply do not put any Signing on fee. I set it to £0.

And what happens?

I've never had a problem bringing a player with this system. Not only do I keep my £3m, I get a great player too.

Does anyone else find that the signing on fee's do not affect anything?

Ruud Van Nistelrooy 774

I also set most of my signing on fees to £0. All players sign contracts as long as everything else is fine. I only ever offer signing on fees when I think the player deserves it (mainly because they are taking a pay cut) or if I can't take the chance of the player refusing the contract.

amplifierworship

I use signing on fees as a bonus on new contracts.

As you asked about them affecting anything: In 07, I tried to sign Chris Sutton with Swindon, and he wouldn't have it. I offered three 12 month contracts that he rejected, then I offered him a £250k signing on fee on a 12 month contract and he signed despite having no interest in joining the club (he said he was looking forward to working with me as a manager...). My transfer budget for the season was £700k and managed to bag Sutton who scored something like 40 goals and I got into the Championship.

George Graham

Agree with OP.

I was after a player but couldnt afford his wages but I was allowed to offer a signing on fee that more than covered the difference in what I could offer and what he wanted.

So I offered his an extra 200k more than what his total package wouldve been and he came back once again saying that he the weekly wage was too low.

So yeah they dont seem to make any difference as their agents obviously fail to include this in the total value of the package.

Really silly- as the player and agent would earn extra interest with all this money being upfront rather than paid weekly.

Not surprised- after all the transfer side has had issues that have remain unfixed for years.