The EuroLeague market is going through a major transformation, with new investors and ambitious projects such as Dubai BC and Hapoel Tel Aviv entering the scene. According to David Carro, Thomas Walkup’s agent, however, it is not accurate to blame the new clubs alone for the rise in player salaries and transfer fees. He spoke to AS.
“It’s a big lie”
Carro addressed the narrative that Dubai and Hapoel have been responsible for driving the market upwards.
“It’s a big lie. It’s the easy excuse that the top EuroLeague teams have now: blaming Dubai and Hapoel for market inflation. But it’s completely false.”
According to the agent, Olympiacos and Panathinaikos spend more than Dubai, as does Anadolu Efes, while the real change is that new projects now have the financial strength to compete for the same players.
“Olympiacos and Panathinaikos spend much more than Dubai”
“Olympiacos and Panathinaikos spend much more money, Efes spends more as well… What happens is that they are teams with enormous pride and history, used to having every player wanting to go there.”
Carro argues that the European market has historically operated in a pyramid-like structure, with the wealthiest clubs able to take the best players from smaller teams.
Now, in his view, Dubai and Hapoel have simply reached that financial level, changing the established balance of power.
“It’s not just about money”
The agent also points to players who, despite receiving offers from Dubai, chose Olympiacos or Panathinaikos.
“Dubai wanted Sylvain Francisco, they wanted Jean Montero… they made offers for them, they tried to sign them and they couldn’t. They chose Panathinaikos and Olympiacos. That disproves the money theory.”
Carro believes players consider several factors when choosing a team, including contract length, sporting project, coaching staff, city, family conditions and long-term stability.
The Walkup case and the new EuroLeague reality
Thomas Walkup’s departure from Olympiacos to Dubai BC is, according to Carro, an example of this changing landscape. The move followed a lengthy negotiation between the two clubs.
The agent rejects the idea that Walkup simply chose Dubai because of money.
“Dubai offers a lot, just like the Greek teams, Efes, Real Madrid or Barcelona. But it also offers several years to identify with the project, luxury facilities, a sporting project, a spectacular city and a top-level coach like Xavi Pascual.”
For Carro, the European market is therefore entering a phase in which a club’s historical name and financial power are no longer the only decisive factors.
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