Wayne Rooney joining Perth Glory? Nah mate. The really important (and all together more factual) transfer story to come out of last week was Mathew Leckie's proposed move to Borussia Moenchengladbach.
The whole issue has resurrected the debate about when exactly the right time for a player to leave Australian shores is.
More than once we've seen 'the next big thing' go overseas, only for them to be loaned out to some Danish 2nd division club and/or return to the A-League - although Socceroos coach Holger Osieck's recent comments regarding the quality of the A-League show that this isn't necessarily a block on the road to national team call ups.
There are a number of factors to consider here:
1. Is the player ready? Personally and in terms of the level they're at football wise. Will they get game time?
2. What will the club get for the player? Inevitably, it won't be that much - especially for a struggling club like Adelaide. The longer they wait, the more he'll depreciate in value. If he moves on a free transfer, they'll get nothing.
3. Would they be better off waiting? A good few games at the U-20 World Cup and it might be more than just Borussia Moenchengladbach lining up for his signature.
So what could happen to Leckie now that he has decided to move clubs?
The Bruce Djite - After failing to get off the ground at an overseas club, a return to the A-League as a high profile signing (although probably earning less than they would in Europe) with a guaranteed starting berth is on the cards. Good for the A-League, but not as good for him.
The Nathan Burns - A similar player to Leckie, who moved at roughly the same age as he is now. It took him a while to secure game time at AEK, but after a successful season on loan at Greek 2nd Division club Kerkyra, the dream of playing regular European football is a bit closer. As we saw at the Sydney Festival of Football, he's in a good setup and surrounded by quality players.
The Dean Bouzanis - Move to a big club in Europe. Struggled for game time. Play with the reserves. Go out on loan to a lower league side that's (arguably) of far less quality than the A-League. Wait for your turn.
The James Holland - Also, a comparable type of player to Leckie, the fast, young attacker's much hyped move to Dutch Eredivisie club AZ Alkmaar has been altogether rather unsuccessful, with only a handful of reserve side appearances to show for it.
The Matthew Spiranovic - A high profile move to a European club that started off well - an appearance in the German Cup final, no less. Injuries and problems breaking into the first team squad have resulted in a loan move to the J-League which, while more fruitful, doesn't provide the quality of football the Bundesliga would.
In the end, it's all a matter of luck. While Socceroos such as Rhys Williams and Tommy Oar have made successful transitions to European football, for every one that does, many have failed.
When a top tier European club comes knocking, it's difficult to refuse. Hopefully, for Mathew Leckie's sake, it allows him to develop into the quality player that's already shining through.
