Whilst we could try and buy now business is generally slow outside of loans. Once we get past the festival period teams:
1) have a better understanding of where they really are this season. Are they actually in the automatic promotion picture? Are crowds/sponsorship/cup performance below was budgeted for? You have more sellers by January than in October/November.
2) cup runs tend to be over so teams aren’t holding onto players for the hope of a money spinning cup tie or fear that any replacement will be cup tied
3) the busy festive period is over so clubs not holding onto squad players to cope with lots of games in a short space of time.
4) contracts will be running out and minds start to turn to next season. If someone is offering you £25k for a player who is off in May it is that little more attractive end of January than start of November.
5) that player who got off to a strong start and scored lots of goals early on you’ve had a chance to watch several times since and gauge whether it was a flash in the pan or if their game has actually gone up another level. Equally players who got off to a slow start at a new club - did they just need a bit of time or has their new club decided that they’re not for them after all?
6) Waiting until January lets you properly test the full market so you don’t sell your starlet below market value. Maybe your price tag was a bit too optimistic and when there’s no other offers in January you’re willing to accept what you turned down in October.
