Instant return on investment

For Dutch second-tier club Roda JC Kerkrade, maximising transfer revenue and opportunities to sell or release players not part of their first-team plans is crucial, especially with a limited budget.

They have previously relied on market information from a limited network of clubs and agents. But, seeking a way to get real-time data and market needs from the world’s biggest global community of club decision makers and Trusted Agents, Roda joined TransferRoom.

Capitalising on an initial trial period, Technical Director Rob Servais was now able to pitch players and understand the transfer market needs of more than 700 clubs in over 100 leagues. 

Very quickly, Roda were getting lots of interest in their players and made contacts in markets they had struggled to reach before, leading to the transfer of Terrence Douglas to NK Istra in Croatia.

“Once we recognised that we wanted to release Douglas, who was on a rolling contract, we pitched him and immediately got a message from NK Istra in Croatia,” Servais says.

“Soon I got a call from their Technical Director. We kept in touch and eventually we negotiated a bit. He got in touch with the agent and we reached a deal.

“In the case of Terrence Douglas it really helped us because we reached a market we would usually never be able to reach. 

“That's what is making TransferRoom very interesting for us, to reach the markets that are not in our reach usually.

“You have to be proactive and keep on pitching players if you want to move them on. That's what we did and that's how we got in touch with several clubs and different players".

Roda’s success on TransferRoom didn’t stop there.

Proactive pitching key for Roda

Within two weeks of the Douglas free transfer, they sold forward Dylan Vente (pictured, top right) to Hibernian FC for €900k after the Scottish Premiership club declared interest to Roda on the platform.

Hibernian gained instant return on investment as Vente produced a goal and an assist on his debut against Swiss side FC Luzern in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

And Servais says TransferRoom has formed a key part of their plans when it comes to outplacement of players in particular.

“TransferRoom is a platform that is used to generate information from the market, as well as trying to release players or sell players or get players on loan,” he adds.

“For outgoing transfers, TransferRoom is a really important tool, especially for getting access to markets we usually cannot access.”

And with such a quick turnaround for their business through world football’s marketplace, what is his advice to clubs on how to make the most of TransferRoom in the final few weeks of the transfer window?

“Be proactive, keep on pitching your players, be active on the platform, and get in touch with clubs,” Servais says.

“I really feel that the personal touch you have with someone, when you speak to someone on the phone, it really makes a difference and gives a connection. That makes doing business and finalising deals much easier.”

It's not the first time that a Dutch club in the second tier has made TransferRoom an integral part of their transfer plans. FC Den Bosch joined in the previous season and PEC Zwolle renewed and upgraded their agreement on the platform as they recruited smartly to win promotion straight back to the Eredivisie.

Roda have been joined by TOP Oss, NAC Breda, FC Eindhoven in the latest influx of clubs from the Netherlands to become members of TransferRoom, gaining direct access to the world's biggest network of football decision makers.