The average squad budget in League Two is now £1million, according to Barnet chairman Tony Kleanthous.
Speaking to their supporters association, Kleanthous says their budget is around the £750,000 mark and that they will have to sell players to try to compete financially with other clubs. He also says they were £250,000 over budget last season due to having to bring loan players in and falling gates.
Kleanthous acknowledges that highly rated pair John O'Flynn and Albert Adomah, both with a year each left on their contracts, are likely to be sold to 'maximise their value' before they can walk away for nothing next summer, with his words echoing the Bulls' management team sentiments on Toumani Diagouraga:
Albert is a lovely boy, but he's ambitious and he's going to want to move on. So either we provide him with the opportunity to move on and he helps us maximise that, or we get nothing. I could say to Albert 'You know what, Albert, I'm going to make you play for Barnet for another year because that's what your contract says', and he'll have to do it. But then after a year he'll leave here, we'll get no money, he'll say nothing but bad things about the club, he'll bad-mouth us to everyone, his agent will never bring another player to this club again, and anyone who talks to him will never come near this club again.
So let's be realistic. Let's accept that actually the only way we get these players is because we give them the opportunity to play and to move on with their careers. We'd all like to get millions for every player, but there is a balance. It's all about getting a return for the club that allows the club to continue competing and bring other players in, and at the same time giving the player the chance that they agreed with you when they first came that you would give them.
The full interview, along with a discussion on the problems with the colour amber, can be read here.