The Rise of Analytics in Football Contract Negotiations
At the beginning of July, Arsenal’s left-back, Myles Lewis-Skelly, renewed his contract with the club, being rewarded for an outstanding 2024-25 season. The 18-year-old impressed from his first start in the Premier League against Everton, proving his worth. Amidst interest from other clubs, Lewis-Skelly followed in the footsteps of stars like Kevin De Bruyne and Ben White by hiring the services of Analytics FC.
This company provides players and their representatives with performance data and analysis to gain an edge in contract negotiations. Analytics FC inverts the traditional process, allowing players and agents to present their arguments to clubs through in-depth research and presentations that help them secure better contracts.
It starts with a conversation. Usually, an agent or a lawyer approaches us.
Alex Stewart, CEO of Analytics FC
The process begins with a detailed conversation to establish the player’s needs, followed by a report of between 40 and 80 pages. These reports include research, analysis, and contextualized data, which are presented to the agent and the player to ensure their understanding. Players like Lotte Wubben-Moy have actively participated in the process, asking intelligent questions about the use of the data. After the initial presentation, the report is delivered to the player and the agent, who can use it as they wish.Myles Lewis-SkellyAnalytics FC uses a variety of data providers to build custom models, including a proprietary indicator called Goal Difference Added (GDA), which measures the impact of each player’s action on their team’s goalscoring chances. They also create event-based statistics and use Monte Carlo simulations to model different scenarios. In addition, they offer accurate salary benchmarks.
Reports typically include all the mentioned elements, in addition to custom elements requested by players and agents, or discovered by Analytics FC during their investigation. An example is the case of Kevin De Bruyne, where the GDA was key in the negotiations. Analytics FC was able to demonstrate the player’s value and justify a significant salary increase. Ben White also benefited from a 52-page report highlighting his durability and versatility, leading to a long-term contract extension. Likewise, Alex Greenwood used the analysis to highlight her strengths in building the game and secure a three-year contract extension.
The Analytics FC report was fundamental to Mount’s negotiation, confirming that players trained in the youth academy often receive lower contract offers. In Lewis-Skelly’s case, the investigation into the “loyalty penalty” was updated for the Arsenal defender’s salary benchmarking.
The use of data and analysis is increasingly present in transfer negotiations and contracts. White’s agent, Alex Levack, describes this approach as “going to a duel where both parties have swords of the same size.” Vítor Gonçalves, from the Pro Eleven agency, highlights how they incorporate data into their presentations and negotiations, and points out that specialized services like Analytics FC are leveling the playing field.
Liam Bowes, from OYS Sports Management, recounts the experience of his client, Ricky-Jade Jones, where speed and acceleration data were key in the recruitment meeting with St. Pauli. Chris Atkins, agent of Racheal Kundananji, also recognizes the usefulness of tools like Statsbomb to compare players.
Mladen Sormaz, from Barnsley, highlights that agencies are improving in the use of analytics to support claims about player performance, and predicts that data analysis will become an integral part of effective agencies.
The future of this practice will depend on the attitude of the clubs and economic accessibility. Although cost is a factor, Gonçalves considers them investments. Bowes suggests that, if it translates into more lucrative agreements, it is something to consider. As more renowned players follow the example of De Bruyne and others, this preparation for contract negotiations is likely to become a more common practice in elite football.
