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Manchester City: Aaron Mooy’s transfers show what is best for business

By Kee Min

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 29: Aaron Mooy of Huddersfield Town celebrates scoring his sides fourth penalty in the penalty shoot out during the Sky Bet Championship play off final between Huddersfield and Reading at Wembley Stadium on May 29, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 29: Aaron Mooy of Huddersfield Town celebrates scoring his sides fourth penalty in the penalty shoot out during the Sky Bet Championship play off final between Huddersfield and Reading at Wembley Stadium on May 29, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) /
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Without making a single appearance for Manchester City, Aaron Mooy will be leaving the club for Huddersfield Town. Was his transfer a talent-evaluation failure or a shrewd business tactic?

Aaron Mooy was a sensation in Australia. After being named PFA Footballer of the Year and lighting the A-League up, Manchester City snapped up the Austrailian for a free transfer. At the time, the move was a head-scratching one. Can someone from the A-League really make himself a room in Manchester City? The question was quickly answered.

Man City immediately loaned the new signee to Huddersfield, where Mooy went on to become the 2016-17 Huddersfield player of the year, leading the charge for their promotion. After the season, the newly promoted side splashed out club-record £10m. The deal is supposedly £8m in initial payment with £2m in add-ons. The transfer also includes buy-back and sell-on clauses.

Truth be told, Manchester City never brought in Aaron Mooy as an impact player. Txiki Bergiristain and Co. never expected him to be an impact player. Instead, they saw an opportunity to snap up a young, talented player for free in hopes of making a profit – which is exactly what they did. Mooy found his level at Huddersfield Town and he will thrive there. Manchester City was nothing more than a bridge that linked those two together.

Aaron Mooy is not the only player in the system that serves this purpose. Most recently, Enes Unal made his transfer from City to Villareal for £14m after impressing at Twente last season. The original price tag for him? Just £4.85m. However, Manchester City included a buy-back clause that is in effect until 2020, a trend for all these “for profit” players. Bergiristain is not willing to part with their talent without a backup plan. If they see something in these players that could make them a first-team player in Manchester, they will only have to play a meager sum to bring them back. With profits acquired from transfers, this is a low-risk, high-reward system.

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Some people will undoubtedly cry foul, claiming the system as immoral and detrimental. However, there really is no losers in this system. Manchester City made money, which was their goal. Aaron Mooy found his rightful club instead of rotting on the bench. Huddersfield Town got a proven player at their disposal. In a wonderfully cutthroat world of football business, Aaron Mooy may have found himself in a rare happy ending.

Next: Manchester City: Raheem Sterling must prove himself again