“It’s quite simple, the clubs want TransferRoom”

That was the message from Øystein Neerland, Sports Manager of Norsk Toppfotball (NTF), after the body that oversees the 16 teams in the Eliteserien and 16 in the second-tier Obos Ligaen, committed to TransferRoom for the long term.

Norway is developing more and more talented players, and they are now being sold for their true market value thanks to clubs’ ability to widen the number of buyers who are aware of them.

Expansion of market access has resulted in a significant number of multi-million euro transfers to international clubs on TransferRoom in the past year alone, among these Emil Bohinen to CSKA Moscow and Erik Botheim to FC Krasnodar. 

Neerland explained: “Many of our clubs work on the platform very regularly and have had success in the transfer market. For Norwegian clubs, especially the smaller ones, it’s difficult to get direct access to European football clubs. 

“TransferRoom has been a very effective system to keep in touch with decision makers in clubs and a very effective way to put players on the transfer market. It’s updated with live, real time information meaning you can meet your squad needs quickly.”

A handful of Norwegian clubs have been on TransferRoom since the platform’s inception, but since the league deal was first signed in 2020 there has been an incredible 240% increase in interest of Norwegian players from foreign clubs.

Added to that, and including the 2022 Winter window, there has been 20 times more transfers involving Norwegian clubs than before the league wide-deal, meaning Norway is outperforming its European peers and sits in the top five on the continent for number of deals done on the platform.

And those figures look set to rise further with the NTF signing a long-term partnership.

At the click of a button, TransferRoom puts club executives in touch with their peers at more than 650 teams from 60 leagues in over 100 countries.

It has become a vital tool to building connections and sharing real-time, relevant market information.

Neerland, a former CEO at Molde FK, continued: “The smaller clubs do not have that many people employed in the football operations department, so it can take years for them to get a big contacts book with European clubs. 

“TransferRoom is a really smart way for smaller clubs to build their networks, and the live Summits really help to strengthen that.” 

League deals pay dividends for all

Besides Norway, TransferRoom also has league-wide deals in place with Divisionsforeningen in Denmark, Liga MX in Mexico and MLS in North America. 

All four are realising the benefits of boosting awareness and attractiveness of their players among global decision makers as well as a higher efficiency in the transfer market, ultimately contributing to winning both on and off the pitch.

Jonas Ankersen, Founder and CEO of TransferRoom, said: “The Norwegian league has committed long-term to TransferRoom because of the clear value the platform has provided their clubs in the transfer market.

“That has given them a competitive advantage over teams in other leagues, but just as importantly league-wide deals that give everyone access to TransferRoom also make the domestic transfer market more efficient and transparent.”