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Keane slams 'mind-boggling' transfer frenzy

The former Manchester United midfielder has slammed the 'mind-boggling' spending of clubs paying huge fees for 'average' players in a historically frenzied transfer window.

Update:
Keane slams 'mind-boggling' transfer frenzy

Mind-boggling

Former Manchester United star Roy Keane has slammed the 'mind-boggling' spending of clubs paying huge fees for 'average' players in a historically frenzied transfer window.

Keane, who now works as assistant to Republic of Ireland coach Martin O'Neill, has been shocked by some of the sums paid by Europe's top clubs since the end of last season. French giants Paris Saint-Germain have led the way, forking out a staggering 222 million euros for Neymar and preparing to invest heavily once again in Monaco's Kylian Mbappé.

New records

In the Premier League, the spree has set a new record for a single window as the 20 top tier clubs splashed out over 1.25 billion euros. Manchester City splurged over 220 million euros, while 12 teams broke their transfer records.

Keane is astonished that players he regards as mediocre are being given lavish contracts after making big-money moves.

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Peter PowellEFE

"It's mind-boggling, the figures that are out there - especially for the average players. If ever there was a time to be a professional player it's now. Average players are going for 40 million euros. My goodness," Keane said on Tuesday.

"I don't really analyse it too much, but that's the market place at the moment. There aren't many top players out there. The really big players are going for big money and it's filtering down now. When average players are going for 30-40 million euros, it does make you scratch your head. But if the clubs are prepared to pay that, then it's not the players' fault".

Billions

Keane played alongside stars like David Beckham Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Ruud van Nistelrooy, as well as Cristiano Ronaldo, who cost Real Madrid 90 million euros when he left Old Trafford eight years ago. Asked what Van Nistelrooy would cost now, the 46-year-old replied: "Ruud would certainly be worth in the market now probably a billion".

"David Beckham?". "A billion". "Ryan Giggs?" "Two billion".

Asked further how much he himself might cost nowadays, Keane was more modest and referenced the then British record fee United boss Alex Ferguson paid to sign him from Nottingham Forest in 1993.

'£3.75 million, I think,' he said with a smile.